Chaplains from Fort Jackson gathered with about 20 of their civilian counterparts on Tuesday to work together on meeting the needs of Soldiers returning from combat.
The event -- part of what is intended to become a semiannual series called the Fort Jackson Soldier/Family Ministry Forum -- included information and resources on Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and other family stressors related to combat and deployment. The organizer, garrison chaplain Col. James Palmer, established the cooperative-ministry series because not all Fort Jackson Soldiers worship on post.
The Rev. Patricia Sexton of All-Saints Episcopal Church in Cayce attended the forum partly because she has "some veterans in my congregation," but her main reason was more personal.
"I came primarily because my son has PTSD after two tours of combat duty" in Iraq, she said. Sexton said her son had to "fight his way into the system" to receive treatment and left the Army six years ago as the result of his trauma.
After Tuesday's sessions, Sexton said she could see that treatment with those for PTSD appeared more organized and accessible.
"It helps me to know that so much is being done," she said.
Speakers for the day were Capt. Alexander Renelt, a clinical psychologist and chief of Behavioral Health Sciences at Moncrief Army Community Hospital, and Chaplain Eddie Davis of Dorn VA Medical Center. Holly Swan of the Josiah Project Ministry spoke at lunch. The ministry, at Northeast Presbyterian Church, encourages veterans to use biblical principles to help themselves and others.
Renelt reviewed symptoms of PTSD, as well as facts and figures on its occurrence. He stressed that continued counseling was the key to recovery -- despite the fact that many soldiers don't stick with the treatment because they're too impatient for results or worried about the stigma of receiving treatment.
"The goal is not to remove a (traumatic) memory" from a soldier's brain during counseling, Renelt stressed. "If the Army knew how to do it, I assure you we'd be doing it."
Rather, he said, troubled soldiers must expect a period of readjustment after leaving combat -- a readjustment period in which they may find themselves angry, depressed or relying too much on alcohol.
"If you're listening to their narrative," Renelt told those assembled, "that by itself facilitates recovery." After that, he said, promote rest, support, exercise and proper diet.
For his part, Davis coached the clergy on restoring the balance between emotion and rational thought by stressing faith. Faith, he said, can restore a former combatant's sense of inner peace and safety, trigger his ability to accept what has happened to him, answer his questions about what has happened and renew his life's purpose.
"When we can get the veteran to the place where they can accept" his situation, Davis said, that's when the healing begins.
Those attending the session represented diverse congregations -- Presbyterian and Methodist, non-denominational and Salvation Army, Episcopalian and Baptist.
They sat attentively, taking notes during the presentations, which presented a near-overwhelming amount of information.
"For me, it's helpful to understand some of the lingo" of treatment, said Maj. Roger Coulson, corps officer for the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army houses and feeds the homeless, and helps families in need -- many of which include veterans.
Fort Jackson chaplain Capt. Matthew Madison is in his first cycle with the 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, and already has encountered a handful of soldiers coming into the Army with traumatic memories, perhaps prompted by childhood trauma and abuse.
"Sometimes they don't realize until you talk to them that they're re-experiencing trauma" as the result of training or even a drill sergeant's barked order, he said.
Madison felt reassured knowing "how extensive the help is here" for both his basic-training and his permanent-party soldiers.
Post chaplains deal with Soldier and Family trauma "on a regular basis," said Maj. Matthew Hill, who manages the chaplaincy's Family Life Center.
Most people on post are combat veterans, Hill said -- just look for the telltale patch on the left biceps.
"It's not just that they've been in combat -- it's the family issues" that often prompt difficulties, said Hill, who has a degree in marriage and family counseling. "Myself, I've been away from my wife (Suzanne) for five years" through three deployments to Afghanistan.
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