FORT STEWART, Ga. - During the Civil War, it was called “Soldier’s heart.” Throughout the First World War, it was called shell shock. In World War II, it was called battle fatigue. Today, it is commonly known as post traumatic stress disorder. No matter what you call it, the affects of PTSD are real.
“Post traumatic stress disorder is a diagnosis among the anxiety disorders,” said Maria Aviles, Chief of Fort Stewart's Warrior Restoration Center. “It’s of a specific criteria, one in which the person has experienced a traumatic event. Those who are diagnosed with PTSD will continue to re-experience a traumtic event in a clinically significant way 30 days or more after the event. It is normal for anyone who has gone through something traumatic to think about their experience. It is the extent of how much this event and re-experiencing it, along with other symptoms, affects a person that will indicate an illness or disorder.”
The symptoms of PTSD include nightmares or reliving the traumatic event such as flashbacks and recurrent memories. One may show signs of avoidance, which include thoughts, feelings or conversations associated with the incident. The feeling of being on guard and having trouble sleeping, concentrating, controlling anger and easily startled are common symptoms some may experience as well.
“Be it nightmares. Be it flashbacks. Be it intrusive thoughts,” Aviles said. “The key thing is that it is affecting your work, and it is affecting your life at home.”
While many avenues of assistance are available to Soldiers, the stigma of being viewed as weak or the fear of career damage often affects a Soldier’s decision to seek guidance.
“This is probably our number one barrier towards receiving help because it is not perceived as getting help for an illness,” Aviles said. “It is perceived as a weakness. It is also perceived as trying not to deploy. Within the military context, what I’ve encountered is that people think that by coming to behavioral health, they will lose their security clearance. That’s a myth, that’s not true.”
Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Stevenson, Winn Army Community Hospital, Chief of Social Work Service, encourages Soldiers, especially officers, to seek guidance. He states that it starts from the top down.
“It is courageous to actually go and seek opportunities to get help,” Lt. Col. Stevenson said. “It is top down driven. When they do come in, we find that those are the officers who make the difference.”
“Unfortunately, there are some commanders who still use [seeking help] as a discriminator,” he said. “Those are the individuals that we need to really continue to educate. When Soldiers are in those situations, especially officers, they need to have a mentor or someone outside their chain of command to let them know that it is OK.”
Lieutenant Colonel Stevenson encourages other leaders to seek avenues of assistance because of his personal experience.
“I share with Soldiers that being in two deployments and being in situations where I had to take care of Soldiers, after my first deployment, I saw help,” Lt. Col. Stevenson said. “I went through Army Once Source and took the opportunity to go through counseling. It was the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. When I share [my story] with Soldiers, it takes away the stigma. It actually breaks down those barriers and, as a provider, it allows Soldiers to really open up. [It builds] milestones in being able to resolve their own personal issues.”
The effects of PTSD are real, and the services are real, too. Battling the symptoms of PTSD does not have to be a lone journey. Speak with someone, whether it’s a friend, chaplain or behavioral health professional; they are here for you. You are not alone.
“Our message is always communicate,” said Tonya Imus, ACS Mobilization Deployment Program Manager at Fort Stewart. “Know which signs to look for and get help. Communicate with your Family Members because the more you communicate, the better you’re going to ease into reintegration. We are by no means experts, but we provide information and resources on where to get help.”
There are a number of services available for assistance. From Military One Source to chaplains, these services offer more information regarding PTSD awareness and an avenue to speak with someone confidentially.
Army One Source:1-800-464-8107
Military One Source: 1-800-342-9647
Military Life Consultants: 912-492-6367/432-8980
Victim Advocates: 912-767-3032
Military Police: 912-767-2822
Behavioral Health: 912-767-1654/1647
Winn Army Community Hospital: 912-435-7016
Division Chaplain Office: 912-9580/9917
Family Life Chaplain: 912-767-7028/3610
On call chaplain: 912-767-8666
“We are not medical professionals, but we are a safe and confidential place,” said Chap. (Maj.) Terry Romine, 3rd ID Family Life Chaplain. “[Soldiers] can speak with us without fear of repercussion. We can help build resources for them to find where they will go next."
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