Those who are yet uninitiated may wonder — what is PTSD and what is its significance to the Navy SEALs – or any other site that talks about sailors and soldiers and anyone who puts his or her life on the line for country? PTSD – an acronym for post-traumatic stress disorder – is one battle wound that few veterans will probably talk about; it has been thrust to the limelight, however, due to the recent tragedy that happened in Fort Hood, Texas.
We would like to share with our readers this interesting feature on Time.com, which we feel sheds light to the plight of our country’s heroes when everything has been said and done. The fact that the feature is largely an account of experiences shared by a former Navy SEAL also lends more significance to the story.
Retired Navy SEAL Commander Mark Waddell had his share of the horrors of war. To say that he had more than his fair share will probably be inaccurate; it may even be safer to think that each and every deployed troop’s experience may be as traumatic as the next, despite their differences.
A lot of us will probably be familiar with the event that has been remembered as the worst disaster in SEAL history: the loss of a Chinook helicopter that had eight SEALs and eight Army aviators on board. Mark Waddell was not on that chopper, but he was the one who was burdened with the heart-wrenching task of going over the remains of the brave young men whose lives were so suddenly cut short, right when they were at their prime.
His wife Marshele was privy to his ordeal, and it was a challenge that they handled together. Their coming forward with their story through a publication as wide in circulation as Time can certainly raise more awareness regarding PTSD and the other “invisible wounds of war” that our veterans and our troops may be silently carrying. After all, and we have not said this often enough – being aware and doing what little we can to help raise and, perhaps, resolve these issues would be the least we can do for the people who are willing to risk themselves for the good of their country.
December 21st, 2009 - 1:00 am
[...] increasing since America’s entry into multiple wars is the incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among troops, which as of a survey conducted in 2005 was pegged at 7% (relating to the number [...]
February 1st, 2010 - 6:20 am
[...] a previous post, we talked about post-traumatic stress disorder and how this is affecting the mental health of the men and women who are putting their lives on the [...]
February 11th, 2010 - 4:55 am
[...] to provide services such as; plastic, oral, oculoplastic, neuro and general surgery, dermatology, mental health care, chaplain services and support [...]
February 20th, 2010 - 5:33 am
[...] a previous post, we talked about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and shared a feature on Time.com on the [...]
April 3rd, 2010 - 4:48 am
[...] for which marijuana may be prescribed for treatment. In New Mexico, one of the conditions is post-traumatic stress disorder – something that a number of service members suffer [...]
May 9th, 2010 - 4:40 am
[...] to Warren, he developed PTSD after witnessing a fellow crew member aboard the submarine tender Hunley burned and [...]
May 18th, 2010 - 6:24 am
[...] Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a very real issue that service members face, and their suffering extends beyond their actual time in combat. This condition is something that anyone in the service has undoubtedly faced, but help and more accurate diagnosis came only in recent years. Now, anyone suffering from PTSD has a very real chance of getting better. [...]
May 21st, 2010 - 3:00 am
[...] National Intrepid Center of Excellence is expected to provide service members with psychological health conditions and traumatic brain injuries with the latest treatments. It is also expected to conduct [...]
May 23rd, 2010 - 2:12 am
[...] Department, shares: “It’s important for people to realize that while we associate post-traumatic stress with tragedies, there are other victims of crimes who suffer from post-traumatic stress. It could [...]
May 24th, 2010 - 5:32 am
[...] The site can be used not just by veterans but by their families, friends and caretakers as well. Search for services are based on a wide range of categories, which include, among others, geography and eligibility. The site can be used to search for job-mentoring services or to discreetly search for programs that help deal with post-traumatic stress disorder. [...]
June 29th, 2011 - 1:30 pm
[...] American Geriatrics Society, veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are more likely to develop dementia, [...]