Returning Oklahoma soldiers find help is available

BY BRYAN DEAN

Published: May 31, 2010

Joe Collins' one-year deployment to Iraq ended in 2004, but the invisible wounds still haunt him six years later.

Collins developed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder about six months after he returned.

He withdrew from those closest to him, had trouble sleeping and suffered memory loss. Bright lights, loud noises and crowds caused him to panic.

Fortunately, the Edmond man had a solid support structure in place. His mother, Cynde Collins-Clark, is a licensed counselor. She helped him find the help he needed, though the process was difficult.

His struggles led him and his mother to start a foundation called Veterans Families United.

Guardsmen and reservists face a different set of challenges related to mental health than their counterparts in the active duty military, experts say.

Like those on active duty, guard and reserve soldiers can fall into what Collins-Clark called the "suck it up,” approach. Military culture discourages showing weakness, and one of the first hurdles military leaders have had to face is convincing soldiers they won't be punished or looked down upon for seeking help.

Brandon Wardell, licensed professional counselor and director of psychological health for the Oklahoma National Guard, said active duty soldiers returning to a job at a military post have easy access to health care and a group of people who understand what they are going through.

"Most of our guys go back into civilian lives,” Wardell said. "They don't have other service members around them. We don't have eyes and ears on our people all the time like the active duty Army does.”

Wardell said the Guard is spread out geographically, which makes it tougher for guardsmen to see that help could be available down the street.

The support network for the Oklahoma National Guard begins with its corps of chaplains.

"A lot of times what we see is just that thousand-yard stare,” Wardell said. "They look for any types of changes in behavior — if a soldier is not performing like they used to, if the soldier becomes more aggressive or more withdrawn. They look for a combination of symptoms.”

The Guard employs family life consultants, licensed behavioral health providers who provide nonmedical counseling to soldiers and their families. If more help is needed, the Guard can call on Military OneSource, a U.S. Defense Department service.

"They can call this 1-800 number and can get hooked up with a provider in their local area,” Wardell said. "It also provides them with other resources like budgeting and relationship counseling. What we find is ... financial and relationship issues are the two primary factors involved. That creates stress.”

Collins-Clark said all those resources are useless if those who need them won't seek help.

Thousands of Oklahoma National Guardsmen have served deployments in Iraq or Afghanistan since 2001; many have been deployed two or three times.

Wardell said severe cases of post-traumatic stress are rare, but it isn't the only mental health pitfall guardsmen face.

"Less than 10 percent will come back with PTSD,” Wardell said. "But everyone suffers from deployment-related stress. It just varies how severe.”

Those who see combat are more likely to have severe mental health problems, but even a soldier serving in a support role might deal with stress related to the separation from family and the financial strains associated with being away from home for a year.

Although soldiers returning from deployment go through mandatory health screenings, symptoms of combat stress often don't show up until months later.

Collins-Clark said she would like to see a more formal transition process or "reverse boot camp.” She said many soldiers decompress with cigarettes, alcohol and caffeine.

"Who of us can be fine in a war zone 24/7 for 12 months?” Collins-Clark said. "There is some level of imprint it leaves. There have to be healthy alternatives to decompress.”

Often it is left to friends and family to recognize the signs their soldier might need help. In Collins-Clark's case, she wasn't spending enough time with her son to recognize the symptoms. It wasn't until she got a call from his boss that she knew he needed help, she said.

She said family and friends should consult a professional at a veterans center if a soldier is acting in ways that could be dangerous.

"Ask, 'Would you like me to go with you?' There comes a point when someone really doesn't know how not well they are and doesn't really even know how to initiate getting the help.”