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http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090625/PTSD_campaign_090625/20090625?hub=Canada
Military will encourage discussion of combat stress
Updated Thu. Jun. 25 2009 7:37 AM ET
The Canadian Press
OTTAWA -- The Canadian military will launch a campaign Thursday to bring the suffering of mental illness -- particularly post-traumatic stress disorder -- out of the shadows.
But just like the individuals who struggle to openly discuss what ails them, the Department of National Defence wrestled with whether the awareness campaign would be made public or aimed strictly at military personnel.
Notice of the long-planned event, at which members of the Forces will lay bare their struggles, only came out Wednesday after intense internal discussion in the wake of last week's House of Commons defence committee report. That report recommended military leadership publicly fight off the stigma that exists among soldiers over PTSD.
The launch of the awareness campaign occurs against the background of the ongoing military police investigation into the suspected suicide of Maj. Michelle Mendes in Afghanistan last April.
The campaign's message that it's "alright to hurt" won't be difficult for Gen. Walter Natynczyk to deliver.
His concern for the well-being of the soldiers, sailors and aircrew who've put themselves in harm's way is well known in military circles. But as an organization built on bullet-proof toughness, the Canadian Forces has grappled with conceding the frailties of human beings.
Outside organizations such as the Canadian Mental Health Association and the Mental Health Commission of Canada will be among the pillars of the campaign aimed at a "better sharing of ideas" on stress disorders, said a defence insider.
It's expected more resources will be set aside to further expand the number of Joint Personnel Support Units, which allow soldiers to seek one-stop service for injuries.
National Defence said it's committed to expanding and enriching programs aimed at preventing, identifying and treating mental health issues.
The Commons committee, in its exhaustive year-long study, recommended that not only the "prejudice of mental illness" be expelled from military culture but that leaders be better trained to spot PTSD and deal with it among the rank and file.
Even with added emphasis and acceptance of mental health problems, defence officials conceded reshaping attitudes will not happen overnight.
"These things take a long time and they take longer in an enclosed environment like the (Canadian Forces)," said a defence insider.
There has been a steady increase in cries for help from soldiers and their families as the war rages in Afghanistan accompanied by the horrors of the unpredictable desert battlefield.
The House of Commons defence committee heard expert testimony that of some 27,000 soldiers and aircrew who have rotated through Afghanistan since 2002, approximately 3,640 members are expected to exhibit some sort of mental health concern. Of those, roughly 1,120 could exhibit symptoms of PTSD.
The estimate is based upon a mathematical model.
Liberal MP Dan McTeague, an advocate for wounded soldiers, said the solution is more than just clinical.
He said he believes the divide within the military between soldiers who've served in places like Afghanistan and those who haven't is the starting point for addressing traumatic stress.
Many soldiers who've come to him for assistance after multiple tours say they feel out-of-place in their old surroundings.
"It's almost like there is two distinct armed forces when you consider the experiences," McTeague said Wednesday.
"The message I think the brass at the Department of National Defence has to come to grips with is that reducing stress on soldiers starts with recognizing the difference. Soldiers have said to me the biggest challenge is to have my superiors understand what has happen and appreciate the context of what I've been through."
© 2009 CTVglobemedia All Rights Reserved.
Military will encourage discussion of combat stress
Updated Thu. Jun. 25 2009 7:37 AM ET
The Canadian Press
OTTAWA -- The Canadian military will launch a campaign Thursday to bring the suffering of mental illness -- particularly post-traumatic stress disorder -- out of the shadows.
But just like the individuals who struggle to openly discuss what ails them, the Department of National Defence wrestled with whether the awareness campaign would be made public or aimed strictly at military personnel.
Notice of the long-planned event, at which members of the Forces will lay bare their struggles, only came out Wednesday after intense internal discussion in the wake of last week's House of Commons defence committee report. That report recommended military leadership publicly fight off the stigma that exists among soldiers over PTSD.
The launch of the awareness campaign occurs against the background of the ongoing military police investigation into the suspected suicide of Maj. Michelle Mendes in Afghanistan last April.
The campaign's message that it's "alright to hurt" won't be difficult for Gen. Walter Natynczyk to deliver.
His concern for the well-being of the soldiers, sailors and aircrew who've put themselves in harm's way is well known in military circles. But as an organization built on bullet-proof toughness, the Canadian Forces has grappled with conceding the frailties of human beings.
Outside organizations such as the Canadian Mental Health Association and the Mental Health Commission of Canada will be among the pillars of the campaign aimed at a "better sharing of ideas" on stress disorders, said a defence insider.
It's expected more resources will be set aside to further expand the number of Joint Personnel Support Units, which allow soldiers to seek one-stop service for injuries.
National Defence said it's committed to expanding and enriching programs aimed at preventing, identifying and treating mental health issues.
The Commons committee, in its exhaustive year-long study, recommended that not only the "prejudice of mental illness" be expelled from military culture but that leaders be better trained to spot PTSD and deal with it among the rank and file.
Even with added emphasis and acceptance of mental health problems, defence officials conceded reshaping attitudes will not happen overnight.
"These things take a long time and they take longer in an enclosed environment like the (Canadian Forces)," said a defence insider.
There has been a steady increase in cries for help from soldiers and their families as the war rages in Afghanistan accompanied by the horrors of the unpredictable desert battlefield.
The House of Commons defence committee heard expert testimony that of some 27,000 soldiers and aircrew who have rotated through Afghanistan since 2002, approximately 3,640 members are expected to exhibit some sort of mental health concern. Of those, roughly 1,120 could exhibit symptoms of PTSD.
The estimate is based upon a mathematical model.
Liberal MP Dan McTeague, an advocate for wounded soldiers, said the solution is more than just clinical.
He said he believes the divide within the military between soldiers who've served in places like Afghanistan and those who haven't is the starting point for addressing traumatic stress.
Many soldiers who've come to him for assistance after multiple tours say they feel out-of-place in their old surroundings.
"It's almost like there is two distinct armed forces when you consider the experiences," McTeague said Wednesday.
"The message I think the brass at the Department of National Defence has to come to grips with is that reducing stress on soldiers starts with recognizing the difference. Soldiers have said to me the biggest challenge is to have my superiors understand what has happen and appreciate the context of what I've been through."
© 2009 CTVglobemedia All Rights Reserved.
