Health Care Happenings

I’ve been talking about the holidays—how this time of year can be fun for some folks, and not so much for others.

Take for instance a servicemember who’s attempting to readjust to life back home after a year deployment in combat. Family life can feel strange, relationships may be different than when he or she left, loneliness can easily set in, and the noise and festivities of the holidays can be overwhelming.

Not only can the transition home be hard on troops, but it can be equally challenging to family, particularly children.

A young boy at my kid’s school is struggling with some of these issues right now. This young boy’s dad just returned home from his third deployment to Afghanistan. The boy told my kids his dad was okay the last two times he came back from deployment, but this time his father is different—he doesn’t want to do any of the fun things they use to do together like ball games—“my dad doesn’t even want to spend time with the family—and he gets angry a lot.”

Do you know a servicemember or family in this situation—someone in your own family perhaps. Deployments change people and combat can be even more life changing.

There’s help though.

Don’t let someone you know or love suffer during the holidays. Show them you care about them. Their stress could be related to combat trauma that requires professional help.

The good news is that there are great resources like the “Real Warriors Campaign” and toll free hotlines to get help fast. The best thing about these resources, they are aimed at getting folks help so troops and their families can take control of your life again—all stigma free.

Check out Real Warrior Campaign to:

• Hear personal stories from warriors who are dealing with an invisible   wound
• Get age appropriate resources to help children adjust to changes when servicemembers return home
• Find out the warning signs of suicide and what you can do if someone you know is exhibiting them
• Get even more information

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)!

MOAA is proud to partner with the Defense Center of Excellence (DCoE) Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury’s “Real Warriors Campaign.”

Thanks DCoE-Real Warriors Campaign for your hard work and outstanding efforts!

This week Kathy Beasley and I had the privilege of attending an awards ceremony hosted by the Navy Safe Harbor Program.

The awards ceremony was the first for Safe Harbor  —  truly an awesome and inspiring event!  The program paid tribute to the courageous and selfless acts of duty by shipmates who were wounded or disabled both in and out of theater, as well as the unwavering support provided by families and the non-medical professionals in the Navy Safe Harbor Program.

Since its inception in 2005, Safe Harbor has been a primary source of non-medical support and care for Sailors and Coast Guardsmen wounded, ill and injured and their families. The program provides a lifetime of individually tailored assistance designed to meet the needs of servicemembers in the recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration process.

MOAA is honored to be a partner with the Navy Safe Harbor Program and we encourage our members, Chapters and Councils to find out more about the program and how you can help America’s heroes.

Click here to learn more:   Navy Safe Harbor Program