Since this diary is for educational purposes only, I'm including copies of Doonesbury strips; hopefully, there won't be any copyright problems.

Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau



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As he checks in with the office manager for his 0900 appointment with Elias the counselor, he's a bit startled when Celeste says "Welcome home, sir!" He asks her why she always says that to him, and she replies that she thinks vets can never hear it enough; that they often don't feel like they're fully home; that the war is still raging inside of them. B.D. says, "He's going to open me up like a can of peanuts, isn't he?" To which Celeste replies, "No, I'm not showing that on the schedule."

::

1/24 | This is a big day for B.D. -- his first official counseling session:

Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau



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B.D. is asked to take a seat and notices there are chairs set up at various distances from the counselor's desk. The VA counselor asks why he thinks they're set up like like. "I suppose each seat corresponds to levels of trust," B.D. figures. Elias tells him he should have his job, and then asks if he's ready to begin. B.D.'s still trying to get out of it and cracks, "Is there another back door here?"

::

1/25 | The session that B.D.'s been dreading begins:

Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau



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The counselor opens it up by giving props to B.D. for coming in -- that it takes a lot of courage to do that. B.D. says, "Well, it wasn't my idea" and goes on to say that his shrink at Walter Reed, his battle buds, his wife, his kid, his friends and family were all on his case to do it. Elias finishes his thought, "So, this isn't about you." B.D. shows the difficulty of a vet admitting to himself that he needs help when he says, "No, I'm fine."

::

1/26 | Elias and B.D. set the groundrules:

Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau



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B.D.'s curious how the sessions will proceed. Elias says he usually starts off by sharing his own combat experiences in order to show that he can identify with vets who come in for help. If the counselor's story is better than B.D.'s, he says he'll buy lunch -- but it doesn't happen often. [Catch the counselor's story here.]

::

1/28 | B.D. tests the counselor:

Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau



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In this exchange, B.D. tries to test the counselor's mettle. He lays a story on Elias, "Two wars ago, as a grunt in Cu Chi, I shoved a suspecte V.C. out of a chopper." Elias doesn't flinch. He tells B.D. that his story describes a war crime and that he shouldn't tell anyone else. B.D. gives and says, "I didn't kill anybody. I just made that up." The counselor says he knows he did, leaving B.D. impressed. [Learn how Elias called B.D.'s bluff here.]

::

1/31 | The VA counselor reassures B.D. that he's in a safe place:

Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau



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Elias explains to B.D. that he can be trusted, that the Vet Center isn't the military -- whatever he says in counseling stays in counseling. "Nothing leaves this room. The only exception is if you threaten to harm someone, including yourself." When Elias asks B.D. if he has any self-destructive thoughts, B.D. breaks up the seriousness of the session by joking, "Does wanting to date your office manager count?"

::

2/01 | B.D.'s first session comes to a close:

Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau



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The counselor makes a move to end the session at this point. B.D., who's noticeably opening up and getting more comfortable with Elias, is surprised, "But we barely got going." When Elias tells him they've been at it for two hours, B.D. can't believe it. "And I'm not even having fun," he says. Elias says, "Yeah, I seem to have that effect."

::

2/02 | The Vet Center's there for you and B.D.:

Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau



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As B.D. walks out of his first counseling session (way to go, B.D.!) he confirms his appointment for the next week. Elias lets him know that if he needs to come in before then,  he can. B.D. asks if he owes anything for the session, and the counselor explains, "Are you serious? I'm a benefit, man! Believe it or not, your government provides you with the services of a burned-out, gimp, recovering, bullet-headed high school drop-out absolutely free!" To which B.D. replies, "This is a great country." [Read B.D.'s parting conversation with the cute office manager here.]

::

If you're a vet suffering with PTSD, please know that you are not alone. Please take your symptoms seriously, and seek out any or all of the resources available to you. There are many.

From the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command website:

If you or someone you know is displaying behavior associated with PTSD, get help through any of the following resources:

• Fellow Soldiers - Talk to your friends about what you are feeling. Oftentimes it's a reality check ... a first line of defense.
  
  
• Chain of Command - Team leaders, squad leaders, platoon sergeants/leaders, first sergeants, company/battalion/brigade commanders, command sergeants major.
  
  
• Unit Ministry Teams - They're especially good at counseling.
  
  
• Family Life Chaplains - Many have a Master's Degree in Counseling and will try to save a marriage; some will also work individually with the members of a couple.
  
  
• Military One Source (Formerly Army One Source) - Call 1-800-342-9647, or visit the Web site. They offer six free sessions and it's anonymous.
  
  
• Primary Care Managers - Many family practice physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners are quite comfortable treating depression and sleep problems.
  
  
• Community Mental Health Service - They usually have at least one psychiatrist and a variable number of psychologists and social workers on staff as well as behavioral health technicians.
  
  
• TRICARE Counseling - Spouses can go for free. Service members can often share a family member's appointment for marriage counseling.
  
  
• Veterans Administration - Or Veterans Centers.
  
  
• Army Substance Abuse Program (formerly ADAPCP) - Especially helpful if the Soldier or family member has a problem with alcohol or drugs.
  
  
• VA/DOD Joint Programs - Aimed at service members near retirement and currently operating at Forts Hood and Bliss.
  
  
• Local Church Programs - Lutheran Social Services, Catholic Social Services, etc.
  
  
• Army Community Services - Often coordinate/conduct stress management, anger management, parenting and other classes.
  
  
• The Internet - There is a plethora of good information available on-line. Just do a search using the keyword PTSD.

From the garrison commander: "It is important for every Army leader to educate Soldiers on the symptoms of PTSD and resources for treatment to maintain our readiness and, more importantly, preserve life and prevent injury before an unfortunate incident occurs."

PTSD is dangerous and real. And it affects all of us. The gravity at ePluribus Media's PTSD Timeline.