Posted on Jan 8, 2014

Multiple deployments to Afghanistan.

SFC (Join to see)

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Has your personality, mood, behavior and what not changed dramatically since your last/recent deployment ? I know I am no longer who I used to be.

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Posted 11 y ago

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CPT (Join to see)

Posted 11 y ago

Deployments are a life changing event, regardless of where you are sent or what job you are assigned.  Every Soldier will react to it and be affected by it in different ways.  What you must understand is that you WILL change as a result of your experiences and, as others have mentioned, your family and friends are going to change, too.  I used to scoff at the concept of reintigration after a deployment but I have now come to realize that it is a necessary and, sometimes, painful process that every deployed Soldier has to go through if they are going to get back to a normal life.  What is most critical is seeing the signs that the changes might be spinning out of control; temper, mood swings, mild depression, agitation are normal after redeployment but when they start to interfere with your relationships, your job, or your day to day life, it is time to get help.

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SFC (Join to see)

11 y

yes, temper, mood swings, mild depression, agitation is exactly my issue. well said sir.

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SGT (Join to see)

10 y

Very well put sir. I'm going through all those different emotions right now and it's pretty overwhelming.

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1SG (Join to see)

Posted 11 y ago

SSG Przeszowski,

I have to agree with CPT McCormick, change is inevitable when it comes to deployments. I have noticed several changes in my attitude, demeanor, and emotional state, and it changes with each deployment. The key things to remember are that there is a support system available for those that are experiencing difficulty, and that we must have the backs of our fellow service members should they need someone to lean on. There is less of a stigma with seeking help for these issues in todays military, and it is imperative that we leave none of our comrades to feel alone or like they are without an outet.

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CH (CPT) Heather Davis

11 y

SFC Busko:

What happens is the support team ends up getting compassion fatigue. Many families have intergenerational PTSD and unknowingly pass it down to their children.

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1SG (Join to see)

11 y

Ma'am,

I understand that, but I am not just speaking of a localized support structure in the way of family. Seeking assistance through a Chaplain, or a psychologist in dealing with PTSD is primarily what I was referring to. The stigma of seaking help for mental health is no longer what it used to be, the scarlet letter that no one wanted to be associated with. The progress towards the mindset of taking care of every aspect of our service members well being has been phenominal compared to what it was when I first joined. The level of care has improved to the point where SF Groups have a dedicated psycholigist on staff, in addition to the normal compliment of medical personnel and chaplains.

It is also up to all of us to not only know ourselves, but to know those on our left and right so we can recognize when they are starting to have problems.

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SSG (Join to see)

Posted 11 y ago

I know we're talking mentally, and I think we can all agree that something changes each time we leave to put ourselves in harms way. I think this project (some of you might have seen it) illustrates the changes we think of in a powerful way.

"While the emotional repercussions of war aren't easy to measure, the before, during, and after pictures of soldiers who have seen combat tell a pretty unsettling story. There's something mesmerizing about these photographs, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Photographer Lalage Snow has captured something really interesting."

http://www.upworthy.com/mesmerizing-photographs-of-soldiers-faces-before-and-after-a-war