Do you know PTSD by the numbers?

By the Numbers

This portion of the newsletter is designed to provide you with information about the problem of PTSD and suicide among veterans. Additionally, we will include some interesting tid-bits about Hidden Wounds operations.

• A recent study showed that between 20% and 30% of soldiers returning from Iraq between 2004 and 2007 showed symptoms of PTSD.
• In SC in 2009, there were 74 reported suicide attempts among veterans and 16 completions
• The Marine Corps reports that there have been 89 attempted suicides through May of this year with 21 completions. That puts them on track to see 210 attempts and 50 completions, a new record.
• During the first 6 months of operations, the Columbia Marine Corps League made the largest single contribution to Hidden Wounds.
• During our first 6 months of operations, 74% of the contributions made went toward missions and programs with 26% going toward administration. Our goal for the year is 66% and 33% respectively, given our start-up expenses.
• Last year, we lost more troops to suicide than we did on the battlefields.
• The Army lost a record 163 soldiers to suicide in 2009.
• Hidden Wounds was started after Lance Corporal. Mills Bigham took his own life after suffering from PTSD in October of last year. In his company of 55 men alone, a total of 8 have taken their own lives.
• During the first 6 months of operations, we had a total of 167 donors by check. The rest of the money came through sales of Hidden Wounds gear at various fundraising events or simple cash donations.
• Nearly 2,000,000 men and women have served in Iraq and Afghanistan in the last 9 years. 40% have served at least 2 tours, while 300,000 have served up to 5 tours.
• During the first 6 months of operations, we spoke to 21 groups, were given 2 directed fundraisers, participated in 4 local annual events, attended 2 conferences, appeared on 4 TV channels, 2 radio stations, and had a front-page article done on us as we tried to get the word out about Hidden Wounds.

War Story

This section of our newsletter will describe an actual “case” that Hidden Wounds has handled to provide help to a veteran and/or their family. Because of HIPPA laws and other privacy issues, none of the names or places used in the story are actual, but the story will illustrate the good works done by Hidden Wounds.

The phone rang early one morning. On the other end was Mary, a friend of a veteran, Bob. She was frantic because she had just gotten a phone call from Bob. Bob had not been seen or heard from for about 36 hours. He was calling from an undisclosed location and told Mary that he had a gun and that if he did not talk to someone by 3 o’clock that afternoon, he was going to use it on himself.

Bob had previously been diagnosed with PTSD by his local VA facility after 3 tours of service in Iraq. His family knew he was not the same young man that had left them 3 years earlier. Bob exhibited all of the classic symptoms, depression, sleeplessness, fits of anger, and constant edginess. Unfortunately, all the local VA facility could do was prescribe medications while they worked through the backlog of veterans waiting for counseling services.

We first called one of our vet-peers who lived in the area to see if he could help. Once he agreed, Mary called Bob back to find out where he was and that Roger would come talk with him. Roger found him and they talked for while. One of the things we have found is that often the PTSD veteran doesn’t necessarily need to talk to a licensed counselor. They want to talk to another vet. As a veteran once put it, “I want to talk to someone who has been in my boots and carried a rifle”. After about 2 hours, Roger had talked Bob into going with him to the VA facility to see what they could do. Upon arrival, Mary, Roger, and Bob talked with the VA staff about what had happened and they admitted Bob to the hospital for observation. The VA may not be able to see a veteran on a counseling basis, but if you present as suicidal, you are seen right away. Bob was hospitalized for 2 days and released, with more medications, and told they would be in touch about counseling. Two weeks passed and Bob began to decline. Mary called Hidden Wounds again. This time we called one of our volunteer counselors in the area who agreed to see Bob the next day. 

That is what Hidden Wounds is all about. We provide that “safety net” for the veteran waiting to receive service from the VA. This was a best case scenario of how all of the pieces worked together to bring about good outcome. One of our vet-peers went into a crisis situation, diffused it, the VA took Bob in temporarily, and one of our counselors took over in the interim.

At last check, Bob was doing well and still seeing our counselor while the VA is looking for another facility in the Southeast that might be able to take Bob in for more extensive services. Thanks to your generous donations, this is what we can accomplish.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 12th, 2010 at 9:32 pm and is filed under Uncategorized, Updates, Veterans. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.