DCoE Unveils New Real Warriors Profile

By Sarah Heynen
DCoE

January 27, 2010 - The Defense Centers of Excellence (DCoE) for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury unveiled a new Real Warriors Campaign profile at the MHS 2010 Conference on Jan 26. Sponsored by DCoE, the Real Warriors Campaign is a multimedia public education initiative designed to combat stigma associated with seeking treatment for psychological health concerns and traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Air Force Lt. Col. Mary Carlisle’s profile highlights her experiences coping with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The casualties that Carlise saw daily as a critical care nurse serving at the intensive care unit at the Air Force Theater Hospital in Balad, Iraq, took a toll on her psychological health. After returning home, Carlisle began to exhibit the signs and symptoms of PTSD, but she initially worried that seeking treatment would negatively impact her career. She found the strength to reach out after seeing her friend, and Real Warriors Campaign volunteer, Maj. Iwona Blackledge, speak out about her own experiences coping with PTSD.

Carlisle hopes that her profile, and the other video profiles and PSAs at www.realwarriors.net, will inspire others to reach out. “My point is to share this ... to get the message out,” she said. These powerful videos highlight real warriors of different ranks and services who have experienced PTSD or TBI, have sought treatment, and who are maintaining successful careers. Real Warrior profiles like Carlisle’s are the proof that service members, veterans, and families need to know that resources are available, and that they work.

CoE is not only working to eliminate the stigma associated with seeking help for psychological health concerns. Army Brig. Gen. Lorree K. Sutton, director of DCoE, explained in greater detail what DCoE does.

“We are the open front door within the Department of Defense for all issues related to psychological health and traumatic brain injury, the unseen wounds of war,” Sutton said. “We assess, we validate, we reach into the next generation, find next generation solutions and bring them into the here and now. You are not alone. The unseen wounds of war are real. Treatments work, and the sooner we can intervene the better. Finally, reaching out is an act of courage and strength.”

DCoE opened in November of 2007. DCoE works on a wide range of projects -- all under the scope of psychological health and traumatic brain injury. These efforts are accomplished through collaborating with the services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, federal partners and leading academic institutions and organizations. Six component centers also make up DCoE, which include the Center for Deployment Psychology, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, Deployment Health Clinical Center, National Center for Telehealth & Technology and the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (scheduled to open summer 2010).