In Times of Doubt, Find Healing in Pastoral Care

By Jayne Davis, DCoE Strategic Communications

The soldiers were pinned down, taking heavy fire and casualties from what they determined was a lone gunner behind a protective wall. Finally, one soldier broke from the group, made his way to the wall and in a fervent burst of gunfire took the sniper out — it was an 11-year-old boy.

Later, that scene in the soldier’s head kept him from sleeping, played on his spiritual beliefs and made him question his moral compass. He felt unworthy of his religion, unworthy of his family. He knew he needed to talk to someone. He went to see a chaplain.

“Chaplains are often the first line of defense for service members wrestling with issues of moral and spiritual concerns,” said chaplain and Navy Cmdr. Raymond Houk, who related the sniper story. Houk is assigned to Pastoral Care at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and works at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence.

“The unique relationship between chaplain and service member creates a pocket of trust wherein we can help with issues like forgiveness, grief, survivor’s grief and inner moral conflicts — issues that stay with people after experiencing difficult situations and making life and death decisions. Often what’s needed is for them to accept that they made the best decision under the circumstances,” said Houk. “In those cases, we offer support and compassion to help them forgive themselves.”

Chaplains can be in the unique circumstance of having to counsel a service member on both spiritual and psychological loss — and be able to distinguish differences.

In many parts of the world where deployed units are on smaller ships or isolated outposts, behavioral or psychological health care providers are not commonly attached to the units, but most often chaplains are. That puts them in the position of also being the first line of defense for service members having psychological concerns, such as posttraumatic stress. Although some behaviors are common to both spiritual and psychological concerns, chaplains are trained to identify symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “We’re trained to know when the service member needs to seek behavioral health care so we’re very familiar with sleeplessness, intrusive thoughts, nervousness and anger issues,” said Houk. (Read this post about one chaplain’s personal experience with PTSD.)

A spiritual assessment is often the first step for a chaplain faced with helping service members showing signs of PTSD. An assessment helps identify spiritual needs important to their psychological health care, said Houk. “It may include faith practices or beliefs that give their life purpose, meaning, depth and value — beliefs that can impact their behavioral health,” said Houk.

At military treatment facilities chaplains can read, make notes to and include the spiritual assessment in electronic records. “Knowing that a spiritual assessment is not separate from treatment but an integral part of the healing plan encourages the patient to be more forthcoming about their spiritual beliefs, and raises their awareness that their beliefs can be a source of strength and healing during the recovery process,” said Houk.

Houk pointed out that it’s critical for the patient to understand that the chaplain is part of the medical team. Historically, chaplains have had close relationships with medical personnel. “From my perspective, the process of moving service members from spiritual counseling to provider care is handled well, but chaplains still need to be intentional about keeping proactive relationships with health care providers,” said Houk. “Providers need to be aware of chaplains’ capabilities and trust them to make solid referrals.”

Chaplains can find support and resources in this fact sheet and through the Chaplain Working Group hosted by Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury. Contact the group for details.

Navy Chaplain Recalls Journey in Latest Real Warriors Campaign Video Profile

 “You can’t go back to what you were … you have to adapt to what you are.”

     —Lt. Cmdr. Steve Dundas, U.S. Navy chaplain

With 30 years in the military, the last 12 with the Navy, Lt. Cmdr. Steve Dundas thought he was sufficiently familiar with and steeled against the impacts of war. A deployment to Anbar province, Iraq, where he supported service members stationed in remote areas, changed his mind: literally.

As a trauma department chaplain, Dundas had seen death. He had studied post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and ministered to Marines diagnosed with it. But on this mission, he experienced the full impact of what Marines were exposed to—sights, sounds, smells and sheer exhaustion; traveling through some of the most hostile and inhospitable areas in Iraq; and coming under attack, the constant awareness that chaplains were a favorite target of al Qaeda.

When he returned home he felt disconnected from the life he knew. He questioned his faith. Constantly angry, depressed and on-edge, Dundas felt at-odds with his life and his spiritual calling.

A medical officer recognized his PTSD symptoms. With help from a therapist, Dundas started a journey of self-discovery, processing his combat exposure, spiritual crisis and life experiences through writing.

Dundas returned to his profession with new perspectives and a heightened awareness that for some who seek his help, seeking psychological health care may be the best advice he can give.

In this new Real Warriors Campaign video profile, Dundas delivers a clear message of hope and understanding to service members coping with psychological health concerns: while life may have changed for them, they can find a path forward by reaching out for help.

“It’s not something where we’re going to be better overnight [from seeking help] but it will be … a step on the way to healing … a step on the way to integrating those [combat] experiences with our daily life now,” said Dundas.

Real Warriors video profiles stand as testimony to the strength shown by service members who’ve reached out for psychological health care and support. View all of the videos and find information and resources at realwarriors.net.

Mesa Verde Helps Others

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW) Josue L. Escobosa, USS Mesa Verde Public Affairs

JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA, Spain (NNS) -- Sailors and Marines from USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) volunteered at a monastery in Jerez De La Frontera during a port visit to Rota, Spain Jan. 17.

More than 30 volunteers went to the "La Cartuja" Our Lady of the Defense monastery and assisted with yard work and minor renovations to the chapel and living areas.

"These community relations (COMREL) projects keep the relationship between the Navy and the local Spanish community strong," said Lt. Rob Johnson, a chaplain assigned to Naval Station Rota. "The Spaniards really do appreciate everything we do around here; they know it's genuine. They know it's not something that we have to do, but that Sailors and Marines choose to do from the kindness of their hearts."

"I had a great time," said Sgt. Beth Grauer, a participant from the embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). "It feels like we're actually doing something when we're out here. deployment was long, but COMRELs really make me feel like we're helping."

The monastery, which was originally founded in the sixth century, houses 18 nuns and is the second most historic building in the Andalucia region. The chapel was reconstructed in 1490 after it had been conquered and destroyed twice before by foreign invaders.

"This was the biggest group of volunteers I've seen since I've been here," said Johnson. "Their motivation and work ethic is unmatched."

"The response for this COMREL was overwhelming," said Lt. Diego Londono, the 22nd MEU command chaplain. "We had way more volunteers than we had space for this. It's a great opportunity for our Sailors and Marines to work together and gain cohesion with each other and those we help."

Volunteers performed a range of outdoor jobs such as trimming hedges, pulling weeds and removing rocks from a field the nuns will later use to plant a garden. Mesa Verde Sailors and Marines also did heavier chores such as lifting, moving and organizing marble slabs and old stones, as well as cleaning, leveling and laying PVC piping for plumbing.

"It was great to be out here and really lend a hand to people that need it," said Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Christopher Blue. "It's important for us as Americans to help out and this is just another way to do it."

After the volunteers finished their work they were given a tour of the monastery, which included the original grounds, the chapel and ruins of the cells used by the early priests of the monastery. Tour escorts provided participants with stories about the historical significance of the area and church.

"The monastery was gorgeous," said Grauer. "I loved being out here and helping and the tour was more than worth the time we spent working here."

Mesa Verde is deployed as part of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and deployed from her homeport of Norfolk, Va., March 23. Mesa Verde has spent the past nine and a half months supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility, and is returning home after having been relieved by the Makin Island ARG.

The Wisconsin National Guard cares about your relationships

By Wisconsin National Guard Public Affairs– May 10, 2011

Maj. Doug Hedman

Chaplain, Wisconsin National Guard

Married couples typically spend more time planning their wedding ceremony than developing skills to build a happy, enduring marriage. Do the math — that doesn’t add up to happily ever after!

Current statistics (Olson&DeFrain, 1997) show that more than half of married couples are divorcing. A significant percentage of married couples experience serious marital conflict early on, indicated by the high divorce rate in the first years of marriage. The average marriage today lasts about six years — clearly, couples are not prepared to deal with the challenges of marriage.

However, right now I’m not talking about marriage, or trying to pressure anyone into marriage. I’m talking about relationships — I want to talk to those of you who have never dated, those who are currently dating, and those who have gone through a divorce and are looking for a healthy relationship.

A relationship has its ups and downs. The ups are great — the downs can prepare you for future dates. But the worst aspect of dating is going out with a loser. What exactly defines a loser is open to debate, but everyone agrees that they don’t want to date one! With an honest heart and a level head, you can avoid dating a loser.

As a civilian pastor, it bothered me that the church as a whole did not do a better job of helping people make better relationship choices. For many engaged couples who entered my office, taking the marriage survey was the first time they really asked the tough questions about different aspects of their relationship. Some decided not to marry until they truly took the time to discover who they were, and who the person was they planned on marrying.

I was excited to discover the P.I.C.K. (Premarital Interpersonal Choices and Knowledge) program to help people make better relationship choices. (Participants receive a book entitled “How to Avoid Falling for a Jerk [or Jerkette]” — can’t get much plainer than that!) However, for many singles the program was too expensive.

But the Wisconsin National Guard will provide this information to you for free, as part of a weekend retreat. One small preview to the P.I.C.K. retreat weekends is the following tool to help make good relationship choices:

For example: Too many couples don’t take the time to know someone before jumping into other relationship aspects, and discover later on that they went too fast.

The proven steps are:

1. Know the Person

2. Build Trust

3. Can You Rely on the Person?

4. How Committed are Both of You to the Relationship?

5. Touch.

One of the big mistakes people make is thinking they can change the other person, when in reality the only person we can change is ourselves.

Listed below is a small sample of some helpful hints in developing healthy relationships during a P.I.C.K. weekend:

1.    Take your time at the start of a relationship. While it may be fresh and exciting to meet someone new, it is only with time that you really get to know someone. A person can make a strong first impression and turn out to be a loser. Conversely, someone could make less of a splash at first, but turn out to be a true gem as time goes by.

2.    Be honest with yourself. If someone is incredibly attractive but you still feel like something is missing, then something is. Maybe the person you are dating is a little vain, or maybe they aren’t as caring as you would like them to be. Just ask yourself what you really want and whether this person can provide it.

3.    Give blind dating a try. Blind dating, when set up by a friend or someone you really trust, can be uncomfortable. Nevertheless, if your friend knows you well, he may actually be able to fix you up with someone who has everything you need.

4.    Leave anyone who ever does anything that physically hurts you–no exceptions. Some people fool themselves into thinking that their partner will never do it again, but why take the chance? Your safety should always be more important.

5.    Make sure your partner has plenty of his or her own interests. If they’re homebodies that never go out or motivate themselves to get involved in other activities, they’re probably never going to push themselves too hard to achieve their own dreams, instead relying on you to support them.

Here is what Staff Sgt. Connie Fueherer has to say about attending a P.I.C.K. weekend:

“I thought the weekend away was excellent! I learned a lot about myself and what goes into a picking a partner. I applied what I learned and am happily married to a service member who is currently deployed. I would highly recommend this to anyone who is serious about dating and finding the right person.”

Your relationship matters to us and we would love to have you come to one of our P.I.C.K. Retreat weekends. To learn more about the P.I.C.K. (Premarital Interpersonal Choices & Knowledge) program go  www.nojerks.com or register for a P.I.C.K. Retreat.  You can also visit Wisconsin’s Service Member Support Division site for information on P.I.C.K. and much more.

You can also call me at 608-630-1660 with questions or comments. And if you’ve attended one or our retreats why don’t you tell others about your experience here?

Bush Strike Group Sailors Volunteer at Children's Home During Port Visit

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Tyrell Morris, USS George H.W. Bush Public Affairs

MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) -- More than 20 Sailors assigned to USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) and its embarked air wing, participated in a community relations (COMREL) event at the Florida Baptist Children's Home in Jacksonville, Fla., Feb. 12.

The Florida Baptist Children's Home has been in existence since the early 1940s and provides shelter for up to 40 children in need of a safe haven due to unfortunate life circumstances.

"I'm thankful God gives me the opportunity to see different places and me giving back to the community, especially the community where I'm from," said Aviation Machinist's Mate 3rd Class William Bethea, Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 213, from Jacksonville, Fla. "It's a way for me to show my appreciation."

The Sailors spent four hours digging up dead grass and smoothing out soil to beautify the property grounds of the children's home.

Luther Scarboro, Florida Baptist Children's Home director of maintenance, has worked at the children's home for 12 years.

"Since I've been working here I've learned how to become a better Christian by serving others," said Scarboro.

There are several high schools and civic organizations that volunteer at Florida Baptist Children's Home throughout the year. They help with landscaping and any special programs to make the children feel at home.

The 23 Sailors who participated in the COMREL left an impact on the Florida Baptist Children's Home, their staff, and particularly the children who receive shelter there.

"Having volunteers is absolutely critical, and we wouldn't be able to keep up the property grounds or the children's home itself without volunteers," said Scarboro.

For more news from USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), visit www.navy.mil/local/cvn77/.

This article was sponsored by Military Books.