This might be one of the most important shows I've done.
My friend Dave Wolfe has suffered from PTSD for.. well, ever.
He told me about the Reboot Recovery program he became part of and I knew I wanted to interview Dave Ferris, the co-director of the local program.
They both agreed to do the program and here it is...
https://www.spreaker.com/user/9157644/the-drift-ptsd-reboot-recovery
That was well done, and an interesting program!
ReplyDeleteI was hoping to hear from you and pitchpull about it. Thanks.
DeleteEd ... first of all, I want to thank you for posting the audio of your radio talk show. It was a significant discussion/revelation ... one that I think more people should learn about. Secondly, you may be interested in a commentary at my friend's blog, Always on Watch (go to:http://alwaysonwatch3.blogspot.com/2018/02/fatal-policy-failure.html) which addressed the Florida school shooting and the issue of mental health. Not every comment is a serious effort toward a meaningful dialogue, but the conservatives appear to have made a good stab at it. I'm sure that with your background, you could weigh in easily enough.
ReplyDeletePart of my commentary addressed the issue of how PTSD is generally regarded at some locations as a bar to prevent former military personnel from obtaining a license to own or carry fire arms. The issue being that not everyone with PTSD is mentally ill or emotionally disturbed to the point that they pose a danger to society, and yet we've seemed to lump all such cases into the same container. In my view, this isn't fair to veterans (or first responders) who've placed their butts on the line, but it also doesn't responsibly address the issue of mental healthfulness.
Part of the problem with PTSD is that the military apparatus has been co-opted by the dictates of the earlier administration, which I find incomprehensible and dishonest. It has been the policy of the services not to diagnose PTSD in the case of service men and women with less than four years of active service because in doing so, such diagnoses entitle them to veteran's benefits. Rather, military medical authorities have been instructed to categorize these veterans with personality disorder and administratively separate them from military service. The effect of this procedure is to deny such men and women from receiving to veteran's medical benefits. I do not know whether this has become a standard practice within police and fire departments, as well. So suddenly we have some former military men and women excluded from receiving veteran's benefits, and for what? I suspect the program is designed to excuse the government from its responsibility toward veterans and reduce VA expenditures. I wonder how many of these young Americans have committed suicide or engaged in other self-destructive behaviors (substance abuse). At this point, thanks to this disgustingly dishonest practice, we don't even know how many veterans fit into this category ... and I suspect that many of these people received "general" as opposed to honorable discharges. They will carry this baggage around with them for the rest of their lives.
Hopefully Reboot-Recovery will be able to expand its program to the disenfranchised military veteran and first responder. I wish them all the best, and I thank them for their efforts on behalf of the American people. Thank you again for posting the audio of your program.
Thank you sir.
DeleteIt is an honor to have you read and comment here.
According to visit stats, this post has received 54 views.
I've done better :)
I don't know if you read Old NFO's blog, but Jim is a retired NFO who I made it a point to visit with once.
A comment from each of you is an honor and I'm glad you each took the time to listen.
I had hoped to get a larger response to this post because I think so many vets could use the information, but asking someone to listen for an hour is expecting a lot.
I am going to forward your comment to Dave Ferris, who I interviewed.
Thanks again.
and I thought you knew that I frequent AOW often.
DeleteI will revisit that post.
I tend not to comment unless I have some unique offering or I feel the blogger needs the encouragement.
Haven't had the chance to listen yet, but per Mustang's comment am looking forward to it. Probably tomorrow. I rarely miss catching the podcast of your Saturday show.
ReplyDeleteLike DaBlade, I'm interested in listening due to earlier comments from folks I respect.
ReplyDeleteI WILL listen, because I'm one of those guys who felt I was unaffected... until I went to a unit reunion and shared time with brothers I love there.
but I want to be able to listen with undivided attention.
My related thoughts, for those with an interest:
Deletehttp://pitchpull.blogspot.com/2006/12/tiger-fatigues.html
I was interested.
DeleteGood read.