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CareForTheTroops is always in search of good content that can be useful to military families, therapists, congregation leaders, or any visitor to this web site.
The content can be original or found on the internet where we can link to it ... it's an opportunity to be creative and helpful at the same time. Please send to cftt@careforthetroops.org
Training Development
• Fraser Counseling Center
Non-Profit Opns Mentoring
• Pathways Comm Network
Mental Health Providers
• EMDR Clinicians of GA
• Marriage and Family
Therapists (GAMFT)
Congregation Outreach
• Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta
• The Presbytery of Greater
Atlanta & Presbyterian
Women
• Catholic Charities and the
Archdiocese of Atlanta
• The Georgia Cooperative
Baptist Fellowship (CBF)
ON-LINE TRAINING
Now available on this website via Alliant University's Continuing Education Post-Combat Behavioral Health Certificate Program
Alliant University has developed a comprehensive suite of classes to help prepare clinicians to work effectively with today's returning vets and their families. Delivered online, the classes are convenient, informative, engaging.
Learn more from the ON-LINE TRAINING page on this website. You can register or get additional information from the Alliant registrar, Eric Melendez: emelendez@alliant.edu 415-955-2029
Welcome To CareForTheTroops.org
WHO is the site for? ... This site is for military members, civilian contractors, their immediate and extended family members; whether there is a family member deployed, between deployments, recently returned, or separated.. It is also for 
mental health professionals, congregation and community leaders, and others who are in positions to provide help, compassion, or advice to those who are recovering from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
WHY visit this site? ... This site will help those who are both near and far from the existing DOD and VA facilities; who may be having difficulty getting the help needed in a timely manner. We are working to help better educate and train an additional civilian cadre of mental health professionals and community and congregation leaders on how better to understand the issues of those affected by the Iraq and Afghanistan conflict. The goal is to be able to provide the needed resources that can address the mental health issues when they arise and cause any further delay in receiving treatment.
What are some key signs and "triggers" to look for?
Triggers that indicate when someone you know may need some extra assistance with issues affecting them from the conflicts in Iraq or Afghanistan?
Want to know more?--click here...
Congregation leaders would include leaders of all faiths. Community Leader examples are school counselors, family practice doctors, members of social service organizations, police chiefs, fire chiefs, or other employers. It is without limits as it includes all civilians who come in contact with our brave veterans and their family members.
OUR GOAL for this web site? ... We want this website to be a resource you can rely upon and trust to help better understand the mental health issues of US military and their extended families resulting from the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. By better understanding the issues, more will recognize the symptoms and triggers and this will result in a better quality and quantity of referrals to mental health professionals.
Today's News Reports
TOPICS: - PTSD - Military Veteran Mental Health
Ten Things You Should Know to Help Bring the OIF/OEF Veteran All the Way Home
By Alison Lighthall, RN, MS
Item Number 2: What assumptions should be made of the Vet's experience?
There is nothing black-and-white about what has happened to them. Almost always, there are good things that come from a deployment experience. Likewise, there are some pretty difficult things that they face once they are back home. Do not make any assumptions about their experiences.
HINT...this item will change every time you access the HOME Page
Want to know more? See all Ten? -- click here -- go see the Stuff You Should Know menu item on the left side.
What should congregation and community leaders consider doing?
Many will come in contact with military personnel, civilian contractors, and their family members connected to the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts at churches, synagogues, mosques, schools, medical offices, places of employment and where social services agencies are operating.
Congregation Leaders should start a Military Ministry. We describe how to do that here.
Community Leaders should learn about the military culture and signs of trauma & PTSD.
Want to know more?
Congregation Leaders -- click here,
Community Leaders -- click here.
HIGHLIGHT - ArtReach Foundation Workshop for Veterans in Atlanta
The ArtReach Foundation Announces a Call for Veterans with PTSD and/or mild TBI to Participate in 2-Day Creative Arts Healing Group Workshop Friday and Saturday, January 22-23, 2010. More details available - CLICK HERE.
ArtReach expects to hold 3 more workshops in late February/early March, as follows:
• A one day Introductory workshop open to anyone interested in learning more about the ArtReach Model (to be held on a Sat)
• A 2 day workshop for military/veterans only
• A 2 day workshop for clinicians working with active duty military/veterans.
HIGHLIGHT - Interesting website on PTSD and Truama for ALL family members
A very informative site filled with all kinds of resources about PTSD and Trauma. It is not just focused on military trauma so it might be useful for other members of military families. Go to the Gift From Within website.
HIGHLIGHT - Check Out VA Vet Centers, Now 5 in Georgia
Vet Centers (232 so far) provide readjustment counseling and outreach services to all veterans who served in any combat zone. Services are also available for their family members for military related issues. Veterans have earned these benefits through their service and all are provided at no cost to the veteran or family. The five centers in Georgia are in Atlanta, Lawrenceville, Marietta, Macon, and Savannah
HIGHLIGHT - New, free training material for Vets, Clinicians and Congregation Leaders
A Quick Guide for Returning Veterans (pocket-sized booklet) and Clinicians's Guide for counselors. Written by Pamela Woll, MA CADP from the ATTC Network. Read more about this material on our Training Material Page
HIGHLIGHT - New Partner: Catholic Charities and the Archdiocese of Atlanta
(June) We are pleased to announce that Joe Krygiel, CEO of Catholic Charities, will join our Board. CareForTheTroops continues to make outreach to all faiths and denominations. We expect to announce additional partnerships in the near future. See our other Partners listed on the left side of each web page.
HIGHLIGHT - A new phamphlet on Suicide Awareness and Prevention for Leaders
2009 is proving to be a critical year to address this issue. Read and heed this important information.
HIGHLIGHT - A new DOD helpful website
(May) The DOD launched in May the Real Warriors Campaign, a multimedia public education effort designed to combat the stigma keeping some service members veterans and their families from seeking needed psychological health care.
Here's the Real Warriors web site. Other web sites of interest are found here.
Here's a terrific article that helps describe and recognize combat stress. This is also posted in our Reference Library of Articles
ON-LINE TRAINING NOW AVAILABLE Click Here
• CareForTheTroops Jan 15th and May 21st, 2010 sponsored EMDR Weekend I and II in Athens, GA. These weekends are co-sponsored with The Samaritan Center of NE Georgia.
Click Here for more info
• Visit GiftFromWithin.org for
training pod/web-casts on Trauma
Visit our Training Calendar for Upcoming Events
If you know of other training events, please share that info we us so we can advertise them to our site visitors.
What should Clinicians and Therapists consider doing?
It has already started, but certainly over the next couple of years, more and more clients with military backgrounds will be seeking mental health support from civilian, non-VA clinicians.
- Consider enrolling in the CareForTheTroops program
- Consider some training to treat patients with trauma using EMDR
- Consider becoming part of the CareForTheTroops Training Cadre. Over time our training needs will increase and we will need more and more trainers
- Consider speaking with the leadership at your current congregation or the congregations nearby your home and office, encouraging them to begin a military ministry and to work with the CareForTheTroops initiative
Want to know more? click here.
MILITARY OATH OF ENLISTMENT
All military Service Members begin their official time of service by taking this oath at a swearing in ceremony:
I, (name), DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AGAINST ALL ENEMIES, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC; THAT I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME; AND THAT I WILL OBEY THE ORDERS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE ORDERS OF THE OFFICERS APPOINTED OVER ME, ACCORDING TO REGULATIONS AND THE UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE. SO HELP ME GOD.
Speaking these words has far more emotional power than these words on paper could ever convey because a person in the military knows, in that moment, that they are agreeing to defend a principle with their very lives.
It is a moment they never forget!
