Warriors on the Home Front Readjustment of the Modern War Fighter

1. Warriors on the Home FrontReadjustment of the Modern War Fighter Mr. Brandon Wardell, MA, NCC, LPC Director of Psychological Health Oklahoma National Guard 405-365-0256 SERV Proprietary and Confidential

2. The reality 1,861,926 Deployed veterans since 9/11 257,582 Currently Deployed 1,342,272 Active Duty 519,654 Guard/Reserve Less than 1% of the population have protected the other 99% 288,952 veterans on America’s Campuses today 15% of total available- Less than 1 in 5 attend college! SERV Proprietary and Confidential

3. Total Deployed by State- since December 2008 8,185 10,110 57,109 10,927 4,476 22,910 5,268 19,832 73,279 22,738 52,650 10,587 5,079 10,877 25,049 16,319 162,213 16,426 6,380 12,819 56,988 69,573 68,203 38,308 11,405 14,533 24,862 12,101 30,044 22,058 49,179 17,084 35,156 18,165 43,578 19,899 53,047 9,254 24,513 29,276 27,635 30,925 11,687 47,319 21,107 32,981 233,099 27,856 180,032 SERV Proprietary and Confidential

4. 283 123 216 175 51 59 59 286 56 62 126 95 60 59 326 92 70 450 215 81 552 116 440 3,288 47 316 140 71 470 237 75 251 59 124 175 453 4,851 700 86 280 264 1,556 142 123 89 112 81 409 251 67 65 55 238 73 260 300 138 66 240 1,731 90 330 52 321 125 76 113 99 47 303 186 63 105 88 91 194 • Oklahoma As of December 2008 • 24,513 Total Deployed since 9/11 • 3,467 Currently Deployed

5. YTD Suicides - Cumulative: 2007 - 2010 0 Note: As of 27 AUG 2010

6. Programs / Initiatives • Parenting Classes (community based) • Child and Youth camps/programs • Strong Bond/Prep seminars • Yellow Ribbon Reintegration events • State Family Program Directors • Directors of Psychological Health • Military Family Life Consultants • Chaplains • Peer to Peer Support Programs • Social Support Networks ( ex Facebook) • Behavioral Health Officers • Community Mental Health • Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors • Survivor Outreach Services • Embedded Behavioral Health • Psychological First Aid (American Red Cross) • Comprehensive Soldier Fitness/Master Resiliency Training/GAT • MOA with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration • Decade of Health “Ready and Resilient” campaign These indicators were clearly present (Y) , not present (N) or undetermined (NS) in the suicide investigation

7. Programs / Initiatives • Education Support Center (PEC) • GI Bill (Vocational /apprenticeship programs) • Tuition Assistance • Certification Exams • “Get an ‘A’ “ initiative • “Drive the Guard” initiative • Employment Partnership Initiative • “Serve” employment initiative • Virtual career fairs • College fairs • Army Spouse Employment Program These indicators were clearly present (Y) , not present (N) or undetermined (NS) in the suicide investigation

8. Programs / Initiatives • Directors of Psychological Health • Crisis Intervention Teams • Family Readiness Groups • Family Education (ex. Suicide Prevention for Families CHPPM) • Home Front Video • Employer Education (ESGR/HRSM) • Military Family Life Consultants • Chaplains • Peer to Peer Support Programs • Social Support Networks ( ex Facebook) • Behavioral Health Officers • Community Mental Health • Military One Source (12 sessions per issue) • “Give an Hour” • Case Managers • PDHRA Program Managers • Suicide Prevention Program Managers • Psychological First Aid (American Red Cross) • MOA with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration • For veterans – VA and Vet Centers • Telebehavioral Health Pilot • Substance Abuse Testing These indicators were clearly present (Y) , not present (N) or undetermined (NS) in the suicide investigation

9. Common Themes • Majority are young, white male Soldiers in their first terms of service. NOTE: There has been an increase in RSP cases. • Of those deployed, the incident occurs over one year post-deployment. • Behavioral health issues are not being identified on PDHAs/PDHRAs NOTE: If issues are identified, Soldiers are allowed to refuse care. • Majority choose a permanent life-ending method: a firearm. • Majority had a substance abuse issue: predominantly alcohol consumption, as alcohol tends to be the tool to overcome inhibitions. • Majority had significant relationship issues: fighting with significant other, break-up, or socially withdrawn from others

10. Majority had some form of financial/occupational problem: credit, paying bills, and/or lack of employment. • Suicidal ideations are typically unknown to others. • Not one suicide has been known to have a strong social or spiritual base. • Leaders and units are struggling to identify Soldiers in need of help, and if they do know, they are not tracking them until treatment completion. • People who are close to the Soldiers—family members, co-workers, friends, and other Soldiers—are recognizing a downward spiral, but opt to not do anything for fear of getting the Soldier into trouble in remaining in the ARNG, or because they do not deem they have the skillset to support the Soldier.

11. Average Deployed Age Age 17-19 4.5% Age 20-24 36.9% Age 25-29 20.5% Age 30-34 13.0% Average Campus Age 18-22 44.1% 22-24 18.6% 25-29 12.4% 30 and over 25% Who is the new Veteran- Age 57.4% of all OEF/OIF vets are between 20 and 29 31.0% of all college students are between 22 and 29 Majority of vets are older than the majority of Campus population

12. Active Duty Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard They come back home individually Harder to find in the general population National Guard/Reserve They come home as a unit Easier to address them when they come home Guard Has ‘briefings’ every 30,60 and 90 days Military sponsored Easier to address many at one time as a group Difficult for a campus to get into these briefings Very little time during these weekend events Two types of veterans SERV Proprietary and Confidential

13. Characteristics of Marital Status • More than ½ of all deployed are married (similar to WW II) • Civilian/campus adjustment as well as family • Many Spouses are ready to start a family • Waited for 4 years • SERV classes will fit with this demographic • They can counsel each other with family pressures • Nearly 2/3 of all female deployed vets are single • May need to rely upon family for support • Hard to adjust to civilian male population • May feel more alienated than single male population • May not want SERV classes, but they may need SERV classes

14. Characteristics of Multiple Deployments • One Deployment may be enough • Reliance among each other • Camaraderie very high • Friendship bonds are very strong • Miss the feeling of the ‘military unit’ • Succeeded in finishing the mission • Daily accomplishments, positive reinforcement • Multiple Deployments take a toll • Difficulty increases in transition • Preparation in going back the 2nd, 3rd time • May need more time to transition, more VA counseling

15. Who is the new veteran- Race • Caucasian (61.9%) • 1,165,249 total deployed • African American (13.2%) • 248,913 total deployed • Hispanic (10.0%) • 188,366 total deployed • American Indian/Native American (1.0%) • 19,674 total deployed • Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%) • 52,404

16. Characteristics of Race/Gender • Do not have data on 1st generation college • Hispanic, African & Native American, Asian/Pacific Islander • 509,357 total for all, 32% of total deployed • Allow 2/3 of Minorities to be 1st generation college • 341,269 could be 1st generation ( 21.7% of total) • 1,061,206 Caucasian Total Deployed (68%) • Allow 40% to be 1st Generation College • 424,482 could be 1st generation, 27.0% of total • For the 462 potential on East Central Campus • 225 Potential 1st generation college students • 48.7% of total on campus

17. Post-Combat Readjustment What the Soldier Brings Home Heightened sensory awareness of sights, sounds & smells. Identification and closeness with their military unit Regimentation into highly structured and efficient routines. Reconnecting with friends more difficult than expected. Difficulties arise in trying to generate a “new normal” Life at home/campus may not have the edge and adrenaline associated with wartime duty SERV Proprietary and Confidential Edgardo Padin-Rivera, Ph.D. Chair, PTSD Experts Workgroup Ohio VA Health Care NetworkChief, Psychology Service Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center

18. Military High level of order Commanding Officer (CO) has all the answers, Day is planned by someone else Great Responsibilities Millions of dollars of equipment Lives dependent upon them Daily Critical Choices Life and death decisions-literally Civilian- Much less order in life/campus Have to plan out their own day Have to be their own ‘CO’ Less Responsibilities on campus English homework is not ‘life or death’ No Daily critical choices Do I go to class or not Who is impacted? Post-Combat Readjustment-Campus SERV Proprietary and Confidential

19. How the pre-military veteran thinks • Why the signed up • Majority of the 1,861,926 post 9-11 vets enlisted for 2 reasons • They wanted to do something when we were attacked on 9/11 • Small town USA women and men wanting to protect their families & neighbors • Didn’t know what to do when the graduated from High School • They knew they weren’t ready for college…but… what else is there to do? • This is significant because they did not want to try something (College) that they felt they were not ready for • This shows the maturity of the veteran.

20. How the post-military veteran thinks • Where do they go from here? • Majority of the 1,861,926 post 9-11 veterans enlisted for life • They wanted to be in for 20yrs • After 3-4 years, politics of the military made them leave • This is troubling, because the military gave them security • Always had your day planned, knew who was in charge • Difficult to leave the women and men in their unit • They trusted each other with their lives • Friendship and trust not found in civilian world • Now what to do with the rest of their lives? • Who can they trust?; Who can they depend upon? • Veterans are very cautious of civilians because of this experience

21. What the post military veteran is exposed to • Civilian World • Much Less Order • Day is not planned by someone else • No daily ‘mission’, no daily recognition of ‘mission accomplished’ • People/organizations wanting to help • Vets are over-whelmed by ‘do gooders’ • Those who want to ‘Help the Soldiers’ because it makes them feel good to do so. • They are cautious of those organizations who want to take their GI Bill money to become ‘locksmiths’ or other quick easy certificates • Family and loved ones • Pressure to go to college because they promised their families • Parents bought into the military choice; ‘money for college’ • Not sure if they can handle college after many years out of high school • No one else understands them except for other OEF/OIF veterans

22. What not to do Hold a ‘veteran fair’ Vets call them ‘loser fairs’ Lots of people = suicide bomber Use Mass media approach Costly Flooding the area for a small % of the population Don’t believe the media Based on what they have seen while in Iraq Mass e-mails or letters Will ignore the e-mails Place the letters in the ‘Do gooder’ pile What to do Reach them on a 1 on 1 basis Eliminate fear of mass of people Use military friendly media/events Parades, Military Times, etc Reach the parents of vets Parent support groups ‘THE’ Brochure Use other OEF/OIF on your campus to accompany you Vets will believe other vets Have local VA get the word out They come into contact everyday with OEF/OIF vets Use National Guard 360 briefings Can reach guard troops as a group Now, How to reach them Most Important, how many in our area, how many can we reach?