DIALOG ON COMMO ISSUES

Claude, Clyde and Jerry,

Great stuff.  I have been contacting some of our chaplains who have deployed in present conflicts to invite them to our next reintegration event to be held this Sep in Colorado.  We have some hurting guys and gals and this event has reached over 50 couples so far.  This year we are adding a day of equine therapy that will hopefully provide additional assistance.

On the communications issue.  I just did premarital counseling with a recently returned Special Forces soldier.  In our conversation, I mentioned the much easier communications link to the home front.  He said for some soldiers it is a real issue on not being fully engaged in their war responsibilities.   I have seen this trend since I was in HI in the early 80's and our chaplain on Johnston Atoll was able to call his wife living on Oahu daily.  It took him 6 months to become fully engaged in his chaplain responsibilities on JI.  I have notice the cell phone to the ear issue with the summer camp counselors when I spent a week at Camp Pecometh last summer.  As director, I would never tolerate that.   

Peace,

Claude, thanks back for the tip. I will download Self's book. I think there's going to be a great deal of comparison with Vietnam and our present wars. For one thing, it is hard to imagine the social media, not to mention the basic commo that exists now as opposed to what we had: now, they are fighting, then emailing the wife, becoming involved in the domesticity of family  life of raising children, etc.; and, then back to the war.

Plus, another phenomena of those fighting our two present wars is that because they are so aware of things like PTSD, they don't mess around, thet are right on it whereas for Vietvets, it was a good ten years in the PTSD issues and fighting for them. I have never filed a claim but I think most should and the present crop of soldiers will be doing it ASAP.