"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty."

John Fitzgerald Kennedy - Inaugural Address
January 20, 1961

Veteran's Day is a day dedicated to honor all men and women, both living and deceased, who have served in the United States armed forces.

It is a somber reminder of the millions of Americans who have fought for freedom and the more than one million who have died for that cause. It is also a good time to remind ourselves that we are Americans first before we are Republicans or Democrats, conservatives or liberals.

In 1918, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day in the eleventh month, the world rejoiced and celebrated. After four years of bitter war, an armistice was signed. The "war to end all wars" was over.
November 11, 1919 was set aside as Armistice Day in the United States, to remember the sacrifices that men and women made during World War I in order to ensure a lasting peace. On Armistice Day, soldiers who survived the war marched in a parade through their home towns. Politicians and veteran officers gave speeches and held ceremonies of thanks for the peace they had won.

Congress voted Armistice Day a federal holiday in 1938, 20 years after the war ended. But Americans realized that the previous war would not be the last one. World War II began the following year and nations great and small again participated in a bloody struggle. After the Second World War, Armistice Day continued to be observed on November 11.

In 1953, townspeople in Emporia, Kansas called the holiday Veterans' Day in gratitude to the veterans in their town. Soon after, Congress passed a bill introduced by a Kansas congressman renaming the federal holiday to Veterans' Day. In 1971, President Nixon declared it a federal holiday on the second Monday in November.
Americans still give thanks for peace on Veterans' Day. There are ceremonies and speeches and at 11:00 in the morning, most Americans observe a moment of silence, remembering those who fought for peace.
After the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War, the emphasis on holiday activities has shifted. There are fewer military parades and ceremonies. Veterans gather at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. to place gifts and stand quiet vigil at the names of their friends and relatives who fell in the Vietnam War. Families who have lost sons and daughters in wars turn their thoughts more toward peace and the avoidance of future wars.

Veterans of military service have organized support groups such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. On Veterans' Day and Memorial Day, these groups raise funds for their charitable activities by selling paper poppies made by disabled veterans. This bright red wildflower became a symbol of World War I after a bloody battle in a field of poppies called Flanders Field in Belgium.

Armistice Day Changed To Honor All Veterans

An answer to the question of how to pay tribute to those who had served in this latest, great war came in a proposal made by Representative Edwin K. Rees of Kansas: Change Armistice Day to Veterans Day, and make it an occasion to honor those who have served America in all wars. In 1954 President Eisenhower signed a bill proclaiming November 11 as Veterans Day.

On Memorial Day 1958, two more unidentified American war dead were brought from overseas and interred in the plaza beside the unknown soldier of World War I. One was killed in World War II, the other in the Korean War. In 1973, a law passed providing interment of an unknown American from the Vietnam War, but none was found for several years. In 1984, an unknown serviceman from that conflict was placed alongside the others. To honor these men, symbolic of all Americans who gave their lives in all wars, an Army honor guard, The 3d U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard), keeps day and night vigil.

A law passed in 1968 changed the national commemoration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. It soon became apparent, however, that November 11 was a date of historic significance to many Americans. Therefore, in 1978 Congress returned the observance to its traditional date.

“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died.
Rather we should thank God that such men lived.”
General George S. Patton, Jr.

National Ceremonies Held at Arlington

The focal point for official, national ceremonies for Veterans Day continues to be the memorial amphitheater built around the Tomb of the Unknowns. At 11 a.m. on November 11, a combined color guard representing all military services executes "Present Arms" at the tomb. The nation's tribute to its war dead is symbolized by the laying of a presidential wreath. The bugler plays "taps." The rest of the ceremony takes place in the amphitheater.
Veterans Day ceremonies at Arlington and elsewhere are coordinated by the President's Veterans Day National Committee. Chaired by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the committee represents national veterans organizations.

Governors of states and U.S. territories appoint Veterans Day chairpersons who, in cooperation with the National Committee and the Department of Defense, arrange and promote local ceremonies.
We need to show more sympathy for the following people.

• They travel miles in the heat.
• They risk their lives crossing a border.
• They don't get paid enough wages.
• They do jobs that others won't do or are afraid to do.
• They live in crowded conditions among a people who speak a different language.
• They rarely see their families, and they face adversity all day every day.

Source: http://www.celebratelove.com/veteransday.htm

In honor of veterans day, we want to provide information about PTSD and recovery. Please keep in mind that while, as a society, we associate PTSD with veterans returning from war, this is not the only group of people who experience this issue. Anyone who experiences a traumatic event is at risk for developing PTSD. For all those who are affected by PTSD, we would like to offer not only information, but also hope for recovery.

Recovery from post-traumatic stress disorder, (PTSD), means finding your path to living a meaningful life. Recovery is not a cure. It helps you believe that you can reach your goals and learn new things to help yourself. It helps you gain self-confidence and respect for yourself. Your counselor, doctor, family, and medicines can help you, but you're the one who makes the decisions. In the recovery process, you learn to cope with your symptoms and challenges and to develop social support.

Positive coping skills
Coping is about dealing with your symptoms. When you cope with your symptoms in a positive way, you often feel more in control. You accept what the traumatic event did and take steps to improve your life.
You can:

Learn about PTSD to better understand how and why it affects you.

• Relieve stress to relax and feel less anxious.

• Exercise and be active to reduce how tense you feel. People who are fit usually have less anxiety, depression, and stress than people who aren't active.

• Get enough sleep to help your mood and make you feel less stressed. Many people with PTSD have trouble sleeping because they feel nervous and anxious or can't stop thinking about the traumatic event.

• Eat a balanced diet to help your body deal with tension and stress. Whole grains, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and protein are part of a balanced diet.

• Find things to do to ease your memories and reactions. Consider channeling your emotions into activities or sports, painting or writing, or a rewarding job.

• Identify your beliefs to keep you balanced. PTSD can cause a spiritual crisis. You may begin to question your own beliefs and values and ask yourself why war or disasters happen. If this happens to you, talk to a family member, friend, or spiritual advisor. Consider spiritual study, prayer, or meditation.

Negative coping skills
Negative coping skills are certain ways you may try to deal with your symptoms and problems that cause more harm than good. These are quick fixes that don't improve your situation in the long run. They include drinking too much, avoiding others, and lashing out.

Support groups and social support
There are times when you may need a shoulder to cry on or a ride to the doctor. You may want to learn more about PTSD or talk with others who have PTSD. You need people who understand what you are going through and will help you and care about you. This is your support network.
Support takes many forms. You can find it in seminars and groups led by professionals, in groups made up of others with PTSD, and in your relationships with family and friends.

Source: WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise (http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/tc/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-recovery) Last Updated: January 21, 2009

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.

© 1995-2010 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.

In honor of Veteran’s Day, The Anti Stigma Team wanted to highlight the success story of one of the millions of brave men and women who have protected our country and our freedoms over the years. This desire, and following article, is neither political nor taking a stance on war or defense. It is only an inspiring, honest account of what one man has been through and overcome in the name of Freedom for his country, and for himself.

A few years ago, Thomas Strempka went to the VA to get help for the physical war injuries he’d been dealing with for nearly 35 years. He says he walked into an office, and the man across the desk from him started asking him questions, but none of them had anything to do with his sore knee. Tom was in a therapist’s office, and while he thought he was looking for physical health care, what he found was the mental health care he didn’t even know he needed.

On December 1, 1969, Tom was a senior at Purdue University and about to graduate with a degree in engineering when he got his draft number: 29 in the draft lottery. “I knew I was gonna go”, Tom says of his number. A few months after graduation, Tom’s number came up, and he was drafted into the US Army. Tom hadn’t planned on going into the Army, but “you do what you gotta do”. Tom went through infantry training, and because he had a degree, went to Non Commissioned Officer School and quickly became a sergeant. A few months later, Tom was sent to fight in Vietnam. He was assigned to the 1st Air Calvary Division and became a Squad Leader. Tom recalls that he had ten days to learn his job as a Squad Leader before he was responsible for leading a group of nine other men into combat on their first mission. “Responsibility took on a whole new meaning, because the choices I made impacted whether someone lived or died.” In four months and two days, Tom led his Squad on 12 combat missions deep in the jungle, each lasting 10-15 days. “Every day was knowing that this could be the day your number was up.” On October 29, 1971 while out on a mission, Tom and his platoon of 27 men were ambushed. Eight of the men were injured, and one was killed in action.
Once he was injured, Tom was sent home for Vietnam, and spent three months in a naval hospital learning how to walk again. The nerve damage and shrapnel that remains in Tom’s body continues to cause him pain today. Due to this pain, Tom says that Vietnam is never far from him, because he is reminded of it on a daily basis, especially in the cold weather, when the pain tends to worsen.

Upon returning home from war, despite being awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, Purple Heart and the Bronze Star, Tom was greeted with the same unfortunate homecoming most Vietnam vets received; Tom recalls being spit on, sworn at, and called a “baby killer”. “World War II vets got tickertape parades! We didn’t need a parade, but this was terrible.” This treatment, and the general attitude of the American public towards the war in Vietnam and those who fought in it, made dealing with the aftereffects of the war even more difficult. It is a well-known fact that men and women who fight in wars often have a difficult time talking about what is seen and done in such situations. When I asked Tom if there were others he could talk to, if the men from his squad kept in touch and could provide comfort for each other he replied with an unequivocal “No.” “You didn’t talk about it. We came home and were treated like dirt, so why even bring it up?” Tom was expected to come home and “just go back to normal.” And Tom did the best he could.

With the leadership training and experience Tom gained in the Army, he constantly found himself in positions of leadership at work. He says that he did so well because he always got the job done. He remembers, however, that this allowed him to use work and alcohol to stuff the feelings that he was trying hard not to experience, the feelings that often come after fighting in combat. Tom described his attitude and demeanor during these years of his life as “explosive.” He says, “in war, there wasn’t room for questioning decisions. What I said was the final word. When I got home, I didn’t deal well with people questioning me. I had learned in Vietnam that I had to be the leader. When I got home, I was still living like I was at war.” After having an explosive episode, Tom recalls that he would fall into silence. He would stay quiet and burry all of the feelings that would naturally arise, because it was just too painful to deal with the memories.

Tom was hesitant to make friends and lasting relationships, because there was always the fear that he would lose those people. Tom was uncomfortable in crowds of people, preferring to keep distance between him and those around him saying that “on a mission, you didn’t walk close to someone. The closer you were to someone, the greater the chance you’d lose more than one person if you came under attack.” Despite his explosive, “my way or the highway” attitude, nobody in Tom’s life suggested to him that he seek help for his mental health. Most of the people in his life had no idea what he experienced and went through at war. While overseas, his letters home did not include information about the risk his life was in on any given day so that his family and loved ones wouldn’t worry about him. And even if someone had suggested seeking mental healthcare, Tom is sure his response would have been, “who are you to tell me how to feel? Who do you think you are telling me how to think?”

A few years ago, as his life started to slow down, Tom started to become aware of all of the memories and emotions he had tried so hard to stuff over the years. When Tom stumbled into treatment, he didn’t know that he needed it, but now can say that it has changed his life dramatically, and for the better. Before treatment, Tom was not aware how his PTSD was controlling his life. Through the help of therapy and support groups, Tom has been able to understand himself and his experiences more. “Today, I’m working to relearn things. I’m not ‘in country’ anymore, there’s no reason I can’t get close to people. It has been a struggle, but I work at it every day. And I feel better and more comfortable now, and can talk to my wife about things I’ve never talked about before.”
Since entering treatment, Tom has become more retrospective, and is more at peace with himself and his experiences in war. Slowly but surely, he’s working to lose his mad at everything/mad at the war attitude. As Tom’s therapist told him, “You’ve been there, now it’s time to move on.” Tom works to take things one step at a time. He says, “You talk about success, my success is that I get up every morning and live sunrise to sunset.” He is finally able to grieve and take the time he needs to work through all of the feelings and emotions he has that are tied to his experiences as a soldier. Tom is happier about things, and finds that he is not carrying as much survivor guilt, but instead celebrates the lives of his “brothers” that didn’t make it. He says he still has his moments – nightmares, times of anger, hearing a helicopter fly overhead or a gunshot on New Year’s Eve – but is better able to understand where these triggers come from, and can pause, take a breath, and stop himself before he “flies off the handle.”

“I try to make a difference in someone else’s day by not being explosive, and I realize that my attitude over the years has been as though I never left there [Vietnam], but now I try to cherish life and my family and the people who really care. I want to make people smile, not bring them pain.” Tom spends a lot of time working with other vets. His goal is “to make sure they don’t come home to the same thing I did, and make sure they know there are people out there who want to help them.”
Today, Tom goes to a support group with other veterans who have been in combat, and makes sure that he sees his psychiatrist. “I used to think this mental health stuff was mumbo jumbo,” but now says that if not for the help he’s gotten, he wouldn’t be where he is today. “I am so grateful that there is an honorable trade of people taking care of the mind, because it’s just as important as the body.”
Tom’s outlook on life now is, “You can take the route of being miserable with life, or you can choose to move those memories into another area for times when you want to think about it, but you can’t let it govern you day to day. And that’s where I am today.”

On behalf of the Anti Stigma Team, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Thomas Strempka, for being open and willing to share his story of recovery with us. And to Tom, and all of the other men and women who have given of their time, energy, and lives over the years to ensure that I have the freedom to be here writing this inspiring article today, you have my undying gratitude.

This past October I was invited to a Halloween party at one of my close friend’s co-workers home. I am not one to usually adventure outside of my circle of friends, but this time I decided to be daring! I said to myself ”Hey, it’s a Halloween party what could be the harm?” We approached the party dressed to the nines in our Halloween gear. As we got closer to the crowd it was like a masquerade of color. Everyone was in costumes and having a great time. I thought to myself “I think we are going to have a lot of fun tonight”. I was happy to be out and about and meeting new people.

About an hour after we had arrived I was briefly introduced to the host of the party. She seemed like a nice person, and as we stood around the campfire my friend and her co-worker started to chat about work. The conversation was pretty run-of-the-mill until the host of the party said very loudly, ”Oh my God did I tell you about the total schizo that I was helping the other day?” I immediately looked at her with confusion wondering if I heard her correctly. I said “Excuse me? I don’t think that I heard you correctly.” She said it again and then told the story about this young woman who was purchasing merchandise from her. She had continued to explain that it was obvious to her that this customer was having hallucinations. My friend’s co-worker continued to say things like “This freak of nature was scaring me” and “I don’t understand where these people come from”. Every time I tried to say something to get her to stop saying such vulgar things she didn’t listen, she just kept talking. She then made the comment “Someone needs to lock the crazies up and keep them out of public” My mouth literally dropped open. I began to show my frustration and annoyance toward this girl as I interrupted her and asked, “How did you know that this woman had schizophrenia?” She began to tell me “Normal people don’t act that way”. I then asked her “Did you ask her if she was ok or needed some medical attention?” She said to me “No way; she would probably kill me if I did. I just hurried to finish the transaction with her so she would leave.” That was it for me. I could feel my face turning red with anger. I took a deep breath and said in a calm manner “Let me explain something to you , not all people suffering from a mental illness are harmful. As a matter of fact most individuals who are diagnosed with a mental health condition are more likely to be victims of a crime than perpetrators. Also, people can live a meaningful and fulfilling life after being diagnosed with a mental health challenge. They don’t need to be “locked up”. You really need to think about what you say, how you say things and who is listening.

Even if that young woman had a diagnosis of schizophrenia, she is still a person first. ” After my lecture, she looked at me and said “Are you crazy?” I tried to explain to my friend’s co-worker that I am a community educator on the Anti-Stigma Team at an agency that provides mental health care to adults. She just looked at me with a confused expression on her face. At that point there was an awkward silence. My friend knowing how I feel about the mental health topic broke the silence by saying “Wow, it’s late I think it is time for us to go home”. I agreed with her.

Once back at my car my friend apologized for the way her co-worker acted. I told her that I hoped that the things I said to her will stick and she will change her views. Hopefully, the next time she speaks to someone she will be mindful of her words, and when she listens to others speak she can pass the knowledge on. My friend asked me “Is it true that you can recover from something like that?” I answered with much confidence “Absolutely”!

What is a Psychiatric Advance Directive (PAD)? The PAD is a legal document of written directions or instructions defining your mental health treatment decisions and choices for others to follow in the event of a future crisis or emergency situation. If you have a guardian, that person must also approve of and sign your PAD. You can have advanced directives for your medical and physical health care too. Today we are talking only about psychiatric advanced directives.

This document allows you take control and responsibility for your life. It prevents unwanted treatment. In the year 2000 I was hospitalized without an advanced directive. This lack of pre-planning in writing resulted in the medical team prescribing a medicine I would not have approved of and it made me very sick. My PAD now lists the appropriated medications and a list of ones I should not be given and specifies what treatment I want and what treatment I do not want.

Your PAD will name a person you choose in advance to be your patient advocate. This person will speak to your physician or psychologist for you, when you lack sufficient understanding or capacity to communicate about your mental health treatment. He or she can make treatment decisions to the same as you would. The advocate must be 18 or older and cannot be providing healthcare to you. It’s a good safeguard to pick two people who could act as an advocate in case one is unavailable when you need them.
You may revoke an advanced directive at any time, or 30 days after you came to the hospital.
If you are interested in learning more about Advance Psychiatric Directives, I invite you to call me about classes I will be holding on this topic in the coming weeks.

Sherri is the Consumer Education Specialist for the Oakland County Community
Mental Health Authority. 
   She can be reached at rushmans@occmha.org 248-975-9531. 
Be a Hope Receiver Today to be a Hope Giver Tomorrow!
www.catchinghope.com.

It has been very exciting and humbling to see that the hard work we’ve put into this program is producing such wonderful results. Traditionally the beginning of the fiscal year is relatively quiet, giving us time to work on our action plans. This year the inquiries and bookings are pouring in! The team is already booked to be the keynote speakers at the Upper Peninsula Consumer Conference that will be held in May, 2011. Wow!

This month we had the privilege of presenting to the students at Oakland Community College’s Auburn Hills Campus and to the students at Spring Arbor College’s Flint Campus. The program was very well received by both the students and faculty members as well.

The team was called upon to present “Stomp Out Stigma” for the members of the Liberties South Drop-in Center for the second time with very favorable results. Also, with the Primary Election approaching, as a member of the committee of the Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority’s Voter Initiative Team I presented to the members of Visions Clubhouse and to the people served by JARC on the importance of exercising our duty and right, making our voices heard by casting our ballots on November 2nd. Many people who have not taken part of this very important process in times past made commitments to do so this year. We also had the pleasure of speaking to the ladies and staff of Stanford House in Dearborn, a residential program that provides support to women that are trying to overcome serious obstacles that have hindered them from enjoying their lives. The ladies were very appreciative of the time we spent with them and we look forward to doing more programs with them in the future.

We also shared our program with the staff of Hegira Programs, Inc. at their semi-annual staff training. We always enjoy spending time with professionals, examining how stigma can be a barrier to providing the best possible service to the people we serve in the community mental health system. It was enlightening for us all.

One of our biggest highlights this month was presenting workshops at the Michigan Association of Community Mental Heath Boards Annual Fall Conference held at the beautiful Grand Traverse Hotel and Conference Center in Traverse City, Michigan. The team was given very good evaluation scores by the majority of those attending.

We also had the pleasure of presenting for the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance of Metro Detroit. The meeting was held at the Royal Oak Beaumont Hospital. We presented our newest edition to our presentation series called “Adventures in Recovery” which compares the recovery journey to the events that Dorothy and Toto experienced on the Yellow Brick Road in their quest to find their way home. The members of DBSA were impressed with the new program and complimented us on our efforts to present mental health issues in a way that is both educational and entertaining. We look forward to joining them again in the future.

Also Community Network Services Board of Directors Annual Reception was held this month. This is the time of year when CNS employees are recognized by their peers for outstanding work that has been done over the past year. The Team is very proud and happy to report that Laura Richards-Farwell, Organization/Community Education and Development Supervisor for CNS, received the “President’s Award”, the highest honor that any CNS employee can receive from the agency. As well, I was honored to receive the “Above and Beyond Award” for my work maintaining our presentation schedule and also assisting with the day to day activities of the program during a difficult time last year. We thank all of the CNS Family for the support and encouragement they continue to give us all throughout the year.

And if that wasn’t enough there were meetings and trainings to participate in, the monthly State of Michigan Anti-Stigma Steering Committee meeting in Lansing and my monthly training session with Leadership Oakland. In our leadership training this month’s focus was on “Economy and Government”. Our class was held at the Oakland County Campus where various speakers spoke on topics such as traffic, road construction and snow removal, and an overview of what services are available through the One Stop Shop for new and existing businesses here in Oakland County and for our class to consider the possibility of serving in public service some day. Our speakers came from organizations around the state, the Center for Michigan, Michigan Municipal League and we heard the latest updates from Mr. L. Brooks Patterson, Oakland County’s Executive.  There was also a panel discussion that included Pete Auger, Auburn Hills City Manager, Nic Banda, Deputy City Manager for the City of Rochester, Lola Are’, Director Oakland County Business Center and Michelle Zellan, Director of and Events. The panellists spoke about the pros and cons of doing business in Oakland County. I am looking forward to our next session which will be on “Health and Human Services” and will be held at the offices of Lighthouse of Oakland County.

The month concluded with us sharing much needed information about mental health issues with the public at the 3rd Annual Health and Wealth Expo which was sponsored by S.A.F.E. (Sisters Acquiring Financial Empowerment) and we also had a vendor table present at the premier of an original documentary about domestic violence done by BG Harris, a survivor of domestic abuse. The more that we participate in events such as these it really illustrates how great the need is to get information and resources about mental illness into the hands of those that need it most. As we prepare to enter the holiday season we want to be sensitive to the needs of others who may find they are struggling with the symptoms of a mental health issue. You never know, the life you save could be your own.

For more information about the CNS Anti-Stigma Program or to book a presentation contact us by phone, 248-409-4227 or email us at mmaisha@cnsmi.org

To book a presentation or for more information please call or e-mail:
248-409-4227
mmaisha@cnsmi.org