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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)
• The Lutheran ELCA
Southeast Synod
There is an excellent non-profit that began operating in late 2008 that is very complementary to the mission and goals of CareForTheTroops
Veteran´s Heart Georgia fosters the healing of veterans of all wars by attending to the spiritual and emotional needs of veterans, their families and our communities.
We urge you to link to their web site and take advantage of their training and support activities. CareForTheTroops is inclusive and believe that by working together we can best support the returning veterans and their extended family members.
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, congregations of all sizes 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 (of small, medium, and large congregations) 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 as well as other past conflicts. 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 3: Upon return, how best to handle their exhaustion?
They are exhausted when they get home—physically, psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. They often do not have the energy or focus to talk for long periods of time. It will take some time for them to adjust, so follow their lead.
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; whether a large or small congregation. 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.
A Message From Our CFTT President, Rev. Robert Certain
HIGHLIGHT - Equine Assisted Therapy
This April we have just added information about Equine Assisted Therapy and the Horses for Heroes Program. CLICK HERE and check it out.
We thank 2 Centers who helped develop the information appearing on the page: The Calvin Center in Hampton, GA and The Chastain Horse Park in Atlanta, GA. We hope to add more Centers over time to this web page.
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 will sponsor a set of EMDR Training Weekends July 15-18 and Nov 5-7 in Macon, GA. These weekends are co-sponsored with The Georgia Association of Community Service Boards and GAMFT.
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!
