Joining Forces to Heal Invisible Wounds

...I was privileged to be invited to a meeting on January 10 at the White House concerning a remarkable initiative launched by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, called “Joining Forces.” Dedicated to improving public education about “the invisible wounds of war,” this effort is particularly focused on families of returning soldiers suffering from PTSD, TBI, and combat-related depression. Goals of the program include educating the public about these conditions, facilitating access to mental health care, and increasing opportunities for meaningful employment of veterans...

The “icebreaker” reception in the Winnefeld home (in times past, the home of Gen. George Patton) allowed people whose paths don’t ordinarily cross to meet and talk informally. I had the chance to speak with the surgeons general of the Army and Navy, the commandant of the Marines, and many other key players in the DoD and VA, all of whom shared high levels of concern about the stigma that is so prominent within our service men and women, associated with PTSD, TBI, or depression...