Pdrha Speaker Notes

Battlemind PDHRA Training (Continuing The Transition Home) PSB04008/1

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June 2008

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Terminal Learning Objective  In a classroom environment, given Soldiers and Leaders 3-6 months after deployment from supporting combat or other high-risk military operations, describe aspects of the PostDeployment Health Reassessment (PDHRA) that are designed to assist with their continuing transition home. IAW the Battlemind principles and concepts discussed during this block of instruction.

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Battlemind Overview  What is Battlemind? It’s a Soldier’s inner strength to face adversity, fear and hardship with confidence and courage; it’s the will to persevere and win.  Battlemind training is the U.S. Army’s psychological resiliency building program for developing mental readiness for combat and operational deployments and in garrison. 3 Unclassified

Battlemind Overview  Key components include: - Self-confidence: knowing you can do your job; believing in yourself; taking calculated risks - Mental toughness: overcoming obstacles or setbacks; maintaining positive thoughts during times of adversity and challenge  Battlemind skills will help you survive combat and high-risk military deployments; however, these same skills may cause problems when you get home if you fail to adapt them. 4 Unclassified

Desirable Soldier Skills You All Possess  Buddies (cohesion) vs. Withdrawal  Accountability vs. Controlling  Targeted Aggression vs. Inappropriate Aggression  Tactical Awareness vs. Hypervigilance  Lethally Armed vs. “Locked and Loaded” at Home  Emotional Control vs. Anger/Detachment  Mission Operational Security (OPSEC) vs. Secretiveness  Individual Responsibility vs. Guilt  Non-Defensive (combat) Driving vs. Aggressive Driving  Discipline and Ordering vs. Conflict 5 Unclassified

Video Unclassified

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Lethally Armed vs. “Locked and Loaded” at Home

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Lethally Armed vs. “Locked and Loaded” at Home

In Combat: Armed at all times. At Home: Urge to be armed continues. Unclassified

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Lethally Armed vs. “Locked and Loaded” at Home

Battlemind Check (Self & Buddy) • Threatened someone with a weapon? • Carry a loaded weapon in your car? • Keep an unsecured loaded weapon at home? Unclassified

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Tactical Awareness vs. Hypervigilance

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Tactical Awareness vs. Hypervigilance

In Combat: Alert & aware at all times; react immediately. At Home: Hypervigilant. You may feel “keyed up”. 11 Unclassified

Tactical Awareness vs. Hypervigilance

Battlemind Check (Self & Buddy) • Still jumping at loud noises?...revved up? • Still have trouble with sleep or nightmares? 12 Unclassified

Non-Defensive (combat) Driving vs. Aggressive Driving

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Non-Defensive (combat) Driving vs. Aggressive Driving

In Combat: Unpredictable, fast driving to avoid IEDs. At Home: Aggressive driving leads to speeding tickets, accidents, fatalities. 14 Unclassified

Non-Defensive (combat) Driving vs. Aggressive Driving

Battlemind Check (Self & Buddy) • Chasing adrenaline highs by driving fast? • Involved in driving accidents? • Easily angered while driving? Unclassified

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Video Unclassified

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Accountability vs. Controlling

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Accountability vs. Controlling

In Combat: Maintaining control of weapon and gear. At Home: Too controlling. Become angry when someone messes with your stuff. Nobody cares about doing things right - except for you. 18 Unclassified

Accountability vs. Controlling

Battlemind Check (Self & Buddy) • Overreacting to minor events? • Trouble letting Family/friends share in making decisions? • Trying to control things that don’t really matter? 19 Unclassified

Discipline and Ordering vs. Conflict

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Discipline and Ordering vs. Conflict

In Combat: Survival depends on discipline and obeying orders. At Home: Too rigid. Trying to order around Family and friends will always cause conflicts. 21 Unclassified

Discipline and Ordering vs. Conflict

Battlemind Check (Self & Buddy) • Relationships aren’t going well? • Ongoing conflicts over decisions? 22 Unclassified

Targeted Aggression vs. Inappropriate Aggression

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Targeted Aggression vs. Inappropriate Aggression

In Combat: Targeted aggression involves making split-second decisions that are lethal. At Home: Inappropriate aggression e.g. snapping at the kids or buddies or your NCO; assault of domestic abuse. 24 Unclassified

Targeted Aggression vs. Inappropriate Aggression

Battlemind Check (Self & Buddy) • Still snapping at your spouse, kids or buddies? • Getting into heated arguments or fights? • Avoiding people? Unclassified

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Drinking to deal with hurt feelings

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Detaches (and drinks more) rather than making it right

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Video Unclassified

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Emotional Control vs. Anger/Detachment

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Emotional Control vs. Anger/Detachment

In Combat: Controlling your emotions is critical for mission success. At Home: Failing to display emotions (detaching) or only showing anger, hurts relationships. 30 Unclassified

Emotional Control vs. Anger/Detachment

Battlemind Check (Self & Buddy) • Can only show anger or detachment? • Feeling numb? • Having relationship problems? • Friends and loved ones tell you that you have changed? 31 Unclassified

The Alcohol Transition

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The Alcohol Transition

In Combat: In-theater, alcohol use was limited. At Home: Alcohol is now plentiful. 33 Unclassified

The Alcohol Transition

Battlemind Check (Self & Buddy) • Using alcohol to “calm down”? • Using alcohol to help you sleep? • Others telling you that you’re drinking too much? Unclassified

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Individual Responsibility vs. Guilt

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Individual Responsibility vs. Guilt

In Combat: Your responsibility in combat is to survive and do your best to keep your buddies alive. At Home: Guilt or Grief. Feel you have failed your buddies if they were killed or seriously injured. Bothered by memories. 36 Unclassified

Individual Responsibility vs. Guilt

Battlemind Check (Self & Buddy) • Certain memories of the deployment keep bothering you? • Still feeling guilt about things that happened in combat? 37 Unclassified

Mission Operational Security (OPSEC) vs. Secretiveness

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Mission Operational Security (OPSEC) vs. Secretiveness

In Combat: Talk about mission only with those “having a need to know”. At Home: Soldiers may avoid sharing their deployment experiences with loved ones. Unclassified

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Mission Operational Security (OPSEC) vs. Secretiveness

Battlemind Check (Self & Buddy) • Haven’t shared your deployment experiences with those closest to you? • Get angry when someone asks you about your deployment experiences? 40 Unclassified

Buddies (Cohesion) vs. Withdrawal

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Buddies (Cohesion) vs. Withdrawal

In Combat: No one understands your experience except your buddies who were there (cohesion). At Home: Withdrawal. Avoiding friends and Family. 42

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Buddies (Cohesion) vs. Withdrawal

Battlemind Check (Self & Buddy) • Felt close to buddies over there but now feel alone? • Not connecting with loved ones? 43 Unclassified

Video Unclassified

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Are you going soft on me…Hey…what did I say?

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Are you going soft on me…Hey…what did I say?

Myth: Only weak Soldiers have mental health problems. Fact: Everyone is affected by combat. 46 Unclassified

Doesn’t sound like Jonesy… Maybe that’s what Jonesy needs…

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Doesn’t sound like Jonesy… Maybe that’s what Jonesy needs…

Myth: If a Soldier has a problem, he/she will seek help. Fact: Most Soldiers don’t seek help because of perceived stigma.

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Does the commander know? Yeah…he convinced me to go get help.

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Does the commander know? Yeah…he convinced me to go get help.

Myth: A fellow Soldier’s mental health problems are none of my business. Fact: Soldiers most often turn to fellow Soldiers when they need help. Leaders are responsible for helping Soldiers. 50 Unclassified

Things are OK now…

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Things are OK now…

Myth: No one can help me if I have a mental health problem. Fact: Professional treatment helps, the earlier the better. Unclassified

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Things are OK now…

Myth: The Army doesn’t support Soldiers who have mental health problems. Fact: There are multiple ways to get help. 53 Unclassified

Mental Health Resources The Army has established numerous ways for Soldiers and their Families to get help for mental health issues: • Buddies, Leaders • Chaplain • Troop Medical Clinic • Mental & Behavioral Health Services • Off-post mental health professionals

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Mental Health Resources (cont’d) • MilitaryOneSource: Toll Free Number - 6 sessions of no-cost counseling per problem • Military & Family Life Consultants (in Europe) • Veterans Affairs (VA) - Medical Centers, Clinics, Vet Centers 5 -X 2 years eligibility after leaving the military

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Summary  Adapt your Battlemind skills to facilitate your transition home. Build on your strengths.  If you need or want help, get it. Overcome the myths of mental health.  It takes courage to ask for help and it takes Leadership and good buddies to help a fellow Soldier get the help they need.

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What are your questions?

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