Battling the Storm Within Blog

As the Author of the #1 Amazon National-International Best Seller War Memoir “Battling the Storm Within” about living 20 years undiagnosed with PTSD, MST and the GWI. My mission is to empower others to address their own personal traumas, be healed, restored and live again. I believe in telling the truth, living the truth and being the truth. I will share the truth for it sets you free. I have battled my storm that was within me and won, so can you! Peace and blessings Sgt. Stephanie J. Shannon

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

10 Tips for Understanding Someone with PTSD

PTSD makes communication difficult.

Many survivors can’t find the words to express what they’re feeling. Even when they do, it’s very normal for them not to be comfortable sharing their experience. Elements of shame, fear, anger, guilt and grief often get in the way of a calm, focused discussion.

Friends and family (and anyone else who is not the source of the PTSD but is standing by while someone attempts to heal) need something that translates PTSD language. Armed with knowledge, insight and awareness you’ll have an easier time knowing how to react, respond and relate to your PTSD loved one during the healing process. The more you appreciate things from the PTSD perspective the more helpful and supportive you can be. Now is the time for empathy, compassion and patience.

In war against sexual assault, the Army keeps shooting itself in the foot

To mark the end of Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April, the 188th Infantry Brigade held a potluck luncheon here at the largest Army installation east of the Mississippi River. The deputy commander reminded his soldiers they were all “responsible for bringing an end to sexual assault and harassment,” according to the brigade’s Facebook account.

What most of the soldiers didn’t know was that the deputy commander, Lt. Col. Michael Kepner II, was himself facing court-martial on charges that he had sexually harassed and assaulted a female lieutenant on his staff.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/news/local/military/article50775415.html#storylink=cpy

Scientists shocked by PTSD discovery

A new study may change the way the scientific community thinks about PTSD.

New research is turning current understanding of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on its head.
A surprising new study indicates that PTSD can suddenly spike five years after a person leaves the battlefield, even when PTSD levels had declined to normal, according to a Reuters report.
It’s an indication that soldiers may need to be screened for PTSD long after getting back from a deployment, as the disorder can lie dormant for a while before suddenly reemerging.

Read more..,

http://www.babwnews.com/2015/12/scientists-shocked-by-ptsd-discovery/

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www.battlingthestormwithin.com

Michigan Women Veterans Anthology Book Project

Happy Holidays Everyone! Please share this gift to the women Veteran population in Michigan! It's an opportunity for women veterans voices to be heard through the "Our Voices United" Women Veteran Anthology Book Project.

For more information www.empowermiwomenvets.com

The military continues to fail on combating sexual assault

THE MILITARY’S effort to combat sexual assault in its ranks has been handicapped by the reluctance, even refusal, of victims to come forward and report abuse. Who can blame them given instances in which those who are supposed to be leading the fight against abuse are often themselves guilty of misconduct? If there ever is to be real progress, sexual assault crimes need to be removed from a chain of command that is more inclined to protect than prosecute wrongdoers.

Read more..

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-military-continues-to-fail-on-combating-sexual-assault/2015/12/22/dd0048c4-a8c1-11e5-8058-480b572b4aae_story.html

Learn more...

www.battlingthestormwithin.com

New site uses crowd funding to help veterans- VIDEO

ATLANTA -- Moving from combat to coding school is the goal for one army veteran who is using a new crowd funding tool to learn the skills to start a new career. It is called Gofundveterans.com.
Army veteran, Andrew Kroll, is already about half way through a new program teaching him the language of coding.

"This is the basis for pretty much all the webpages that you'll use," he said pointing to his computer screen.

Watch Video
http://www.11alive.com/story/tech/2015/12/14/gofund-veterans-crowd-funding-for-veterans/77141196/

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Most Victims Are Men: 5 Realities Of Rape In The Military

Whenever there's a war, you always picture families back home worried sick about the kid they sent off to fight, imagining all of the terrible things that can happen to them at the hands of Al Qaeda or the Taliban. You don't think of them fretting over said kid getting sexually assaulted in the barracks by their own comrades ... even though that is far, far more common.

13 Things to Remember If You Love A Person With Anxiety

Anxiety is tough, isn’t it? Not just for the people that have it, but for you – the people that stick with them – while they’re going through it. It’s emotionally taxing on both ends, it’s physically demanding at times, and of course mentally demanding most of the time.

Plans have to be changed to accommodate the anxiety. Situations have to be avoided at times. Planning has to be just that bit more thorough. Emotional needs can change daily. It’s a lot to work through, and it can be hard to get in their head to understand on top of that.

It’s understandably confusing at times, so consider this your cheat sheet. 13 things for you to remember when loving someone with anxiety.

Read more...
http://webhealthpaper.com/13-things-to-remember-if-you-love-a-person-with-anxiety-2/

Learn more...
www.battlingthestormwithin.com

Why 80% of Gulf War VA Cases are Denied

The Problem
Gulf War veterans face an uphill battle when trying to get presumptive service connection under the regulation 38 CFR § 3.317. In fact, a study released by the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2014 showed that 80% of Gulf War related claims get denied by the VA. One situation in particular that presents a frustrating experience comes into play with Gulf War veterans suffering from a “medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness.

Army Plans to Double Training Days for Guard Units, Chief Says

The U.S. Army's top officer is planning to more than double the number of required annual training days for some National Guard units to reinforce the service's shrinking active force.
The service's current strategy of reducing the active force from 490,000 to 450,000 by 2018 is forcing leaders to depend on the National Guard to assist with potential future contingency missions, according to Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley.

7 Signs It's Time to Cut (Toxic) Family Ties

Holidays shaping up to be more stressful than joyful? If Thanksgiving weekend wasn't all you imagined it would be, it might be time to rethink certain family relationships.

Sometimes we "spend years sacrificing our mental and emotional health in abusive relationships under the notion that we have to" because these people are our family,” said Sherrie Campbell, a licensed California psychologist and author of the book “Loving Yourself : The Mastery of Being Your Own Person.”

"Cutting ties with family members is one of the hardest decisions we may face in life.”

Cautionary Lessons On Leading As A Woman In The Military

Several servicewomen share their advice and experiences from their time in the military.

The opportunity to lead others — whether a small fire team or an aircraft carrier — is one of the few guarantees of military service. While gender has no impact on the ability to lead, an occupational hazard of being a woman in the military is that your superiors, peers, and subordinates — both men and women — perceive you differently because of their own ingrained biases. Learning how to navigate these biases and perceptions is an inherent challenge to leading as a woman.

Read more...

http://taskandpurpose.com/cautionary-lessons-leading-woman-military/?utm_source=facebook

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www.battlingthestormwithin.com

Army women hurt more often in combat training, experience more mental health issues

In basic combat training, women are injured at twice the rate of men. For example, among the fastest groups of men and women in a 2-mile run, the male injury rate is 10 percent and the female rate is 26 percent...

Read more...

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/dec/17/army-women-hurt-more-often-in-combat-training-expe/?page=3

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www.battlingthestormwithin.com

Sunday, December 13, 2015

New legislation expands sexual assault victim rights

New legislation affecting sexual assault policy - and related courts-martial procedures - are part of the fiscal year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, signed into law by President Barack Obama, Nov. 25, 2015.

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Dec. 8, 2015) -- The Special Victims' Counsel, or SVC program, designed to help victims of sexual assault, has been expanded.

That, along with several other changes that affect sexual assault policy and related courts-martial procedures, are part of the fiscal year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, signed into law by President Barack Obama, Nov. 25.

How People Who Have PTSD Think Differently

Having Post Traumatic Stress Disorder changes a person, not only the way they think, but also the way they act and how they love. It can be challenging, most of the time with PTSD a few other things come along such as anxiety, depression and panic which can change a lot about how a person sees the world and other people.

Read more...

http://americatimes.info/how-people-who-have-ptsd-think-differently/

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www.battlingthestormwithin.com

Blood Test Could Determine Who May Suffer from Gulf War Illness - VIDEO

Brian Zimmermann joined the Army soon after quitting college. School just wasn't his thing.
"You don't think you'll have to fight when going into the Army," he said.
He was deployed for seven months during the first gulf war.

WATCH VIDEO...
http://kstp.com/article/stories/s3988779.shtml

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www.battlingthestormwithin.com

U.S. Special Operators say no to women in their teams

The men in the U.S. military’s most dangerous jobs care little about political correctness or gender equality. And they have a message for their political leadership.
When they are fighting in the shadows or bleeding on the battlefield, women have no place on their teams.

Read more...

Sergeant Major Speaks Out On Women In Combat

Sergeant Major Lehew, a 27 year veteran of the United States Marine Corps, speaks the honest truth that no one wants to hear about women in combat.

Sergeant Major Justin Lehew is a beast among men. At a time where the entire military is absolutely terrified of speaking their minds, he personified moral courage. This man is a leader of Marines, and when it comes to protecting the combat effectiveness of the United States Marine Corps, he let his words speak without the fear of repercussion.

Read more...

https://www.funker530.com/sergeant-major-speaks-out-on-women-in-combat/

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www.battlingthestormwithin.com

5 Actual Reasons You’re Miserable After The Military

We reminisce on the past and the things we miss about service rather than move on to the now.

OUR VOICES UNITED: Michigan Women Veterans Anthology Book Project

Happy Holidays Everyone! Please share this FREE gift to the women Veteran population in Michigan! It's an opportunity for women veterans voices to be heard through the "Our Voices United" Women Veteran Anthology Book Project.

For more information www.empowermiwomenvets.com

Monday, December 7, 2015

Advice for Veterans with Military Sexual Trauma Claims.

It was written by a United States Marine, and a MST Survivor and Advocate – Stephanie Schroeder.
She became an advocate in 2010 and with the launch of Cioca v. Rumsfeld, she came to the forefront as a national advocate for MST Survivors.

Read more....
http://www.veteranslawblog.org/military-sexual-trauma-2/

Learn more...
www.batttlingthestormwithin.com

Women vets deserving of recognition

City leaders and veterans’ groups responsible for Veterans Memorial Park in Las Cruces have done an admirable job of trying to include all deserving local service members who fought for our nation in foreign wars.

The Veterans Memorial Wall contains the names of 8,188 veterans from Doña Ana County who served during every major war, dating all the way back to the Civil War.

Read more...
http://www.lcsun-news.com/story/opinion/2015/11/30/women-vets-deserving-recognition/76581100/

Learn more...
www.battlingthestormwithin.com

In historic decision, Pentagon chief opens all jobs in combat units to women - VIDEO

Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter said Thursday that he is opening all jobs in combat units to women, a landmark decision that would for the first time allow female service members to join the country’s most elite military forces.

Women will now be eligible to join the Navy SEALs, Army Special Forces and other Special Operations Units. It also opens the Marine Corps infantry, a battle-hardened force that many service officials had openly advocated keeping closed to female service members.

Read more....
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2015/12/03/pentagon-chief-to-announce-how-womens-roles-in-the-military-will-expand/?wpisrc=al_alert-national

Learn more...
www.battlingthestormwithin.com

Military still not fully accepting of women

A recent news article revealed staggering statistics of female veterans committing suicide at nearly six times the rate of other women. Reading this, I could not help but feel pain and sadness for my fellow sisters-in-arms.

As an Air Force officer for nearly six years, I enjoyed serving my country, protecting our freedoms and knowing that my family was safe because of the work I did each day. Yet, I also experienced how unwelcoming the military can be for women at times.

Women in Combat: The few, the foolish

U.S. soldier Pfc. Janelle Zalkovsky provides security while other soldiers survey a newly constructed road in Ibriam Jaffes, Iraq in 2005. (Handout/Reuters)

As the Islamic State amped up attacks around the world, the Pentagon responded by bravely announcing that American women will now be put in direct ground combat.
Whereupon “military intelligence” secured a permanent place in the Encyclopedia of Oxymorons.

The new decree opens 220,000 military jobs to women — including Army Special Operations forces and the Navy SEALs.

Read more....

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/women-in-combat-the-few-the-foolish/2015/12/04/40929f62-9ad1-11e5-b499-76cbec161973_story.html

Learn more...

www.battlingthestormwithin.com