The War Comes Home
It's been estimated that one in five U.S. soldiers are returning from the Iraq and Afghan wars with TBIs. Traumatic Brain Injuries are the signature wounds of these wars. The culprits are often IEDs, which are improvised explosive devices a.k.a. roadside bombs. Traumatic brain injuries can cause life long issues for soldiers and their families. Physical issues like memory loss and migraines, emotional fallout including job loss, domestic violence, divorce, alcohol and drug abuse, homelessness and PTSD.
I've spent much of the past 15 months researching ideas about the challenges that U.S. military men and women face returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan. This work has lead to a lot of different organizations but a unique not for profit stands out. Operation TBI Freedom is based in Colorado and works with veterans with TBIs. Traumatic Brain Injuries are often the silent war wounds. A casual observer might never notice it but those close to the vet do; spouses often say, "My husband/wife went to war but returned home a different person."
Image by James Heilman, MD (via Wikimedia Commons)
Part of what makes Operation TBI Freedom special is that it's a two-year program where there's trust and accountability. Caseworkers, all of whom are former military, accompany the vets, tapping into an array of local and state resources to help these former soldiers transition back into the community. There are successes: some vets achieve their goals like getting a job, going to college and saving their marriage. Others don't fare nearly as well.
There isn't a series like this on U.S. television. It's time. Contact kq@windingroadprod.com to show your financial support.
