Combat Support
Combat Debrief Group
The weekly VVSD combat debrief group meets for an hour and a half at 1:00 PM on Wednesday at the Vet Center, 2900 Sixth Avenue. It is facilitated by a PTSD Specialist and a Chaplain. Members are never required to talk about what they did in combat. The group last between sixteen and twenty weeks. The first six to eight weeks the "members learn how and why combat affect them". During the second part of the group they learn how to deal with their distrust, hyper-alertness, anger outbursts, depression, wanting to isolate, feeling as if no one understands them anymore, etc. This group is spiritually based. Religion isn't discussed. God is. For example, where was He during combat, what, if any, was His role in combat, as well as why do many combat vets come back from combat either hating Him or denying Him. It's a pshcho-educational group. In other words, Combat Debrief is more than just a rap group.
Combat Support Group
The weekly VVSD combat support group meets for one hour at 6:00 PM on Tuesday at Veterans Village of San Diego, 4141 Pacific Highway. It is facilitated by a PTSD Specialist. Members are never required to talk about what they did in combat. The members discuss current, personal issues and how their combat experience impacts how they deal with these issues. For example, how their hyper-alertness and anger outburst impact their relationships. They share with each other what's worked and what hasn't worked when learning how to live in a civilian world that doesn't understand them. They learn that when they're with other combat vets they are normal. In other words, for having been in combat we are normal.
They learn that: 1) combat did change them; 2) no matter what they do, they can't change #1; 3) drugs, alcohol, isolating and denial don't work as coping behaviors and 4) with the support of other combat vets, they too can learn to live with PTSD from combat.
Being with men and women who know in their hearts and minds what they are living with doesn't make PTSD go away, but it does lessen the impact. it changes PTSD from a shameful, feared monster into an issue that together the combat vets can deal with.
Triple Threat
The weekly VVSD Triple Threat Group meets for approximately one hour at 7:30 PM on Wednesday at Veterans Village of San Diego, 4141 Pacific Highway. The name of the Group, "Triple Threat" refers to being addicted to alcohol, drugs, or both and having PTSD from combat. Each meeting has a volunteer leader and secretary. It uses the twelve step program borrowed from Alcoholics Anonymous as a treatment plan to deal with addiction as well as PTSD from combat. Attendees are not required to talk. If an attendee does choose to talk, he/she shares what eh/she wants to share without fear of being interrupted, contradicted or judged. In other words, it is a safe place for a combat vet. The sense of fellowship that the combat vet experienced in combat, which is lost, is regained. The group has been in existence for over twenty years.
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