Personal and professional experiences of the Gourleys are common among military officials in practice or retired. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) occurs when an individual is exposed to life-threatening incidents attributed to extreme trauma (Friedman, 2015). Military personnel are deployed in conflict zones such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen to restore peace (US Department of Veterans Affairs. 2009). As a result, Gurley unique experiences are similar among officials returning home from overseas assignments.
It is accurate to acknowledge that ex-military personnel or veterans encounter severe PTSD levels more than public members. For instance, female officers are vulnerable to Military Sexual Disorder (MST) while at camps or conflict sites (Friedman, 2015). Veterans are also likely to suffer from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) when exposed to frequent explosive missions with rivals (Basu, 2013). The added mental complications enhance the high prevalence of PTSD among veterans than civilian groups.
Military officers represent a state agency whose values determine the culture of success. In this context, the officers develop strategic approaches using the teamwork basis of security and attack (Gourley, 2015). The combative nature of military personnel contributes to the trauma experienced by officers. For instance, strong emotional feelings of anger motivate a culture of revenge from female officers who once suffered MST (Friedman, 2015). Combat PTSD requires collective efforts from all relevant stakeholders for prompt recovery among returning veterans.
Culture can play several significant roles for ex-military victims of psychological challenges arising from long periods of fighting. For instance, a culture of positive interaction, transparent conflict investigations, and punitive measures against officers committing MST would promote more female applications during recruitment (Friedman, 2015). Similarly, close friends and family members of a patient suffering from combat PTSD can also develop a conducive recovery environment. Most importantly, these stakeholders can ensure limited instances of conflict or situations what trigger extreme military reactions among veterans.
Reference
Basu, M. (2013). Why suicide rate among veterans may be more than 22 a day. CNN. com.
Friedman, M. J. (2015). Posttraumatic and acute stress disorders (6th ed.). Springer.
Gourley, S. J. (2015). The war at home: One family’s fight against PTSD. The Grumpy Dragon
US Department of Veterans Affairs. (2009). PTSD: National Center for PTSD. How deployment stress affects children and families. Web.