Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Veterans - Websites

As many military veterans return from warfare with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), many voices are calling for the church to be a significant partner in the complex readjustment process. These websites are provided to enable the church and families to be more alert to the needs of veterans and to understand how to help.

Sampling of media coverage

• "Beyond the Yellow Ribbon: How Churches Can Help Soldiers and Their Families Readjust After Combat," Speaking of Faith from American Public Media
• "Clergy learn together how to help vets," The Boston Globe, April 22, 2008
• "Seminar to address pastoral care of veterans," Goshen News, February 8, 2008
• Healing in Worship: Hospitality that welcomes everyone as they are Vital Worship Feature Story from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

Sampling of denomination-based resources

• Chaplaincy Ministries: Resources for Ministry to Soldiers and their Families, Christian Reformed Church 
  (CRC)
• Veteran’s Ministry Resources, Minneapolis Area Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
• “Home Support Team” (or “H.O.S.T.”), the Office of the Bishop Suffragan for Chaplaincies of the Episcopal Church to lead our church’s response to the growing number of persons impacted when a loved one is deployed in harm’s way and when he or she returns.
• Worship Resources, United Methodist Church
  An Order for Blessing Service members deploying for war
  An Order for Welcoming Service members returning from war
   
• “A Checklist for Working with Returning Veterans,” Evangelical Covenant Church
• The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
  ‘Operation Barnabas’ looks to support those back from war

Learn More about PTSD

• National Center for PTSD from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
• Pastoral Care for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Healing the Shattered Soul  by Dalene Fuller Rogers (Routledge, 2002)
• 'Coming Home': A Guide for Spouses of Service Members Returning from Mobilization/Deployment. (Available from the Department of the Army, Office of the Chief of Chaplains, 2700 Army Pentagon, Washington DC 20310-2700).
• “Information Paper for Normalization of Experiences. (Available from the Department of the Army, Office of the Chief of Chaplains, 2700 Army Pentagon, Washington DC 20310-2700).
• "1 in 5 Veterans Found with Mental Disorder" from The Boston Globe, April 18, 2008
• Locations for Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities can be found at www.va.gov/directory.
• MilitaryOneSource.com is a website that has a 24/7 veterans hotline: 1-800-342-9647.
• PTSD Alliance