1 00:00:48,78 --> 00:00:52,99 Well my name is Cheryl Shaffer and I am a retired U.D.D. 2 00:00:53,00 --> 00:00:57,63 Veterans representative and we are happy to present to you another episode in the 3 00:00:57,64 --> 00:00:59,19 veterans helping veterans T.V. 4 00:00:59,20 --> 00:01:04,26 Series today's episode is that Truman Pierce specialist and we're going to talk 5 00:01:04,27 --> 00:01:05,97 about what that is in just 6 00:01:05,98 --> 00:01:10,63 a moment but I'd like to introduce my two guests there from an organization called 7 00:01:10,64 --> 00:01:15,26 U.S. Ball and tears of America we're going to explain exactly what that is in 8 00:01:15,27 --> 00:01:21,04 a moment I'd like to introduce Major General Daniel helix He's the commanding 9 00:01:21,05 --> 00:01:26,75 general of the US Volunteers of America nationwide and to my left I like to 10 00:01:26,76 --> 00:01:31,49 introduce colonel and deputy chief of staff of honors for the U.S.B. 11 00:01:31,84 --> 00:01:36,40 Is Leo McArdle first of all gentlemen can you tell me what the U.S. 12 00:01:36,41 --> 00:01:39,78 Volunteers thus. I'll be happy to I think 13 00:01:39,79 --> 00:01:46,14 a more important thing before I tell you what we do is why we do it our primary 14 00:01:46,15 --> 00:01:50,39 mission is to do final honors at the national cemeteries around the country with 15 00:01:50,40 --> 00:01:55,07 sweet currently service proximately twenty six national cemeteries all around the 16 00:01:55,08 --> 00:02:01,40 nation and we do it because we know that the active component and the National 17 00:02:01,41 --> 00:02:05,92 Guard just simply don't have the horses to take care of all of the need for 18 00:02:05,93 --> 00:02:09,78 a bedroom is dying we have War two vets that are dying at approximately two hundred 19 00:02:09,79 --> 00:02:13,41 a day we have the Korean vets that are dying at about twelve hundred 20 00:02:13,42 --> 00:02:18,59 a day Vietnam vets unfortunately are also passing away at alarming rate and so we 21 00:02:18,60 --> 00:02:23,11 need to be able to provide authors for the service these men and women have 22 00:02:23,12 --> 00:02:28,31 rendered the United States and so that's why that's what we do and why we do it how 23 00:02:28,32 --> 00:02:35,18 long ago did this organization start you know well we started in two thousand 24 00:02:35,92 --> 00:02:38,07 but we started so we was prior to that 25 00:02:38,60 --> 00:02:43,62 a gentleman who was retired Colonel John Sullivan. Saw the need and would grab 26 00:02:43,63 --> 00:02:48,33 anybody could that he knew was prior military and how to uniform and would do it 27 00:02:48,96 --> 00:02:55,03 and since then the organization has really evolved from our primary mission of 28 00:02:55,29 --> 00:02:59,95 final honors we figured we need to give more back to our betters there was more 29 00:02:59,96 --> 00:03:06,33 need and the final honors only took a small timeframe in there so we developed 30 00:03:06,34 --> 00:03:13,04 a secondary mission of community service for our veterans not for outside 31 00:03:13,44 --> 00:03:18,54 the general public but more about friends and their families and that's where this 32 00:03:19,51 --> 00:03:23,16 item we're going to talk about tonight the peer specialist program comes in as 33 00:03:23,17 --> 00:03:27,34 a primary part of our secondary mission and because you've been 34 00:03:27,35 --> 00:03:28,03 a friend of mine for 35 00:03:28,04 --> 00:03:31,68 a long time and I know your history I would like for you to tell us tell the 36 00:03:31,69 --> 00:03:35,42 audience just a little bit about. The fact that you are 37 00:03:35,43 --> 00:03:40,06 a veteran and what you did in the military you know I served in the active Army 38 00:03:40,07 --> 00:03:43,91 from one nine hundred sixty to the one nine hundred seventy and then I got out and 39 00:03:43,92 --> 00:03:44,94 served in the reserves for 40 00:03:44,95 --> 00:03:51,93 a few years I served three tours in Korea two tours in Vietnam and some time 41 00:03:51,94 --> 00:03:53,30 in Okinawa plus 42 00:03:53,48 --> 00:03:57,67 a little bit here stateside so it's important for us to point out that you were 43 00:03:57,71 --> 00:04:02,13 Vietnam combat veteran yes ma'am and sir can you tell me 44 00:04:02,14 --> 00:04:08,44 a little bit about your military background yeah I was Percival's enlisted one nine 45 00:04:08,45 --> 00:04:10,83 hundred seventy three was a military policeman for 46 00:04:10,84 --> 00:04:14,47 a little while and I did not go to Vietnam era but I was not 47 00:04:14,51 --> 00:04:18,45 a Vietnam War veteran then I went back in one thousand nine hundred three 48 00:04:18,46 --> 00:04:22,57 commission at a Cal Berkeley and serve with the first Armored Division as 49 00:04:22,58 --> 00:04:27,12 a look there qualified field artillery officer for several years and got back out 50 00:04:27,56 --> 00:04:30,81 and went into the reserves and was 51 00:04:30,82 --> 00:04:36,55 a company commander I did. Serve twice as company commander for basic training I 52 00:04:36,56 --> 00:04:36,72 was 53 00:04:36,73 --> 00:04:43,64 a Senior Controller player for field artillery units around the around actually 54 00:04:43,65 --> 00:04:47,09 about ten states and it was it was 55 00:04:47,10 --> 00:04:51,74 a great time moves it was probably they we're talking about regrets earlier I 56 00:04:51,78 --> 00:04:57,71 regret that I didn't stand longer as mayor. But you found your true calling being 57 00:04:57,72 --> 00:05:02,67 the national commander of this wonderful organization how did you couldn't fault 58 00:05:02,75 --> 00:05:05,57 you know I thank you I'd as 59 00:05:05,58 --> 00:05:10,36 a very nice way to put it I I think I'm one of those that when they said everybody 60 00:05:10,37 --> 00:05:13,25 who wants to volunteer take one step forward everybody took 61 00:05:13,26 --> 00:05:17,87 a step back and I was I was the one that was left. In eighteen you learned that 62 00:05:17,91 --> 00:05:23,82 that old saying the military would never volunteer I was I came on board as 63 00:05:23,83 --> 00:05:25,96 a chaplain with kind of 64 00:05:25,97 --> 00:05:32,86 a Cordle's outfit back in two thousand and one and because my education level 65 00:05:33,13 --> 00:05:36,88 they kept promoting me into different positions as 66 00:05:36,89 --> 00:05:41,98 a chaplain and I was the national. Lead the chief of chaplains for the National 67 00:05:41,99 --> 00:05:46,07 Organization for a couple of years and then I was asked to take 68 00:05:46,08 --> 00:05:49,60 a star and be the assistant commanding general for honors 69 00:05:49,61 --> 00:05:54,90 a position that no longer exist and then I worked in the deputy commander. Deputy 70 00:05:54,91 --> 00:05:58,92 Commanding General slot and then when the commanding general retired in March 71 00:05:59,68 --> 00:06:04,75 basically told me you're it and so now here I am I'm privileged to command the 72 00:06:04,76 --> 00:06:09,47 United States volunteers when approximately one thousand States in with their units 73 00:06:09,48 --> 00:06:13,49 and that sit in how many members think the website in the V.A. 74 00:06:13,50 --> 00:06:13,70 Has 75 00:06:13,71 --> 00:06:17,92 a solicited about twelve hundred members and we're growing all the time we're probably 76 00:06:17,93 --> 00:06:18,68 going to open up 77 00:06:18,69 --> 00:06:25,62 a three other states before March next year we're working on Michigan Indiana 78 00:06:25,63 --> 00:06:30,31 and Tennessee right now and we have the people there that are willing to open up 79 00:06:30,32 --> 00:06:36,36 those and they're all vets and many of these are Vietnam vets who want to give back 80 00:06:36,37 --> 00:06:37,30 and serve in 81 00:06:37,31 --> 00:06:43,07 a way that they know their fellows and their comrades needed and we can't stress 82 00:06:43,08 --> 00:06:49,89 that enough is because I've gotten We're all patterns and none of us have to do 83 00:06:49,90 --> 00:06:56,49 this. But we do it because we live our lives in service to our fellow veterans that 84 00:06:56,87 --> 00:06:59,23 def that's the religion I found when finding 85 00:06:59,24 --> 00:07:04,17 a way to help others so now how did you get involved and in this debt to 86 00:07:04,18 --> 00:07:06,93 a peer specials program through the V.A. 87 00:07:06,94 --> 00:07:11,73 Because of that the way I understand you're the first first to graduates right well 88 00:07:11,74 --> 00:07:15,27 what happened was Denver Mills other Concord Vet Center asked me if I would take 89 00:07:15,28 --> 00:07:19,76 the class and when I talked to Dr Laura Scherer who's out of Sacramento V.A. 90 00:07:20,20 --> 00:07:22,10 And she said that this she told me was 91 00:07:22,11 --> 00:07:27,40 a forty hour course and it was very intense and very extensive I said Great I've 92 00:07:27,41 --> 00:07:31,21 got two other guys I'd like to go through couldn't get the other guy had but but 93 00:07:31,30 --> 00:07:36,19 kind of the Cardle was the first one out of my mouth Currently all the colds got to 94 00:07:36,20 --> 00:07:40,19 be on this and so she got him in the class and we went through it together it was 95 00:07:40,20 --> 00:07:43,90 a great experience I definitely know I know I know the V.A. 96 00:07:43,91 --> 00:07:50,47 Has many psychologists that have their their degrees and certifications on all that 97 00:07:50,99 --> 00:07:54,68 but it would seem to me sometimes that might not be the right person for 98 00:07:54,69 --> 00:08:00,86 a combat veteran to talk to oh definitely. It's so one of the interesting facts 99 00:08:00,87 --> 00:08:05,48 that we have we learned of this class is own nation why and this deals with the 100 00:08:05,49 --> 00:08:11,95 civilian population as not just veterans but on nationwide average under clinical 101 00:08:11,96 --> 00:08:15,50 care what the psychologists like I said you only have about 102 00:08:15,51 --> 00:08:20,41 a fifteen percent recovery rate but working with peers people have been through the 103 00:08:20,42 --> 00:08:23,08 same problems you're you're going through you have about 104 00:08:23,09 --> 00:08:25,40 a forty five percent recovery rate that's 105 00:08:25,41 --> 00:08:30,16 a fantastic difference now how long did it take. The V.A. 106 00:08:30,23 --> 00:08:35,19 To figure this out because it would seem to me I'm sorry that that would be 107 00:08:35,20 --> 00:08:40,55 a logical conclusion because I know the reason why I say that because we're in 108 00:08:40,56 --> 00:08:46,23 Vietnam era Vietnam era veteran I know for my generation of veterans many veterans 109 00:08:46,24 --> 00:08:52,51 would repeat used to seek any kind of help from the being they didn't want their 110 00:08:52,52 --> 00:08:59,42 P.T.S.D. Of knowledge or died to show this model this is is not just for P.T.S.D. 111 00:08:59,43 --> 00:09:00,14 P.T.S.D. 112 00:09:00,15 --> 00:09:06,95 Is one of the spectrum of illnesses that are attended to by this program it was 113 00:09:06,96 --> 00:09:08,79 actually and to be fair to the V.A. The V.A. 114 00:09:08,80 --> 00:09:14,18 Picked on this picked up on this fairly quickly once the the civilian psychologists 115 00:09:14,19 --> 00:09:18,34 and psychiatrists realized that the medical model didn't stand in the of itself 116 00:09:18,57 --> 00:09:19,45 that they just they were in 117 00:09:19,46 --> 00:09:23,43 a maintenance thing and when they added in the peer counseling and the peer support 118 00:09:23,57 --> 00:09:28,19 what happened was cures started coming around within the population of people who 119 00:09:28,20 --> 00:09:32,12 had depression bipolar schizophrenia P.T.S.D. 120 00:09:32,42 --> 00:09:37,22 Abuse issues grief issues all the different things from which we need to addiction 121 00:09:37,23 --> 00:09:41,75 issues all the things we need to do it we have in our in our lives in the as 122 00:09:41,76 --> 00:09:47,37 a society to recover from peer specialists are those people who live to support 123 00:09:47,38 --> 00:09:49,82 that the medical model simply does not the V.A. 124 00:09:49,83 --> 00:09:53,34 Actually picked up on this very very quickly went when it started coming into being 125 00:09:53,34 --> 00:09:57,96 . Well I just think of the many many veterans that I work with in my career that 126 00:09:57,97 --> 00:10:04,88 refused to get help and because of their refusal to walk through the front door of 127 00:10:04,89 --> 00:10:05,41 the V.A. 128 00:10:05,47 --> 00:10:09,85 They did not get the help and their lives did not turn out the way they did when is 129 00:10:09,86 --> 00:10:14,02 it interesting one of the things that they talk about very first day is removing 130 00:10:14,03 --> 00:10:18,95 the stigma because in order to really have the peer Specialist be effective you 131 00:10:18,96 --> 00:10:23,07 have to start working on removing the stigma and it's the peer specialist the 132 00:10:23,08 --> 00:10:27,63 person who has gone through this peer not only as veteran but someone who has had 133 00:10:27,78 --> 00:10:31,61 issues whether it's addiction issues whether it's the middle illness issues or 134 00:10:31,62 --> 00:10:36,36 whatever that's what happens is now I've been there with you brother and I know you 135 00:10:36,37 --> 00:10:40,63 can recover from it and that removes the stigma because somebody who's healthy 136 00:10:40,75 --> 00:10:45,34 thriving and working in the community obviously has overcome that So now the vet 137 00:10:45,35 --> 00:10:51,75 feels I can overcome that as well right because there's no there's no more powerful 138 00:10:51,80 --> 00:10:56,80 testimony witness to someone that has been through that problem and pull themselves 139 00:10:56,81 --> 00:11:03,39 up by their bootstraps so I'm assuming that one of the natural progression 140 00:11:03,51 --> 00:11:08,30 into this program was the fact that the vet centers which are located throughout 141 00:11:09,36 --> 00:11:12,81 the United States I would say OK that provides 142 00:11:12,96 --> 00:11:17,65 a safe place like for instance here in Redwood City area they have one that's 143 00:11:17,66 --> 00:11:19,57 a converted house so we have 144 00:11:19,58 --> 00:11:25,73 a comfortable environment where the bathrooms don't feel so threatened. The biggest 145 00:11:25,73 --> 00:11:27,50 problem I see with P.T.S.D. 146 00:11:27,83 --> 00:11:29,08 Is the veterans 147 00:11:29,23 --> 00:11:33,07 a lot of the veterans I've spoken to recent ones that have been out of the service 148 00:11:33,23 --> 00:11:38,59 in the last year or two they don't want that stigma they don't want people to or 149 00:11:38,89 --> 00:11:45,50 the system to perceive them as being mentally. Disabled 150 00:11:45,85 --> 00:11:50,91 to say about K. And you're right and you've got to remember that P.T.S.D. 151 00:11:50,92 --> 00:11:55,00 Is fairly new in our culture is in our society as far as 152 00:11:55,01 --> 00:11:58,83 a term is concerned and it was one more thing the vets saw that on getting label 153 00:11:58,84 --> 00:12:03,44 with this now that's just great what we have discovered with the vet centers and 154 00:12:03,45 --> 00:12:07,73 with the peer specialist program is we do remove that stigma because we're we're 155 00:12:07,74 --> 00:12:11,95 operating in the culture will we're operating in the society we have jobs families 156 00:12:11,96 --> 00:12:16,52 like everybody else but everybody has issues and those issues regardless of whether 157 00:12:16,53 --> 00:12:16,77 you're 158 00:12:16,78 --> 00:12:22,46 a vet or not are going to invade one's life at different points these are and I 159 00:12:22,47 --> 00:12:26,14 think that it is written in the notes and the Leo said this before post-traumatic 160 00:12:26,15 --> 00:12:27,93 stress disorder disorder is 161 00:12:27,94 --> 00:12:31,66 a normal reaction to an abnormal situation and you don't have to be 162 00:12:31,67 --> 00:12:36,64 a combat veteran to a serious Manono That's right driving by and seeing 163 00:12:36,65 --> 00:12:42,45 a car accident scene horrific car accident back in drama. And the important thing 164 00:12:42,46 --> 00:12:44,82 with with with what we're doing as far as 165 00:12:44,83 --> 00:12:49,70 a peer specialist is where validating their experience number one number two we're 166 00:12:49,71 --> 00:12:50,27 showing them 167 00:12:50,28 --> 00:12:53,79 a way out and number three we're saying just because you might have some issues 168 00:12:53,80 --> 00:12:56,93 doesn't make you not OK and it doesn't make you not normal in fact it's 169 00:12:56,94 --> 00:12:58,60 a very normal reaction to 170 00:12:58,61 --> 00:13:04,12 a very abnormal thing in the vet's case the big difference is they volunteered to 171 00:13:04,13 --> 00:13:09,03 go fight for the freedom for somebody else and in the process incurred these 172 00:13:09,04 --> 00:13:10,58 challenges that's 173 00:13:10,59 --> 00:13:13,66 a very selfless act that they did and they're paying the price for it and that's 174 00:13:13,67 --> 00:13:15,08 why the United States V.A. 175 00:13:15,24 --> 00:13:17,44 The and the United States as as 176 00:13:17,45 --> 00:13:23,74 a society needs to step up and as individuals as well as with groups and take care 177 00:13:23,75 --> 00:13:28,62 of these these men women and not from our generation of veterans making them wait 178 00:13:28,70 --> 00:13:32,94 ten twenty thirty years but over they get treatment happening anymore we have the 179 00:13:32,95 --> 00:13:35,97 oh you have to know I have guys that are coming back men and women that are coming 180 00:13:35,98 --> 00:13:41,30 back and we the Vietnam vets Vietnam era of that are going to them and saying 181 00:13:41,31 --> 00:13:45,22 they're going to have issues it's OK to have this years and. You don't want to have 182 00:13:45,23 --> 00:13:45,78 this is for 183 00:13:45,79 --> 00:13:48,96 a real long time if you don't want to lose your wife if you don't want to lose your 184 00:13:48,97 --> 00:13:53,16 kids you don't want to lose your job we know how to head that off at the pass is 185 00:13:53,17 --> 00:13:57,44 that where and so go talk to your folks at the Vet Center go talk to your folks at 186 00:13:57,45 --> 00:13:57,79 the V.A. 187 00:13:57,80 --> 00:14:02,17 Clinics because they are the ones that have the expertise so you won't have to go 188 00:14:02,18 --> 00:14:07,89 through all those other trauma Well let's talk about some of the classic symptoms 189 00:14:08,32 --> 00:14:13,38 of how post-traumatic stress disorder manifest itself so people can kind of maybe 190 00:14:13,39 --> 00:14:17,21 recognize it and say you know what when I need help you know the one thing we could 191 00:14:17,22 --> 00:14:22,38 talk about is the returning vets you know combat vets P.T.S.D. 192 00:14:22,39 --> 00:14:27,83 Does not affect only the combat vet we have the others that are kind of overlooked 193 00:14:27,84 --> 00:14:28,47 by the V.A. 194 00:14:28,48 --> 00:14:32,86 Currently but you have the other veterans that are serving here and just as an 195 00:14:32,87 --> 00:14:37,03 example you have all these people that these airman out of Dover Air Force Base 196 00:14:37,04 --> 00:14:41,22 that are unloading the caskets that. You have if you have 197 00:14:41,23 --> 00:14:45,47 a unit such as the twenty third Marines locally here part of that unit has been 198 00:14:45,48 --> 00:14:50,26 sent over these guys trained together they you know they spend summer camps 199 00:14:50,27 --> 00:14:52,52 together what have your for years and all of 200 00:14:52,53 --> 00:14:56,19 a sudden some of the buddies go over and they either come back disabled or come 201 00:14:56,20 --> 00:15:00,68 back in body bags and has to affect the veteran who doesn't go to combat Also you 202 00:15:00,69 --> 00:15:07,03 bet so you know we need to one of the reasons that we got involved in this was 203 00:15:07,44 --> 00:15:08,47 really was the take care 204 00:15:08,48 --> 00:15:12,99 a lot of these vets the don't have the ability to go to the V.A. For the P.T.S.D. 205 00:15:13,00 --> 00:15:18,62 Treatment because they currently are only taking care of our combat vets Oh now you 206 00:15:18,63 --> 00:15:24,14 bring up I did not realize that now that he had to go to the go to the vets or not 207 00:15:24,15 --> 00:15:25,12 a clinic the V.A. 208 00:15:25,13 --> 00:15:30,61 Clinics will service anybody but for the vet centers that do it outstanding job I 209 00:15:30,62 --> 00:15:31,96 mean they are they army T.S.T. 210 00:15:31,97 --> 00:15:36,13 Clinics but you must have served in a combat the air of operations that's 211 00:15:36,14 --> 00:15:39,63 a very good point to kind of the colonel brings up well let's talk about that. 212 00:15:43,40 --> 00:15:48,76 How do you out weeks to them Do you go out to them so if you're not actually 213 00:15:48,81 --> 00:15:50,01 outstation at a V.A. 214 00:15:50,02 --> 00:15:54,66 Clinic are you know currently and it's different for each person the situation the 215 00:15:54,67 --> 00:16:00,40 area they live in currently here in San Mateo County the community colleges skyline 216 00:16:01,05 --> 00:16:01,66 colleges have 217 00:16:01,67 --> 00:16:07,37 a Teo and can yada have established veterans resource centers and we can't say that 218 00:16:07,38 --> 00:16:13,20 enough because there are so many veterans going back to school that do not know 219 00:16:13,21 --> 00:16:15,68 what services are available to them to write 220 00:16:15,69 --> 00:16:22,09 a great idea they have so they've established this and this. Young lady up that can 221 00:16:22,10 --> 00:16:26,97 Jada Carrington whose former husband was 222 00:16:26,98 --> 00:16:33,75 a Vietnam vet and she understands Vietnam vets very well really kind of push this 223 00:16:33,76 --> 00:16:36,53 and she got a grant for can jog to build 224 00:16:36,89 --> 00:16:40,64 a little section for our veterans are back to school and they have 225 00:16:40,65 --> 00:16:45,28 a program trying to recognize all these vets eventually what we hope they have 226 00:16:45,29 --> 00:16:49,39 a psychologist on staff and I kind of hope to be working up there when we get this 227 00:16:49,40 --> 00:16:52,54 office established it's going be a drop in for veterans only 228 00:16:52,61 --> 00:16:56,96 a nice little place in come in to study those computer terminals there's a T.V. 229 00:16:57,36 --> 00:17:00,08 There will be a little refrigerator there was some cold drinks there's 230 00:17:00,45 --> 00:17:03,71 a little like a library we hope to establish 231 00:17:04,34 --> 00:17:10,07 a drop in clinic during the week where they can drop in. And you know get the 232 00:17:10,08 --> 00:17:15,26 information and then if they need it and want to talk about it we hope to have 233 00:17:15,30 --> 00:17:20,58 people such as myself up there that can talk to him and eventually if the interest 234 00:17:20,59 --> 00:17:22,11 is there to have 235 00:17:22,12 --> 00:17:27,13 a group session where they can come in and talk without getting any stigma attached 236 00:17:27,29 --> 00:17:31,51 to it and that's part of why I started to get into early with the group sessions 237 00:17:31,52 --> 00:17:32,25 out the V.A. 238 00:17:32,26 --> 00:17:38,57 And I'm sure that must have helped. This evolved into this program because we need 239 00:17:38,58 --> 00:17:43,28 we need also another outreach thing that we do incur McCardle I have been involved 240 00:17:43,29 --> 00:17:45,14 in several of these they have us the thing called 241 00:17:45,15 --> 00:17:50,12 a stand down there are several stand downs around around the country frankly the 242 00:17:50,13 --> 00:17:53,94 East Bay stand down goes every other year this was the year we went to the Alameda 243 00:17:53,95 --> 00:17:58,17 County Fairgrounds North Bay isn't Dix And there's one in Santa Cruz Mountains for 244 00:17:58,18 --> 00:17:59,66 South Bay and you get 245 00:17:59,67 --> 00:18:03,84 a lot of the vets who are either homeless or at risk of being homeless who have 246 00:18:03,85 --> 00:18:08,86 P.T.S.D. Issues and we will get them we service chaplains during down I'm also 247 00:18:08,87 --> 00:18:13,87 a pastor in real life so I chatted on that event and these guys will come that are 248 00:18:13,88 --> 00:18:15,100 not combat vets but you have P.T.S.D. 249 00:18:16,01 --> 00:18:19,59 Issues and they are veterans and because that's not required and not 250 00:18:19,60 --> 00:18:23,82 a requirement that they are a combat bed to be part of a stand down we see 251 00:18:23,83 --> 00:18:28,61 a lot of them then and were able to do a lot of good connection then I teach 252 00:18:28,62 --> 00:18:32,92 a class of spirituality in recovery at the Day Treatment Center at the Martinez 253 00:18:32,93 --> 00:18:33,18 V.A. 254 00:18:33,19 --> 00:18:37,76 Clinic and when I go to the clinics that's another time that I'm able to touch with 255 00:18:37,77 --> 00:18:42,38 the vets and when they start talking to me and telling me their stories I can 256 00:18:42,39 --> 00:18:46,43 recognize now very clearly very easily what's P.T.S.D. 257 00:18:46,44 --> 00:18:51,23 What might be bipolar what might be even schizophrenia Now I'm not 258 00:18:51,24 --> 00:18:55,02 a clinical doc but you still have those kind of experiences where you can see that 259 00:18:55,16 --> 00:18:56,69 and steer them in the right direction 260 00:18:56,86 --> 00:19:01,95 a lot of what we do the important thing that we do is we don't necessarily apply 261 00:19:01,96 --> 00:19:06,31 the therapy as it were we're the ones that can recognize where the docs don't get 262 00:19:06,32 --> 00:19:10,05 to touch everybody and see everybody and we can steer them in the right direction 263 00:19:10,16 --> 00:19:12,40 and that's how we can help is putting them in 264 00:19:12,41 --> 00:19:16,30 a place where they can get that there so you really kind of act kind of like an 265 00:19:16,31 --> 00:19:21,62 intermediary very much so between the veteran who hesitates to get in rolled in the 266 00:19:21,63 --> 00:19:28,57 Senate in an encourager yes we support them I mean basically the old saying is we 267 00:19:28,58 --> 00:19:33,55 hold their hand you know if if they need somebody big they can't take that step. 268 00:19:34,58 --> 00:19:39,13 Hey take it sleeves come on I hope I go with you and we go with them and we'll get 269 00:19:39,14 --> 00:19:45,41 them into the system sometimes it's just that that outreach from one that to into 270 00:19:45,42 --> 00:19:50,47 another that's that you know I've been where you been I understand what you've gone 271 00:19:50,48 --> 00:19:54,71 through I have to learn as you know has many homeless guys I also work at the Bay 272 00:19:54,72 --> 00:19:56,16 Area rescue mission on 273 00:19:56,17 --> 00:20:00,57 a pretty regular basis and I will take them to the county veterans service officer 274 00:20:01,17 --> 00:20:03,34 and that's really where they were they get started 275 00:20:03,35 --> 00:20:07,22 a lot but in the meantime they've got to have somebody to talk to somebody that 276 00:20:07,23 --> 00:20:10,51 they trust if I had a nickel you know that for every time 277 00:20:10,52 --> 00:20:15,54 a vet says Well sir I can trust you because I know you've been there as opposed to 278 00:20:15,58 --> 00:20:18,91 to some of the clinical docs some of the other people who have great hearts great 279 00:20:18,92 --> 00:20:23,20 skills but they're not veterans they don't he has relate to it that rinse trust 280 00:20:23,27 --> 00:20:27,29 that trains and there's a reason why because they know that as 281 00:20:27,30 --> 00:20:31,92 a veteran I've been trained to to to have your back and you've been trained to have 282 00:20:31,93 --> 00:20:36,61 mine and that doesn't leave just because I leave service that aspect of my life 283 00:20:36,62 --> 00:20:41,12 doesn't leave In fact it's enhanced because the civilian world knows nothing pardon 284 00:20:41,13 --> 00:20:46,14 me they don't nothing of real loyalty man to man woman to woman soldier 285 00:20:46,15 --> 00:20:51,35 a soldier well that's what they teach you in basic training you are part of 286 00:20:51,36 --> 00:20:54,54 a team and you do have to watch each other's back it's 287 00:20:54,55 --> 00:21:01,37 a life and death thing yes or yes so is there a cure. P.T.S.D. 288 00:21:01,72 --> 00:21:02,46 Really is 289 00:21:02,47 --> 00:21:06,57 a no no OK so what is it that you're teaching what is it that they're being taught 290 00:21:06,58 --> 00:21:10,78 let me think that ought to damage their symptoms are being taught that when the 291 00:21:10,79 --> 00:21:15,04 trigger is pulled to recognize that the triggers then to polled they're being 292 00:21:15,05 --> 00:21:21,82 taught coping mechanisms other than drinking or drugs right exactly or or 293 00:21:21,83 --> 00:21:26,13 being violent they're learning how to and manage their anger and they're learning 294 00:21:26,14 --> 00:21:29,89 all of these through the clinics that are out there and the tools that we have 295 00:21:30,33 --> 00:21:33,59 through the peer specialist program we got a several tools it was 296 00:21:33,60 --> 00:21:36,44 a great thing I'm trained I'm trained as a counsellor I'm 297 00:21:36,45 --> 00:21:42,33 a board certified past oral cancer myself and this added tremendous tools to me I 298 00:21:42,34 --> 00:21:49,07 loved it it was great how many peer specials are there not meeting the we got 299 00:21:49,08 --> 00:21:50,56 trained it was D.B.S. 300 00:21:50,57 --> 00:21:56,09 Say out of Chicago Illinois which is depression bipolar schizophrenia Alliance and 301 00:21:56,10 --> 00:21:59,92 they are the ones that actually administered the class through the V.A. 302 00:22:00,29 --> 00:22:02,07 And at this point it's still 303 00:22:02,08 --> 00:22:06,69 a fledgling program from from my understanding but it's becoming you know getting 304 00:22:06,70 --> 00:22:08,85 the Bucks Luckily the V.A. 305 00:22:08,86 --> 00:22:13,60 Has got the bucks to do it right now in Secretary Shinseki has been very 306 00:22:13,61 --> 00:22:17,92 magnanimous with that I think he's probably one of the best via secretaries we've 307 00:22:17,93 --> 00:22:20,54 had on long long time but then again he's 308 00:22:20,55 --> 00:22:23,18 a vet for goodness sakes he's an amputee He's 309 00:22:23,19 --> 00:22:28,03 a four star general retired he knows the deal and so he's taking care of our vets 310 00:22:28,07 --> 00:22:31,93 through the funding of these programs and really talking about funding of the 311 00:22:31,94 --> 00:22:35,38 programs because this is a often a point that really 312 00:22:35,81 --> 00:22:38,70 a lot of people don't understand the way the V.A. 313 00:22:38,71 --> 00:22:44,11 Works is everything is based on last year's funny so the more people that come in 314 00:22:44,12 --> 00:22:48,88 and use the system and get registered for services in and even if you just go in 315 00:22:48,89 --> 00:22:53,79 one time when you get your medical card that means in future years of planning for 316 00:22:53,83 --> 00:22:58,29 federal budgets. Somebody else is going to be able to come in is 317 00:22:58,30 --> 00:23:04,03 a lawyer who is out there care veterans goat Yes yes right I said with the V.A. 318 00:23:04,16 --> 00:23:09,81 I tell you one of the things I'm most proud of is the fact that in the last year I 319 00:23:09,82 --> 00:23:15,40 have signed up probably one every two weeks on the average that's great guys that 320 00:23:15,41 --> 00:23:17,31 have never done while they go to the V.A. 321 00:23:17,35 --> 00:23:17,78 I have 322 00:23:17,90 --> 00:23:21,90 a gentleman I know he's going to friend of mine for years I just found out that he 323 00:23:21,91 --> 00:23:26,11 served in Vietnam and his Purple Heart he was Air Force and he never registered 324 00:23:26,12 --> 00:23:27,86 with the V.A. My guess and I got 325 00:23:27,87 --> 00:23:31,80 a minister now he's he's got his appointment if he's going to get his physicals and 326 00:23:31,81 --> 00:23:36,48 everything else you get care you get great care so you can go said member of the 327 00:23:36,52 --> 00:23:41,11 little what MacIt best here or anywhere you have well and look at where we look at 328 00:23:41,12 --> 00:23:46,41 where we live this is salmon tail County we have world class B A's here we've got 329 00:23:46,42 --> 00:23:50,35 the being Palo Alto we have the Bay Area at the fair in in Menlo Park so we're 330 00:23:50,36 --> 00:23:55,00 really actually Northern California and we mention that it's Northern California as 331 00:23:55,01 --> 00:23:58,90 a whole there's four systems in Northern California and they're all tied together 332 00:23:58,91 --> 00:24:04,65 Fresno we have a bust the comes out every day from Fresno to the Palo Alto V.A. 333 00:24:05,10 --> 00:24:09,57 And takes people back home coming here for specialized care they don't go in Fresno 334 00:24:10,03 --> 00:24:13,89 we also we send them up to San Francisco for different specialized care or over to 335 00:24:13,90 --> 00:24:17,84 market is second and back and forth to all these different locations in different 336 00:24:17,85 --> 00:24:18,18 V.A. 337 00:24:18,19 --> 00:24:24,21 Regions because they specialize or something that's not specialized and that's 338 00:24:24,22 --> 00:24:29,13 a great point because I know often myself when I go and see. The women's clinic 339 00:24:29,14 --> 00:24:30,10 over in the B.A. 340 00:24:30,11 --> 00:24:34,44 In Palo Alto they will send me over to Stanford but they cannot provide the service 341 00:24:34,45 --> 00:24:35,49 there at the V.A. 342 00:24:35,49 --> 00:24:41,24 . They also need to the like you said the best care anywhere in that So the V.A. 343 00:24:41,25 --> 00:24:48,24 Has those problems but it is getting better his mom really. I 344 00:24:48,25 --> 00:24:51,58 know we've said this many times throughout this program and I know actually I've 345 00:24:51,59 --> 00:24:53,25 said many times throughout the series as 346 00:24:53,26 --> 00:24:56,37 a whole for veterans that are not in role in the BE 347 00:24:56,38 --> 00:24:58,70 a system you are really doing yourself 348 00:24:58,74 --> 00:25:03,74 a disservice and your brothers are out and sisters and your comrades in your family 349 00:25:03,74 --> 00:25:08,64 . We didn't really talk too much about secondary P.T.S.D. 350 00:25:08,80 --> 00:25:15,55 But for family members who say that the father served in the military and he didn't 351 00:25:15,56 --> 00:25:19,83 deal with those issues coming back that affects the family when there are people 352 00:25:19,84 --> 00:25:25,05 that have no idea that the reason they might have issues is because they have 353 00:25:25,06 --> 00:25:26,14 secondary P.T.S. 354 00:25:26,15 --> 00:25:31,82 You so that's another issue so for family members who know that their spouse or 355 00:25:31,83 --> 00:25:36,58 loved one is having these issues encourage them to get the hell and then it's the 356 00:25:36,59 --> 00:25:37,70 right word because 357 00:25:37,71 --> 00:25:44,17 a lot of times Little happen is in the heat of the challenge in the family is you 358 00:25:44,18 --> 00:25:49,45 need to do this or you need to do that it's accusatory it's not encouraging and if 359 00:25:49,46 --> 00:25:53,79 you can wait until they calm down and say you know I mean I really would appreciate 360 00:25:53,80 --> 00:25:57,68 it if you would go get some help with this because I know that they have the skills 361 00:25:57,69 --> 00:26:02,53 and you won't have the upset that you're experiencing if they do that and it's not 362 00:26:02,54 --> 00:26:06,90 what you say but how you say it very very important absolutely correct and for 363 00:26:06,91 --> 00:26:11,07 someone that wanted to get in touch with you sir how would they give them your 364 00:26:11,08 --> 00:26:16,28 direct phone number yeah my phone number is actually area code nine to five five 365 00:26:16,29 --> 00:26:22,67 nine five four eight seven nine and by my e-mail as Pastor dude it's all one word 366 00:26:22,68 --> 00:26:23,54 P.S. T. O. 367 00:26:23,55 --> 00:26:28,95 R D U D E awakenings within this awakenings Church dot org So the phone numbers 368 00:26:29,13 --> 00:26:34,44 nine to five five nine five four eight seven die and Pastor dude awakenings Church 369 00:26:34,45 --> 00:26:38,62 dot org And I answer both them that's my personal cell phone my personal e-mail. 370 00:26:39,38 --> 00:26:44,44 And you know for myself my personal cell phone is area code six five zero three 371 00:26:44,45 --> 00:26:51,34 zero three two seven two five and my phones on almost all day and night 372 00:26:51,71 --> 00:26:58,52 and my personal e-mail is Leo McArdle Elio M C A R D L E 373 00:26:58,87 --> 00:27:03,100 at hotmail dot com and I encourage people if you've got 374 00:27:04,04 --> 00:27:10,43 a question if you've got some issues call me up as we do don't hesitate 375 00:27:10,99 --> 00:27:16,80 that's what I'm here for just just slowly so people know the title veteran peer 376 00:27:16,81 --> 00:27:21,73 specialist Well what what part of the period we fit in I'm 377 00:27:21,74 --> 00:27:25,19 a recovering alcoholic I have mild P.T.S.D. 378 00:27:25,74 --> 00:27:32,58 And out twice in my early years tried to kill myself so well 379 00:27:32,59 --> 00:27:38,72 mine is I've been the about fifteen years in recovery for alcohol when I got back 380 00:27:39,06 --> 00:27:45,83 from across the pond and. I it's like I got this list so it's 381 00:27:45,84 --> 00:27:51,94 OK Get help if you need help get help to be is there to help you 382 00:27:52,80 --> 00:27:57,70 thank you for watching another episode in the better and helping veterans T.V. 383 00:27:57,72 --> 00:27:58,06 Series. 384 00:28:18,81 --> 00:28:24,67 Thanks. Sean.