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In my previous post I mentioned that the prevalence rate of TBI may by twice what is reported due
to various reasons. While some of these reasons are readily identifiable, there are also underlying
factors that serve as a block for those who have sustained this injury. To demonstrate these
factors, I want to reference a 14-line core Army doctrine called the Soldier's Creed because it is
central to who soldiers are. I will not include the whole creed but I want to provide the four-line
"Warrior's Ethos" that is embedded within the document. It is this ethos that has been drilled into
every soldier from the moment they step of the bus; it is this ethos that is the underpinning of their
survival in combat. The Warrior's Ethos:
"I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade."
What I intend to do is answer the question of how this ethos obstructs many service men and
women from seeking help for their traumatic brain injury. My method will be simple as I will break
this ethos down into its elemental parts to simplify discussion. In doing so I expect to illuminate
some of the concerns that encompass traumatic brain injury so that neuropsychologists,
neurologists, and front-line care providers have better information to develop screening measures,
education programs, and treatment plans.
Mission First; Self Last
This is essential to the safety and success of any military operation. It compels the soldier to
regard his unit and its mission as greater than him or herself. Many of the soldiers in the combat
arms not only agree with this superficially but live it instinctively. It has become an integral part of
who they are to the extent that even casual decisions are influenced by this principle. The problem
with this type of mentality is that it prevents many from seeking help because the mission or unit
will suffer from a potential loss in manpower. "Isn't this subversive treatment or dangerous
indoctrination?" Yes and no. On the one hand battles cannot be won with everyone looking out for
their own welfare, yet on the other, it can cause those who strongly embraced the concept to
unwittingly shrug of the symptoms of TBI in order to fulfill his or her mission.
Defeat is not an Option
This tenant is not only central to the armed forces but is a trait characteristic of most men in
particular. Defeat shows weakness and speaks against what men think men should be. We see
this readily in sports. No one likes to win or admit defeat because it somehow means that we were
inadequate in our performance. In the novel The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway spoke
of defeat this way, "But man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated."
This is a common view that enables warriors to endure the hardships of combat and continue
fighting; however, it is this trait that prevents many from seeking help because it can feel as if
you're accepting defeat. What compounds the issue is the fact that many with TBI have no visible
marks of their injury. It is one thing to go to the medic for a gunshot wound and totally another to
seek help for problems that make you look mentally unstable.
I Never Quit
To quit is to remove your standards and expectations for success. This is one principle that is
physically implanted in the soldier through various exercises and drills that are usually painful in
nature and the option to quit even more so. Quitting becomes unacceptable. When I was in basic
training it was winter, and I was training in temps of around 10 degrees. I soon developed
pneumonia and even though I struggled to breathe on our four-mile runs and ten-mile ruck-
marches, I refused to quit. I had the choice to, but it wasn't an option. It is the same for many with
TBI because to risk being pulled from your duties because of an "invisible" injury feels too much
like quitting. It may also appear to your peers that you are too weak to endure and so you find an
excuse to quit.
Never Leave a Fallen Comrade
As far as TBI goes, this state of mind is not a barrier to treatment but a consequence for those
who wind up leaving their unit for lighter duty or medical discharge. Before being removed from my
unit, I had a particular soldier in my squad that was good at heart but gave me grief for the
decisions he made. I spent countless days working with him to make him a more disciplined
soldier. A year later, my unit deployed back to Iraq for the third time, a deployment I should have
been on. I received word from a friend that Zapasnik, my soldier, died in combat along with three
others from my platoon. It was at that moment that I truly felt I left a fallen comrade because I
should have been there with him.
Traumatic brain injury is a complex issue, one that affects multiple areas of life and is influenced
by many factors. It is an injury that lies in stark contrast to the way the military is trained because
the majority of cases lack substantial visible evidence of injury. Many, if not all, of the points I have
made may happen on a latent level that those with TBI may not even realize. Understanding these
points will enable those in the related health fields to develop better programs to educate and treat
those that may be apprehensive in seeking treatment.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jarrod_B_Strickland
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