Why I go to Grad School

Last night I worked at the ranch. I filled in for a few minutes at the bar and as I watched the tip jar repeatedly fill up to the top I had the thought, "why am I going to all this hassle of grad school when I could make good money simply by bartending?" I joked backed and forth with a few of my friends via text message on the topic. And I decided that I just needed to quit the stress of school. I'd quit bringing home school work and start bringing home cash.

But today I stumbled across this article on the interwebs. I love finding articles about military psychology, but at the same time, the whole topic just eats at me. I can't shake it off. I've brought it up before; it's my passion. And in that lies my answer of why I am going to grad school in the first place: that one day I will be able to be a part in the solution to the crisis of mental health issues in the armed forces and their families. One day.

I really, really want y'all to read the article itself. As I was reading, I kept wondering if the author was reading my mind while writing. But for those who don't get the chance to read it {it's super easy, just click here!} I'll share some highlights.

A Veteran’s Death, the Nation’s Shame

By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF

Published: April 14, 2012

Stats: 

• For every soldier killed on the battlefield this year, about 25 veterans are dying by their own hands. 
• More than 6,500 veteran suicides are logged every year — more than the total number of soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq combined since those wars began. {!!}

The issue:

• One reason for veteran suicides (and crimes, which get far more attention) may be post-traumatic stress disorder, along with a related condition, traumatic brain injury. 

• Preliminary figures suggest that being a veteran now roughly doubles one’s risk of suicide. 

• Presidents commit troops to distant battlefields, but don’t commit enough dollars to veterans’ services afterward. 

Regarding the VA {Veteran's Affairs}

• It is also chipping away at a warrior culture in which mental health concerns are considered sissy.

• The V.A.has improved but still doesn’t do nearly enough about the suicide problem.

The story incorporates the story of a Mom of a suicide-victim vet and another son dealing with major psychological distress from deployment.

• She sent two strong, healthy men to serve her country, and now her family has been hollowed in ways that aren’t as tidy, as honored, or as easy to explain as when the battle wounds are physical. 

• “When Ryan joined the Army, he was willing to sacrifice his life for his country,” she said. “And he did, just in a different way, without the glory." {amen}

My thoughts: 

• I agree with Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia: “Whether it be [a suicide] every 80 minutes or one every 80 weeks, one is obviously one too many.”
• This is further evidence that a battlefield exists right here at home for many soldiers! Every veteran alive today is a survivor, not only of a war, but of a psychological battle.
• Suicide aside-- divorce, broken families, substance abuse, homelessness-- these are huge sacrifices that affect far too many soldiers.
• What's a solution?  We need to step up as a society. We owe it to our Veterans. Make sure you're letting your elected officials know that post-deployment {and even general} psychological services for are troops are an issue to be addressed. Reach out to service members in your own life. Find ways to volunteer in your area. Just do *something*!  
• {and PS it's not an issue of whether you support our wars/conflicts/president. This is an issue of owing these people who have volunteered to protect us and fight on our behalf.}
• Lastly, I apologize that this is longer than I intended. That always happens when I address this topic, but I just can't keep it short. But, I figure, "hey, this is my space. I can say whatever I want." And I will. And I will continue until there is not even one single public servant who feels as if his problems are better off solved by ending her life; that his answers to problems are found at the bottom of the bottle or after drug fix; that he is no longer capable of connecting with his wife and/or caring for her children because she simply can't take care of her own psychological distress. 

Wedding Season

The weather is warming up, the flowers are blooming, spring is here. It's officially wedding season.

And it's time to begin my second year of working some of those aforementioned weddings and other events at Lone Summit Ranch. As a guest, I've attended two beautiful weddings at the ranch. Really, you should check out the website and look at the pictures. Or get yourself to invited to an upcoming wedding if you really want to see the ranch in it's splendor.

The owners are super sweet and the wedding coordinator is super easy to get along with, so that makes working there pretty fun. I check the calendar for the upcoming events, email Robin the dates I am available and then wait to see if I'm needed for the evening. Last year I worked 10ish events over the course of the summer and fall.

Saturday night was my first night back for this season. I had most definitely regressed in my ability to perform a full nights work of manual labor (okay, so it's not like building-a-house-manual-labor, but it can be work!). It didn't help that we put in a good two hours worth of hard-core yard work that afternoon and we were a little understaffed so once the party started- it just kept going and going.

Staying up past 1:00am is not as easy as it once was.

Although sore muscles and achy feet accompanied me home in the wee hours of the morning- so did left-overs. I looooooove left-overs! MMMhhhmm. Smoked turkey breast, smoked prime rib, oven roasted potatoes (my favorite), green beans. Seriously, it's one of the best perks of the job.

I would like to say a quick shout out to a few of the wedding guests from Saturday night. Dear Sir, however handsome you may be, please attend to zipping up your pants inside of the men's restroom instead of walking out. Dear Ma'am, it is inappropriate to dig into the closet of your teenage daughter (please, please don't let that be an outfit that you call your own) and wear it to a formal wedding. Don't pick out your wardrobe based on what people from Jersey Shore would wear.