Thanksgiving, From the Frontline to the Homefront and Back Again

Happy Thanksgiving.

How is your holiday shaping up? I hope that you and yours are on your way to building a memorable one. Before moving into the heart of this post, I'd like to take a moment to personally thank the family that I'm blessed to have, who offer me the support and encouragement to continue plugging away.

This work means a lot to me, as do my studies; but, both of these endeavors take enormous amounts of time away from those that love me and that I love in return. So, I thank them for being there for me, nonetheless, through it all.

While certainly on a larger scale and scope magnitude, deployed troops also give up a lot to accomplish their goals and achieve their mission. Their families also give up one of the most valuable and perishable commodities we have in life: time with those we love the most.

This Thanksgiving, I wish you all the best -- ample hours with family and the very best of friends; a good meal; moments to relax or to kick things up if you prefer; and the grace to reflect, no matter the present appearance, on the many things we all have to be thankful for.

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others. -- Cicero (106-43BCE), Rome

In extended, I've collected a few reflective stops on the media landscape, as well as a few video 'shoutouts' from troops serving overseas to loved ones back home. Let's keep them all in our thoughts, as always, and recommit to extending ourselves to the families who await their return. Happy Thanksgiving, dear readers and friends.

Join Me at 'A Sycamore Thanksgiving'

Monday evening I'm participating in 'A Sycamore Thanksgiving,' the launch of an annual event at the Sycamore, Ill., library [facebook event page]. The free evening of entertainment, which organizers hope will be reminiscent of a holiday variety show, brings together 6 authors, 8 musical groups, 2 fashion shows, a photo exhibit and more -- all mixed up to keep it lively.

Please join us for what sounds to be a fun way to kick off Thanksgiving. Details from Dennis Hines, Midweek:

Thanksgiving is coming a few days early in Sycamore. Representatives from the Sycamore Public Library and Borders in DeKalb are set to host “A Sycamore Thanksgiving” Monday, Nov. 23 at the library, 103 E. State St.

Although this festival won’t feature turkey and stuffing, there will be a smorgasbord of entertainment and activities. The event will include performances from local musicians, book signings from local authors and a fashion show with representatives from maurices, Cracker Jax and Unique Concepts Salon.

“It’s a unique event in that we’re pulling together three rather disparate things. There’s a little something for everybody,” said Larry Zevnik, director of adult services for the Sycamore Public Library.

Details (and photos) below the fold.

Veterans, Reintegration and Military Mental Health: A Selection of Recent Broadcasts

Sharing a few recent programs that examine some of the reintegration issues of our returning troops. Thursday's Diane Rehm Show devoted the hour to military mental health [listen].

Mental health in the military: Increasing rates of suicide, depression, and substance abuse raise concerns about mental illness in the armed forces. What's being done to assess and treat mental health problems in the U.S. military?

Guests

Yochi Dreazen, military correspondent for "The Wall Street Journal"

Nancy Sherman, Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University and Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown Law School. She served as the inaugural holder of the Distinguished Chair in Ethics at the US Naval Academy from 1997-9. She is the author of three books, including 'Stoic Warriors: The Ancient Philosophy Behind the Military Mind.' She is at work on a new book titled 'The Untold War: Inside the Hearts and Minds and Souls of Our Soldiers.'

S. Ward Casscells, M.D., John E. Tyson Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Public Health, and Vice President for External Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. He is the former Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs).

Jennifer Crane, served in the Army from 2000 to 2003. She is a volunteer with the non profit organization 'Give an Hour.' Give an Hour is dedicated to meeting the mental health needs of the troops and families affected by the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Jeff Hall, is a Major in the Army now based in Fort Riley, Kansas. He served two terms in Iraq.

NPR's 'Impact of War' Series Highlights Work of Soldiers Project Founder Judith Broder

A head's up: Give today's NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday a listen.

Last week, NPR introduced its month long look at the impact of war on military families -- the spouses and kids and parents doing time stateside while their loved one is deployed overseas.

Part of NPR's larger Impact on War project, its goals are to support member stations in collecting and sharing local stories, and "give a voice to the struggles and the triumphs of not just the military brass but the boots on the ground...and those affected by their absence during deployment and in death."

This morning on Weekend Edition Saturday, Gloria Hillard will introduce listeners to Dr. Judith Broder, founder of The Soldiers Project and recent Purpose Prize winner:

Broder saw a play in Los Angeles called The Sand Storm: Stories from the Front. Written by a Marine, it featured monologues of those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"The most horrifying aspect of it was the sense that I got that these were really just ordinary everyday guys, and they had seen things and done things that just shattered their whole sense of themselves," says Broder. "And that they would all need help."

That's when Broder, a clinical psychiatrist, put her retirement plans on hold and founded the Soldiers Project. It provides free counseling not only to service members returning from war — but to their families as well.

Today, the Soldiers Project has more than 200 licensed therapists nationwide — all volunteers who have received specialized training in everything from combat-related traumas to military culture.

Be sure to listen in this morning (full audio should be online by 12:00 p.m. EST at NPR).