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w w w . o a kv ill eb ea ve r.c o m O A KV IL LE B EA V ER W e dn es da y, N ov em be r 1 0, 2 01 0 1 2 couple years later as they were when they hap- pened and at different points in time they come out very quickly. While Smith said he doesnt wake up scream- ing or anything like that, he said his time in Afghanistan did change him, making him more grateful for the safety and security he enjoys at home in Canada. He said he also becomes frustrated more eas- ily when people complain about things they take for granted, like when children complain about going to school. Bernice Greenfield knows there were many Second World War veterans who suffered psy- chological trauma. Greenfield, the service officer for the Huntsville Legion, was a volunteer at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto in 1945. She remembers wards full of the battle fatigued. Operational stress injury is the new term used by the Canadian Forces to describe an assortment of psychological conditions and chal- lenges experienced by soldiers stemming from their military duties. Operational stress injuries can include depression, anxiety and post-trau- matic stress disorder. Dr. Jitender Sareen, a University of Manitoba psychiatrist, whose medical research is primari- ly focused on the mental health of soldiers, said post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental ail- ment triggered by a traumatic event, including combat. Symptoms associated with it include flashbacks, nightmares of the traumatic event, irritability and social withdrawal. Post-traumatic stress disorder affects more than the afflicted soldiers, explained occupation- al therapist Gillian Templeton of the traumatic stress recovery program at Homewood Health Centre in Guelph. PTSD creates a social wound, she said. You can imagine a woman sleeping next to her hus- band who is waking up screaming with night terrors, and he is struggling in all kinds of ways that is definitely going to impact her. Since 2001, Veterans Affairs has funded nine operational stress injury clinics across Canada, two in Ontario, in London and Ottawa. Newcombe, the sergeant who had three heart attacks after his return from service, says the care he received at the clinic at Parkwood Hospital in London saved his life. Today, I am here because of the OSI Clinic, said Newcombe, who has taken on the role of peer-support co-ordinator for Operational Stress Injury Social Support in Southern Ontario. The peer-support initiative is funded by both the Department of National Defence and Veterans Affairs Canada, and has been attended by 5,500 soldiers, veterans and their families since its inception in 2001. Its so nice to know that you are not alone, he said. Peer support from civilians and military or ex-military personnel has proven to be a funda- mental aspect of recovery at in-patient mental health facilities that offer traumatic-stress and substance-abuse programs. It helps to challenge the shame and the stig- ma that people often feel (and) to know there are other people ... who struggle with this issue, too, said Templeton. The supports and treatments available to help combat operational stress injuries, noted Newcombe, are exceptional. Over the last six years, Newcombe, who has also lived in Borden and Meaford, has made it his priority to stay in good physical and mental health. Although still separated from his wife, the retired sergeant said the couple now shares a special bond a relationship that he says is stronger than when they were married. This horrible disease has cost me a lot, but I think I am a better man for it, he said. Newcombe served his country. Every veteran, whether they served in Europe in the 40s, Korea in the 50s, the Balkans or Afghanistan, offered their youth, their health, even their life, in Canadas name. And for some, when they came home, their battle wasnt over. Serving on the front lines of war, conflict or police actions can have a devas- tating toll both physically and emotionally. Advocates say picking up the pieces takes the support of family, friends, community and the government that sent them to fight. Post-traumatic stress disorders leave social wounds Continued from page 10 Watch Us Fashions Where to fi nd THE PERFECT DRESS