On
December 16, 2009 WAER aired a special hour of radio
dedicated to issues facing returning U.S. veterans. The show
featured two representatives of the VA, a PTSD therapist
with a spiritual approach to healing, an Iraq War vet with a
Purple Heart, and audio stories from the
Veterans Listening Project.
Show
guests were:
Dr.
Edward Tick.
Dr. Tick has counseled veterans of war since the
mid-1970's, a time before PTSD was even a category of
diagnosis. Over the past 30 years he's used many creative
approaches to treating the scars of violent combat,
including leading trips of reconciliation back to Vietnam
with Vietnam veterans. He and his wife Kate Dahlstedt
started "Soldier's
Heart," an Albany-based organization that works with
veterans and veteran families.
Lauren Love. Ms.
Love coordinates
the Syracuse VA's community outreach programs for veterans
returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Her staff is
responsible for assessing veteran medical and mental health
needs, directing them to the services they need.
Dr. Janet Constance.
Dr. Constance is a clinical psychologist at the Syracuse VA
Medical Center. She specializes in the treatment of
traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Andrew Young.
Mr. Young is
a Marine originally from Slidell, Louisiana. At the time of
broadcast he'd done two tours in Iraq, spending more than
year and a half in the country as a combat photographer.
Veterans Listening Project had contributors from
the following organizations: WAER Syracuse, WRVO Oswego,
S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse
University, University of Southern California, Arizona State
University. Its Executive Producers were Brad Horn and Bruce
Strong.
Veterans, We're Listening credits:
Chris Bolt, Host
Brad Horn, Producer
Eric Cohen, Engineer
Ron Ockert, Technical Assistance
