Tag: Post Traumatic Stress

Christine Hassing Published ‘Jennifer and Onyx’ | Our Story of Triumph & Hope After Military Sexual Trauma (February 17, 2019)

February 17, 2019

“Sometimes God will put the Goliath in your life to find the David within you” – Unknown “I, Jennifer, entered this life vowing to fulfill two things; that I would serve and that I would lead. Like the missions I promised to give my all to, to the death if need be, my soul also … More Christine Hassing Published ‘Jennifer and Onyx’ | Our Story of Triumph & Hope After Military Sexual Trauma (February 17, 2019)

VA Maine Healthcare System ROI Office Takes a Step Back in Time and Rural Vets Take the Hit

October 25, 2017

My HealtheVet was created to help address some of the communication issues veterans had with medical providers at the Department of Veterans Affairs and is a wonderful program. We love it. When it was first created, we were finally able to easily have conversations with our medical providers and get medical clearance forms signed by … More VA Maine Healthcare System ROI Office Takes a Step Back in Time and Rural Vets Take the Hit

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and I Pledge to Change Perceptions and Stop the Stigma

May 4, 2017

It’s mental health awareness month and as a result, we should share our stories and own our stuff. According to the State of Maine, I have a ‘mental disorder’ and by law must have a psychiatrist sign off that I am taking medications and seeking treatment regularly in order to keep my driver’s license. At … More May is Mental Health Awareness Month and I Pledge to Change Perceptions and Stop the Stigma

Portland JetPort Baggage Claim Protest Made Dangerous Situation More Dangerous in Public Space Known to Have Existing Security Flaws

February 6, 2017

I am still reeling from the impact this potentially dangerous situation had on both my husband and I upon our return to the closest airport to our home. I haven’t been right since. Let me begin with the fact that this Portland JetPort baggage claim protest isn’t about me and the impact this situation had … More Portland JetPort Baggage Claim Protest Made Dangerous Situation More Dangerous in Public Space Known to Have Existing Security Flaws

My First Teal Ribbon 5K for Sexual Assault Awareness Month

April 24, 2016

My husband and I participated in our second 5K this spring. The first one we did was last fall for the Dempsey Center who raises awareness and funds for those who have cancer, a deadly disease most of us have come in contact with at some point in our lives. I chose to do the Dempsey … More My First Teal Ribbon 5K for Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Paying It Forward Thanks to Army Specialist Suzanne Swift

March 6, 2016

The first time I ever heard the term military sexual trauma was when I was living with my future husband in Olympia, Washington in 2006. He was active duty Air Force stationed at McChord Air Force Base. I was a traditional National Guardsman. I had just transferred from a combat communications squadron in 2005 to a … More Paying It Forward Thanks to Army Specialist Suzanne Swift

The Uncounted (CNN Special on Caregiver & Family Suicide)

March 13, 2014

The Uncounted Every day, 22 veterans commit suicide. That number is sadly familiar. It has become a symbol of the cost of war that extends beyond the battlefield. But no one is tracking war’s impact on another group: military spouses, siblings and parents. Their suicides go uncounted. The dozens of military family members I interviewed over the … More The Uncounted (CNN Special on Caregiver & Family Suicide)