general blackledge
In this photograph provided by Maj. Gen. David Blackledge, Blackledge, right, stands next to then U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad in Iraq in this undated photograph. [1]
General Blackledge has agreed to give us some details regarding civil military operations and civil affairs here in Iraq. [2]
General Blackledge is a prime example of Military leaders taking steps to erase the stigma against seeking mental health care and he’s leading by example, seeking help for his own problems. [...] Army Major General David Blackledge was a commander of a civil affairs unit on two different tours in Iraq and now works in the Pentagon as Army assistant deputy chief of staff for mobilization and reserve issues. [3]
U.S. military civil affairs units in Iraq so far have spent $126 million to directly improve education, health care, electricity, water and security, according to a civil affairs commander. [...] The funds — from the Commander’s Emergency Response Program (CERP) — allow military civil affairs commanders to make short-term humanitarian reconstruction decisions locally, based on the geography, population and specific needs of their assigned regions, Brigadier General David Blackledge said at a January 14 press briefing in Iraq. [2]
“It’s part of our profession… nobody wants to admit that they’ve got a weakness in this area,” Blackledge said of mental health problems among troops returning from America’s two wars. [...] Blackledge got psychiatric counseling to deal with wartime trauma, and now is defying the military’s culture of silence on the subject of mental health problems and treatment. [1]
As those who’ve been to war before them, our Troops who are fighting in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, sometimes come home with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. [3]
This is a program that involves investment of money at the local level by senior commanders, largely under the tutelage of General Blackledge. [4]
“Stigma is a challenge,” Army Secretary Pete Geren said Friday at a Pentagon news conference on troop health care. [1]
The military is working hard to erase that stigma and one General is defying that culture of silence and sought help to deal with his PTSD. [3]
CERP projects are the grassroots effort by local commanders to quickly deal with short-term needs and are conducted in concert with large-city and nationwide projects headed by USAID [U.S. Agency for International Development] and the Corps of Engineers. [2]
The military culture has long been that to admit that they were having trouble dealing with the traumatic things they had to do or that they saw on the battle field, was a sign of weakness. [3]
Despite efforts to reduce the stigma of getting treatment, officials say they fear generals and other senior leaders remain unwilling to go for help, much less talk about it, partly because they fear it will hurt chances for promotion. [1]
Sources:
[1] General bucks culture of silence on mental health - USATODAY.com
[2] Washington File
[3] General Defies Military Culture Of Silence About Mental Health Issues …
[4] DefenseLink News Transcript: Coalition Provisional Authority Briefing …