Joanne told the COMISS audience (of about 65 leaders in the Pastoral Care and Counseling movement) that much needs to be done to help returning veterans as they reenter civilian life. She told the group that the two most important words for a vet to hear upon return are "Welcome home." Joanne told of arriving in a U. S. airport with a group of troops when people in the terminal broke into applause. Joanne looked around to see what celebrities they may be welcoming only to realize that the people were welcoming her and her fellow troops. "Welcome home" is not always the experience of some troops. Joanne told of some soldiers who need treatment for PTSD (post traumatic stress DISORDER) and do not receive the psychological help they need. She mentioned that congregations can help but that finding the vet to offer support and care is not often easy.

Joanne described her experiences in Iraq that could cause a soldier to develop PTSD. She told of being in a MASH Unit Hospital when a soldier called to her to ask for help. He was holding up one of his arms that had been severed in an explosion from an IED (improvised explosive device) that had blown up his Humvee. Joanne took his severed arm and held it while they waited for the surgeons to be ready to operate on the man. Not only was there threat from IEDS on the roads but even camp was not safe since mortars were lobbed into camp almost daily, and caused mayhem among the troops. Under these conditions many soldiers were demoralized and the need for pastoral care and counseling in the camp was overwhelming.

On many days Joanne counseled soldiers (sometimes ten hours straight) who needed to talk about their experiences. One memorable counseling session for Joanne was with a soldier who threatened to kill his commanding officers and himself because he just couldn't take it any more. Joanne gave the soldier care and won his confidence enough to take away his loaded gun and walk him over to the camp psychiatrist. The psychiatrist later told Joanne that she had saved three lives that day and possibly her own.

On another occasion only one week into her tour of duty Joanne went to the camp beauty parlor to see what they could offer her in that hot and sandy camp. She saw a young woman crying and asked her, through an interpreter, why she was crying. The young woman told Joanne that she had come to see where her mother had worked. Joanne learned that the young woman's mother, along with several other women who worked at the camp, had been beheaded as a warning to others who might help the Americans. As Joanne cared for the young woman she asked why Joanne spoke to her, a Muslim. That day a Christian and Muslim were united in grieving the loss of the women who had worked in the camp beauty parlor.

Joanne brought additional chaplaincy skills with her to Iraq. She had been in the ACPE supervisory training process through Candidate Level and had sought ACPE Accreditation to do a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) among the Chaplains at her camp. At the time the ACPE could not approve a placement or "Satellite" overseas without a site visit and so Joanne turned to me for CPSP (College of Pastoral Supervision & Psychotherapy) authorization to do CPE. I was glad to offer our CPSP accreditation through Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, to do the first unit of CPE in Iraq with Joanne as CPE Supervisor.

While in camp Joanne supervised a dozen Chaplains in two groups. Many of these Chaplains, before CPE, had been demoralized and not able to do their work. While they were in CPE the Chaplains renewed their sense of capability to face the stress and to be reinvigorated for their work through the CPE process, and Joanne's caring supervision and the sense of team she built among them. The Camp Commander commended Joanne for her work and this among other activities merited her the awarding of a Bronze Star.

The COMISS Network audience asked Joanne what kept her going in such a stressful place as a military camp near Baghdad. Joanne mentioned that unlike other wars she was able to communicate by telephone and email daily with her husband and children. She noted that this daily communication can be a mixed blessing. For those families that complain to the solder about the car of washing machine not working while s/he is facing bullets and bombs this communication may be counterproductive. She mentioned that many military marriages and family relationships are strained by the separation and stress of serving in a war zone. Much help can be offered by COMISS Network organizations, Chaplains and Counselors.

Joanne gave COMISS Network members and member organizations much to think about as far as the effects of war on pastoral care and counseling. She mentioned that the wounded (at present about 30,000) will be with us for years to come, needing the concerted help of all COMISS organizations through VA and civilian hospitals, pastoral counseling centers, and congregations. At the end of her speech Joanne received a standing ovation. We in CPSP are proud of her work in Iraq and proud that CPSP was the accrediting organization for her CPE through Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
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*COMISS stands for Coalition on Ministry in Specialized Settings and is comprised of such pastoral care and counseling groups as CPSP ACPE, NACC, NAJC, AAPC, APC, NIBIC and Religious Endorser from many denominations and faith groups.