Hidden Wounds

They’ve fought for us over there; isn’t it time we fought for them here at home?

Anna Bigham — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 00:18:55 +0000

Last year, over 6,000 American veterans took their own lives. That’s an average of 18 a day, right here, on American soil! That’s an annual toll that nearly equals the total number of American service men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, from 2001 to the present! Are you shocked yet? Well, there’s more.

Mr. Bill Stubbs

Many of those suicides are the result of wounds these vets sustained in war-not the kind of wounds you can see, but the ones you can’t; the invisible wounds called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and depression. How prevalent are they? A federal study found that one veteran in five suffers from some form of one or more of these. These injuries to the mind are NOT imaginary; they’re as real as a gunshot wound, and potentially as deadly as any bullet or roadside bomb. They can strike immediately or lie in wait, undiagnosed and untreated, for months or even years after the event that caused them; but when they do strike, they can devastate the lives of veterans and their families, leaving behind a trail of broken homes, broken dreams, domestic violence, substance abuse, and yes, suicide.

PTSD and TBI have become the two signature injuries of the War On Terror. PTSD has been called “a sane reaction to an insane situation”. It’s an anxiety disorder that stems from exposure to an overwhelmingly traumatic event that’s outside the range of normal human experience. Combat is a classic example of such an experience. Its symptoms can include sudden outbursts of anger, emotional numbing, feeling keyed up, and persistent re-experiencing of the event. While often not totally curable, PTSD can be treated and managed through psychotherapy, and sometimes medication. With effective treatment, a veteran with PTSD can lead a happy, productive life. Left untreated, it can become a chronic debilitating illness that leaves its victims unable to function or interact normally with friends, coworkers and family. One veteran described PTSD as “ like reliving the most terrifying, horrible experience in your life over and over, every day”. That’s an accurate description.

TBI is an actual physical injury to the brain itself. Usually a blast or impact injury, its milder form is similar to a sports concussion. In this form it can go unrecognized until symptoms such as memory loss, inability to concentrate, or other neurological or emotional symptoms occur. More severe TBI is a major, sometimes life-threatening closed head injury or even penetrating wound to the brain. The good news: more and more service members are surviving TBI which would have been fatal in the past. The bad news: survivors of severe TBI may require extensive, even lifelong, neurological and psychological treatment.

Depression, the third invisible wound, can occur on its own as a reaction to extreme grief (over the death of a close friend, for example), or as a reaction to another physical or emotional injury such as severe physical wounds, or PTSD. Clinical depression is more than just sadness; left untreated, it can cripple its victims emotionally, and sometimes lead them to take their own lives.

The VA can and does provide very effective, stare-of the art treatment for all these invisible wounds our veterans suffer. The problem is that despite massive increases in funding, and the addition of over 7,000 mental health staff in the past two years, the VA is overloaded; 1.2 MILLION veterans sought VA mental health services in the last year alone. As a result, the professional treatment the VA offers is delayed until an inpatient bed or a counseling appointment is available. Sometimes that can be weeks, even months; meanwhile, our veterans and their families suffer needlessly, and for some, the wait is simply too much; they tragically succumb to their invisible wounds; a terrible loss for our nation, and a lifetime of grief for their loved ones. I believe that is unacceptable, and that’s why I support the mission of Hidden Wounds with my time and financial contributions.

Hidden Wounds is a non-profit organization dedicated to working with the VA to make sure our veterans don’t have to wait for the psychological services they need. Hidden Wounds is a “safety net” for our veterans; we bridge the gap between their needs and the overloaded VA psychological health care system. I have seen the volunteers of Hidden Wounds in action connecting veterans who reach out for their services to one of the counselors in their network, which includes over 5,000 Psychologists, Psychotherapists and Psychiatrists nationwide. Most of the time a veteran is connected with a counselor within less than 24 hours, and within 15 miles from their home. Over the last two years we have provided almost 3600 hours of counseling to veterans nationwide, but there is so much more to be done, and the need is growing. .

Our veterans, and our active duty, reserve and National Guard service men and women have given and continue to give so much to us and to our nation. They’ve fought for us over there; isn’t it time we fought for them here at home? I am asking you to “Get In The Fight”, TODAY! Help team Hidden Wounds continues to help our veterans get all the treatment they need, when they need it, where they need it, for as long as they need it. Help us raise public awareness and erase the stigma unfortunately still attached to their hidden, but very real, psychological wounds. Help make sure that not even ONE is allowed to fall through the cracks. Contribute TODAY, because it’s right; Contribute TODAY, because every donation, large or small, matters; Contribute TODAY because you care; Contribute TODAY, because you know, as we do, that even ONE hidden wound, unnoticed and unhealed, is one too many. Donate to Hidden Wounds TODAY, because some of our veterans can’t wait. Now that you know that, I’m counting on YOU to help make sure they don’t have to, and so are they!

God bless America, and all who have fought to preserve her,

Bill Stubbs

Proud supporter of Hidden Wounds

FPbill@earthlink.net

Soliders & Vets 2012 Charity Golf Tournament

Anna Bigham — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 00:21:48 +0000

Thank you AllSouth Federal Credit Union for choosing Hidden Wounds as a beneficiary for the Soldiers & Vets 2012 Charity Golf Tournament!

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Uncountrify Me Singer Barry Michael Soars to New Heights with Honorable Incentive Flight at McEntire National Guard Base

Anna Bigham — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:29:37 +0000

For Immediate Release

Contact: Mark Logsdon

Phone: (615) 327-0100

Email: mark.logsdon@plamedia.com

Uncountrify Me Singer Barry Michael Soars to New Heights with Honorable Incentive Flight at McEntire National Guard Base

Barry Michael, the Georgia bred country singer behind the climbing single Uncountrify Me, was honored to accept the invitation to partake in an incentive flight aboard an F16 on McEntire National Guard Base in Columbia, SC. The once-in-a-lifetime experience was a dream come true for Barry and served as an unbelievable acknowledgement of his efforts with troops and their families.

“When I received the invitation to join the servicemen and women aboard McEntire base, I could have never dreamed that I would be able to co-pilot the renowned F16 fighter jet,” says Barry Michael. “Let’s just say I earned the name Pale Rider the hard way that day.”

Safety First!

Stepping onto the F16

Pilot Brent “Wrench” Allen & Barry Michael

Take Off!

In Flight

Barry climbed aboard the F16 on January 18, 2012, which was piloted by National Guard’s Brent “Wrench” Allen after a morning of intense training on safety and regulations. After a three hour course on safety devices and the proper procedures in case of an emergency ejection, he was invited to eat lunch with the crew.

“Although I was told to eat small, I followed in foot behind my pilot and got the exact same, full meal,” recalls Barry. “I just wish that was the only time I had seen it that day! I firmly believe that if I were to be given an honorary name it would be Pale Raider. Let’s just hope they don’t spell it pail! And I was more than happy to take the celebratory post-flight Jeremiah’s Weed shot from the hollow shell shot glasses.”

Barry has always had a strong connection to the military as he has performed at bases around the globe and for numerous support services and charities. While he was in the Columbia, SC market, Barry also headlined a benefit for Hidden Wounds, an organization that provides interim and emergency counseling services to ensure the psychological health and well-being to combat veterans and their families. Barry was also humbled when he received a request to perform at the funeral for Medal of Honor recipient John Baker the following week.

“I will play Heroes and Angels for the remainder of my career, but never again will it be played for an individual that is more deserving of those two words,” says Barry.

Barry is at radio with his country boy anthem Uncountrify Me, from his latest release on Stockbridge Records Ripped Blue Jeans and ATVs. Reared in the outskirts of Atlanta, he grew up knowing city life, but once he experienced the simplicity of the country, there was no going back for this urban cowboy. He has had the privilege of performing at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in addition to opening up for country hit-makers such as Tim McGraw, The Band Perry, Craig Morgan, Kellie Pickler and John Michael Montgomery.

Radio programmers can download a broadcast quality of the single at www.airplaydirect.com/barrymichael.

To stay updated on Barry, visit www.barrymichaelmusic.com or follow him at the following sites:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bmichaelmusic

Twitter: @bmichaelmusic.

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For more information, high resolution images or to schedule an interview contact Mark Logsdon of P.L.A. Media at (615) 327-0100 or mark.logsdon@plamedia.com.

Happy New Year- Beaufort International Film Festival

Anna Bigham — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:58:49 +0000

HAPPY NEW YEARBack from Iraq. The battle has just begun.

TO PLAY

6TH ANNUAL

BEAUFORT INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO SEE THIS IMPORTANT FILM!

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA – BEAUFORT

CENTER FOR THE ARTS

801 CARTERET STREET

BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA

7:00PM

RUNNING TIME: 105 MINUTES

(MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY – STRONG CONTENT/LANGUAGE)

SCREENING FOLLOWED BY A CONVERSATION w/

WRITER/DIRECTOR K. LORREL MANNING

LEAD ACTOR/PRODUCER MICHAEL CUOMO

MILITARY ADVISER/ “RE-ENTRY” STAR JOSEPH HARRELL

HIDDEN WOUNDS FOUNDER ANNA BIGHAM

IRAQ VET & INDEPENDENCE FUND BOARD MEMBER JOSH LINDSEY

& OTHER SPECIAL GUESTS FROM THE LOCAL MILITARY COMMUNITY
(9:00-10:00pm)

TO PURCHASE TICKETS($5), CLICK HERE

FREE ADMISSION FOR ALL ACTIVE AND RETIRED MILITARY PERSONNEL

HAPPY NEW YEAR is the story of “Sgt. Cole Lewis” who, mentally and physically scarred by his time served in Iraq and Afghanistan, finds humanity, compassion and friendship in a group of similarly injured veterans in the psychiatric ward at a remote Veterans Hospital. Through humor and pathos, Lewis becomes a ray of hope in the ward, as the men find a way to combat their post-war grief. However, just as their luck starts to change, Lewis soon faces his fiercest battle yet.

Anticipated release date: JUNE 2012

RECENT PRESS

“K. Lorrel Manning’s HAPPY NEW YEAR is an important, emotionally devastating drama dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder among combat veterans, with echoes of Zinnemann’s THE MEN, Forman’s ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST and Ashby’s COMING HOME. Set in a veterans’s hospital, it’s a timely and overdue call to arms for the proper care of our military heroes. Michael Cuomo is absolutely brilliant in the lead role; high marks also go to Soopum Sohn’s cinematography, Paul Brill’s score and especially Manning’s script and direction in this compelling feature debut.”

-John Gallagher, NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW

“Happy New Year” is a deeply moving film on the painful aftermath of war. Beautifully crafted by first time director, K. Lorrel Manning and features an extraordinary performance by Michael Cuomo, full of sensitivity and humor. “Happy New Year” is one of the best films I’ve seen this year.

-Ted Kotcheff, DIRECTOR, “FIRST BLOOD,” “NORTH DALLAS FORTY”

“Echoes of “Coming Home” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” resound throughout “Happy New Year” … [lead actor] Michael Cuomo impresses … “

-Joe Leydon, VARIETY

“A great film that reminds us of our obligation never to forget.”

-Patrick Kennedy, FORMER U.S. CONGRESSMAN

”One of my favorite festival films this year, Happy New Year still lingers with me, even haunting me. Michael Cuomo gives an electrifying performance… the movie is not only a tribute to the sacrifices of injured veterans coming home, but it’s also an illumination on the valid rights of veterans to receive the best possible care while getting the respect they deserve.”

-Tim Basham, PASTE

“If the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have at this point become so routine to you they’re reduced to a sound bite on the evening news or a story to skim over in the newspaper, this quietly harrowing film will bring the grim reality of their ultimate tolls back home in a powerful way.”

-Carrie Seidman, THE HERALD TRIBUNE

happynewyearfilm.com

Fluor Foundation supports Hidden Wounds

Anna Bigham — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:31:04 +0000

Hidden Wounds Board Members, Dylan W Goff, Chairman, Kim Milano, Secretary, Bill Dukes, Anna Bigham, Joe Yanek of the Fluor Foundation, and Chris Younts accept a 10,000.00 contribution from Fluor Foundation!

FLUOR is a FORTUNE 500 company that delivers engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance (EPCM), and project management to governments and clients in diverse industries around the world. For nearly a century, clients have selected Fluor as their company of choice to complete challenging projects in remote parts of the world.

Founded as a construction company in 1912, Fluor quickly built a reputation for applying innovative methods and performing precise engineering and construction work within the emerging petroleum industry. Today, Fluor continues to develop and implement innovative solutions for complex project issues in diverse industries, including chemicals and petrochemicals, commercial and institutional (C&I), government services, life sciences, manufacturing, mining, oil and gas, power, renewable energy, telecommunications, and transportation infrastructure.
www.fluor.com

A huge “thank you” to Fluor for their generous contribution in support of our mission, to provide interim and emergency counseling services to ensure the psychological health and well-being to combat veterans and their families.

Bullets & Bandaids: Behind the Eyes of Combat War Veterans

Anna Bigham — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:23:01 +0000

Bullets & Bandaids: Behind the Eyes of Combat War Veterans

Columbia, S.C. – On January 31, 2012, local artists will showcase works inspired by combat veterans’ stories at Bullets & Bandaids, an art show honoring local war veterans, from 6 – 10 p.m. at 701 Whaley in downtown Columbia, SC.

Robert LeHeup, PIENSA: Art Company’s resident writer and a combat war veteran himself, organized this art show to give audience members an introspective view on the impacts of war told through visual interpretations of the stories of those who have lived them.

Bullets & Bandaids will feature a collection of war veterans’ stories depicted by local Columbia artists including Robbi Amick, Alex Coco, Thomas Crouch, Michael Krajewki, Whitney Lejeune, Dre Lopez, Sammy Lopez, Nikolay Oskolkov, Adam Schrimmer, Jonathan Sharpe and Kiril Simin.

“My hope is that these talented artistic pieces will give a unique and intricate interpretation of the experiences of our veterans and how they’ve reacted to those experiences,” said LeHeup.

Films screening at Bullets & Bandaids include: Soldier Girl: South Carolina Female Veterans, a short documentary about women veterans dating back to WW II, a largely undocumented but ever expanding segment of our military population share stories of their trials and triumphs, hopes and dreams in provocative and inspiring interviews, produced by Cathy Brookshire and edited by Lee Ann Kornegay; and Spent Rounds, a short film about the internal struggle of a combat war veteran suffering from PTSD entering back into civilization, written and directed by Robert LeHeup. Also, there will be the music video “Quiet” which deals with a vet’s struggle with PTSD, done by Atlanta-based recording artist Dirty Dickens who himself is an Iraq war veteran.

Ticket sales and 30 percent of art sales will be given to Hidden Wounds, a non-profit organization dedicated to the treatment of combat veterans who suffer from PTSD. Hidden Wounds was founded by Columbia native Anna Bigham in honor of her brother, Marine Lance Cpl. Mills Palmer Bigham, who committed suicide suffering from PTSD inflicted by war trauma. Marince Lance Cpl. Bigham’s story is featured in Bullets & Bandaids.

Admission for Bullets & Bandaids is $5 for entry; $10 for entry and a copy of Spent Rounds; or $20 for entry, a copy of Spent Rounds, and a Hidden Wounds T-shirt.

The event will be held on the first floor of 701 Whaley on 701 Whaley St. in downtown Columbia, SC. For inquiries contact Robert LeHeup by calling (864) 216-1492 or via email at RLeHeup@yahoo.com.

Bullets & Bandaids is brought to you by PIENSA: Art Company in partnership with 701 Whaley, Hidden Wounds, the local veterans who have shared their stories and the local artists who have honored those stories through their respective pieces.

“For us, the war — the actual fighting might be over — however, the scars visible and invisible we carry on,” said Diaz. “Especially those that are invisible.”

Anna Bigham — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 05:03:09 +0000

DIAZ12.11WISTV Watch Video Here

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) – After nearly 9 years, 4,500 Americans dead and billions of dollars spent, the US Military is leaving Iraq.

There was a small ceremony on the outskirts of Baghdad Thursday. About 4,000 troops remain, but the Iraqi military is officially on its own.

The thousands of men and women headed home now face new challenges.

On a day marking the end of the war that forever changed Steven Diaz, his thoughts are with the thousands who’ve yet to experience a post-war life that he’s learned isn’t easy to face.

“All of the injuries are healed, but the damage done and the pain I deal with will be with me the rest of my life,” said Diaz

Diaz, a Marine, was hit by a roadside bomb in 2005.

It took the sight in his left eye and left shrapnel, post-traumatic stress disorder and brain damage for which he’s still receiving treatment.

While the end of the war does bring joy, he knows the country still faces a big challenge.

“For us, the war — the actual fighting might be over — however, the scars visible and invisible we carry on,” said Diaz. “Especially those that are invisible.”

With a system already strained under the weight of past wars, Diaz says non-profit groups like his Hidden Wounds will be in greater need to help treat the many cases of PTSD and war-related injuries.

All those war wounds were sustained during a 9-year conflict that Diaz is proud to say was fought by an all-volunteer force that didn’t get caught up in politics.

“Whatever President is in office we don’t stop and ask why, we put our gear on and we say let’s go, and that’s what we train to do. What we volunteered to do,” said Diaz.

Maaco supports Hidden Wounds! Get a new life for your car, and GIVE a new life to a veteran!

Anna Bigham — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:31:47 +0000

HW 2up

Hidden Wounds: A Soldier’s Burden…GET YOUR COPY OF THE BOOK TODAY!

arandall — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:35:37 +0000

U.S. military vets are coming home. Their visible scars are evident; what you don’t see is their Hidden Wounds. This book is sounding a warning to act now before Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) explodes in America’s families and communities.

Hidden Wounds: A Soldier’s Burden shows how the inner trials of a US Serviceman can haunt a lifetime and impact an entire family.

Today is the Day! Support the release of the book Hidden Wounds: A Soldier’s Burden on November 15 and receive valuable gifts from our partners. The first 1000 will also receive the E-Book at no additional cost.

Simply:
1) buy the book from Amazon.com and
2) Forward via email your amazon receipt to gotthebook@hiddenwoundsthebook.com.

You will immediately receive an email back with a link to a directory listing of all your gifts.

Our goal is to make the book a best seller in the first week. The Tuesday, November 15th launch counts BIG TIME. We are focusing media attention and using proceeds from the book to support the non-profit Hidden Wounds who provide a link to interim and emergency counseling for our Veterans and their Families.
We have received a lot of positive feedback from Soldiers and their Families and the media attention it is giving the non-profit a platform to discuss the impact of untreated Post Traumatic Stress.

See all the details at http://www.hiddenwoundsthebook.com

2011 Reception and Silent Auction to benefit Hidden Wounds

Brett — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 22:09:00 +0000

We would like to thank all of the organizations and everyone in who attended our first ever Reception and Silent Auction to benefit Hidden Wounds on Saturday evening. It was a great event that wouldn’t have been possible without your support.

See the full photo gallery from the event after the jump, by clicking on the (More) link below.