Team offers Airmen outlet for traumatic stress

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Alexandria Mosness
  • Ramstein Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  With Airmen deploying now more than ever, it only makes sense for the Air Force to create resources for the Airmen once they get back to their home station.
 
One of these resources is the traumatic stress response team, which was introduced Air Force wide in 2006. All Air Forces bases with a medical treatment facility are required to have a TSR team, and Ramstein is one of many bases taking the time and effort to take care of their Airmen. 

Made up of members from the Airman and Family Readiness Center, the chapel and mental health, the TSR team provides pre-exposure preparation training, consultation to unit commanders and leaders, screening, psychological first aid, education and referral in order to promote resilience to potentially traumatic events. 

Traumatic stress response is a coordinated response kicked off by the unit leaders where a plethora of services are offered by people and groups to someone who has been exposed to a potentially traumatic event, said Capt. Jeremy Haskell, 435th Medical Group clinical psychologist, TSR team chief. 

The TSR team accomplishes their goal of enhancing resiliency by not only consulting with leaders about potentially traumatic events, but also by giving education briefings, screenings, first aid and referrals for those who have been exposed to a traumatic event, added Captain Haskell. 

While Airmen are fighting a two-front war, it is necessary that the Airmen are taken care of when they come home. 

"Following a potentially traumatic event, individuals can seek up to four one-on-one sessions with any member of the TSR team," he added. "These meetings are for the purpose of education and consultation, not for medical assessment and treatment."
The goal of the TSR team is to make sure the servicemembers are getting the help they require. 

"The importance of the TSR team is to ensure the individual is getting the care they need," said Steve Rose, 435th Air Base Wing A&FRC consultant. "We want to make sure that no Airmen fall through the cracks. That is the bottom line."
With the advancements in technology and medicine, more diagnoses are made now versus past wars. 

"Post traumatic stress disorder was not known about in the past. So, in today's military we can get Airmen the help that need it," Mr. Rose said. 

Even though responses to a potentially traumatic event differ from person to person, typical responses include: sadness, fatigue, outbursts of anger, easily irritable, and sleeping and appetite disturbances. If you or anyone you know is experiencing these signs contact mental health for a referral to the TSR team. 

For more information on the TSR team, contact Captain Haskell at 479-2390 or the A&FRC at 480-5100.