So it’s #PTSDAwarenessDay - and while I have struggled with thoughts of depression following deployments and significant events in life, I’d like to offer up one funny PTSD story that might be shared and help someone. 1/

This story starts like any good story: at the intersection of puppies, wine, and war. *names changed to protect the ignorant...

Wife’s friend was involved with an organization that trained dogs to be PTSD support animals. She had a beautiful Golden who had flunked out but was being used to breed new puppies for the program. Her bf was a funny dude from Virginia - worked in construction management.

That organization was hosting a fundraiser in Raleigh with an open wine bar. Perfect, Puppies and Wine - great pregame before heading downtown.

That afternoon, I get a call from a buddy from my unit (Phil) - It was 2015, OIR had just kicked off and the 82nd was about to send a BCT to train/advise/assist. One of the first guys (Joey) I met in my first unit was scheduled to go. This is his last weekend.

I tell him we’re going to Puppies and Wine and he’s a little confused and says he’ll call me back. They want to go to Raleigh, but they’re on the fence about the wine. Finally, just before we’re set to leave, Phil calls back and says they’re coming.

We get to the fundraiser. It’s everything you hoped for and more - puppies everywhere and an open bar. It’s me, my wife, 4 of her friends from work and the boyfriend. Phil and Joey show up and “puppies and wine” finally clicks. They’re feeling out of place but embrace it.

There’s a short video followed by a presentation about how these are PTSD Puppies, and then they say they’re going to bring the puppies around the room for a meet and greet.

The four of us guys are standing around when it’s our turn to play with the puppies. We’re all petting them when I look at Joey and say something along the lines of “just think, of you get over there and see some sh*t maybe you can get one of these...”

Phil, Joey, and I think it’s hilarious...

The boyfriend - who’s never met them before - is white...clearly doesn’t know if he’s allowed to laugh. Phil, sensing the awkward tension we’ve just created, decides he needs to break it.

He gets very serious. Looks right at me and says: “so like, how do they KNOW the puppies have PTSD?”

#wat

We all stare at him...To this day, I don’t know if he was serious. Finally Joey says “the dogs don’t have PTSD...the people do...”

The entire circle laughs at this one.

Anyway - take care of one another, don’t be afraid to reach out and talk to someone if you’re struggling. Likewise, know your people well enough to see when they’re not all there. There are great orgs like @homebaseprogram and @MilitarywPTSD that can equip you to be an ally.

Epilogue: that boyfriend ended up going to the bars with us that night. He was trying to sneak a cigarette outside without his gf finding out, but she catches him. To cover for himself he told her he got kicked out of the bar for being too drunk...

Bc I guess that was better than her finding out he was smoking? She shoves him into a cab and sent him home. Joey made out with one of the work friends and deployed and returned safely. Happy to say he didn’t need a puppy. /