They may say the same vows, but a military marriage is unlike any other. Living on a base far away from your family, having your husband gone for two years at a time, worrying if he will come home alive. It's hard on a relationship, to say the least. A lot of women couldn't deal. What's even harder? When your husband comes back different ... frighteningly different.
Imagine if the man you loved locked himself in a hotel room with guns and alcohol and told you "he might do something stupid." That's what Ashley Wise faced when her husband Rob returned from war with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She reached out to the Family Advocacy Group at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where they live, but realized that if she got her husband the help he needed, he could be dishonorably discharged.
Thousands are coming back with PTSD, suffering from violent mood swings, erratic behavior, and severe depression. And it's not just the soldiers who deal with it. The entire family has to face this sad reality of war and military wives are ready to battle when it comes to saving their men and their marriage.
Frustrated with the military's reaction, Ashley waged a war of her own. One night, she had a friend scribble the following poem on her back with an eyeliner:
Broken by battle, wounded by war, I love you forever,
To you this I swore: I will quiet your silent screams,
Help heal your shattered soul,
Until once again, my love, you are whole.
After she posted the picture to her Facebook page and asked other wives to do the same, the organization Battling Bare was born. It's where hundreds of women share their stories and find the support and encouragement they need to keep fighting for their marriages. They are also getting awareness for PTSD, a problem most of us will never have to deal with or understand.
It's an admirable cause, but one Wise gets flack for. She's been called an "attention grabbing whore" among other things. But sticks and stones. Those spiteful, ignorant jabs mean nothing to her if showing a little skin will help her get her husband back.
What do you think about Ashley's cause?
Image via battlebare.org
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Comments 127
I love what she's doing.
I really hate how our servicemembers with PTSD are being painted in such a negative light. They come back from war, experiencing so many hard moments, and they're not allowed to seek help for their troubles because their very livelihoods would be risked. As a military wife, I'm saddened that our servicemembers are vilified for something that they have to face after they come back from war.
I applaud this woman so much. She's standing up for her husband, and so many other servicemembers who are dealing with PTSD, because the people who employ them WON'T. I'm glad that she's getting the attention. She's putting it out there that PTSD is very real, and it NEEDS to be addressed, and helped.
I wish you were right, I really do.
It's not like the military will put "sought help for PTSD" inside the box asking for the reason for the discharge.
It happens. The military just isn't honest about it.
Again, anyone can point fingers at the way she chose to go about raising awareness. Move beyond the judging her method. If you don't like it, fine. What are YOU doing to raise awareness?
I support this woman!
PTSD is very real and affects so many. Good for her for taking a stand. My son suffers from PTSD and it has deeply affected him and our family.
Well Done!!