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Yesterday my friend Mark went to visit to visit my grandparents’ grave to put flowers there for Memorial Day. He sent me photos and got me thinking about my grandfather and how my relationship to Memorial Day continues to evolve. There was always a reverence I had for it, I suppose, but disconnected and fleeting. It mostly meant a long weekend, welcoming warmer weather, the end of a school year, a break from work, or maybe an opportunity to take a quick trip.

Even after my grandfather died 21 years ago, a decorated WWII hero whom I grew up with and loved, Memorial Day still had continued to come and go in my life without much notice. These past five years working on projects about veterans and military families, about moral injury and community’s role in healing… this has certainly changed all that for me – but I have to wonder why it took all this to shift my perspective.

I miss my grandfather at the most unexpected times; memories of him and my grandmother visiting for Sunday dinner; he was always armed with chocolate bars and new joke for my sister and me. I never knew him as “the colonel”, the terrifying alter ego I had heard so much about.

My father did occasionally share the stories about how my grandfather was the lead bombardier in pivotal missions over Austria. How he was shot, but a compass in his pocket deflected the bullet and saved his life. I knew he received a medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, a high honor that had rarely, if ever, been given to such a young Air Force officer before. But these were stories of a fictional hero, it never occurred to me to ask my grandfather directly. A regret I’ll always carry.

I remember so clearly the last time I saw him. I was at my aunt’s house in Worcester, MA, home from college for Thanksgiving. Next to the kitchen was her hair salon where I had gotten my haircut my entire childhood. I entered to get my jacket so I could go off with my friends, and he was sitting in there alone. I knew somehow that he was waiting for me. He asked how school was, and then went on to inquire more and more, really listening and wanting to understand. I wasn’t a “typical” boy boy like my older cousin who he was so close to. I preferred painting to playing sports, and was now off studying art. This was the first time we talked in depth about all of that. He was giving me permission to be myself, to open up.

We hugged when I said goodbye and something had shifted. I was closer to him in that moment than I had ever been. On some level I believe he knew it would be our last time together. That he was saying I love you, I’m proud of you, and saying goodbye.
I always knew how much he loved me, he couldn’t hide it so I never questioned it. But that wasn’t necessarily the case for his children growing up. My dad and uncles would share stories sometimes about how he could be so strict, drinking too much, quick to anger and an authoritarian. The stories were always shared through smiles in sarcastic tones, but we all knew that was just to keep the more unpleasant truth at a safe distance. Looming over it all, for me, was his military service. Maybe that’s why I never asked him about it.

I remember on a recent visit to my uncle Steve, a Navy veteran himself, he told me all the WWII stories again. He shared articles about my grandfather I had never seen, celebrating him. But we also took time to pause and reflect on how young he was during the war, about the battles he fought, the responsibility he carried, and how much death he had seen… he had caused.
My grandfather was a decorated colonel and undeniably a hero. He saved countless lives, and took many lives too. He loved and cared for his family, and at times scared them. He had adventures I’ll never hear about, and experienced horrors I couldn’t possibly understand. He had to make life and death decisions as a 21 year-old boy that I’m sure haunted him his entire life.

This Memorial Day I’m reminded that the ripple effects of those who have served reach all of us. And with reflecting on the past, there is so much richness we can experience in the present; so many lessons we can apply to better care for the living – our service men and women, our returning vets, their families, and all the loved ones of those who have died.

Michael Collins
Director, ALMOST SUNRISE

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A few months ago, AVASW President Mandy Kalins received an email from a producer for the documentary, Almost Sunrise, looking for a way to connect with VA social workers and high-light this film and bigger mission behind it. This award winning film is about two combat veterans who, diagnosed with severe PTSD, go on a 2,600 mile hike from Milwaukee, WI to Long Beach, CA. Their journey is one of self-discovery and inspiration as they discover peace through meditation and nature. The film also introduces the concept of “moral injury’ and its usefulness in understanding the reality that some veterans face upon returning from war. The film aims to raise awareness for Veteran suicide and encourage Veterans to seek treatment. After viewing the film, Mandy knew that this was something that VA social workers would really connect with and benefit from. Fresh off their recent win as the winner of the 2017 NASW Media Award for Film, Mandy asked the film’s director, Michael Collins a few questions about Almost Sunrise.

Tell us the story about how you came up with the idea for the film.

A few years ago, as part of a video project I’d volunteered for, I had the opportunity to interview veterans and hear about their lives and struggles. One particular day, my I interview subject casually mentioned, “Twenty-two veterans kill themselves every day.” I thought I had misheard. I didn’t. That was a pivotal moment for me in this journey to make this film. I realized right then and there that there was a crisis in this country, taking place right in front of our eyes, one to which many of us, including myself, were blind. In some deep silent corner of that realization, I felt utterly compelled to do something, to act, to serve, to help these people who had sacrificed so much.

Before the film, what did you know about Veterans dealing with PTSD or Moral Injury?

I knew about PTSD from the many documentaries made about the veteran experience and their struggles coming home. Unfortunately these stories are plentiful, and most focus on PTSD, because the reality is many veterans are suffer from severe trauma. But I always knew that I wanted our film to go beyond talking about PTSD; to be looking ahead and starting a new conversation, but I wasn’t sure of exactly how.

It was shortly after the trek began that my cinematographer Clarissa de los Reyes sent me a link to an extraordinary three-fold article by senior war correspondent David Wood on the Huffington Post about “Moral Injury”. It was so eye opening and really helped shape the vision for the film. http://huff.to/2pc0PIr

Moral injury really resonated with me. It was something I could relate to, and I felt that it really spoke to what Tom, Anthony, and their families, were dealing with more accurately than PTSD. I’ve found that it’s one of the most powerful elements of the film for fostering meaningful conversations after screenings from veterans and civilians alike.

With all that you have learned about Veterans, PTSD and Moral Injury, what has been the most surprising or significant part?

The most significant lesson I’ve learned is how much power each of us has to support the healthy transition of veterans into civilian life within our communities, as well as how adjunctive therapies such as meditation and nature-based therapies have a tremendous effect on some of the deepest “wounds.” I’ve heard the unseen wounds a combat veteran returns with de-scribed as “an ordinary response to extraordinary circumstances”, but there has been a tendency to completely medicalize this. Of course there is a need for clinical treatment under some circumstances, but as New York City Commissioner of Veterans Services Loree Sutton recently said after a screening in NYC, “Community is the most powerful medicine.” Watch the video from the NYC event here: https://vimeo.com/213766529

This is why the main pillars of our impact campaign are focused on Connecting Communities and promoting adjunctive therapies and getting them more integrated within the VA sys-tem. We have come to understand that community support can literally save lives. We invite everyone to join our Host a Screening campaign and help foster these connections within their own communities.

After finishing the film and seeing the great impact that is has had on so many, when has there been a moment where you or your team have sat back and said, “Wow! I can’t believe our film did that for someone”?

Recently after a screening event in Syracuse with the Moral Injury Project, a veteran approached Tom (the main subject of the film) and tearfully thanked him and said he now had hope, when he previously thought he was out of options. These moments are common, but don’t always come from veterans. There have been countless individuals who have opened up after the screening and shared how this experience has given them hope, understanding, and made them feel more connected with their community and inspired them into action either on their own journey of healing, or to support others. This is what keeps us energized as a team as we work to get the film out there. We are always trying to find new ways connect with as many audiences as possible because we have seen first-hand the power of these events.

Given that most of our readers are VA social workers, VA social work trainees or retired VA social workers, why should they watch this film and what do you hope that they will take away from it?

We’ve been very fortunate to screen the film with a number of VA providers and it is clear to me that they are as committed to selfless service as veterans themselves. They have shared with us how this film has been powerful to better understand moral injury, the complexity of the veteran experience and the power of adjunctive therapies; giving them more tools to provide each individual with the unique attention they deserve.

Dr. Yvette Branson from New York Harbor VA recently said: “Finally, an honest and real look at the transition our Veterans are making once returning to the Nation. Finally, a conversation between civilians and Veterans that is honest and real in moving us towards healing, not more voyeuristic spinning of wheels. I look forward to sharing this film widely.” You can see Dr. Branson’s full statement here: http://bit.ly/2pfmXDK

For those who view your film who may not be social workers, what are your hopes for them after watching it?

I hope that everyone walks away with a better understanding of the extraordinary sacrifice our soldiers and military families are making to support all of us. More than an understanding in their mind, I hope people walk away with an experience in their heart; feeling connected to the entire com-munity and inspired to take real steps to support one another.

If the sky was the limit, what would you do next on your journey to promote Almost Sunrise?

When we began making this film, we knew from day one we wanted to create a robust impact camping as part of our distribution strategy. We’ve been very fortunate over the past year to connect with hundreds of audiences, partnering with incredible organizations and getting the film and campaign to those who can benefit most.

Each screening in many ways feels like the first one. We’ve been travelling all over the country and partnering with a wide range of organizations, drawing very diverse audiences, and the reactions we hear from audiences continue to inspire me. What makes me so happy is to see that whether it is a veteran, a military family member, a service provider, or a civilian, the film is resonating on a very deep and personal level with so many.

We knew from day one that we wanted the film to be used as a tool for empowering veterans and providing hopeful solutions for moral injury and the suicide crisis. Our wish is to have hundreds more community screenings this year… and that’s why we have launched a “Host a Screening” campaign. Now anyone can work with us to bring the film to their conference, school, organization or community. We’d especially love to get the film in front of more social workers, psychologists and suicide prevention counselors across the country who have been benefitting so much from the screening events.

For more info on how to order the film please click here: http://sunrisedocumentary.com/

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As the subjects of the film, Tom and Anthony, made their way across the country, director Michael Collins explicitly and effectively wove in both the definition of moral injury and examples of how it impacts returning veterans. Crucial to this lesson, was the differentiation between moral injury and post-traumatic stress disorder—which Collins demonstrated clearly.

The result of Collins’ deft use of story and language to shape the moral injury conversation offers a clear conclusion that the burden of moral injury amongst veterans rests squarely on the shoulders of American citizens. It is not a condition for veterans to handle individually or within their own insular ranks. Rather, moral injury is tied directly to the way in which our communities receive veterans as they return home.

According to Collins, the focus on moral injury in the film was inspired by other works, such as David Wood’s groundbreaking book What Have We Done. In the wake of the film, the conversation has continued across numerous media platforms, including a recent article in The New York Times.

In early 2017, I was lucky enough to join the Almost Sunrise team as an consulting producer. One of my responsibilities was to help Collins and his staff advance the conversation on moral injury that had been established by the film. We were honored when PBS and one of the film’s executive producers, POV, asked us to create a short film that would serve as a companion piece to the broadcast premiere of Almost Sunrise.

 Our goal with this short film, which we entitled Voices of Resilience, was to dive deeper into the causes of and solutions for moral injury with a distinct focus on society. We assembled a litany of subject matter experts—so many great voices, in fact, that we couldn’t include them all in the broadcast version of the short film—who offered brilliant insights into the reintegration of veterans and society’s role in war.

A primary motivation for this short film and two additional online extensions of the content was to inspire more conversation on the responsibilities of all citizens in times of war. Not only does this content provide unique opportunities for additional dialogue, but also, through the brilliance of the contributors, it establishes a moral imperative for citizens to be more engaged with our county’s military actions and foreign policy.

Take for instance the words of retired Army Lt. Col. Jason Dempsey as they appeared in Voices of Resilience.

“There is no engagement from the general public about what we’re doing. Because Americans say, ‘Man, I’m not sure I agree with what’s going on in Afghanistan. I don’t know if we should be spending a lot of money there. But you know what, all those guys and gals in uniform, they’re willing to go fight and die for it. So, if they’re cool with it, I’ve got to respect them. I’m not going to get involved.’

 “That is an abdication of citizenship.”

 Lt. Col. Dempsey demonstrates how the underlying cause of moral injury is the role—or lack there of—society plays in sending our military to war and bringing them home. His point is redoubled by Army veteran Mike Breen, who leads the Truman National Security Project.

 “When you sign up for the military, you’re engaging in a massive act of faith in your neighbors—the good judgment of your neighbors and the functioning of our democracy. They choose when you face…battle, not you.”

 To carry the conversation even further, PBS offered us space on their online platform to take on related issues like military families and women in combat—both social and military policy priorities. These clips further opened up the aperture on war in today’s society and were an important part of a well-rounded conversation.

To put it mildly, most Americans are disengaged from the actions of the military and our country’s foreign policy. It was crucial that Almost Sunrise and the companion content pieces were able to bring this issue to light and offer some measure of reconciliation between the veterans who are dealing with severe moral injury and the society that plays a crucial role in their healing.

Perhaps there is no better way to cap off the conversation—and to carry forward the debate—than with the parting words of Lt. Col. Dempsey.

“If you’re not critical of the military, then you don’t respect it. If you are not critical of our foreign policy, you don’t understand it. And if you’re not any of those things, then you’re failing the fundamental obligations of citizenship. And that’s what’s missing. … That’s why we have moral injury. It is because we have lost any idea of what citizenship means when it comes to sending young men overseas to fight and die on the nation’s behalf.”

 There is more work to be done. Join the conversation at: www.pbs.org/pov/almostsunrise.

–Chris Marvin, Executive Producer of Voices of Resilience: Insight from Injury

www.MarvinStrategies.com

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Michael, however, convinced me that this film was different so I agreed to attend. His film, “Almost Sunrise,” was playing at the Human Rights Watch Film Festival at Lincoln Center, also a significant film festival for me. And Michael did not let me down, the film was different. Finally, an honest and real look at the transition our Veterans are making once returning to the Nation. Finally, a conversation between civilians and Veterans that is honest and real in moving us towards healing, not more voyeuristic spinning of wheels.  Bravo on a wonderful film and thank you to the Veterans for offering themselves in such an intimate way.

I look forward to sharing this film widely on my college campuses as I endeavor to create a climate at Universities, through the VA VITAL Initiative, that attends to the needs of returning student Veterans who are making their initial forays back into the civilian world while students using the GI Bill. As a community, whether in the academic world or elsewhere, it is our duty to help these precious humans find their footing. Michael’s film can help us do just that.

Yvette Branson, PhD
VITAL Initiative Coordinator
(Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership)
VA New York Harbor
www.nyharbor.va.gov/services/VITAL.asp

And the Resilience Center for Veterans & Families
at Teacher’s College, Columbia University
http://www.tc.columbia.edu/resiliencecenter

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As a trained mental health provider, I am accustomed to talking about heavy topics such as depression, PTSD,  and suicide with my colleagues.  I have been so impressed with the knowledge and sensitivity that the film’s team has brought to our discussions about these issues.  The film does an amazing job of introducing the concept of moral injury and emphasizing a theme of hope for veterans, their families and caregivers who are struggling upon returning from combat.  Not only did the film tackle a difficult subject such as moral injury, they introduced the practice of meditation and connecting with nature as  effective treatment options for veterans.  Considering that VA is implementing more holistic treatments or nature-related treatments every day across the country, it was great to see the film showcase how beneficial they can be.  With all that said, it was no surprise to me when the film recently won the NASW 2017 Media Award last month.
AVASW recently hosted a screening on May 4th in Nashville during the VA Social Work Leadership Council Face-to-Face Strategic Planning meeting.  This Council consists of the National Director for Social Work, National Social Work program managers, and a select group of other social work leaders.  The film was extremely well received by the Leadership Council but also by the Executive Leadership Team  members from the Nashville VA.  Following the viewing of the film, there was great discussion about how well moral injury was explained and how impactful it was to hear the honest description of these veterans’ experiences.  In addition, many of the viewers commented on how valuable it was to have the experiences of the families included in the film.  As social workers, we are not only working with the veterans.  We are working with their families, caregivers and supporters.  Many of the viewers commented on how they wanted their social workers or staff to view the film so I was thrilled to be able to connect those interested directly with the PR team for the film so they could start setting up additional screenings.

AVASW will be hosting another screening in October at the Society for Social Work Leaders in Healthcare conference in Baltimore.  But, we are not stopping there!  Whether it be in my role as AVASW President or as a VA social worker or just a fan of the film, I look forward to continuing to help the Almost Sunrise team make connections across the VA and carry out their mission to raise awareness for veteran suicide and moral injury.

Mandy Kalins, LCSW
AVASW President
Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital
Social Work Clinical Manager for Mental Health & EAP Coordinator

www.vasocialworkers.org

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