Airman raises PTSD awareness

  • Published
  • By Sean Clements
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- After separating from the Air Force in 2014, Travis Johnson returned to Scott Air Force Base May 6 to brief newly-minted Airmen on his struggle with overcoming obstacles and expectations of coping with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

With his service dog, Bella, sitting by his side, Johnson spoke at the First Term Airmen Center to encourage young Airmen to speak openly about their struggles with stress management.

Through the help of on-base resources, as well as retired Chief Master Sgt. Joe Markin, Johnson is in the process of recovering from a military career comprised of three deployments, including one to Iraq.

With assistance from the Air Force's Wounded Warrior Program and Veterans Affairs office, Johnson has been able to pursue a path of treatment for his PTSD and traumatic brain injury symptoms.

"You can sit and watch a slideshow on resilience training, but this is real life," Markin said to the FTAC class. "This is resilience in the flesh."

Johnson explained how the traditional "be tough" mentality can be a hindrance to successful reintegration after high-stress scenarios, such as deployments. Even with a vast array of support services available to the modern military member, it is still an ongoing struggle to convince Airmen to step forward and seek out assistance.

"In Travis' situation, connections with helping agencies such as vet centers and the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program empower him to begin to understand that people care about him--the United States Air Force cares about him--and he is still a member of our family," said Jennifer Welch, retired Scott AFB first sergeant and current recovery care coordinator with the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program.

Although each case requires a unique and complex strategy to cope with PTSD, utilizing available resources and highly trained support specialists to tailor a treatment plan has proven very effective for Johnson. He said his road to success came after he allowed himself to trust in the ability of the recovery specialists at Scott AFB.

After years of treatment, Johnson discussed his desire to obtain a service dog with Welch, who connected Johnson to Markin, Veterans United Foundation representative.

Although Johnson had already raised a large portion of the funds needed to obtain a service animal, he was still formulating a plan to obtain the remaining sum. With the help of Markin and Welch, Johnson was able to obtain a grant through the Veterans United Foundation.

After spending a week in California training with Bella, Johnson returned to Illinois with his new best friend at his side. Now, two months later, Johnson said he is convinced that his quality of life has dramatically improved because of Bella's help.

"Now, when I go out to dinner or to the store, I no longer have to watch the door or scan the room for threats; Bella does that for me," said Johnson.

Being able to sleep soundly, without fear of harm, is a privilege many people take for granted. For Johnson, this seemingly simple task is made all the more difficult by his PTSD symptoms. Johnson's struggle with sleepless nights and nightmares are partially relieved due to the trained service animal at his bedside. As a service dog specifically trained to cope with PTSD, Bella knows to wake Johnson when she senses when his stress levels rise during his sleep.

"I never realized how many nights I was having nightmares, until I got Bella," Johnson said. "That first week, she probably woke me from nightmares six out of seven nights."

Although not fully healed, Johnson said he is confident that he found a solution to help him return to "normal life."

As he continues down his path to recovery, Johnson now feels comfortable enough to return to his hometown of Evansville, Ind. With the support of friends and family, he plans to use his story and experiences to show other veterans that it is possible to heal from the invisible scars brought on by PTSD.

Although service animals aren't proven to be the solution for everyone afflicted with PTSD or TBI, it is important to reach out to specialists who are able to help.

For help, contact the Scott AFB Mental Health Clinic at 256-7386.