Skip main navigation

Military Health System

Hurricane Milton & Hurricane Helene

Emergency procedures are in place in multiple states due to Hurricane Milton & Hurricane Helene. >>Learn More

Mental Stress is like a ‘Check Engine Light’ Flashing–Don’t Ignore It

Image of Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Jason David talks about his  journey of recovery through the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program during a video conversation with Defense Health Agency Command Sgt. Major Michael Gragg. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Jason David spoke about his own journey of recovery through the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program during a video conversation with Defense Health Agency Command Sgt. Major Michael Gragg at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, Nov. 19.

For one Air Force senior enlisted leader, the problem of “combat stress” and the toll it takes on warfighters – and often on their families, too – continues to be an issue that the military community struggles to fully understand.

“Sometimes they don’t feel right about only having mental injuries. They don’t think it’s a big deal, but it is,” said Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Jason David, the chief enlisted manager for the Defense Media Activity.

David spoke about his own journey of recovery through the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program during a video conversation with Defense Health Agency Command Sgt. Major Michael Gragg at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, Nov. 19. They were both attending Virtual CARE Week events as part of the DOD’s Warrior Care Month observance.

David was seriously wounded in Operation Iraqi Freedom and said he “had a hard time with recovery in general.” He later was deployed to Afghanistan, and made use both times of mental health care services available to troops and veterans as part of his recovery.

“I’m not ashamed to say that I’ve seen a psychiatrist. I'm not ashamed to say I’ve been to behavioral or mental health care,” he told Gragg during their conversation during the Day of Healing events

David also spoke about the continued societal stigmatization of wounded warriors.

“Aside from the physical [injuries], the mental stress – they call it combat stress – that is a bizarre concept for folks that are not serving, who haven’t served, or don’t know anyone who has served in the armed forces,” he said.

The physical and mental recovery “takes a toll on yourself, your family, and your livelihood.”

And for those who have invisible wounds, the burden can even be bigger, David said.

He used the analogy of an automobile engine warning light to help explain the effects that psychological injuries can have.

“What happens when your check engine light turns on? Do you just ignore it until your engine stops or are you responsible because you’re thinking about the longer game, you’re thinking about the big picture?”

“You don’t know if it’s going to be a dramatic chain of events that’s going to ultimately hurt you in the long run.”

The priority placed on mental health and total force fitness reflects a generational change for many senior leaders, David said.

“Leaders should include Warrior Care in their toolbox,” David said. “You can’t be the leader you grew up with today in 2021. You have to evolve” in your thoughts and actions about wounded warriors and warrior care.

“You have to be a different leader. What worked 20 to 30 years ago won’t work today.”

Visit the Defense Health Agency Facebook page for more of the interview with David.

In addition to Warrior Care programs and each Service’s treatment programs, Military OneSource provides wounded warrior specialty consultation services to help eligible wounded, ill or injured service members, veterans and their families get immediate assistance for issues related to health care, resources, facilities and benefits. Service members and veterans injured in accidents or battling serious illnesses are also eligible.

For help with thoughts of suicide, contact the Military & Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988 and select Option 1

You also may be interested in...

Report
Jan 1, 2018

MSMR Vol. 25 No. 9 - September 2018

.PDF | 1.17 MB

A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Contributions from the Global Emerging Infections Surveillance (GEIS) network; Brief report: Pre- and post-deployment prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus colonization among U.S. Navy submariners; Surveillance ...

Report
Jan 1, 2018

MSMR Vol. 25 No. 11 - Nov 2018

.PDF | 1.06 MB

A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Contributions from the Global Emerging Infections Surveillance (GEIS) network; Brief report: Pre- and post-deployment prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus colonization among U.S. Navy submariners; Surveillance ...

Report
Jan 1, 2018

MSMR Vol. 25 No. 4 - April 2018

.PDF | 1.08 MB

A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Update: Malaria, U.S. Armed Forces, 2017; Surveillance for vector-borne diseases among active and reserve component service members, U.S. Armed Forces, 2010–2016; Diagnostic evaluation of military blood donors ...

Report
Jan 1, 2017

MSMR Vol. 24 No. 6 - June 2017

.PDF | 1.12 MB

A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Incidence of Campylobacter intestinal infections, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2007–2016; Incidence of nontyphoidal Salmonella intestinal infections, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2007–2016; ...

Report
Jan 1, 2017

MSMR Vol. 24 No. 7 - July 2017

.PDF | 1.18 MB

A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Skin and soft tissue infections, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2013–2016; Age-period-cohort analysis of colorectal cancer, service members aged 20–59 years, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, 1997–2016 ...

Report
Jan 1, 2017

MSMR Vol. 24 No. 11 - November 2017

.PDF | 1.52 MB

A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Pregnancies and live births, active component service women, U.S. Armed Forces, 2012–2016; Contraception among active component service women, U.S. Armed Forces, 2012–2016; Complications and care related to ...

Report
Jan 1, 2017

MSMR Vol. 24 No. 2 - February 2017

.PDF | 1.31 MB

A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Incident diagnoses of leishmaniasis, active and reserve components, U.S. Armed Forces, 2001–2016; Incidence rates of malignant melanoma in relation to years of military service, overall and in selected ...

Report
Jan 1, 2017

MSMR Vol. 24 No. 3 - March 2017

.PDF | 1.60 MB

A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Diagnoses of traumatic brain injury not clearly associated with deployment, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2001–2016; Update: Heat illness, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2016; Update: Exertional ...

Report
Jan 1, 2017

MSMR Vol. 24 No. 4 - April 2017

.PDF | 1.29 MB

A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Absolute and relative morbidity burdens attributable to various illnesses and injuries, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2016; Hospitalizations, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2016; Ambulatory visits, ...

Report
Jan 1, 2017

MSMR Vol. 24 No. 1 - January 2017

.PDF | 998.69 KB

A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Update: Malaria, U.S. Armed Forces, 2016; Diabetes mellitus, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2008–2015 introduction of the virus in the Western Hemisphere, 1 January 2016; Rates of Chlamydia trachomatis ...

Report
Jan 1, 2017

MSMR Vol. 24 No. 10 - October 2017

.PDF | 1.16 MB

A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella among service members and other beneficiaries of the Military Health System, 2010-2016; Update: Cold weather injuries, active and reserve components, U.S. Armed Forces, ...

Report
Jan 1, 2017

MSMR Vol. 24 No. 12 - December 2017

.PDF | 1.45 MB

A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Insomnia and motor vehicle accident–related injuries, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2007–2016; Seizures among active component service members, U.S. Armed Forces, 2007–2016; Brief report: Prevalence of ...

Report
Jan 1, 2017

MSMR Vol. 24 No. 8 - August 2017

.PDF | 986.46 KB

A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Multiple sclerosis among service members of the active and reserve components of the U.S. Armed Forces and among other beneficiaries of the Military Health System, 2007–2016; Challenges with diagnosing and ...

Report
Jan 1, 2017

MSMR Vol. 24 No. 9 - September 2017

.PDF | 1.03 MB

A monthly publication of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. This issue of the peer-reviewed journal contains the following articles: Review of the U.S. military's human immunodeficiency virus program: a legacy of progress and a future of promise; Update: Routine screening for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus, civilian applicants ...

Skip subpage navigation
Refine your search
Last Updated: September 28, 2023
Follow us on Instagram Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on YouTube Sign up on GovDelivery