Senate Resolution 202 - Designating June 27, 2011, as "National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day"

Mr. President, today I am introducing for the second year in a row a Senate resolution to designate June 27 as National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day. That date was inspired by the birthday of North Dakota National Guard Staff Sergeant Joe Biel. Staff Sergeant Biel served two tours of duty in Iraq as a Trailblazer, part of a unit responsible for route clearance operations. Each day, Joe's mission was to go out with his unit to find and remove Improvised Explosive Devices and other dangers from heavily traveled roads to make it safe for coalition forces and Iraqi civilians to travel. As a result of those experiences, Joe suffered from PTSD and, tragically, took his own life in April 2007. There is absolutely no doubt that Joe Biel is a hero who gave his life for our country.

I learned of Joe's story because friends from his platoon, the 4th Platoon, A Company, of the North Dakota National Guard's 164th Combat Engineer Battalion, have organized an annual motorcycle ride across the state of North Dakota in his memory. The Joe Biel Memorial Ride serves as a reunion for the 164th, a memorial for a lost friend, and a beacon to those suffering from PTSD and other mental issues across the region. The key point made to me by the event's organizer, Staff Sergeant Matt Leaf, is that we have to raise awareness of this disease so that the lives of servicemembers, veterans, and other PTSD sufferers can be saved by greater awareness of and treatment for this disorder.

For many, the war does not end when the warrior comes home. All too many servicemembers and veterans face PTSD symptoms like anxiety, anger, and depression as they try to adjust to life after war. We cannot sweep these problems under the rug. PTSD is real. The Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs have made significant advances in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of PTSD and its symptoms, but many challenges remain. More must be done to inform and educate veterans, families and communities on the facts about this illness and the resources and treatments available.

That is why SSG Leaf and his fellow Trailblazers started the Joe Biel Memorial Bike Ride. That is why I began the effort to create a National PTSD Awareness Day last year. It is why I am introducing this Resolution once again. Actions like this may not seem that important to some, but they are. They garner attention, raise awareness, and help to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health issues. These efforts are about letting our troops, past and present, know it is okay to come forward and say they need help. It's a sign of strength, not weakness, to seek assistance. It is my hope that this message will be heard. In the words of SSG Leaf, ``maybe if we all take a minute to listen, we can stop one more tragedy from ever happening again.''

Source