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Carlisle at the Air Force Theater Hospital in Balad, Iraq in 2007.
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Critical care nurse Air Force Lt. Col. Mary Carlisle, who sought care for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after returning home from deployment, is the most recent volunteer to be profiled by our Real Warriors Campaign.
Carlisle served in the intensive care unit at the Air Force Theater Hospital in Balad, Iraq in 2007, where the casualties that she witnessed daily took a toll on her psychological health. Once back at home, Carlisle began to experience the signs and symptoms of PTSD.
"I started to isolate myself, and I was very, very, angry, and I couldn't figure out why," Carlisle said.
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Carlisle in Washington, D.C. in November of 2009.
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It was not until Carlisle saw video footage of her rotation at Balad Air Base that she realized that she needed to seek treatment. For Carlisle, the footage brought to the foreground many of the psychological wounds she had been coping with since her reintegration.
“I realized that I can’t be an effective leader if I’m not taking care of myself first,” Carlisle said.
Like many service members, Carlisle was concerned that seeking treatment might negatively impact her career. However, she drew inspiration after seeing the Real Warriors Campaign profile of Maj. Iwona Blackledge who spoke about her own experiences coping with PTSD.
Now, Carlisle hopes other caregivers and fellow service members will be encouraged to reach out for the care they need through her own story, and the stories of other Real Warriors, of having the strength and courage to seek treatment.
After seeking treatment, Carlisle was able to maintain her career success and was recently selected to be the surgical operations squadron commander at Misawa Air Base, Japan.
For more about the Real Warriors Campaign, click here. To read additional posts about the campaign, check out our Real Warriors Campaign/Stigma Category.
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