Quote from Air Force Times, by Cid Standifer – Staff writer
Posted : Monday Mar 12, 2012 7:32:24 EDT
“Capt. Karen-Nicole Napper wasn’t in a combat unit. But as a signal officer with four tours of duty under her belt, she was shot at and mortared on a regular basis, flying from one forward operating base to another aboard CH-47 Chinook helicopters.
On her last deployment to Afghanistan, a fellow soldier was hit by a mortar two buildings away from hers and could be identified only by his dog tags, she recalled. Midway through that deployment, she began having trouble sleeping and developed anxiety problems.
She finally sought help, but it wasn’t easy.”
Not enough attention has been given to the women who serve in combat theater. After well over a year of keeping a blog and since publishing my book, Reconciliation: A Son’s Story, last November, this is the first article discussing the issue in some detail to share with followers. Women serve with distinction on the front lines in critical support roles, and are exposed to some ugly combat circumstances, including the risk of being injured or killed. Female soldiers are as likely to carry significant anxiety and suffer from depression as their male comrades in direct combat.
Steve Sparks
Author
Reconciliation: A Son’s Story
