Behind the Mask: Revealing the Trauma of War

[undeterred]

Brain injuries caused by blast events change soldiers in ways many can’t articulate. Some use art therapy, creating painted masks to express how they feel.

“I THOUGHT THIS WAS A JOKE,” recalled Staff Sgt. Perry Hopman, who served as a flight medic in Iraq. “I wanted no part of it because, number one, I’m a man, and I don’t like holding a dainty little paintbrush. Number two, I’m not an artist. And number three, I’m not in kindergarten. Well, I was ignorant, and I was wrong, because it’s great. I think this is what started me kind of opening up and talking about stuff and actually trying to get better.”

Hopman is one of many service members guided by art therapist Melissa Walker at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE), which is part of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, in Bethesda, Maryland. Images painted on their masks symbolize themes such as death, physical pain, and patriotism.

Masks by veterans with TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) at the link: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/healing-soldiers/index.html

[Jefferson23]

1. “I think he was one of the first patients I’d ever had to ask me to let him die.”

I just read that McCain was on Face the Nation this morning pushing for
more war involvement..what do you think the odds are the shows host
will pull this out and confront him about the wisdom of war?