This morning I scrolled through my Facebook news feed and saw this title of a Yahoo story ” Military Wives Strip Down to Raise Awareness About PTSD: Battling Bare”.
A Quick Back Story
Ashley Wise’s husband was a brave soldier and former Marine who had served two tours in Iraq. On his final tour of duty from overseas he came home broken and with PTSD .
Ashley did her best to reach out for assistance on-post but as many feel ,it seemed like there was no way to get that without her soldier somehow feeling like he would be reprimanded or put his career in jeopardy.
Ashley wanted to bring awareness to this ongoing epidemic in the military community and took the most popular way of gaining attention. She had a friend write the following wording on her back and went to the best viral outlet there is …Facebook!
Image Credit: Facebook
She formed Battling Bare:
“Battling Bare is a private organization in its beginning stages currently seeking non-profit status. We may challenge the status quo of what is acceptable and appropriate for a woman to do or how she is to behave. Because our husbands battle daily with their demons of war, we have to. These unseen wounds of Soldiers all over the world have the names depression, anxiety, night terrors, PTSD, and others. As wives, we have tried everything we know to help. Searching actively for a way to answer the question we all ask – “what can we do, we are just the wives?”- the idea for Battling Bare was born. Our hope is that together we can inspire more “silent supporters” to “battle back” and let our voices be heard by creating an outlet of support and providing resources for wives that are at their wits end trying to help their husbands heal”.
Quite honestly I think what Ashley is doing is wonderful. There is such a crappy stigma that goes along with getting help in the military and in this particular case I fully understand why she is feeling the need along with several other wives to go ahead and help their soldiers get the treatment they deserve.
With that said I do have to wonder will the true message of what they are doing get “lost” in a bunch of pervs looking at their bare backs ?
Will the authorities in charge who have the power to make this right and provide the proper resources take it seriously considering the way they are going about it?
On the other hand I think the way they have want about it is pretty unique and if nothing else it will catch enough people’s attention to let them know what is really happening with PTSD and the families of those who are suffering from it.
I’ve taken a look at the pictures and while they are not bad at all (in my opinion) I’ll just say guys will be guys and I hope the select few who can’t put their hornball-ism to the side for a moments won’t ruin it for the people who truly do see the true message behind Battling Bare.
So I ask do you support the cause…do you think Battling Bare will bring true awareness to this ongoing issues amongst our military?
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Krystel is the mom of two and an Army Wife. In addition to Army Wife 101 she is the Co-Founder of SoFluential.com a digital media agency that connects brands with the military market.
She has appeared on MSNBC ,FOX LA and formerly was a weekly contributor to HLN's "Raising America". She has written for various outlets including Sheknows and Lifetime and is a big fan of cupcakes and french fries. 17 Comments on Stripping Down To Your Bare Essentials to Bring Attention to PTSD…Yay or Nay?
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A decade ago I think I would have been all for this type of promotion. Hell, I would have volunteered my own then-tight-and-taut body.
Personally I think the pictures are beautiful and they do bring awareness to a huge problem that no one talks about.
But I don’t think a uniform should be used in the picture. I won’t even hold hands with my husband with his uniform on let alone pose with it in a (public, lol) picture.
True, PTSD is something that needs to be discussed by EVERYONE. But if it isn’t discussed within commands, encouraging everyone to seek treatment after deployment with regular follow-up appointments; soldiers will feel the stigma of seeing a therapist/psychiatrist, feel “less than” if none of his/her friends are feeling the same way, and continue to keep their problems to themselves.
Alas, this is only my opinion. I welcome a hearty discussion and agree to disagree. :)
Hi Alma,
Thanks for stopping by to share your thoughts.
I do wonder if there will be any repercussions for using the uniform in this way for such a serious matter. I think they could have did without the uniforms personally.
I am ok with these pictures but the only thing that i think about is..how come they can pose in uniforms for this but the breastfeeding photo was such a fuss??!!
(And I am all for both causes. Pro breastfeeding and def pro getting help for PTSD soldiers :) )
I agree I was wondering the same thing , people made a fuss about too. I swear you never know these days !
I know this will come off as abrasive to some but I tell it like it is. Being a military wife and civilian myself I know what not to do. I am by no means a wife that includes herself in gossip night (frg) meetings but I support my husband. The reason why it was wrong ( and they know this) to post uniforms online is the US military does not support agencies. A nude women with her classy photo is much different. Just like the wives that thing it is okay to post updates on husbands mission on FB. You want your soldiers safe practice being a bit more discreet in what you do. They should have a safety class for spouses and soldiers that lack common sense for the safety of our service men and women.
i just wanted to say thank you for listening and let yall know that part of the reason i know this information is because i was an electronics warfare technician in the united states navy. thanx again and god bless. gary
When I originally seen the pictures, I was like WHAT? WHY? I read the stories and thought to myself.. WHY NOT? These men and women are put in a un-natural environment, have witnessed horrors that would make the grossest horror flick shutter. I watch my husband deal with his demons and fight everyday for his “normalcy”. I married my husband not the CORPS but with respect to our lifestyle and all that serve, if ever comes a time that needs more attention about a silent killer as PTSD has proven time and time again to be.. I would stand in front of the commandant of the marine corps with dignity for my husband and others to receive the treatment they have so rightly deserved. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, will it ever tell the nightmares I know my husband see’s every night he dreams? Is he worth fighting for? He feels I am… so, why not me for him? Semper Gumby!
hey sorry to bother yall but the article on sarah killgore is probably realated to my research. i would find out if the house has the tesla tech. and any attachments to the sacred geometrical system that links to the quantumn jumpers. i do think that here husband being in afghanistan is very important. there are ways to tell if they were using the odenist knowledge as well. something is telling me that she was working on something other than jealousy.
also there is a very interesting article from nasa that explains caltechs use of harp technology to influence waves of energy the would attach to our primal emotions. god bless you all.
hello again. so if you apply my research to jack the ripper…. the good doctor was looking for the early stages of pregnancy(aka the evolutionary journey of the zygot. the first trimester.however, the main reason was to get a better understanding of the reproductive systems of the women. how the bacteria work and her senses to attract the propper mate and secure the most suitable mate for her offspring. the fear that was caused by jack the ripper gave them the idea for the serial killers. nothing like fear to control and manipulate the shroud. now you understand why they chased the da lai lama around for so many years. all to control and manipulate the sared geometrical shroud. this is also why the cows in the west were mutalated. these abilities are the reason why prostitution is the longest running profession. the connections in time are not permisable. if they were they wouldn’t interfere in the space time continuem and the multiverse.
oh and find me on the ineternet at cyclops1001. gotta love central virginia. :)
so a tip for the women of the world. if you want a girl then find a man who has a great deal of understanding that can apply to the promotion of the race. if you want a boy find a man who is more into the male dominant ego driven societies. it isn’t as complicated as you might think. see who needs a sonogram…………….. :)
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