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A New Generation of Veterans “Iraq is a different type of war,” says Chris Loverro. Over the course of a year as a staff sergeant with the US Army’s First Stryker Brigade, the former Berkeley city police officer built schools, assisted refugees, designed basic training programs for the Iraqi Army, and went on counterinsurgency missions in and around Mosul. He says that even as a member of a police SWAT team, he never experienced anything approaching the psychological and physical pressures he and his comrades encountered in Iraq. “You’re exposed to people trying to kill you basically every single day,” explains Chris. “Even if you didn’t run missions, didn’t go outside the wire, you were still mortared every day. People were killed in the gym, people were killed in the latrine, people were killed in the chow hall, people were killed in their quarters. So you never really could relax. Plus there was the fact that people were doing multiple tours – being separated from their families for long periods of time, guys missing the birth of their first child, that kind of thing.” In those extraordinary circumstances, thinks Chris, post-traumatic stress disorder is an understandable response. “What’s interesting, though, is that PTSD symptoms usually don’t manifest themselves until you get back home. When you’re over there, you’re in this fight-or-flight, what we call ‘hunter-killer’ mode. So you tend to internalize it more.” Back home in the Bay Area, “I had some readjustment issues. I was really angry, really intense, always on edge, always hypervigilant. It took about a year to not be consciously obsessed with the war.” “The unspoken sentiment among Veterans is if you have PTSD symptoms, if you’ve been psychologically affected by the war, then you’re weak. Because you’re a warrior, in a warrior culture. Then there’s the stigma that society puts on you: ‘Oh, look, an unstable vet – is he gonna go postal?’ So you get it from both sides. And it really shatters your self-esteem. You can’t help but feel weak. So there’s reluctance for Veterans to talk about it and to get help.” Eventually, Chris linked up with a counselor at a Vet Center. “He was a Vietnam Veteran. He probably saved my life. That’s why NCIRE’s Welcome Home DVD is so important,” he says. “It’s like, ‘hey, welcome back, here’s some stories of guys who went through what you’re going through, you’re not alone, and here’s some resources, and we’re doing this research too.’” Chris is particularly excited by scientists’ efforts to find a physical diagnosis for PTSD. “I think that’s huge, that’s monumental. Because it pulls it away from the mental health stigma and puts it into the category of a physical wound. I think that alone will significantly help with the stigma.” Today, Chris is in film school, learning the skills needed to direct “Hidden Casualties,” a documentary about “Veterans coming home and how combat has changed them.” He says, “What I can tell you as a Veteran is that we appreciate what NCIRE is doing. You are literally going to be saving lives by breaking down that stigma, which is going to get more soldiers help sooner. You’re going to be preventing suicides.” Chris explains that one of the main reasons that more Veterans don’t seek help with readjustment is stigma. page 12 NCIRE Report 2008 and 2009
“ What I can tell you as a Veteran is that we appreciate what NCIRE is doing. “ – Chris Loverro, United States Army NCIRE Report 2008 and 2009 page 13
Page 1 and 2: NCIRE Report 2008 and 2009 dedicati
Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents 3 Forward 4 From
Page 5 and 6: In 2008, NCIRE - the Veterans Healt
Page 7 and 8: Chairman of the Board 2009 My first
Page 9 and 10: dedication NCIRE Report 2008 and 20
Page 11 and 12: Bringing Scientific Innovation to V
Page 13: Video Teleconferencing in Battlefie
Page 17 and 18: commitment NCIRE Report 2008 and 20
Page 19 and 20: Basic Research: The Foundation of D
Page 21 and 22: The emotional and psychological eff
Page 23 and 24: As the Rehabilitation Section Chief
Page 25 and 26: collaboration NCIRE Report 2008 and
Page 27 and 28: TATRC funds 43 research projects at
Page 29 and 30: Center for Imaging of Neurodegenera
Page 31 and 32: “ It is essential that we lift th
Page 33 and 34: Welcome Home: Support from the Grou
Page 35 and 36: One of the consequences of my havin
Page 37 and 38: We appreciate the thoughtfulness an
Page 39 and 40: The Chatham Institute, LLC Clare Ca
Page 41 and 42: “ The energy, initiative, and fre
Page 43 and 44: Financial Summary Year ending Septe
Page 45 and 46: Board of Directors 2009 Paul A. Vol
Page 47 and 48: NCIRE Report 2008 and 2009 Photogra

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