Page 12 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt, June 2021

12 June 2021 news http://www.luke.af.mil
Thunderbolt
www.aerotechnews.com/lukeafb
From the outside in

A caregiver’s account of supporting his CARE event. Through this activity, Justin
wife’s recovery from invisible wounds began to understand Lisa’s behavior and
by realize his own shortfalls in supporting
inviSiBLe WounDS her as a husband and caregiver. “Before
iniTiATive PRoGRAm the AFW2 program, I didn’t understand
what my warrior was going through. I
JoinT BASe SAn AnTonio-LACK- didn’t understand how to support my
LAnD, Texas — There are many roles a warrior mentally and emotionally, which
person will play in a lifetime. For mili- sometimes caused me to feel frustrated,”
tary families, these roles often cross the he says. “I felt guilty and ashamed at
threshold of personal and professional how I treated her because of my naivety.
life. As an active-duty security forces I can now better support her by giving
training instructor at Joint Base San her space when she needs to have a qui-
Antonio-Lackland, Tech. Sgt. Justin Goad eter day, doing tasks around the house,
can list Airman, father, husband and care- or looking after our daughters.” Assum-
giver as a few of the roles he cherishes ing broader shoulders as a husband and
most. It was not until Justin’s wife, re- a father, Justin grew into his role as a
tired Master Sgt. Lisa Goad, sought treat- caregiver.
ment for her PTSD, or post-traumatic The program also gave Justin and Lisa
stress disorder, that he reconsidered how a support network and an outlet to share
to better support her and the Airmen that their experiences without judgement. It
he mentors each day. allowed them to hear from others about
In 2008, three years before Lisa and their struggles with invisible wounds.
Justin met, Lisa was a victim of sexual “Camaraderie and talking with someone
assault. The assault resulted in wounds who has gone through similar experi-
both seen and unseen — a hip injury as ences, and really understands you, can
well as invisible wounds that she would change your life. I now have several close
battle in the years that followed. In 2011, friends I met during the Warrior CARE
Lisa changed duty locations from Guam events who I talk to on a regular basis,”
to New Mexico, where she initially met Justin said.
Justin as her fellow security forces wing- As an active-duty security forces in-
man — though eventually she came to structor at JBSA-Lackland, Justin found
know him as her husband and the father an outlet at his work. Through this role,
of her children. In 2013, Lisa received he was able to educate Airmen on how
her first hip surgery to begin healing to overcome adversity and challenges in
the physical limitations that she was their careers. The sense of camaraderie
experiencing. Although she was able to Justin felt from the CARE events trans-
walk, her limitations included certain ferred over to his role at work, where he
activities that posed risk for causing fur- applied his newfound knowledge on PTSD
ther injuries such as running or biking. by encouraging Airmen to talk about their
Lisa received several surgeries to mend mental health with others.
her physical wounds, but the invisible Having experienced his own struggles
ones persisted. For Lisa, the assault’s sharing his and his wife’s vulnerabilities,
consequences manifested as anxiety, ir- Justin continues to reduce the concerns
ritability, an inability to leave the home, of his Airmen, who believe seeking treat-
and a fear of driving. Justin said that ment for their invisible wounds could
neither he nor Lisa recognized these as negatively impact their careers. “You
signs and symptoms of her PTSD — both are still a defender even if you cannot U.S. Air Force photo
were naïve to the extent PTSD could af- arm. You did not do all this training and Tech. Sgt. Justin Goad poses with his family during a family photo. As an active-
fect someone. Justin’s inability to support dedicate your blood, sweat, and tears to duty security forces training instructor at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Goad can
his wife turned to a sense of frustration earn this badge and beret only to be de- list Airman, father, husband and caregiver as a few of the roles he cherishes most.
in their relationship. prived of that for not being able to arm,” It was not until Justin’s wife, retired Master Sgt. Lisa Goad, sought treatment for her
After years of uncertainty, Lisa was he said. Justin believes his Airmen each PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, that he reconsidered how to better support
diagnosed with PTSD and attended an Air have value to serve and be part of the her and the Airmen that he mentors each day.
Force Wounded Warrior Program (AFW2) team no matter their mental state. He
CARE event in 2016 with the full support continued, “You are going to have a point Justin learned to keep his Airmen caregiver, or wingman — I know that
of her commanders. She attended two in your career where you are going to see mentally fit and mission ready. “Mistakes now. But every day I try to make myself
events and then urged Justin to go with something, or something happens to you. can happen if you are not mentally ready better.” Through good days and bad, the
her to the third one. Justin followed her There are people out there who have been to handle a stressful situation. Know- roles one assumes are not always perfect,
lead and took part in an event at Joint- in these conflicts and struggles and are ing yourself and knowing when to take but for Justin, they can often mean the
Base San Antonio where he met other still active duty.” Justin tells Airmen to a knee is critical in not only your job world to those he loves and leads.
caregivers who shared their experiences find what works for them but encourages but also in life,” he says. He encourages Editor Note: Invisible wounds are as
supporting their warriors. them to find a support network so they Airmen to seek help with an open mind real and severe as physical wounds. If
As one of the few male caregivers at the do not face their battles alone. and lean on the Air Force’s available left untreated, invisible wounds can have
event, Justin was initially reserved and “One particular Airman had just come resources, such as the Military & Fam- negative impacts on an Airman’s personal
felt awkward listening to others share back from deployment and everybody no- ily Life Counseling Program, Military and professional life. It is important for
their vulnerabilities. “I questioned why ticed a change — he was showing up late OneSource, Veterans Crisis Line, and Airmen to recognize signs and symptoms
I was there. I had come from a culture for work, oversleeping, and not acting like the AFW2 program. For Justin, these of invisible wounds in themselves and in
where men don’t talk about their feelings himself. I recognized his symptoms and programs saved his marriage. For his their peers, to ensure a mentally strong,
or their problems,” Justin recalls. Despite encouraged him to talk to someone about wife, these programs saved her life. resilient, and lethal Total Force. The Air
his hesitancy, Justin’s perspective shifted seeking help,” Justin said. That Airman After her 21-year career in the Air Force is committed to supporting Airmen
over the course of a week as he listened to received treatment and was able to retain Force, Justin could not be prouder of his living with invisible wounds by provid-
other caregivers tell their stories — only his active-duty status. He reinforces this wife’s resilience. Reflecting on their jour- ing a wide range of resources to support
to realize that he and his wife shared with his Airmen by saying, “You only have ney, Justin says, “Being open to accept- their recovery journey. To share your own
similar experiences to everyone else. one body and one mind that you have to ing support made me a better husband, stories of invisible wounds and/or learn
Justin attended a course on PTSD take care of. The Air Force will go on in defender, and father. There are times about available resources visit www.
symptoms offered during the Warrior its mission with or without you.” where I have not been the best husband, ReadyAirmen.com.