A seminar in Goshen is planned to give local pastors the knowledge and tools to “become more capable in responding to needs that might be hidden among us,” according Goshen General Hospital Chaplain Clair Hochstetler.

“Faith After Combat: Pastoral Care of Returning Veterans” is planned for Thursday at Oaklawn, 330 Lakeview Drive, Goshen.

The event, which is free to pastors and counselors, will start with a continental breakfast at 7:15 a.m.

Hochstetler and Oaklawn Chaplain Bob Shreiner discovered they had both been interested in finding services in the area that addressed pastoral care of veterans. A conversation with Cory Martin of U.S. Rep. Mark Souder’s office got the ball rolling even faster, and the idea for the seminar was born. Souder represents the 3rd Congressional District, which includes part of Elkhart County.

Oaklawn seemed the obvious venue to the planners, and professionals with experience counseling veterans were invited to speak.

Featured speakers are Hugh F. Reusser, team leader for the Fort Wayne Vet Center, and Michele Babin, a board certified psychiatrist. Babin recently served as the psychiatrist for Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom at the Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis in addition t o her private practice.

Hochstetler said he became “very aware” of the needs of veterans when he was asked to lead the funeral of a veteran last spring.

“I was very personally motivated to help as many other pastors and counselors to understand problems and needs for veterans as they come back,” he said.

And his feeling that pastors need to understand those issues was reinforced last week after he read an article in The Washington Post reporting on the burgeoning suicide rate among returning veterans.

He said Iraq veterans aren’t the only former soldiers who may be suffering. He discovered from his chaplain duties at the hospital that veterans from other wars and eras are affected by current events.

“The vets are being re-traumatized by what they see on the news. Their old experiences are coming back to the fore,” he said.

The “Faith After Combat” event is not designed for veterans or their families. It is designed “to help pastors and counselors be a little more proactive — to sense where the needs are, to help draw out people who won’t talk about their experience. It’s to give pastors tools on becoming more aware of the resources that are there and trying to prevent these suicides,” Hochstetler said.

He said the event is for pastors from all theological persuasions — even historic peace church leaders. Some of those congregations may have veterans in the pews who came back wanting nothing more to do with the armed forces and may have joined a new church for that reason, Hochstetler said.

“We don’t pretend to have any easy answers,” he said. “We are trying to help pastors become more capable of responding to some needs that might be hidden among us.”

Cory Martin, regional director for Rep. Souder in Elkhart County, said there is a need for this type of program in Goshen.

“Mark has always worked hard to ensure soldiers receive funding they need,” Martin said. The congressman is currently supporting a project to open a Veterans Administration clinic in Goshen, though the location has yet to be determined.

“There’s a gap in service,” Martin said. “There’s one in South Bend and one in Fort Wayne, but in between, nothing.

“It (the seminar) is just one more area where we can help provide services, not just to veterans, but area pastors to help prepare them to understand what they (veterans) go though spiritually and emotionally,” Martin said.

“Hopefully, this will be a yearly thing,” he said. “There is a great need for this type of training for pastors.”

Hochstetler said not only does he hope the seminar will be a regular event in Goshen, he hopes it can serve as a model for other events across the country.



Contact Information

There is no charge for the event, but reservations are needed. Call 537-2680 or e-mail gloria.holub@oaklawn.org.



Speakers

Featured speakers for the Faith After Combat event are Hugh F. Reusser, team leader for the Fort Wayne Vet Center, and Michele Babin, a board certified psychiatrist.

Reusser has worked for the Veterans Administration for 17 years.

He also serves as an Army Reserve medical officer/social worker for the 55th Medical Company, Combat Stress Control.

In 2003, he was called to active duty and deployed to Iraq for a 12-month tour.

While in Iraq, he was given the additional duty of providing chaplain services near Al Fallujah while assigned with the 3rd Infantry Division.

He will speak about the most commonly seen readjustment problems encountered by veterans and their families after a soldier comes home from war. He will also address effective ways for clergy to work with veterans and their families.

Babin recently served as the psychiatrist for Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom at the Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis in addition to her private practice.

She relocated to her hometown of Goshen in 2007 and practices at Oaklawn as well as the Center for Cancer Care at Goshen Health System.

Babin will introduce the clinical signs and symptoms of combat-related post traumatic stress disorder, depression and traumatic brain injury. Additionally, she will discuss supporting the combat veteran and appropriate questions to ask in forming a therapeutic rapport.

There is no charge for the event, but reservations are needed. Call 537-2680 or e-mail gloria.holub@oaklawn.org.

The Indiana Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist and Mental Health Counselor Board has approved Oaklawn to provide Category I Continuing Education (2.5 hours) for LSW, SCSW, LMFT and LMHC.