Healthcare professionals at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences' (USU) Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS) have launched the "Courage to Care for Me" campaign as part of the "Courage to Care" initiative during April, the Month of the Military Child.
The campaign intends to raise awareness of the strength and courage required in parenting during stressful times of deployment, redeployment, extended deployment and reintegration into one's home life upon return from duty.
The vehicle for this message is a onesie, which is emblazoned with one of two colorful Courage to Care for Me logos and accompanied with a tag that asks “Why Courage?” The tag explains that parenting during times of war involves courage at home, just as on the battlefield. The goal is to help clinicians and family advocacy professionals reinforce the values of positive parenting, especially to new mothers in military settings.
The Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress conducts research, education, consultation and training on preparing for and responding to the psychological effects and health consequences of traumatic events. These events include natural (hurricanes, floods and tsunami) and human made disasters (motor vehicle and plane crashes, war, terrorism and bioterrorism). The Center's work spans studies of genetic vulnerability to stress, individual and community responses to terrorism, and policy recommendations to help our nation and its military and civilian populations.