Eglin doc handles blue, green, grey matters

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Daniel Bellis
  • 450th MCB
FORWARD OPERATING BASE ORGUN-E, Afghanistan --  On this tight-knit base near the Pakistani border is a man who fights a different kind of war. He battles demons, fears and other unseen enemies--none of them his own.
A psychiatrist, Air Force Maj. (Dr.) Marshall Hayes is the only "shrink" for every servicemember in Afghanistan east and slightly south of Bagram Airfield. Dr. Hayes is deployed from Eglin AFB, Fla.

"I go by shrink," Dr. Hayes said with his signature welcoming grin. "I've been called much worse." 

Being a mental healthcare provider in the Air Force usually means seeing patients in a hospital or clinic, a controlled and well-established environment. Here, his office is a metal storage shed. No leather couch, no potted plants, no receptionist waiting outside. He sees patients where and when he can. Sometimes it's in the chapel, other times outdoors, wherever there's privacy. Now that he's crossed into the way of the Army, the rules have changed, slightly. 

"We get the whole rustic Army life. We visit places that don't have the amenities that we in the Air Force just take for granted. I think it makes us more approachable. They see that we're out here doing the same thing, living-wise," Dr. Hayes said. 

"We have to show a measure of humility because we're guests out here. Even though we have a function to perform, people are very suspicious of not only another branch, but of mental health in general." 

A visit to the "shrink" can carry a stigma; servicemembers think it will affect their career. And Hayes agrees. 

"There're no consequences to their career other than they don't get in more trouble."
The "trouble" he speaks of comes when someone is seemingly inexplicably irritable, more prone to arguments or is acting out in other ways that precipitate disciplinary action. These could be symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 

"When Soliders are involved in traumatic incidents, whether that's troops in contact [with the enemy], IED explosions, situations where Soldiers lose close friends or other kinds of tragedies that happen in war, knowing that they are able to come to us and talk to us kind of 'off the record' is one of the benefits the combat stress team offers." 

Hayes extends what he calls "free passes." That's three to five visits that go undocumented, just a chance to talk. 

"A lot of what we do is simply give them a place to help problem solve, help understand why they're feeling the way they are." 

He says he finds a lot of servicemembers share the same stressors, usually relational: family problems, sickness back home, marital issues, things that may seem bigger in a place like Afghanistan especially at a FOB. 

"I think the intensity of activity out here is far different than back at the larger bases. We have guys who are going out on missions daily, and having someone that they can get support from and still stay in the fight is an important part of the combat stress mission.
"I really feel like what we're doing is important and significant. It's just a far different feel than being home in a clinic in a very sterile environment. We get out here; we get dirty and we're able to address things that maybe that Soldier wouldn't have come forward with in different circumstances. It's a pretty great feeling."