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Friday 15 April 2016

2016 - V Malvinas Memorial Day Meeting at the John Fitzgerald Kennedy University


V Malvinas Memorial Day Meeting at the
John Fitzgerald Kennedy University

EDUARDO C. GERDING

On 1 April 2016 the V Malvinas Memorial Day Meeting took place at the Pringles College, John Fitzgerald Kennedy University organized by Dr. Hector Fischer, Director of the Specialization in Clinical Psychology and Director of the Academic Assistance Unit .


The University


The John F. Kennedy University is a private university of the so-called first generation. The project started in 1960 and began its activities in 1964, achieving the ultimate recognition in 1981 by Decree No. 543 of the National Executi

Its emblem: "Trinus et unus. Vita, spiritus et societas" is the manifestation of an institution that dynamically seeks to maintain a balance of efforts in the formation of the student´s spiritual and vital life fulfilling the three essential missions: Research, Teaching and serving the Community.

More than 110,000 students passed through its classrooms, of which 30,000 graduated and 20,000 received economical support.

The Special Undergraduate School stimulates the formation of true college students. There are 29 careers, 2 PhDs, 1 Master and three specialities accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation (CONEAU) .

The Professorship forms different disciplinary branches, with strong teaching vocation. 1,100 teachers work in the teaching and learning of knowledge and attitudes. The University owns 26 buildings in the city of Buenos Aires, Lanus and San Isidro.


The agreement for the free assistance of Veterans

On 1 December 2004 Dr. Hector Fischer and I signed saw our dream materialized with the signing of an agreement (Resol 947/04) between the National Institute of Social Services for Retirees (INSSJP) and Pensioners and the University. The University undertook to provide, through the Office of Welfare Department of Clinical Psychology psychotherapeutic care, the assistance of the Malvinas War Veterans and primary family . This meant psicodiagnosis, individual and family psychotherapy and implementation of psycho-educational workshops. All these features are free and represent no cost for the INSJJP.
Lectures

The lectures began after an introduction made by Dr. Hector Fischer Director of the Specialization in Clinical Psychology and Director of the Academic Assistance Unit and Dr. Amelia Imbriano Dean School of Psychological Sciences .

The first speaker was Dr. Alberto Deluchi Levene, a surgeon who in 1982 as a Lieutenant was embarked in the cruiser ARA General Belgrano. He retired from active duty in 2004 as Commander. He was followed by the author Chief of the War Veterans Assistance in INSSJP (PAMI) and Founder of the Nottingham-Malvinas Group (composed by Argentine and British veterans of war).

Dr. Héctor Fischer

                                       
Commander Medicine Doctor (Ret) Alberto Deluchi Levene giving
his lecture on the cruiser ARA General Belgrano. He is the author
of the book From the Raft (Dunken Printing House)



The author´s lecture on Malvinas Aftermath


The second lecture wass coordinated by Dr. Hector Fischer and by Mr. Claudio Edelstein Psychologist, specialist in Clinical Psychology and Associate Professor of the School of Psychological Sciences and member of the Academic Assistance Unit.

The speakers were Gastón Giunta, Psychologist Health Center of the Armed Forces Malvinas veterans, Department Peacekeeping Operations, psychological approach among military forces in peacekeeping missions, Haiti, United Nations.

Eugenio Romero Lic Psychologist, Health Center of the Armed Forces Malvinas Veterans gave a presentation on the profile of the War Veterans and their experience with the Hospital de Día (Medical facilities where procedures do not require an overnight stay).

Lic Mónica Gramajo, psychologist with postgraduate training in Contemporary Cognitive psychotherapies . She is part of the care team at the Health Center of the Armed Forces Malvinas Veterans. Gramajo is a psychotherapist, teacher and Academic Coordinator of the Forum Foundation for Mental Health. She gave a lecture on the approach to the Veterans through the Positive Psychology, presenting a case and their type of work.

From left to right: Lic. Claudio Edelstein, Lic Mónica Gramajo, Lic. Eugenio Romero and Lic. Gastón Giunta.


Lic. Mónica Gramajo

Lic. Gastón Giunta




The third lecture was given by War Veteran Oscar Mendoza. Member of the Ituzaingo Veterans Center during 18 years, holding different positions. Mendoza was Vice president of the War Veteran´s commission in Telefónica de Argentina during 4 years and member of the same commission in Entel for 5 years.


Moving lecture of War Veteran Oscar Mendoza
Member of the Ituzaingo Veterans Center during 18 years.


The final lecture was given by Lic. Claudio Edelstein, Ms. Cristina Rubio Psychologist. Specialist in Clinical Psychology. PhD in Social Psychology. Doctoral Thesis about War Veterans. Staff Member of the Academic Assistance Unit , Ms. Cecilia Rodriguez. Psychologist. Specialist in Clinical Psychology Staff Member of the Academic Assistance Unit. Research Project on War Veterans specialty in Clinical Psychology and Academic Assistance Unit and Dr. Amelia Imbriano Dean School of Psychological Sciences.



Image projected by the author during his speech. 
This is the work of Alfredo Sabat 
Malvinas War 30 years later
Homage to Pablo Picasso's Guernica-La Nacion 2012.




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Saturday 2 April 2016

British War Veterans Professionals at the Health Center Islas Malvinas


British War Veterans Professionals at the Health Center Islas Malvinas



                                                                 Eduardo C. GERDING




Professionals Left to Right: Bourdieu, Armour,La Madrid, Jackson,Stein, Gerding, Giunta and Cornejo

On March 30th, I took part in a most interesting meeting which took place at the War Veterans´Health Center Islas Malvinas in Buenos Aires whose General Director is Colonel Esteban Vilgré La Madrid and the Medical Director Major Martín Bourdieu (Psychiatrist).

It was headed by Dr Enrique Stein, DoD´s Coordinator of the Mental Health Team, Catastrophes, Humanitarian Help and Armed Forces Peace Missions.

The meeting was attended too by Captain Antonio Enrique Cornejo (Psychologist and Master in Integration of Disabled patients) Chief of the Peace Operations Department, Licenciate in Psychology Gastón Giunta ,Peace Operations Department and war veteran Alejandro Diego (ARA Bahía Buen Suceso)

Our British guests were Dr. David Jackson and Dr.David John     ´Lou ´Armour ,Royal Marines.


Dr. David Jackson
Dr. David Jackson is a former Royal Marine and during his time in Malvinas he served as a Corporal Signaller in the 3rd Commando Brigade under the orders of Brigadier Julian Thompson.




The 3,500-strong brigade is an amphibious rapid reaction force, highly trained for combat in extreme weather conditions and on difficult terrain.

The frontline of the brigade is made up of three lightly armed units - 40, 42 and 45 Commando - which each have about 700 members.

Jackson was diagnosed with PTSD and after a medical discharge from Royal Marines in 1995 he trained as a counselor and life coach and he worked within the profession for 14 years.

He studied psychology with the Open University and graduated in 1995 with a BSc(Hons), In 2002 he completed his MA in counselling studies at the UEA writing an autoethnographical exploration of his PTSD. This was a presentation of his MA dissertation called Unshedding the mask. Has my journey from Royal Marine to counsellor enabled me to embrace my experience of war and ultimately accept it?


Through this presentation Jackson gave an insight into the experience of PTSD from a war veteran now a counsellor perspective. His research was an opportunity for him to unshed his masks of masculinity and his mask of ex Royal Marine war veteran.

In 2010 he graduated from the University of Bristol completing his EdD. His dissertation was called Seven days Down South: a war story and uses film, photos, poetic representation, song and artefacts from the past as a representation of his story and the narratives of war veterans. Dr David Jackson is an expert in the social and cultural aspects of war veterans living in society.

David is the Co Director of Veteran to Veteran (Turning it around) a community interest group whose aim is to better the lives of war veterans and their dependants throughout the UK through furthering the understanding of the cultural and social difficulties for War Veterans and families within society through workshops and seminars and through research and publication. He was an academic consultant for the Lord Ashcroft's Veterans Transition Review.

Dr Jackson made a film which is a multi modal representation about his return to the Malvinas.





Dr. David John ´Lou ´Armour

Former Sergeant David John ´Lou ´Armour served as Corporal when the Operation Rosario took place on 2 April 1982. Naval Party 8901 at this time comprised just 42 men. Corporal 'Lou' Armour, commanding '1 Section', was positioned at Hookers Point when the Argentines disembarked. Shortly after the attack on Moody Brook, he was ordered to withdraw to Govt House, meeting up with Corporal David Carr's section along the way.He was captured, sent back to Britain and, with the rest of his comrades, returned to the South Atlantic to join up with the Task Force. His personal story of the invasion, his capture and his return to the Falklands, is told in Speaking Out - Untold stories from the Falklands War.


The Argies had some armoured vehicles moved up. At the time of the surrender, when Rex Hunt went out to talk with them, I was actually quite pleased we were stopping, I make no bones about it . . . I didn't fancy getting shot to bits. I was just glad it was finished. They made us lie down. Suddenly you're in their hands. There were two APCs [armoured personnel carriers] of theirs hit; they must have lost guys in them. There were three casualties lying in the garden of Government House. You think: What sort of mood are they going to be in when their oppos are shot up? When we were actually lying down I felt a bit humiliated but I also felt apprehensive about what was going to happen next. One of the Argentine officers came along and actually struck one of the guards and told us to stand up. We stood up and he shook my hand and a few other guys' hands and said that we shouldn't lie down, that we should be proud of what we'd done. I liked him. We were put in the back of a Hercules to be taken to Argentina.


Corporal Armour returned to the Falklands with his unit, “J” Company, 42 Commando, as part of the Task Force aboard the Canberra. His company of marines were held in reserve after the initial landings at San Carlos but later they were moved forward to Goose Green to re-inforce a second-stage attack on the settlement by 2 Para.



Amphibious Command Corporal Jacinto Eliseo Batista leads  Royal Marines on April 2, 1982

Lou Armour went to Lancaster university studied Sociology and Art History then did masters and did a PhD on the logical grammar of colour concepts.







Army Colonel Esteban Vilgré La Madrid



Army Major Medicine Doctor Martín Bourdieu




Dr. Enrique Stein



Captain (Navy) Licenciate in Psychology Antonio E. Cornejo



Licenciate in Psychology Gastón Giunta


War Veteran Alejandro Diego

Alejandro Diego, as part of the crew of ARA “Bahia Buen Suceso” ship, sailed from Port Stanley to Darwin, Strait of San Carlos, Howard and Fox Bay, where two Harriers attacked the ship They landed on Fox Bay, where they received several navy bombs, and air attacks.

www.foromilitar.com.ar - 16 de Mayo ataque al ARA Buen Suceso





 
From Left to right: War Veterans Bourdieu, Armour, Vilgré La Madrid, Jackson and Diego.



We learned more about Secondary traumatic stress which is the emotional duress that results when an individual hears about the firsthand trauma experiences of another. Its symptoms mimic those of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Accordingly, individuals affected by secondary stress may find themselves re-experiencing personal trauma or notice an increase in arousal and avoidance reactions related to the indirect trauma exposure. They may also experience changes in memory and perception; alterations in their sense of self-efficacy; a depletion of personal resources; and disruption in their perceptions of safety, trust, and independence.

Lou Armour depicted as well the differences between the ground forces experience in Afghanistan and Malvinas.

Summarizing. we learned a lot from each other updating health issues and sharing war experiences. We look forward to have more of this uplifting reunions.



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