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Show Summary
On this episode, we have a conversation with Melissa Comeau, Marine Corps Spouse and Director of the American Red Cross' Military and Veteran Caregiver Network, an organization that offers peer-based support and services to provide connection between those providing care to service members and veterans living with wounds, illnesses, injuries and/or aging.
About Today’s Guest
Melissa Comeau is a Marine Corps spouse, director of the American Red Cross’ Military and Veteran Caregiver Network, and a writer. She is known for her book “Sleeping with the War,” published in 2015 by the War Writers’ Campaign. The book offers a family and caregiver perspective on life after combat.
She served as an Arizona Fellow for the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and in that role was honored to help bring to fruition the Hidden Heroes Congressional Caucus for Military and Veteran Caregivers. She is a recognized advocate for the military and veteran community and continues to support caregivers in her current role with the American Red Cross’ Military Veteran Caregiver Network.
Before joining the network, Melissa served as the executive director of Lives of Promise, a San Diego-based nonprofit that supports military families facing a PTSD diagnosis. She has also offered peer support to Marines and their families at the Wounded Warrior Battalion – West.
Melissa has a background in accounting and IT project management. She lives in Texas and is married to a U.S. Marine who was medically retired after nearly 13 years of service, including four combat deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan.
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
The PsychArmor resource for this week is the series of courses for military and veteran caregivers and families. Sponsored by The USAA Foundation, Inc., PsychArmor offers courses to help caregivers balance their duties and need for self-care. This library of 45+ courses provides information, resources, and strategies on how to manage the demands and stressors of caregiving. You can access these courses by going to https://psycharmor.org/caregivers/ or through the link in the show notes.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
American Red Cross’ Military and Veteran Caregiver Network Web Site
Join Us on Social Media
PsychArmor on Twitter
Theme Music
Our theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.
Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families. You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com