July 2024. Blues Vol 40 No.7

A BADGE OF HONOR healing

A BADGE OF HONOR healing our heroes BAND-AIDS ON BULLET HOLES By Retired NYPD Detective, John Salerno, Co-founder of A Badge of Honor As a young cop in the NYC Police Department, some of the first things I learned in the academy was to make sure you always wear your body armor, it will protect you, always carry your radio in case you need to call for help, it will Save you. The tools on your gun belt will keep you alive. If you are in a bad situation, use the code 10/13 which will alert Officers to respond fast and get you backup. Every Law Enforcement Officer in the nation has a code for assistance, it is our lifeline when we are in distress or injured. It is the way we communicate with each other to ask for help. But what happens when we are off duty? What code do we use to call for help when we are stripped of all our protective armor? When we have no radio to request assistance? When we are most vulnerable? When we are in distress.? These codes do not 162 The Blues - July ‘24 exist. Or do they? Just like we were trained, we need to train our Loved ones, our friends and those in our closest social circles the signs and symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress. Let them in on your own distress code. This way they know how to respond. Many want to help; they just do not know how. So, it is important that we take the step and educate those around us. The hardest thing for us to do is ask for help. Sadly to say, many will not. The open wound is covered by a Band- Aid. We mask our hurt and our pain with what our culture has trained us to do. This process seems to work in the beginning as we shield ourselves until the next tour. IT’S A DOUBLE EDGE SWORD, IF WE DO NOT ASK FOR HELP and our families and friends do not know how to offer help. The quick fix for us is to get back to the JOB and allow more wounds and more pain to cover the past ones. This SAMANTHA HORWITZ & JOHN SALERNO is a cycle that is ongoing and infectious. We never treat our wounds, we only treat the pain. Many Officers use alternative means to ease this pain, such as alcohol, drugs and seclusion. But what we do not see is the infection as this wound continues to fester. The soreness becomes red, the redness soon turns to black, everything around it becomes numb, the nerve endings soon begin to die, until there is absolutely no feeling. Mental Health is no different. When we cover up our injuries in our brain, the things we see, hear and experience daily, WILL cause damage, sometimes irreversible. When one of the band-aids falls off, it makes the wound visible to others exposing the damage, sparking a response that says, “YOU NEED TO SEEK HELP FOR THAT.” But by that time, the wound is already numb and dying.

Therefore, it is so important for others to notice the bandaids before they fall off. This will help treat the infection before the damage becomes irreversible or at the very least, difficult to repair. Even the smallest of wounds need to be addressed, no matter how insignificant you think they may be. The smallest of untreated cuts may cause us to lose something irreplaceable, your marriage, your kids, your family, or maybe your life. Every wound can be treated differently. Some may just need a quick antibiotic, whereas others may take a longer healing process. But 99.9% of all wounds are treatable, if they are addressed early on. It's time to stop putting Band-Aids on bullet holes. Rubbing dirt on it, walking it off and sucking it up, are the days of the past. We have the knowledge now to identify, address and treat every aspect of PTSD from the crisis onset to post outpatient care if needed. The Buy-in of each department is the key that will unlock the tools which can dismantle and Smash the Stigma. John and Sam host MAD (Making a Difference) Radio, Wednesdays 7pm central live on FB @Makingadifferencetx. For more about Sam & John and the wellness and resiliency workshops for first responders, visit ABadgeofHonor.com. The BLUES Delivered to Your Email Every Month click or scan here The Blues - July ‘24 163