Political Quotes

“I would like to take a moment to congratulate Dr. Matthew Friedman, a finalist for the 2011 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals. Dr. Friedman is the executive director of the National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, headquartered in White River Junction, VT. He was a finalist for the Career Achievement Medal given annually to a federal employee for significant accomplishments over a lifetime of achievement in public service. Dr. Friedman is a pioneer in the field of traumatic stress disorders. For nearly 40 years now he has been working to identify the causes of and treatments for PTSD and advocating for those afflicted with the disorder. It is the cause of his career. While PTSD is now recognized as a serious affliction associated with the stresses and violence of war, this was not always the case. In the early days of his work, Dr. Friedman had to convince skeptics both inside and outside of the Veterans Administration that many returning troops were suffering from PTSD. His efforts eventually persuaded veterans to accept the disease within their own communities. He was among the first Veterans Administration clinicians to recognize the depth and breadth of the disorder among returning Vietnam veterans. In 1973, he established one of the earliest groups to provide mental health assistance to former soldiers. In 1989, after years of distinguished work in the field, Dr.…”