SERVING SOLDIERS IN SW ASIA
Photo courtesy of Jeremy Haskell '96
by Kara Gibbs '96
August 18, 2008
Being deployed was something that Captain Jeremy Haskell ’96 knew would be a possibility.
When interviewing for a clinical psychology residency position at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, he recognized the dangers of his potential posting. “I knew exactly what I was getting into and that deployment was a reality,” Jeremy said. “I really appreciated their honesty and candor during the interview process. I cannot imagine someone joining the military these days with the thought that they will not be deployed. It’s part of the job.”
In the spring of 2007, Jeremy learned that he would leave the following August for a six-to-seven-month deployment in southwest Asia. He then completed several weeks of training for his job at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, one of the largest, most diverse units in the Air Force. The wing and its associate units operate more than 100 aircraft, providing humanitarian airlift activity, mission-essential combat power, aeromedical evacuation, and intelligence support for Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and for the Joint Task Force–Horn of Africa.
As the primary psychologist, Jeremy provided the mental health services for the base community and region. “For the majority of my deployment, I was the only mental health provider for an Air Force base and nearby Army installation,” Jeremy explained. “There were approximately 10,000 active duty members, so I stayed pretty busy! I met with soldiers individually, provided briefings to squadrons, and assisted with combat stress management and bereavement in individual situations.”
During the deployment, God faithfully provided the physical and mental endurance for Jeremy to perform his job well. God also supplied spiritual strength as Jeremy faced the pressures and fears of wartime. Jeremy and his wife, Amy, had prayed that he would find a strong community of believers while he was gone, and within a week of arriving, Jeremy was connected with six physicians who were believers and interested in starting a Bible study together. They met weekly throughout the deployment to study the book of Romans. “These guys were a terrific source of encouragement to me and helped to make the time go by quickly,” Jeremy said.
Being a deployed soldier, Jeremy struggled with the same trials he was there to alleviate. “Like everyone else, I greatly missed my family and hated being away from them,” he explained. “When you are deployed, time seems to slow down. We often found ourselves looking at our watches or calendars to remember what day of the week it was. Left with a lot of time to reflect on life and relationships, I often thought about how easy it is for me to get caught up in being busy and productive. I realized that I had unintentionally taken my family for granted at times. I hope I’ve returned with my priorities a bit more in balance.”
Jeremy humbly expressed his deep appreciation and admiration for the men and women who willingly put themselves in harm’s way. His work parallels the exhortation in Galatians 6:2 to fulfill the law of Christ by bearing one another’s burdens. He commented, “I was grateful for the opportunity to walk alongside them and assist them in dealing with whatever they were struggling with — from relationship problems at home to trauma they had experienced in war.” He also said that if a patient presented spiritual questions, he had the opportunity to continue the dialogue.
Jeremy returned from southwest Asia in March 2008 and now works at Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo, New Mexico, as chief of behavioral health services and licensed clinical psychologist. He works solely with active duty members. “The support and care I am able to give is certainly impacted by the stressors present in wartime,” he said. “Through my interaction with veterans, I have become much more acquainted with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder and prolonged family separations. I continually strive to offer a safe environment for patients to wrestle with real issues. It is my hope that they can find healthy ways of dealing with stress while acclimating to daily life at home.”
His journey to become a psychologist in the Air Force began during his doctoral studies at Wheaton College. While researching for his dissertation, Jeremy developed an interest in the relationship between military health providers and military chaplains. To complete a 1-year residency/internship in clinical psychology, he began investigating and applying at Air Force bases and eventually accepted a position at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Medical Center in Dayton.
Jeremy now works closely with military chaplains in helping soldiers, churches, and communities. “This past week, we collaborated to provide a seminar for pastors in our community on how they can best take care of family members whose spouses, siblings, or parents are deployed,” Jeremy explained. “We also address how church communities can help active duty members successfully transition from deployment to life at home.”
The experience in southwest Asia compelled Jeremy to see his future and his calling in a new way. “I found my heart encouraged to pray about opportunities to support veterans throughout my career,” he said. “I desire to utilize my professional skills, training, and experience to provide hope and comfort to those who have made such tremendous sacrifices for each of us. It is my small contribution.”
More Information
Jeremy graduated from Cedarville with a B.A. in psychology. He earned his M.S. in counseling from Shippensburg University in 1998 and a Psy.D. in clinical psychology from Wheaton College in 2005. His wife, Amy (Varner) ’96, graduated with a B.A. in elementary education/special education and now stays at home with their two daughters, 5-year-old Claire and 3-year-old Eliza. They currently reside in Alamogordo, New Mexico (Holloman Air Force Base). This summer the Haskell’s are moving to Germany where Jeremy will serve as a staff psychologist in the mental health clinic at Ramstein Air Base.