Healing For American Kids Touched By War

When Parents Come Back Scarred By War, Children Are Affected - And Camp Cope Helps

(CBS)  While the wounded veterans were gathering in Orlando this week for the “Road to Recovery” conference, just down the hall was a separate gathering for another heroic group of wounded Americans - their children.

“I bonded with these people as soon as I came here,” one child told CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman, who visited the camp.

“Because we have something in common,” another said.

A third child’s reaction: “It was nice knowing that there’s more than just me.”

It was a two-day group-counseling session called Camp Cope.

Every kid there not only sent a parent to war, but had that parent returned to them broken.

Chase Smith’s dad got hit by a roadside bomb.

“That's why he's using the cane,” Chase said.

P.J. Morris’s dad lost one of his eyes - and a bit of his patience.

“Yea, he seems to get angry quicker,” P.J. said.

Even Sabrine Karaime, whose mom came back from combat without any physical injuries, still suffers from post-traumatic stress.

“She’s a little bit weaker because she used all her bones and everything in the war,” Sabrine said.

For most of the kids, this was their first opportunity to truly decompress.

“Their families are in survival mode,” said the camp’s co-founder Elizabeth Reep. “So they’re not always able to get them to the counseling right now because they’re trying to get through the day.”

Reep and the other volunteer counselors used role-playing games to get the kids to talk about what happened.

At the end, the kids blew all their bad feelings into a balloon.

“And I just popped it and I was like, ‘Wow, I feel much better,’” Sabine said.

Another’s response: “It felt good.”

“All the bad feelings went away,” said another child.

It really was a marvelous metaphor.

Unfortunately, making all the reminders vanish into thin air is decidedly more difficult. Which is why the kids and counselors say the most important thing is to focus - not on what the bombs and bullets took away - but what they left behind.

As one kid put it: "They're body has changed but their heart hasn't."

"We still have tickle fights," another girl said.

"Just keep supporting them and keep on loving them," Sabine said.

[pkurpe]

Dear Steve "Heart"man,

Your name is well deserved and your coverage of Camp Cope was incredibly touching. Those children can teach us all a lesson for tolerance, patience and perspective. We can only imagine how much better they are prepared to handle the challenges in their home life and provide a real boost to their parents and the hurdles they must overcome.

Paul Kurpe

[richwriter]

I saw the story on the children of vets from Iraq. I am 59, have suffered the same problems as many of my friends from growing up with a veteran of war. We are the prisoners of glory! Our parents suffered from the tramuaof war, the bitterness of the wounds physical or mental is brutal, the vocal abuse or alcohol abuse, the tramatic situations contined until my fathers death at 85. My mother protected us and suffered physical and verbal abuse. Little does the military admit to the adbuses, President Bush may speak of his success and continue this war. But no one knows how much in the future of the children, who try to survive the anguish of this war. It will be a daily route through the days of their lives. I can tell you stories about the abuse. MY father tried to hit me with a coke bottle for protecting my mother. He took her pay checks and drank the checks away. So much more to explain. But for gods sake this must stop and someone has to help the wounded families of the Iraq war, You hav eonly touched the edge of the unknown misery of the families of veterans. rich

[tburzio]

CBS News can care less about these kids. This is just another anti-war hit piece, this time using kids as weapons. I''d say shame on you, but CBS has none.

[campcope]

You can get more information about Camp COPE at www.campcope.com or the Coalition to Salute America''s Heroes at www.saluteheroes.org

Camp COPE was founded two years ago and this was the second time for Camp COPE to be sponsored by the coalition at Disney World.

We hope to have it on the road reaching thousands of children of wounded or deployed soldiers in 2008.

We would like to thank Steve Hartman for a job well done on our story.

Sincerely,
Sarah and Elizabeth (Camp Co-Founders)

[campcope]

You can get more information about Camp COPE at www.campcope.com or the Coalition to Salute America''s Heroes at www.saluteheroes.org

Camp COPE was founded two years ago and this was the second time for Camp COPE to be sponsored by the coalition at Disney World.

We hope to have it on the road reaching thousands of children of wounded or deployed soldiers in 2008.

We would like to thank Steve Hartman for a job well done on our story.

Sincerely,
Sarah and Elizabeth (Camp Co-Founders)

[youcanbe2]

After watching your coverage of "Camp Cope" I was left with the impression that this one-time, two-week group program was the first and only type of treatment for children of wounded soldiers.
If you want your viewers to be fully informed, you should have also mentioned that the military is more than aware of the effects of war on soldiers and their families. A great deal of research has been done, and every military installation has multiple treatment programs in a variety of venues for the troops and their families. So many, in fact, that the array of services can be overwhelming!
This cute, little program was helpful to those attending, but don''t forget that there are a multitude of resources already being provided to the troops and their families in relation to their emotional well-being (including the play therapy depicted in your piece.)

[winnemuccan]

None of these grievances would have happened if we refrained from invading Iraq. However, peace will never happen until the guy upstairs calls an end to it.

[woodjd42]

tuurzio
CBS don''t care about these kids? You and your bush/chaney war group are the ones that don''t care. You don''t even care about their parent soldiers that you send off to a needless war. By the way when are you sceduled to leave to Iraq to fight for a cause you think is so just?

[dovv]

Please support the Children of Vietnam Veterans Health Study in Australia.

I am glad to see something like this happening in America. Children of Vietnam Veterans have a 3 times greater incidence of suicide and also suffer from mental stress and depression. Many Children of Vietnam Veterans are still suffering silently and wouldn''t wish this pain on any Children of Iraq Veterans. TO the Children of Iraq Veterans, we love you and support you and hope to see more programs that will help you heal. Much love and Merry Christmas to our soldiers and may you all come home very soon.
Visit the Australian Children of Vietnam Veterans Health Study here:
http://www.covvhs.org.au/

[baghdadsucks]

I am the father of chase smith.The child who spoke about the way I walk (the one with the mowhawk).To the people who think this news cast was some kind of ploy.I think this was an excellent chance to educate people on how our children of disabled vets need care too. Furthermore I thank cbs news for the support and respect they showed my fellow wounded vets during the conference.Personally I don''t care how they feel about the war.Its our actions that define us and I was proud to have my child apart of this action. than you