When considering resources for military families dealing with post traumatic stress disorder, it's important to include avenues of help provided by the military.

Of course, any military family member can go to a military clinic at any time for a counseling referral. This may be with a military provider or civilian, through Tricare.

Sometimes with such private issues, families prefer more anonymous avenues. The military also offers more confidential options:

Military spouse and writer Kristin Henderson has written an indepth article about women in combat.

It is called "Ready to Kill" and was published in the Feb. 24 issue of the Washington Post Magazine.

Read it by clicking here.

See Kristin's online discussion of her story at washingtonpost.com

     This week’s Spouse Calls column (click here to read) highlights comments from women whose military husbands have PTSD. All were posted on the Spouse Calls blog and show the toll this disorder takes on families.
      To view these and more PTSD-related comments on the Spouse Calls blog, click here.

      Weblogs are one way that spouses from all over can connect and share their experiences on many subjects. Here some blogs – especially for military spouses – about PTSD:

An opinion piece by Laura Dempsey, civil rights lawyer, political consultant and a military wife was published this week in the Washington Post and picked up by Stars and Stripes for Thursday's edition.

Dempsey, currently stationed at Ft. Drum, NY, enumerates the difficulties of military spouses who pursue careers or education. Some of these are:

     A question from my friend Bonnie inspired me to go looking for ways to help wounded service members. I talked to several military spouses and found quite a few avenues for those who want to reach out and help.

Read about some opportunities in this week's Spouse Calls, and find more right here:

As readers have been thinking of how to support troops and families lately, some have written to share ways they have been helped or have given help in the past.

Here are some great ideas for helping both single military members and families when mom or dad is deployed:

In the spirit of St. Valentine's day, the next two Spouse Calls columns are about sharing a little sweetness.

This week's story is about Lauren Ewest, a 12-year-old who is not waiting until she's grown up to give back to her community. Click here to read my interview with Lauren.

Lauren founded Operation Cup of Love, a project which distributes cups, hot chocolate mix, sweets and handwritten notes to troops preparing to deploy and those who have been injured.