title: A Marine's journey from battle injury to employment in home community.
abstract: After surviving a severe brain injury from a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) blast and working daily to reclaim his life, one of the military's finest was ready to pursue community employment. At 27-years-old, he completed an 8-year-long, comprehensive traumatic brain injury rehabilitation program by making an autobiographical documentary. The documentary served as a stepping stone for his community employment as well as a means to encourage others to keep working toward their goals. He is now successfully employed, on a part-time basis, with a local retailer, in his home community. This paper outlines the progression from initial concept to a completed documentary. It tracks his experiences and accomplishments through years of rehabilitation therapy, through making an autobiographical documentary, to bridging a transition from his identity as a rehabilitation patient to a working member of his home community.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Casey
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Linstad
authors.affiliation: Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Schafer
mesh_terms: D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications; D004651:Employment / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology*; D020197:Head Injuries, Penetrating / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods; D012111:Residence Characteristics
keywords: Documentary movie; recreation therapy; speech therapy; work