After returning from military service in Iraq, retired General Carter Ham barely talked to anyone. He thought he was “doing fine,” but when his dog Maggie burst out of his daughter’s house and jumped into his arms, he realized he needed help managing the post-traumatic stress disorder he had suffered from since witnessing a suicide bombing.
Ham also served in various parts of Africa, where he led the U.S. Africa Command, and in Europe. He has engaged in advocacy and policy analysis on issues that affect the military, like health services and the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
In a public discussion on Jan. 30, the beginning of his two-week residency at the Dickey Center for International Understanding, Ham spoke about his interpretation and understandings of African government, security and economics. Johnnie Carson, former assistant secretary of state for African Affairs, also spoke.
Ham then gave a public lecture on Monday, explaining cultural transformations in the military in the post-Vietnam War era, drawing from observations made over his 40 years of service.
As part of a panel discussion on Wednesday, he talked about the significance of PTSD in the military, sharing his own experience with the disease, observations on the evolution of its management by the military and opinions on how it could be improved.
Ham said he originally thought counseling and medical support only applied to junior soldiers. Senior officers, he recalled thinking, should be strong enough to withstand psychological hardship on their own.
After returning to the U.S., Ham began working in a new position at the Pentagon but said he felt as though he was not achieving anything and wanted to rejoin his comrades in Iraq. Upon realizing that he needed to open up about his hardship, Ham said he began talking to an Army chaplain.
“I started to feel better about myself and started to talk to my wife,” he said. “And I have found fulfillment in talking to soldiers and families.”
Ham said the military has recognized the importance of treating PTSD and introduced equipment to prevent brain damage. The military has also adopted policies to assist servicemen with the disease, like keeping better track of soldiers exhibiting symptoms.
Ham said he thinks the military must to work on creating an atmosphere in which service members can seek help without reluctance.
Lanphord Cao ’16 said he thought Ham’s anecdotes about overcoming PTSD helped him understand the disease.
During his visit, Ham has visited classes, dined with students, met the Dickey Center’s postdoctoral fellows and spoken with various campus organizations. Ham said he found Dartmouth students to be knowledgeable and intellectually engaged.
Dickey Center director Daniel Benjamin, a former ambassador, said he first met Ham while working at the State Department and thought Ham’s expertise would be an asset to the College.
“He rose from being an enlisted infantry man to a four-star general — such stories are quite rare,” Benjamin said. “He has seen an enormous amount of change and evolution in military and that by itself is extremely interesting.”
Benjamin added that, considering the significance of recent conflicts in Africa, Ham’s insight was valuable.
Feyaad Allie ’16 said he attended a dinner with Ham and spoke to him about the prospects for African politics and security, Libya’s current situation and the effectiveness of the African Union.
“I didn’t feel intimidated at all, and I think he was very candid, which made me really comfortable in interacting with him,” he said. “He very much spoke on a level for us to understand where he is coming from and give us background for what he talked about through his experience.”
