NEWS ADVISORY: War Veteran Turned Actor to Appear at Pace to Discuss Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

War Veteran Turned Actor to Appear at Pace University         

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder will be Discussed

“Matthew Pennington, an Army veteran who lost his left leg in Iraq, makes his acting debut as a wounded Marine trying to adjust to civilian life. The role is reminiscent of Harold Russell’s double Academy Award-winning portrayal of a wounded veteran returning from World War II in the 1946 film, ‘The Best Years of Our Lives.’”- The New York Times

NEW YORK, NY, June 18, 2012 – According to a study of the mental health of troops, one in eight soldiers who fought in Iraq report having Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), the psychological wounds that often prove more debilitating than the physical ones.

On June 26, 28-year-old war veteran turned actor Matthew Pennington will address future health care workers from Pace University’s College of Health Professions and lead a discussion about his struggles with PTSD after coming home from serving three tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“A Marine’s Guide to Fishing,” a 15-minute film starring Pennington will be screened. The film portrays a young veteran’s return to his old job on the one-year anniversary of “the day he didn’t die” when he was severely injured, losing his left leg and shattering his right leg in the war in Iraq. A Q&A session will follow with Pennington, his wife Marjorie, writer and director Nicholas Brennan, and producer John Logan Pierson.

The event will take place June 26 from 5:30pm – 7:30pm at Pace University, One Pace Plaza, across from City Hall, (entrance on Spruce Street) in the Multipurpose Room. The event will be video-conferenced to Pace’s Pleasantville campus, 861 Bedford Road, entrance 2, Miller Hall room 16.

A New York Times article sparked interest in planning the film screening.  Nursing professor Joanne Knoesel, RN, read the article in January and thought about the veterans Pace nursing students care for at the Manhattan Veterans Affairs hospital.

“During clinical rotations the students are very adept at sorting out the medical conditions that their patients have but sometimes uncertain as how to approach patients with PTSD and substance abuse issues,” said Knoesel. “Hearing from a vet with PTSD can provide us with better insight on how to help these patients.”

This event is free and open to the public. RSVP by e-mailing ddumitru@pace.edu. Health Care workers, nursing or medical students, and anyone who encounters veterans can benefit from learning about Pennington’s experience.

More information about the film which won “best narrative short” at the GI Film Festival last year, as well as Pennington’s biography can be found at http://amarinesguide.com/. To learn more about how the College of Health Professions is supporting our nation’s veterans, click here.

Contact: Cara Cea, 914-906-9680, ccea@pace.edu