News From the Cause

Wounded Fostoria warrior's home gets makeover (WTOL.com)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:35:44 +0000

More troops' kids struggle with mental anguish (Associated Press)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:29:56 +0000

    WASHINGTON (AP) - After nearly eight years of war, soldiers are

not the only ones experiencing mental anguish. Their children are, too.

Last year, children of U.S. troops sought outpatient mental health care 2 million times - double the number at the start of the Iraq war. There was also an alarming spike in the number of military kids actually hospitalized for mental health reasons.

Internal Pentagon documents show the increases, which come as the services struggle with wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a shortage of therapists.

From 2007 to 2008, some 20 percent more children of active duty troops were hospitalized for mental health services, the documents show. Since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, inpatient visits among military children have increased 50 percent.

The total number of outpatient mental health visits for children of men and women on active duty doubled from 1 million in 2003 to 2 million in 2008. During the same period, the yearly bed days for military children 14 and under increased from 35,000 to 55,000, the documents show.

Overall, the number of children and spouses of active duty personnel and Guard and Reserve troops seeking mental health care has been steadily increasing. Last year's increase in child hospitalizations coincided with the "surge" of tens of thousands of additional U.S. troops into Iraq to stabilize the country.

However, reasons for the treatment increases are not clear from the documents. Besides the impact of service members' repeated tours in overseas war zones - and the severe economic recession that has affected all American families - the military has been encouraging troops' family members to seek mental health help when needed.

The military plans additional research.

Still, the statistics seem to reinforce the concerns of military leaders and private family organizations about the strains of the wars. Along with issues of separation, some families must deal with injuries or the deaths of loved ones.

Military families move, on average, nearly every three years, which adds additional stress.

"Army families are stretched, and they are stressed," Sheila Casey, wife of Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the U.S. Army chief of staff, told a congressional panel last month. "And I have often referred to them as the most brittle part of the force."

Evidence of domestic violence and child neglect among military families, as well as an increase in suicide, alcohol abuse and cases of post-traumatic stress, are all troubling signs, Mrs. Casey told a Senate Armed Services subcommittee. She and other military spouses testified that gaining access to mental health care is a problem.

At summer camps organized by the National Military Family Association for about 10,000 children, most of them kids of deployed soldiers, there have been more anecdotal reports this year of young people taking medication and showing signs of severe homesickness, anxiety, or depression, said Patricia Barron, who runs the association's youth initiatives.

Barron, a military spouse, said her organization is participating in a study on deployments and families. She said much is still unknown about the effects.

"If it continues to happen, you have to wonder how this is affecting them," Barron said. "In the long run, you have to wonder if there isn't going to be detrimental effects that might hang on for a long period of time."

The shortage of mental health professionals isn't just isolated to the military. But the problem is more pronounced because of the increase in demand, both on the home front and in the war zones.

About 20 percent to 30 percent of service members returning from war report some form of psychological distress.

There are efforts under way to encourage the military, the Veterans Affairs Department and state and local agencies to share mental health resources. Also, there have been incentives offered to encourage military spouses to enter easily transferrable fields such as health care.

In recent years, there's been an increase in funding in areas such as education, housing and child care devoted to improving the quality of life for military families. First lady Michelle Obama has said helping military families is a priority.

GAO: VA Failing to Serve Women Warriors: (TALKING POINTS MEMO)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:05:06 +0000

This is absolutely unacceptable. The VA must ensure that women veterans receive the care they deserve. With more women serving in combat than ever before, action should have happened yesterday. click here to view

Wounded veterans get a break on tax bills: (HOUSTON CHRONICLE)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:04:20 +0000

Under legislation signed by Gov. Rick Perry last month, Trejo and other severely injured veterans are about to get some major financial relief: They will no longer have to pay property taxes on their homes. Disabled veterans in Texas will qualify for total homestead property tax exemptions if the Department of Veterans Affairs has determined they are unable to work or they are receiving 100 percent disability compensation for physical or psychological problems related to their military service. click here to view

Secretary says new VA hospital may break ground within a year: (WWL-TV, NEW ORLEANS)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:03:30 +0000

Shinseki said the hospital will open in 2013. Construction will employ 3000 people. Once open, the health care workforce will be more than double that of the VA Hospital pre-Katrina, employing 2200 men and women with an average income of $90,000 a year....He said 39,000 veterans live in the area. By the time the hospital opens in 2013, 70,000 here will depend on it. A state teaching hospital, the new so-called Charity, is supposed to share those services. click here to view

Veterans battle Veteran Affairs over Independent Living Program: (WTOC-TV, SAVANNAH)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:02:43 +0000

Local vets say the Veteran Affairs system is not making it easy for them, and benefits are being kept secret. The biggest complaint is about the Independent Living Program. It is veteran benefit, some call a best kept secret, aimed at helping vets participate in daily living and possibly develop supplemental income. The problem is no one seems to know about it. click here to view

Soldier injured in Iraq turns to golf as he recuperates: (PROVIDENCE JOURNAL)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:01:40 +0000

But golf now has become very much part of Teich's life. As he has recuperated from his injuries, he has become involved in a number of projects, prime among them the Wounded Warrior Program. That is an organization that helps soldiers injured in combat. One of its offerings is golf. Teich was asked to consider playing to help in his recuperation. click here to view

Military Dependent Creates Blog As Outlet for Kids of Deployed Personnel: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:00:02 +0000

Katie Glenn, daughter of U.S. Army Col. Harry C. Glenn, chief of staff of the Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq, has created a cool way for kids of deployed military personnel to express their feelings about their parent being away or the loss of a parent in Iraq or Afghanistan. Katie is a senior at American University in Washington, D.C. and came up with the idea to start a blog after she took a new media course. "I read a lot of articles on how political campaigns, charities and social activism organizations were learning to use new forms of media like Twitter, Facebook, texting and blogs to get the message out." click here to view

Operation Hat Trick A Success At UNH: (WMUR -TV, NH)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:59:12 +0000

Operation Hat Trick, a program launched by the University of New Hampshire Athletic Department, has touched the lives of many wounded soldiers who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan. Some have had limbs amputated, many have suffered Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI's). They have their good and bad days. Who would have guessed that when the injured returned to the United States and were going through rehab in one of the many medical centers around the country, one of the things that these courageous young men and women most often asked for was something very simple, a hat to cover their head injuries. click here to view

Airman Loses Legs in Botched Gallbladder Surgery, Future of Career Uncertain: (FOX-40, SACRAMENTO)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:57:45 +0000

She says his Air Force general surgeon mistakenly cut her husband's aortic artery, but waited hours to transport him to a state hospital which has a vascular surgeon. "It took them until 5:30 to get him to UC Davis. I don't understand." Because Read lost so much blood during that time, doctors had to amputate both legs. His mother sobbed, "I watched him take his first steps, and now his legs are gone." click here to view

Safe Harbor Sailors Angle with Pros: (NAVY NEWS)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:58:27 +0000

More than a dozen Sailors, half of whom are enrolled in the Navy Safe Harbor program, were honored July 18 - 19 in Dallas at the 2nd annual Tournament of Heroes invitational bass tournament held on Lake Lewisville. The 14 active-duty and recently retired Sailors were part of a group of about 40 recovering wounded service members invited to relax and enjoy two days of activities planned by presenters of the 2009 Dallas Summer Boat Show and North Texas Marine. click here to view

Veteran mental care 'inadequate': (BBC)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:57:00 +0000

Care offered by the NHS to military veterans with post traumatic stress disorder is "a spit in the ocean", the head of the charity Combat Stress says. click here to view

Army Wounded Warrior Program's Soldiers and Families Identify Top Five Issues in Soldier Care: (MIL HEALTH SYS)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:56:15 +0000

Concurrent receipt of retired and Veterans Affairs (VA) disability pay, 2. Comprehensive psychoeducation for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)/traumatic brain injury (TBI) servicemembers, family members, and caregivers, 3. Veterans Affairs (VA) education for Army Wounded Warrior Program Advocates, 4. Stipend for primary caregivers of ill/injured servicemembers, 5. Community support coordinators in geographically dispersed areas. click here to view

Iraq vets' caregivers seek training, compensation: (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:55:31 +0000

Robert W. Briggs, a former Army sergeant, was severely injured in Iraq and needs constant monitoring because of traumatic brain injury, blindness in one eye and paralysis on one side. He walks with the help of a service dog. Briggs gave up her job as a veterinarian technician to care for him and their two kids. With tissue in hand, Michelle Briggs huddled Monday in a hotel conference room with 15 other caregivers who shared hugs and exchanged stories. They will go to Capitol Hill this week with a message to Congress: We need help. click here to view

Vets face mental health issues together: (DETROIT NEWS)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:54:31 +0000

The biggest hurdle for many veterans is overcoming the stigma that seeking mental health care is a sign of weakness or will affect future career opportunities, said Jane Spinner a social worker for strategic initiatives for the U-M Depression Center. "People are putting off getting the help they need," Spinner said. "We know outcomes are better the earlier they seek care." To combat those barriers, the Michigan Army National Guard, veteran advocates and health care professionals from U-M and Michigan State University developed a peer support program called Buddy-to-Buddy. click here to view

'Dream Team' of Researchers Seeks Ways to Combat Suicide in Army: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:53:15 +0000

A ground-breaking study of behavioral health in the Army may provide answers soon on what causes suicide and what programs can best prevent it. A media roundtable at the Pentagon yesterday provided an update on a five-year, $50-million study of suicide and behavioral health among military personnel, launched in October 2008 in partnership with the National Institute on Mental Health. click here to view

Alberta professor hopes WW1 records will help in study of post-traumatic stress: (CANADIAN PRESS)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:52:30 +0000

The battlefield has changed over the last 100 years but one fact remains: war is still hell for many soldiers, especially those who return home suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Mark Humphries, a history professor at Calgary's Mount Royal College, plans to study the effects of what was then called "shell shock" on First World War soldiers after they returned to Canada. click here to view

Defense, Veterans Affairs Collaborate on Brain Injuries: (DOD PRESS)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:51:39 +0000

More than half of U.S. servicemembers seriously injured in Iraq or Afghanistan and admitted to Walter Reed Army Medical Center here suffer from traumatic brain injury, according to Defense Veterans Brain Injury Center officials. "The most common injury that we see is, of course, traumatic brain injury," said Dr. Lucille Beck, chief consultant for rehabilitation services for the Veterans Affairs. click here to view

Study reveals sharp rise in diagnoses of disorders: (STARS &STRIPES)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:50:37 +0000

More than one-third of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who use the Veterans Affairs health care system have been diagnosed with a mental health problem, a significant jump since the last time the numbers were looked at in 2005, according to a new study. The study analyzed the records of about 289,000 veterans from the two wars and found that post-traumatic stress disorder and depression are sharply on the rise. click here to view

What to do about vets' claims? Pay them - now: (METRO WEST DAILY NEWS, FRAMINGHAM, MA)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:48:06 +0000

The VA unconscionably drags out cases for years and even decades. Denials are often appealed, overturned, but remanded back to the original adjudicator, who finds new grounds for another denial. Yet in the end almost 90 percent of the claims are eventually approved. In the end, Harvard Professor Linda Bilmes has noted, the result is not unlike the way the Internal Revenue Service handles most tax refunds. The IRS pays refunds to most and just reviews a small percentage of the tax returns. Why can't the VA do something similar? Here's how we can stimulate the economy: Pay our military veterans the benefits we owe them - right now! We can treat VA benefits claims like IRS tax returns. Select a sampling, perhaps 10 percent to 25 percent, to be reviewed - and immediately pay the claims of the rest. click here to view

Returning soldiers enlist help to find jobs outside military: (DALLAS MORNING NEWS)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:47:03 +0000

About 100 soldiers sit rigidly in their chairs, contemplating life after the military. They are fresh off tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, where they survived roadside bombs and dodged sniper fire. Their reward? In a matter of weeks or months, they will enter the most brutal job market in a generation. click here to view

Returning veterans now battling at home: (CONTRA COSTA TIMES, CA)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:46:20 +0000

They've left the battlefield, but their fights are not over yet. Veterans returning from service in Iraq or Afghanistan face the highest unemployment rate in decades. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Physical injuries. Homelessness. Dee Pu'u didn't know what to do. "In the military you could trust somebody with your life," said Pu'u, 32, one of about 300 veterans attending the East Bay Veterans Fair in Concord on Monday. On the outside, he said, everyone is out for themselves. click here to view

Board discusses veteran care problems: (THE DAILY TIMES, SALSBURY, MA)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:45:15 +0000

Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown believes Veterans Affairs clinics on the Eastern Shore should make more of an effort to treat patients outside a 9 a.m.-5 p.m. schedule. "That's where I really hope we can make a difference in Maryland," Brown said Tuesday, presiding over a meeting of the state's Veteran's Behavioral Health Advisory Board held at Salisbury University. click here to view

Palo Alto VA scientist wins presidential award: (MERCURY NEWS, CA)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:42:40 +0000

Sox-Harris, a health services researcher, psychologist, and statistician, is being recognized for his work on how to measure the success of mental health and substance abuse treatment programs. In an influential study, he showed that existing metrics bear little relation to patients' actual improvement, VA officials said. He has developed alternative ways of measuring success that have more to do with whether patients are actually recovering. click here to view

Veterans' facilities fall short in women's treatment standards: (CNN)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:41:46 +0000

Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities do not consistently offer the level of services and infrastructure necessary to properly treat the growing number of female veterans, a government investigation concludes. One official says the VA can offer women better medical care than they would get in private practice. The report by the Government Accountability Office found wide variation in the medical centers' facilities and programs for female veterans. click here to view

Cook County Veterans Court offers helping hand: (CHICAGO TRIBUNE)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:40:30 +0000

For the first time in three decades, Army veteran Eric Myers says he is confronting his addiction to heroin, an addiction that sent him to federal prison, ruined his marriage, cost him many jobs and most recently led to his arrest for drug possession. Now he meets daily with a social worker and attends classes on drug addiction and behavior modification, all mandated by Cook County Veterans Court, a newly formed court geared to military veterans charged with non-violent crimes, mostly drug offenses. click here to view

VDOT wounded-veterans training program gets grant: (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:39:33 +0000

The funds from the economic stimulus package are aimed at providing on-the-job training in transportation, engineering or construction for underrepresented or disadvantaged people, according to the U.S. Transportation Department. The federal agency singled out Virginia's wounded-veterans initiative, started in 2006, as a successful example of the training programs. The state program helps wounded active-duty military personnel develop or improve job skills while they recover from their injuries. click here to view

Veterans wheelchair games kick off in Spokane: (USAF NEWS)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:38:43 +0000

More than 500 disabled veterans rolled into the convention center here to take part in the 2009 National Veterans Wheelchair Games July 13 through 19. The event, which is sponsored by the Paralyzed Veterans of America and Department of Veterans Affairs, began July 13 with a wheelchair basketball demonstration and a disabled sports, recreation and fitness expo. click here to view

Veterans compete in wheelchair games: (ARMY NEWS)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:37:25 +0000

A wide range of disabilities cannot stop more than 500 of America's wheelchair athletes, all U.S. military veterans, who are competing in the 29th National Veterans Wheelchair Games being held July 13-18 in Spokane, Wash. click here to view

'Medevac, medevac, medevac': (KVAL-TV EUGENE, OR)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:36:28 +0000

11:39 a.m. Flight medics Sgt. Jason Westlund, 27, from Corvallis, Ore., and 27-year-old Spc. Scott Thurman, 27, from Keizer, Ore., sit inside a trailer swapping stories about war and life when a voice crackles over the little black radio on the table. "Medevac, medevac, medevac." Westlund leaps up and runs out the door headed to the operations office. Inside he is informed that an American soldier is wounded at a small base about 20 miles southeast of Joint Base Balad, where Westlund and his Medevac unit, Charlie Company, 7th Battalion, 158 Aviation are stationed. click here to view

NH's Shaheen Introduces Suicide Prevention Measure: (WBZ-TV, BOSTON)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:34:44 +0000

New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen has introduced an amendment that will ensure suicide prevention training and counseling is included in a nationwide program for National Guardsmen, Reservists and their families. click here to view

Shocking suicide toll on combat veterans: (UK INDEPENDENT)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:35:35 +0000

Britain faces a "ticking timebomb" of mental illness and suicide among young Army veterans who return from hand-to-hand combat in Afghanistan, the Conservatives will warn today. A lack of mental health care for veterans, combined with the stress of fighting the Taliban, will mean many survivors of the conflict pay a heavy price in psychological problems and self harm, according to David Cameron and the shadow Defence Secretary Liam Fox. click here to view

New approach to PTSD offers servicemembers greater privacy, reduced stigma: (USAF NEWS)

Remind.org — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:33:53 +0000

Disorder now have the option of being treated through primary care channels at a new pilot program offered at Wilford Hall Medical Center here. The primary goal of this new research program is to offer effective therapy for PTSD within the primary care environment, where servicemembers are likely to feel more comfortable seeking mental health assistance. click here to view

Homeless women veterans deserve help: (ALBANY TIMES -UNION, NY)

Remind.org — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:11:48 +0000

Homelessness with either gender is a national disgrace. While a small portion of the homeless wishes to remain so, the vast majority want to get their lives back, get the treatment they need, gain meaningful employment, have a decent, permanent place to live, establish or re-establish relationships and ultimately to rejoin society as productive and contributing citizens. click here to view

First homeless shelter for female veterans planned in Ballston Spa: (SARATOGA TODAY)

Remind.org — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:10:59 +0000

What Mazurek and Yepsen aim to do is unique in the State of New York: the pair hopes to oversee the creation and construction of the first VA sanctioned homeless shelter for female war veterans. click here to view

Airport lounge serves military: (CINCINATTI ENQUIRER)

Remind.org — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:10:14 +0000

Seven months ago, the Rev. W. Lee Eames, a chaplain at the airport, and Pam Porter, then the communications coordinator, sought to give those military veterans a permanent place to rest, sleep or receive the counseling they need. "We persuaded Delta to give us a permanent space," said Eames, 49, of Florence. "During the holidays, when a lot of servicemen and women were coming home, Delta would provide a room on Concourse B where they could go and have a snack, or talk to someone if they needed to. We thought it would be a good idea to have that room there all the time." click here to view

Wounded war veterans find water the 'great equalizer': (SAN ANTONIAO-EXPRESS)

Remind.org — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:08:43 +0000

Life on land for wounded Iraq war veteran Shane Heath is one where every step with the prosthetic leg can bring jolts of pain, every attempt to reach for something a reminder of the human arm that's no longer there. Life in the water has been his liberation. click here to view

Traumatized soldiers told they are not alone: (MODESTO BEE)

Remind.org — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:09:24 +0000

People can heal any hurt, including the lingering trauma that comes from being a soldier in a combat zone, according to an expert on family violence, who gave a presentation Saturday sponsored by the American GI Forum at Teamsters Hall in Modesto. click here to view

Wounded Hawaii warrior seizes new mission with Army support: (HONOLULU ADVERTISER)

Remind.org — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:07:57 +0000

He has recently been assigned to a work program at U.S. Pacific Command at Camp Smith. It will be a desk job - placid terrain for a highly trained special operations combat warrior. But he says he's lucky to have been given the opportunity. click here to view

Local wounded guardsman wants to go back to Iraq: (ALTOONA MIRROR, PA)

Remind.org — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:07:13 +0000

"I feel Matthew going home is what needed to happen for him to get the best medical care the Army can provide and be close to his family and friends to help him recover from not only the physical injuries but the mental injuries that even the toughest of soldiers deal with when things like this happen," Jon Gibbons wrote. click here to view

Iraq veteran lets the games, and healing, begin: (LA TIMES)

Remind.org — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:06:29 +0000

At this year's wheelchair sports competition in Spokane, Wash., a newcomer -- a Marine whose brain was injured -- tests his mental and physical strength. click here to view

Soldiers' Emotional Battle Scars Put Doctors In Dilemma: ( SEATTLE TIMES)

Remind.org — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:04:50 +0000

The suicide of an Iraq war veteran in Eastern Washington has highlighted an ethical dilemma confronting the Department of Veterans Affairs and the military: how far to go in protecting patient confidentiality as troubled veterans are called back to front-line duty. click here to view

Texas doctor works to revolutionize burn care: (FT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM)

Remind.org — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:05:35 +0000

A Fort Worth native with no military background, Wolf left a position in Galveston to take over the Army's burn institute just as the war in Iraq blew up, putting him on the front lines of the fight to keep wounded soldiers and Marines alive. He has also emerged as one of the most creative researchers in the field and is overseeing a futuristic-sounding project to see whether troops' limbs. click here to view

Military Study Ties War Trauma, Violence At Home: (NPR) --- [AUDIO ONLY]

Remind.org — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:03:55 +0000

Soldiers in a single Army unit killed as many as 11 people after returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan, the military said last week. One contributing factor? The psychological trauma of war. NPR's Daniel Zwerdling talks to Guy Raz about the military's efforts to deal with soldier trauma and ease their re-entry into civilian life. click here to view

Alcohol abuse on rise among troops: (DAILY PRESS, NEWPORT NEWS)

Remind.org — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:02:53 +0000

It's easy to understand why our troops are drinking more, and that their drinking is becoming more troubling. Two wars. Constant deployments. Combat stress. Friends killed or maimed. Time away from home. It's less easy to solve the problem. click here to view

Bomb turned family's lives upside down: (PGH POST-GAZETTE)

Remind.org — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:01:58 +0000

After years of operations, procedures, lengthy hospital stays -- including a month as Kevin Kammerdiener's roommate in the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa, Fla. -- and therapies, Mr. Mannion-Brodeur is back home in Boston, Mass. His daily needs are tended to by his father, 45, and his mother, Maura, 49. That includes everything from dressing him and cutting his food to helping in the bathroom. click here to view

Caregivers too often fail to care for themselves: (PGH POST-GAZETTE)

Remind.org — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:01:01 +0000

Cheryl Gansner of Knoxville, Tenn., had stomach problems last year but put off seeking treatment. Her priority was her husband, Army Staff Sgt. Bryan Gansner, who suffered debilitating leg wounds when his Humvee ran over an improvised explosive device on July 28, 2006, in Kirkuk, Iraq.click here to view

Wounded soldier still the heart of the family: (PGH POST-GAZETTE)

Remind.org — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:00:05 +0000

"Right now, this is our new normal," she said. "I don't think the public knows how much work it is day to day for loved ones. It was my husband's wish to never to be in a VA or a nursing home. I wouldn't have done it any other way. He's still dad, he's still my husband and we want him here." click here to view

Families Of Injured Troops Are The New Army Of Caregivers: (PGH POST-GAZETTE)

Remind.org — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:59:10 +0000

Since his injury, Leslie has given up her job, her income, her health insurance, her hometown -- in essence her life -- to be by Kevin's hospital bed, first in San Antonio, Texas, and then Tampa. click here to view

Report eyes violent crimes, combat exposure: (COLORADOAN)

Remind.org — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:12:18 +0000

Military officials also continue to study other potential impacts of combat deployment, including higher levels of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide now seen in returning soldiers. The Army and Salazar are applauded for recognizing that such studies are important to better understanding and managing the impacts of combat as well as protecting the health and welfare of soldiers and the general public. click here to view

Boost mental health for Gis: (DENVER POST)

Remind.org — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:10:48 +0000

The Army is trying, but clearly struggling, to get beyond a culture that deals with complex emotional problems with a simplistic "suck it up" attitude. It's not acceptable to demand bravery in service and battle and then not be there for our troops when they return. click here to view

Employers could save billions by reducing stigma of mental illness: (EDMONTON SUN, CA)

Remind.org — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:11:26 +0000

If the military and the RCMP can break the stigma of mental illness as a character weakness, other Canadian employers should follow suit, says the chairman of the Global Business and Economic Roundtable on Addiction and Mental Health. If they do, private employers could save billions of dollars, Bill Wilkerson says. click here to view

Time to take a break: (MILITARY TIMES)

Remind.org — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:10:02 +0000

Despite an Army scramble to reverse a spike in soldier suicides, the number of soldiers who have killed themselves this year - 88 reported among active troops, so far - is on pace to top last year's record 140. The key culprit, it appears, is the relentless operations tempo the troops have labored under as the Army fights on two war fronts. click here to view

R.I.'s homeless veterans to get federal help: (PROVIDENCE JOURNAL)

Remind.org — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:09:11 +0000

Homeless veterans may soon find apartments through a federal program, Sen. Jack Reed said Thursday. The East Providence Housing Authority will administer $239,000 to about 35 local veterans and their families. The veterans will receive rental vouchers worth up to $7,500. The federal money will help dozens of Rhode Island veterans "put a roof over their heads" and get the services they need "to get back on their feet," said Reed. Other programs may follow, he said. click here to view

Services needed for returning veterans: (WZZM-TV MUSKEGON, MI)

Remind.org — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:08:22 +0000

As the United States military scales down operations in Iraq and shifts focus to Afghanistan the needs of troops returning to the United States are increasing. The Muskegon County Department of Veterans Affairs is doing all it can to help these heroes. click here to view

'Helmets to Hardhats' training program helps veterans get construction jobs: (Building Design and Construction)

Remind.org — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:07:35 +0000

Helmets to Hardhats (H2H) - a national, nonprofit program dedicated to helping National Guard, Reserve, retired and transitioning active-duty military members find quality careers in the construction industry - is encouraging American military servicemembers to consider a career in the building and construction trades upon completion of their military duty. click here to view

Fight looms on military, VA health care taxes: (MILITARY TIMES)

Remind.org — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:06:42 +0000

Two issues are involved. One has to do with whether military and veterans benefits could be taxed in the same fashion as employer-provided health benefits, a proposal included in the 1,018-page health care bill being taken up by the House Education and Labor Committee. A second question involves potential federally imposed limits on the types and cost of care covered by health insurance, limits that could apply to both direct care from military hospitals and clinics and from the Tricare health plan, as well as to direct care from the veterans health care system. click here to view

Wounded vets find healing in Queens: (QUEENS CHRONICLE)

Remind.org — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:05:40 +0000

Walking down a long, rough driveway surrounded by plants sprouting from the sand, Jude Recendez said, "I would never picture New York like this." The 29-year-old Californian took his first trip to New York City for a weekend of fishing, sailing, kayaking, scuba diving and water skiing at the Rockaway Point Yacht Club in Breezy Point. The fact that he has two prosthetic legs didn't slow him down. click here to view

Philanthropy in Hollywood: Agents of Change: (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)

Remind.org — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:04:48 +0000

It's early morning on an overcast day in June. Slate-gray waves pound the Malibu coastline and seagulls hover in the moist air above the two dozen men and women who huddle together just a few feet from the water. They could be a regular group of surfers. But they're not. And as you look at them more carefully, you start to notice things. One is blind. Several are without legs. Many are covered with battle scars. These are veterans who have been badly wounded in Iraq, and they are here to take part in Operation Amped, a surf camp that is helping them return to normal life. click here to view

NC National Guard works to better support families: (WFAE-NPR, Charlotte, NC)

Remind.org — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:02:49 +0000

Nearly half of North Carolina's National Guard troops are currently deployed overseas. That includes the state's largest guard unit- the 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team - which is on its second tour overseas. Back in January, we met some of those soldiers and their families at a send-off ceremony in Monroe. "B" Battalion Captain Bryan Grey was saying goodbye to his wife and two young children. click here to view

Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band set to rock for a good cause at Cantigny: (CHICAGO DAILY HERALD)

Remind.org — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:03:53 +0000

Band will return to Cantigny Park on Saturday evening to culminate a daylong Rockin For the Troops benefit celebration to assist Operation Support Our Troops-Illinois. The Daily Herald recently caught up with the "CSI: NY" star to talk about his passion for the cause, experiences on past USO tours and current projects. click here to view

Michigan, Columbia, Harvard study military suicide: (CHICAGO TRIBUNE)

Remind.org — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:01:58 +0000

The University of Michigan and three other universities are launching a $50 million Army-funded study to find out why soldiers kill themselves or become mentally ill. click here to view

Corps announces NCO suicide prevention course plan: (USMC NEWS)

Remind.org — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:01:13 +0000

Every noncommissioned officer in the Marine Corps will receive additional training in suicide prevention, according to Marine Administrative Message 404/09, released July 2, 2009. click here to view

Role of combat in US Army suicides unclear: experts: (Agence France-Presse)

Remind.org — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:00:16 +0000

"It's not true that repeated deployments are the primary factor involved in the suicide issue," Robert Ursano of the Uniformed Services University in Maryland told reporters. "There's no question that repeated deployments increase stress on individuals, and increase stress on families and stress on the community. But it's a much more complicated picture," said Ursano, who is the director of a major new study looking at mental health and suicide in the US Army's ranks. click here to view

Despite Progress, Army Still Combating Suicides: (HOUSTON CHRONICLE)

Remind.org — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:59:25 +0000

Suicides reported among soldiers have tapered off from extreme highs of early this year amid intense Army efforts to stem the deaths, but officials are not yet ready to say they have turned a corner on the problem. Army leadership said on Thursday they hope a newly launched mental health study will help identify what is causing the self-inflicted deaths and what programs are best for preventing them. click here to view

Percentage of veterans with mental health problems jumps dramatically: (LA TIMES)

Remind.org — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:58:28 +0000

About 37% of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have mental health problems, a nearly 50% increase from the last time the prevalence was calculated, according to a new study published today analyzing national Department of Veterans Affairs data. click here to view

Striking jump in mental illness found in Iraq, Afghanistan veterans: (THE OREGONIAN)

Remind.org — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:57:29 +0000

The study was also the first to suggest that National Guardsmen and reservists suffer these wars differently than active-duty soldiers. Army soldiers and Marines younger than 25 had the highest rates of PTSD and drinking. That wasn't surprising, given that they're more likely to see combat and deploy multiple times. click here to view

Vets' Mental Health Diagnoses Rising: (NY TIMES)

Remind.org — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:54:03 +0000

A new study has found that more than one-third of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans who enrolled in the veterans health system after 2001 received a diagnosis of a mental health problem, most often post-traumatic stress disorder or depression. The study by researchers at the San Francisco Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the University of California, San Francisco, also found that the number of veterans found to have mental health problems rose steadily the longer they were out of the service. click here to view

Gates Thanks 10th Mountain Division for Sacrifices: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:53:18 +0000

"I consider the well-being of each and every one of you to be my personal responsibility," he added. "For the younger ones of you, I care about you the way I would my own son and daughter. For all of you, my highest priority is to do everything possible to help you accomplish your mission, to win, and to come home safely. click here to view

Veterans' facilities fall short in women's treatment standards: (CNN)

Remind.org — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:14:43 +0000

Palo Alto VA scientist wins presidential award: (MERCURY NEWS, CA)

Remind.org — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:15:27 +0000

Veterans center may locate in Chicopee: (WWLP-TV, Springfield, MA)

Remind.org — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:13:52 +0000

Help for homeless veterans may be coming to Chicopee. Some 70 people learned about the veterans group "Soldier ON" Wednesday night at the Chicopee Public library. " Soldier ON " is a treatment center and shelter that gives homeless vets a place to stay and get healthy. click here to view

Stand Down event for homeless veterans begins anew: (SAN DIEGO NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:12:57 +0000

Stand Down is a three-day event with different versions of the event nationwide," said Veterans Village of San Diego's (VVSD) vice president and COO Andre Simpson. "It provides services to homeless veterans and their families. And those services include mental health, counseling, integrative medicine, clothing - all being provided and donated by the community." [click here to view] (http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2009-07-15/news/stand-down-event-for-homeless-veterans-begins-anew#ixzz0LM3AB6GW&D <http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2009-07-15/news/stand-down-event-for-homeless-veterans-begins-anew)

Bill would expand work-study options for vets: (MILITARY TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:11:52 +0000

The House of Representatives voted Tuesday to expand a veterans work-study program for college students in hopes that it would help up to 3,500 more students could find on-campus employment each year. The bill, HR 1037, would create a five-year pilot program in which veterans could be paid to work in academic departments as tutors, researchers, teachers and lab assistants, or in student services in administrative, records and registration offices. click here to view

VA admits its failure to give female veterans proper care: (CENTRE DAILY TIMES, STATE COLLEGE, PA)

Remind.org — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:08:44 +0000

The Department of Veterans Affairs often fails to provide adequate medical care to female military veterans, five of them told the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Tuesday. A Veterans Affairs official agreed. "At the root is a system that has not been responsive to the needs of women veterans," said Patricia Hayes, the department's national director of women's health care. click here to view

Disabled vets losing benefits in divorce settlements: (EXAMINER)

Remind.org — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:09:35 +0000

Across the country, unbeknownst to most Americans, many disabled veterans find themselves fighting a war they shouldn't have to be fighting and they need some help. The issue at stake is the inclusion of disability benefits in the calculation of divorce settlements, where judges - on many occasions - have ignored existing federal law (USC Title 38; Section 5301). click here to view

VA Hosts Vegas Conference for Afghanistan/Iraq Veterans: (MILITARY HEALTH SYST)

Remind.org — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:07:59 +0000

The Department of Defense is pleased to collaborate with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), who will host a conference which highlights its methods for delivering top quality care to returning Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) troops on Sept. 21 - 25, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nev. Representatives from VA's Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), the Department of Defense (DoD), and Veterans' service organizations are set to attend along with roughly 1,800 clinicians and health care professionals from a variety of disciplines including mental health, case management, pain management, social work, communications, and veterans outreach. click here to view

New Day at the VA: (WESTSIDE TODAY, LOS ANGELES)

Remind.org — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:07:07 +0000

'People don't realize how cutting edge we are,' said Beiter. 'As the country debates national healthcare issues, the VA can help lead the way.' The VA has been in the lead for many years when it comes to digitized record-keeping, telemedicine (monitoring patients via online video) and patient satisfaction, according to Beiter. 'In a manner of speaking, we already have national healthcare.' click here to view

Filling the Mental Health Care Gap: Soldiers Project NW: (KPLU- NPR, TACOMA)

Remind.org — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:06:24 +0000

In the suburbs near Ft Lewis, a four-year-old is horsing around with his younger sister. His Dad is in the Stryker Brigade, and his mom says this carefree play is a huge improvement. When he was two, the little boy's Dad was deployed to Iraq for a second time. Kristie, the mom, says she wasn't prepared for the toll it would take on her young son. click here to view

Wounded vets ask Army for better compensation: (DALLAS MORNING NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:04:41 +0000

Full payment of military retirement and Veterans Affairs disability pay is the top priority for wounded veterans, said service members asked to present concerns to the Army's leadership. click here to view

Treating veterans' PTSD: interview with a caregiver: (EXAMINER)

Remind.org — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:05:30 +0000

I interviewed via e-mail a caregiver who sometimes works with PTSD sufferers. Kathyrn Mustard is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with the VA Medical Center in Salem, Virginia. She works in the Inpatient Psychiatric Unit where she helps treat several mental illness forms to include PTSD. Approximately 75 percent of admitted patients have PTSD or PTSD-related symptoms. click here to view

Counselors help combat mental health stigma: (ARMY NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:02:53 +0000

Counselors who never write anything down. Routine clinic visits that begin with six simple questions about your mental health. These are just some of the ways the U.S. military is trying to recognize and treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and depression. And for each new approach, the U.S. Army is leading the way in program implementation. click here to view

Post-traumatic stress disorder hitting World War II vets: (CLEVELAND PLAIN-DEALER)

Remind.org — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:03:54 +0000

They thought they had locked up the memories and thrown away the key. Talking meant remembering, so many veterans of World War II didn't speak about the scenes of carnage and combat they saw more than 60 years ago. Not even to their wives or children. Suck it up, lock it away. click here to view

The Army denies that combat stress causes homicide: (SALON)

Remind.org — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:01:58 +0000

Yet the Army officials presenting the report denied that it established any cause-and-effect relationships. Eric Schoomaker, the Army's surgeon general, waved his hands across his chest under clear blue skies during the outdoor press conference, dismissing the notion that the report proved a tie between soldier-involved killings and the horrors those soldiers experienced in the war. click here to view

Why do some soldiers commit violent crime? Army seeks answers: (CHRISTIAN SCIEMCE MONITOR)

Remind.org — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:01:01 +0000

The Army released a study Wednesday that looks at how deployments, prior history, or other factors could cause soldiers to commit violent acts, including homicide. Although "higher levels of combat intensity" among the units involved likely contributed in some way to some of the crimes, analysts could not pinpoint any one factor as a cause. click here to view

Intense combat tied to homicides by Ft. Carson GI's: (DENVER POST)

Remind.org — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:00:21 +0000

Fort Carson soldiers charged with or convicted in homicides upon returning from Iraq had experienced intensive combat, several claiming they had witnessed war crimes, according to an Army report released Wednesday. click here to view

Fort Carson report focuses on soldiers who became killers back home: (COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE)

Remind.org — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:59:30 +0000

Most Fort Carson soldiers who came home from war to commit murder had lives that were broken by combat stress, mental illness and drug and alcohol problems, a report released by the Army today says. The report, commissioned by commanders last year after six 4th Brigade Combat Team soldiers were charged in murders in a 12-month period, says combat stress, and mental health issues found in the bulk of soldiers-turned-killers combined with a cocktail of substance abuse issues, including drug and alcohol abuse issues that were not consistently addressed. click here to view

Army: Soldiers In Slayings Faced Intense Combat: (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Remind.org — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:58:37 +0000

The psychological trauma of fierce combat in Iraq may have helped drive soldiers in a single battle-scarred Army unit to kill as many as 11 people after their return home, the military said Wednesday. In a report billed as the most comprehensive examination to date of violent crimes and combat exposure, an Army task force of medical experts looked at members of Fort Carson's 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, known as the Iron Eagles. click here to view

U.S. Slayings by Vets Linked to War Stress: (CBS NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:57:28 +0000

Soldiers from a Colorado unit accused in nearly a dozen slayings since returning home - including a couple gunned down as they put up a garage sale sign - could be showing a hostility fueled by intense combat in Iraq, where the troops suffered heavy losses and told of witnessing war crimes, the military said Wednesday. click here to view

VA Health Care for Women Veterans: (HUFFINGTON POST)

Remind.org — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:16:25 +0000

However, it became was clear upon our return that most people did not understand what women in today's military experience. I was asked whether as a woman I was allowed to carry a gun (of course!), and was also asked if I was in the Infantry (women are barred from serving in the Infantry). This confusion about what role women play in war today extends beyond the general public; even Veterans Affairs (VA) employees are still sometimes unclear on the nature of modern warfare, which presents challenges for women seeking care. For example, being in combat is linked to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). click here to view

Our duty is to help: (LEDGER-INQUIRER, AL)

Remind.org — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:15:28 +0000

A soldier's mother wrote to Army magazine about her son's struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder. Most people probably don't give PTSD much thought unless they have a family member or close friend in military service. Nonetheless, I think we ought to take a moment to consider the impact this is having and will have on our nation and the young people who are now enduring the savagery of war. click here to view

Locked and loaded: (COLORADO SPRINGS INDEPENDENT)

Remind.org — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:14:25 +0000

In the past two weeks, arrestees getting booked at El Paso County's jail have had to answer one extra question: "Have you ever served in the U.S. military?" In the survey, conducted to provide data for a new veterans court program, jail officials found that nearly 1 in 6 had a history of military service. In a single week in late June, 76 out of 462 arrestees reported having a military background. click here to view

Military Health System Embraces Social Media: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:13:12 +0000

The Military Health System is one of the many Defense Department organizations embracing social networking in order to provide information to and receive feedback from servicemembers. Dr. Michael Kilpatrick, director of strategic communications for the Military Health System, detailed the organization's work in social networking at an event for federal communicators July 9 in Washington, D.C. click here to view

Grant to help Vets with war injuries: (WAVY-TV NORFOLK)

Remind.org — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:12:11 +0000

The Partnership for People with Disabilities at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Education and the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program , Virginia Department of Veterans Services, have received a grant to ease the return of war veterans to their homes and communities throughout Virginia. The Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative (CNI) Trust Fund awarded $398,700 to fund the project Common Ground: Linking Wounded Warriors and Community Support Providers. This three-year, statewide collaborative project will provide training and resources to help community support providers throughout Virginia - including volunteers, brain injury service providers, clinicians and peers - work with veterans with traumatic brain injuries and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and their families. click here to view

Team Develops Anti-Infection Technology: (WVU Health Sciences Center)

Remind.org — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:10:52 +0000

Combat-related injuries have long plagued the military in part because of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Imagine being able to spray a compound fracture with microcapsules that deliver a drug to bolster the immune system, stopping infection before it starts. That technology might be around the corner, says Bingyun Li, Ph.D., of the West Virginia University Department of Orthopaedics and director of the WVU Biomaterials, Bioengineering & Nanotechnology Laboratory. Li's team has developed a drug-delivery technology involving microcapsules - and a second technique, nanocoating - that have been shown to work in animal studies. click here to view

PTSD Is a Valid Diagnosis: Who Benefits From Challenging Its Existence?: (PSYCHIATRIC TIMES)

Remind.org — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:09:57 +0000

PTSD filled a nosological gap by providing a way to characterize the long-lasting effects of trauma exposure This led to a plethora of previously lacking scientific observations. Now the existence of PTSD is being called into question because some of the original assumptions that helped make the case for it have proved to be incorrect. However, it is possible to update some of the flawed assumptions of PTSD without rescinding the diagnosis. There is no reason to throw the baby out with the bathwater. click here to view

PTSD Has Unreliable Diagnostic Criteria: (PSYCHIATRIC TIMES)

Remind.org — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:08:40 +0000

PTSD symptoms may not be linked to trauma. Bodkin and colleagues' showed that among those for whom pharmacological treatment of major depression was considered, patients with and without a trauma history met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD at identical rates (78%). Gold and coworkers' showed that college students without a traumatic experience were more likely to meet the other diagnostic criteria of PTSD. In 1988, the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study found that 30.9% of Vietnam veterans had full-blown PTSD-but only 15% of these vets had been assigned to combat units. click here to view

"Did Anyone Survive the War?": (HUFFINGTON POST)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:53:42 +0000

We must understand what motivates our opponents and the limits of what can be achieved with military power. But let us also understand what war does to the warriors. What stresses are caused by being attacked, by killing and by seeing others killed. Let us be prepared to deal with those consequences from the beginning, not as an afterthought. Let's make sure as many as possible survive the war with as few visible and invisible scars as possible. click here to view

Beyond the Yellow Ribbon: Hope for Returning Veterans: (HUNTINGTON, WV, NEWS)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:53:01 +0000

What made this program and others like it so wonderful, so important, so necessary - was to see current military personnel (both ranking and enlisted), fellow veterans, and healthcare professionals acknowledging that it is okay to hurt, that the psychological wounds of war are as real and significant and respected as the physical. That is a major breakthrough for our armed forces and our society. Imagine if we had more programs like this, in every major city in the country. How much that would help our veterans, our communities, and our nation begin to heal from the wounds of war. click here to view

War's other victims: (BALTIMORE SUN)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:52:12 +0000

Now that the U.S. has for all practical purposes ended its combat role in Iraq by withdrawing from its cities and towns, we should pause to honor those brave men and women who have sacrificed so much these past 75 months. But we should also think about two veterans of that war whose crimes shocked the Army and the nation. In many ways, they were also victims of this war. click here to view

Veterans Affairs Faces Surge Of Disability Claims: (NY TIMES)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:51:30 +0000

He jumped at loud noises, had unpredictable flashes of anger and was constantly replaying battle scenes in his head. When Damian J. Todd, who served two tours in Iraq with the Marine Corps, described those symptoms to a psychiatrist in January 2008, the diagnosis was quick: he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Less swift was the government's response when Mr. Todd submitted, a month later, a disability claim that would entitle him to a monthly benefit check. Nearly 18 months went by before the Department of Veterans Affairs granted his claim late last month, Mr. Todd said. He jumped at loud noises, had unpredictable flashes of anger and was constantly replaying battle scenes in his head. When Damian J. Todd, who served two tours in Iraq with the Marine Corps, described those symptoms to a psychiatrist in January 2008, the diagnosis was quick: he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. click here to view

IG says VA facilities need changes in mental care: (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:35:01 +0000

Two years ago an Iraq war veteran who was allowed to give himself medication overdosed in a Veterans Affairs facility. A new review finds the problems blamed in his death have not been corrected at many VA facilities. click here to view

Iraq war veteran awaits shooting trial as wife looks for help: (LAS VEGAS JOURNAL REVIEW)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:33:41 +0000

She said it was the weight of post-traumatic stress from these and other incidents that caused her 46-year-old husband to mentally collapse last September. That's when he went on a shooting spree that began in their mobile home at Terrible's Lakeside RV Park and Casino in Pahrump and ended after a pre-dawn gunbattle with Nye County sheriff's deputies. click here to view

Milwaukee VA Hospital Gains New Spinal Cord Treatment Center: (VA NEWS)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:34:23 +0000

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded a $26.9 million contract to design and build a free-standing spinal cord injury center at the Milwaukee VA Medical Center. The contract was awarded to the C3T Construction Company of Milwaukee, a service-disabled, Veteran-owned small business. The 67,000-square-foot building will have a connecting tunnel, providing access to the hospital and replace a smaller unit in the main hospital building. Design and construction of the center will overlap and the project is expected to be finished in less than two years. click here to view

Courts For Only Ailing Vets Spur Debate: (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:32:54 +0000

There's one in Santa Ana. And in Anchorage, Alaska; Buffalo, N.Y.; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Phoenix; Santa Clara; and Tulsa, Okla. One is coming to Pittsburgh. These places have or will have courts designed for criminal defendants who are military veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries and/or substance-abuse problems. The goal of these courts is to rehabilitate the veterans not by putting them in jail but by providing aggressive case management, which often includes closely monitored medical treatment, counseling and permanent housing. click here to view

Group Plans Home For Soldier Paralyzed In Crash: (MONTGOMERY, AL, ADVERTISER)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:32:09 +0000

A nonprofit organization that provides special homes for severely wounded U.S. service members is planning to build a home in Trussville for an Army staff sergeant immobilized by a helicopter crash more than two years ago in Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. Scot Noss' wife, Ryann, said she would like to have her husband moved in by Christmas. click here to view

Angelina Jolie Makes Quiet Visit To Support The Troops: (NBC BAY AREA)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:31:19 +0000

Angelina Jolie may be one of the world's biggest stars, but she was able to make a quiet visit to some members of the United States Military last month without the glare of paparazzi lenses. click here to view

Returning soldiers face new challenge: getting a job: (AUSTIN-AMERICAN STATESMAN)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:29:49 +0000

representative who teaches job preparation classes at For Hood, said that a PTSD diagnosis can make it harder to find work. Veterans "know as they go outside that sometimes they have to deal with discrimination," he said. "The reason some employers are worried is that they really don't understand." Veterans advocates say more needs to be done to reduce the stigma some employers attach to PTSD and other mental illnesses. The U.S. government has embarked on a campaign to educate employers, pointing out that veterans with PTSD have symptoms that will decrease over time and can be managed with relatively simple steps such as scheduling rest breaks and adjusting the lighting in the workplace. click here to view

Life and Limb: (WASHINGTON MMONTHLY)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:30:29 +0000

Michael Weisskopf never intended to become part of his own story. The fifty-seven-year-old senior correspondent for Time magazine was in Iraq in December 2003 on a coveted assignment-to profile the American soldier chosen as Time's Person of the Year. For three weeks, Weisskopf was embedded with a platoon of the legendary 1st Armored Division, which was based in Sunni-dominated northwest Baghdad. On the night of December 10, Weisskopf was along on the platoon's routine night patrol when he heard a clatter inside the Humvee. As Weisskopf writes in his new book, Blood Brothers: Among the Soldiers of Ward 57. click here to view

Soldier, paralyzed in combat, stands to welcome comrades: (FLORIDA TODAY)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:29:00 +0000

Army Sgt. Garry Thompson stood in front of his wheelchair with the help of a walker and inched his way up to the airplane ramp as his fellow soldiers walked off. Months ago, Thompson, a Cocoa Beach resident, set a goal of taking a few steps as the troops he served with returned from Afghanistan, where he was critically injured early in their deployment. click here to view

Alzheimer's disease drug treats traumatic brain injury, report GUMC researchers: (GEORGETOWN UNIV MED SCH)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:27:33 +0000

The destructive cellular pathways activated in Alzheimer's disease are also triggered following traumatic brain injury, say researchers from Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC). They say this finding suggests that novel therapy might successfully target both conditions. In an oral presentation at the Alzheimer's Association 2009 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease, the scientists will show that deactivating these pathways in part by using a gamma secretase inhibitor - a class of Alzheimer's disease drugs currently being tested - reduced loss of neurons in animal models of traumatic brain injury and protected the animals against motor and cognitive deficits. click here to view

'Sit! Stay! Snuggle!': An Iraq Vet Finds His Dog Tuesday: (WALL STREET JOURNAL)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:28:17 +0000

Tuesday is a so-called psychiatric-service dog, a new generation of animals trained to help people whose suffering is not physical, but emotional. They are, effectively, Seeing Eye dogs for the mind. Tuesday is with Mr. Montalvan at all hours. Taught to recognize changes in a person's breathing, perspiration or scent that can indicate an imminent panic attack, Tuesday can keep Mr. Montalvan buffered from crowds or deliver a calming nuzzle. Other dogs, typically golden retrievers, Labradors or Labrador retriever blends, are trained to wake masters from debilitating nightmares and to help patients differentiate between hallucinations and reality by barking if a real person is nearby. click here to view

Florida Guard vet fights Army over Purple Heart for injury suffered in Iraq: (St. PETERSBURG TIMES)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:26:55 +0000

The refusal comes even after an Army medical board ruled that Rivera, who was hospitalized for six months, was totally disabled by combat-related traumatic brain injury, or TBI, and other injuries, records show. One problem the Army cites to Rivera: Like many soldiers with TBI, he exhibited the most severe symptoms weeks after the blast and wasn't treated for any of his injuries immediately. The Army says it must be sure the brain injury was caused by combat to award the medal, which is more difficult to do as time passes. click here to view

Troops drinking more, but fixing the causes will be formidable: (KANSAS CITY STAR)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:25:38 +0000

Troubled soldiers' treatment criticized: (USATODAY)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:26:12 +0000

Army commanders are failing at the day-to-day task of monitoring troubled young soldiers in their barracks back home, which is helping push suicides to record numbers, the head of the Army's suicide task force says.The Army has built a fighting force second to none, says Brig. Gen. Colleen McGuire, but "we have young leaders who have not been trained in the art of ... just taking care of soldiers," particularly after they return home from combat. click here to view

Soldiers' bomb trauma: (TORONTO STAR)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:24:59 +0000

Coalition troops in Afghanistan are being attacked by roadside bombs at record levels, leaving Canadians soldiers with a legacy of traumatic brain injuries that health experts are grappling to understand. And the mental toll of having to patrol bomb-seeded roads is expected to show itself in the years ahead in a spike in the number of soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder, military officials say. click here to view

Back From Iraq ... With A Traumatic Brain Injury: (KPCC-RADIO, LA)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:24:16 +0000

One out of every five U.S. soldiers reports coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan with mild traumatic brain injury, also known as TBI. Roadside bombs and Humvee wrecks are often to blame. TBI symptoms can be hard to identify, but Army doctors are finding more cases because of baseline testing that began two years ago. Early detection is helping more soldiers heal instead of suffering in silence.click here to view

Vets with post-traumatic stress are at high risk of dementia: (USA TODAY)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:57:08 +0000

Veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have a significantly higher risk of developing dementia compared with veterans who don't have the disorder, a study reports today. Using data from the Department of Veterans Affairs National Patient Care Database, scientists from the University of California-San Francisco analyzed files of 181,093 veterans ages 55 and older without dementia from 1997 to 2000. The mean age at the start of the study was 68, and 97% were male. click here to view

Can Brains Be Saved?: (PARADE MAGAZINE)

Remind.org — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:56:22 +0000

Despite its prevalence, brain injury bears a stigma. To many of the uninitiated, a person with TBI equals "slow" or "retarded." I used to be one of the uninitiated. Then, in January 2006, my husband, Bob, was injured in Iraq by a roadside bomb while covering the war for ABC News. Hundreds of pieces of rock shrapnel became embedded in his face, neck, and back, and his skull was shattered. Doctors were unsure whether he would ever be able to walk or talk again or regain much mental function. They also told me that if and when he regained consciousness, I could expect that his healing would be largely concluded by the end of two years. click here to view

Homeless vets on the rise in city: (VICKBURG POST)

Remind.org — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:43:54 +0000

Any given week, about seven U.S. veterans are homeless in Vicksburg. Brother Ernie Hall, assistant director of River City Rescue Mission, said the number increases by about 10 each year. There's no single explanation why. click here to view

Elmo and the Brigadier General: (NEXTGOV)

Remind.org — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:43:11 +0000

Elmo, the fire engine red Sesame Street Muppet, will make a special guest appearance with Army Brig. Gen. Loree Sutton, director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, at a press conference in Philadelphia next week. She will unveil how Elmo and his pals can help kids deal with the stress of military deployments. click here to view

Nonprofit Group Opens Veterans' Court: (WMAZ-TV, MACON, GA)

Remind.org — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:42:26 +0000

Wilson says she hopes that the veterans' court will serve as an alternative for prison. "This is not a 'get out of jail free' card. This is a 'I believe in you, I trust in you, you laid your life down for us, now it's time for us to repay the favor by giving you the help that you already paid for,'" Wilson said. click here to view

Staten Island's Rescue Co. 5 honors hero soldiers: (STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE)

Remind.org — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:41:38 +0000

One by one they stepped off the bus, some with prosthetic arms, some with prosthetic legs, but none missing a beat as they went into Rescue Co. 5's station in Concord, where firefighters greeted them with a spread of food, drinks and open arms. This was just a pit stop yesterday afternoon for 42 severely injured soldiers on their way to Rockaway Beach, where the Wounded Warrior Project and Disabled Sports USA geared up to treat the 35 Americans and seven British service men and women to a fun weekend of water skiing, fishing and scuba diving. click here to view

A Hero's Angel: (ARMY NEWS)

Remind.org — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:39:33 +0000

Although a somber scene, it is not an uncommon one for the Peru, Ind., native, who in addition to her primary duties throughout the last 14 months, has taken it upon herself to ensure no U.S. casualty passes away alone. Holding each of their hands, she sits with them until the end, no matter the day or the hour. click here to view

Specialty PTSD clinic planned for east Tennessee servicemen: (WBIR-TV KNOXVILLE)

Remind.org — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:40:34 +0000

Now, in what will soon be the old Fort Sanders Hospital in Sevierville, a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder specialty clinic is in the works. It will be a place for servicemen, law enforcement, or firefighters to get help, drastically changing how veterans are cared for. Currently, a Knoxville native looking for counseling or help has to travel to Johnson City or Murfreesboro. The proposed clinic would be a family-friendly environment. The serviceman could have their husband, wife, and children with them as they seek treatment. * Symposium looks to find the best care for military's wounded: (KILLEEN DAILY HERALD) --- The fifth-annual event, which began Wednesday, brings together 65 wounded soldiers, veterans and military family members from around the country to identify the top care and transition issues they want Army leadership to address. Possible discussion topics range from availability of specialized physicians to support for the wounded soldiers' spouses and children. click here to view

Suicides in US Army rise in first half of 2009: (Agence France-Presse)

Remind.org — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:38:51 +0000

Suicides in the US Army are on the rise with 88 suspected cases in the first six months of the year, compared to 67 in the same period in 2008, according to Pentagon figures issued. The latest figures confirmed warnings from top US military officers that the number of suicides among active-duty soldiers this year was on track to surpass a record level set in 2008. click here to view

Financial problems or PTSD need not affect security clearance: (ARMY NEWS)

Remind.org — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:37:56 +0000

"All Army personnel should understand that they can obtain counseling services for financial and mental health issues without undue concern of placing their security clearance status in jeopardy," said Col. Edward Fish, commander, U.S. Army Central Personnel Security Clearance Facility, known as the CCF. Army leaders want to ensure Soldiers that the security clearance process is fair, equitable and comprehensive and the Army is taking steps to ensure it remains that way. click here to view

PTSD: a Marine vet on cure vs. management: (FOREIGN AFFAIRS)

Remind.org — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:37:07 +0000

Regarding your new post on PTSD I'm glad that you posted the great link and, on a purely confidential basis, I believe the fairly common idea (certainly on the shrink side) that "PTSD...cannot be cured, only managed", may turn out to be a pile of horse manure in the long run. How society defines its illnesses has a huge impact on their treatment. click here to view

A Q&A with David Feherty: (YAHOO SPORTS)

Remind.org — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:48:31 +0000

There was a Green Beret who wanted to walk with me, was on two prosthetic legs. Had just gotten 'em. The first day, he walks 12 holes, and I'm just stunned by this guy. No self-pity, such courage and dignity.... So this guy is walking with us, his stump is bleeding, he's falling over a couple times. But he wasn't embarrassed, he just popped back up. And As he's walking, I'm thinking, I've got these kinds of people fighting for me. That's what makes me do whatever I can. click here to view

PTSD: Capt. Sullenberger and Ditching in the Hudson River - Reprise: (SALEM-NEWS, OR) --

Remind.org — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:49:20 +0000

Capt. Sullenberger had many nights of disturbed sleep after what he calls "the worst five minutes of my life". I and other Combat Vets can sympathize with that. We had it every mission or artillery barrage. Three of his crew, co-pilot and two flight attendants have been able to return to work. He has plans to do this this fall. One of his flight attendants still cannot even put on her uniform. She was the ONLY person severely injured. If anyone considers the Captain or the injured flight attendants sissies or wimps, they have a serious skewed problem with reality. click here to view

Help needed for children of soldiers: (STAR-BULLETIN, HONOLULU)

Remind.org — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:47:51 +0000

The findings have grave implications in Hawaii, where many spouses and children remain while their active-duty loved ones are repeatedly deployed to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. For some families, being based so far from extended family elsewhere in the United States compounds the stress and sense of isolation. click here to view

Legislation would help some returning veterans: (THE SENTINEL, FREEHOLD, NJ)

Remind.org — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:46:59 +0000

The amendment to H.R. 2647 would require the Secretary of Defense to call returning Individual Ready Reserve veterans once every 90 days to determine the emotional, psychological, medical and career needs of the veterans. It would also require any IRR veteran identified as being at risk of selfcaused harm to be referred to the nearest military medical treatment facility or accredited TRICARE provider for immediate evaluation and treatment by a qualified mental health care provider. click here to view

Iraqi War Vet Says He Lost UPMC Job Over Deployment: (WPXI-TV, PITTSBURGH)

Remind.org — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:45:36 +0000

Stadtmiller heads a West Virginia National Guard unit and said he was fired in May 2008, three months after telling his superiors that his unit would be redeployed to Iraq.... Stadtmiller was wounded by a roadside bomb while serving with the Army Reserves in Iraq in 2005. He requested various workplace accommodations because of his injuries while working for UPMC from November 2007 until May 2008. click here to view

Probe Finds VA Vulnerable To Fraud: (WASHINGOTN POST)

Remind.org — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:46:18 +0000

An investigation in the wake of a major fraud case involving the Department of Veterans Affairs regional office in Louisville has found that other VA offices around the country suffer security shortfalls that leave them vulnerable to the same type of alleged fraud. click here to view

Prosthetic alignment system to be made in Oklahoma: (FORBES)

Remind.org — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:44:52 +0000

Boone described the technology as the most sophisticated device ever created in the field of prosthetics. "This is just the start of where we're going," he said. Boone said Orthocare is working with the VA to have the technology approved for injured soldiers. click here to view

Marines reinstate wounded sergeant: (DAILY FREEMAN, NY)

Remind.org — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:44:07 +0000

Eddie Ryan, a wounded Marine sergeant who lives in Ellenville, thought that if his health improved, duty would call again. But the Marine Corps dashed that hope in May when it told Ryan, who's 25 and must use a wheelchair, that he was being retired from military service. "Cheated," was how Ryan felt, he said by telephone on Wednesday. But he's feeling much different now, having learned his request for reinstatement was approved."It is my honor to serve my country," he said. click here to view

City veteran ready to go for gold: (Statesvill.com)

Remind.org — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:42:58 +0000

Ramsey, who grew up in Statesville and recently moved back to the city after living in Durham, lost his right leg three years ago as the result of an injury that began when he was in the U.S. Army from the mid-1970s until the early 1980s. Next week he will compete in his first National Veterans Wheelchair Games, which is put on by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. The event, which is in its 29th year, will be in Spokane, Wash. Along with basketball, Ramsey will compete in air-rifle target shooting, 9-ball on the pool table, softball and shot put. click here to view

Vietnam vets hope to reach new generation: (STOCKTON RECORD)

Remind.org — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:42:00 +0000

The core of this informal support group goes back about five years - they've had as many as 25 in attendance - but in the past year or so they've made a conscious effort to reach out to the newest generation of America's combat veterans serving in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. They hope to see more young veterans at their meetings. click here to view

Casa Colina plans new project for vets, families: (CONTRA COSTA TIMES, CA)

Remind.org — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:41:15 +0000

Casa Colina Centers for Rehabilitation is accepting applications for the new program, which will be offered free to 12 veterans or active military personnel with moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries and their families. A goal of the program is to show participants that even though a traumatic brain injury has had an impact on their lives, with some adjustments they can still have fun as families, said Fred Aronow, director of the Casa Colina Foundation. click here to view

Mullen issues call for more community support: (MILITARY TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:39:48 +0000

The nation's top military officer on Wednesday called for increased government and local community support for service members, their families and the families of fallen soldiers, citing their sacrifices and increased stress levels brought about by eight years of war and repeated, frequent deployments. click here to view

Air Force wounded warrior visits White House: (USAF NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:40:32 +0000

Airman Dunlap, a security forces journeyman assigned to the 59th Patient Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, was one of five Airmen chosen to participate in a Fourth of July Salute to the Military event at the White House. click here to view

War at Home: Military rethinks suicide tally: (TORONTO STAR)

Remind.org — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:39:03 +0000

Attempts to more accurately depict the military suicide rate are part of a larger effort to more aggressively identify and treat mental health problems among Canadian soldiers. As in Canada, the United States Army now trains new recruits in the signs and triggers of psychological problems. This fall, though, the U.S. military is launching a program that allows soldiers to test their mental fitness every two years and to seek help if signs of illness appear. click here to view

More troops' kids struggle with mental anguish: (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Remind.org — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:38:21 +0000

After nearly eight years of war, soldiers are not the only ones experiencing mental anguish. Their children are, too. Last year, children of U.S. troops sought outpatient mental health care 2 million times - double the number at the start of the Iraq war. There was also an alarming spike in the number of military kids actually hospitalized for mental health reasons. click here to view

Valley Veterans Struggle to Heal Unseen Wounds: (KFSN-TV, FRESNO)

Remind.org — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:36:46 +0000

The realities of war can leave veterans of all ages with unseen and debilitating wounds. These days the on-going War on Terror has led to a backlog of nearly one million Benefits Claims at the nation's Veterans Administration and there are Valley veterans waiting for assistance. We talked with two such vets at the Fresno County Veterans Service Office in Central Fresno. Two men eager to explain why such help is needed by so many. click here to view

Virtual Iraq targets combat disorders: (CHICAGO TRIBUNE)

Remind.org — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:37:31 +0000

Veterans grappling with post-traumatic stress disorder got an up-close and jarring look at a new immersion therapy offered by an Elk Grove Village hospital. Called Virtual Iraq, it's like a combat video game, where the players put on goggles and headphones and use a joystick to dodge roadside bombs and snipers while the scent of diesel fuel wafts around them.click here to view

Stress center gives hope to weary: (MILITARY TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:36:00 +0000

The toll on Marines and sailors from eight years of war, overseas deployments, extended tours and repeated family separations isn't lost on Navy Capt. Paul Hammer. Hammer hopes to ease the stress he sees on the faces and in the actions of many of these veterans, from the petty officer returning from a tour in the Persian Gulf to the commander heading out on an individual augmentee tour to the grizzled Marine sergeant mourning the loss of his best friend. click here to view

Stress center gives hope to weary fleet(Navy Times)

Remind.org — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:17:08 +0000

SAN DIEGO - The toll on Marines and sailors from eight years of war, overseas deployments, extended tours and repeated family separations isn't lost on Navy Capt. Paul Hammer.

Hammer hopes to ease the stress he sees on the faces and in the actions of many of these veterans, from the petty officer returning from a tour in the Persian Gulf to the commander heading out on an individual augmentee tour to the grizzled Marine sergeant mourning the loss of his best friend. click here to view

Retiring Marine Pushed Establishing Support For Recuperating Troops (WASHINGTON POST)

Remind.org — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:25:15 +0000

Back from Iraq, recuperating from a severe head wound, Lt. Col. Tim Maxwell visited other recovering Marines and began asking himself a question: Why were they alone?

The Marines were living in empty barracks at Camp Lejeune, N.C., while the rest of their units were still deployed in Iraq. Though they had been released from the hospital, they had suffered serious injuries and were on medications with little supervision.

The Marines were lonely, depressed and isolated. "I was just thinking about their being alone," recalled Maxwell, 42. "Why can't wounded guys live in the same barracks?" The simple question Maxwell asked is credited with changing how the Marine Corps supports its wounded. His advocacy for central billeting for Marines recovering from injuries led two years ago to the creation of the Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment, headquartered at Marine Corps Base Quantico.

On Friday, at his retirement ceremony at the National Museum of the Marine Corps at Quantico, Maxwell was saluted for his achievements by a crowd of 200 people, among them Gen. James F. Amos, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps.

On Oct. 7, 2004, Maxwell was serving as the operations officer for the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit at a forward operating base near the town of Iskandariyah, 25 miles south of Baghdad. Maxwell had gone to his tent for a nap when a barrage of 15 mortars hit.

"The first one hit me," Maxwell said. "I know that because I would have heard them otherwise." When he came to, Maxwell tried to make his way outside. "I couldn't see anything," he said. "I had a hell of a time finding the door."

Outside the tent, Maxwell collapsed. Shrapnel from the mortar had penetrated his skull, inflicting severe brain damage. At Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, some doctors doubted he would survive.

Sent to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maxwell slowly began to recover, but his concern soon turned to other wounded Marines.

"As soon as he was cognizant, he got in his wheelchair and began visiting wounded Marines," recalled his wife, Shannon Maxwell.

Continuing his recovery at Camp Lejeune in 2005, Maxwell voiced concerns to superiors about the isolation of wounded Marines. "When they leave the hospitals, they got sent to empty barracks," he said. That year, Camp Lejeune established a wounded warrior barracks and named it Maxwell Hall in his honor.

"We learned as time went by of more problems, guys were getting addicted to painkillers," Maxwell said. "It grew and grew, and that's when the regiment got formed." In April 2007, the Wounded Warrior Regiment was activated at Quantico with the mission to help wounded Marines and their families throughout their recovery. The regiment includes wounded warrior battalions at Camp Lejeune and Camp Pendleton.

All the while, Maxwell has visited military hospitals and tried to give hope to family members of troops suffering from traumatic brain injuries.

"He'd look into their eyes, and he would say, 'He's still there. He's coming back,' " Shannon Maxwell said. "He's a living example that you can live through the worst." After years of steady improvement, Maxwell's condition deteriorated last year, and he began losing movement on his right side. "Last July, I went back to the hospital, and it's never been the same," he said.

Retirement made sense, he decided. "It's about time," Maxwell said. While Maxwell is uncertain about the details of what he will do next, he said his general path is clear.

"I'm not done getting better," he said. "Whatever I do is going to be involved in helping wounded guys."

When the War Never Ends: (CHRISTIANITY TODAY)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:08:49 +0000

Many vets are ambushed by post-traumatic stress disorder. But some churches are coming to their defense. click here to view

What congress can and can't do for troops, families: (STARS & STRIPES)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:12:30 +0000

his year's defense bills - both the version passed by the House, and the Senate bill to be debated on the floor after the July 4th recess - call for a 3.4 percent military pay raise in January, continuing a string of increases that have surpassed private sector wage growth every year since 2000. Otherwise, the fiscal 2010 defense bill is lighter than usual on significant personnel initiatives. There are many possible reasons for this. click here to view

[Sen Arlen Specter] We owe our veterans much more than this: (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:11:34 +0000

No veteran should ever have to await his "bonus." The nation owes its veterans a debt it can never repay. Foremost among its obligations to them is safe, reliable health care. click here to view

Network helps vets cope with stresses: (THE TENNESSEAN)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:09:45 +0000

They're not alone anymore. Jones and Nashville businessman Carter Andrews have teamed up to found the Warriors' Legacy Fund, a network dedicated to getting returning soldiers the counseling and help they need, and that the system doesn't always provide. "This is a community foundation in Middle Tennessee dedicated to helping soldiers and their families deal with the invisible wounds of war," Andrews said. click here to view

Vietnam War veteran and his daughter use his story to help others: (FLINT JOURNAL, MI)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:10:42 +0000

The father-daughter duo spend their time as civilian volunteers for the Michigan National Guard, attending several retreats around Michigan designed for soldiers to reconnect with their families after long months of separation. They travel with Flint resident and Vietnam vet Tom Devine who started their volunteer group. Their message -- it's OK to not be OK. click here to view

Injured soldier longs for return: (TRIBUNE-CHRONICLE, WARREN, OH)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:05:41 +0000

It hasn't been an easy recovery for the would-be career soldier, and he might not make it back to his unit at all. The process has been a long one. It's been taxing on his parents, too, who spent one week after the March 2007 explosion not knowing whether their son was alive or whether he had died in surgery. click here to view

Getting Back in the Game: (WASHINGTON POST)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:04:37 +0000

And before you think this sounds like an ordinary schoolyard game, watch, then, as Hill, Knowles and their teammates each grab the sides of their wheelchairs, pivot and head back downcourt on defense. Each of the 10 men on the court, none older than 26, has lost at least one limb in combat. And many of them said no activity has provided better physical or emotional therapy than their time on the hardwood every Thursday. click here to view

Oregon medics now flying missions in Iraq: (KCBY-TV, COOS BAY, OR)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:03:25 +0000

Seeing a young man or woman swathed in sterile blue blankets instead of a uniform, carried on a litter by six or seven hospital staff, causes a sensation that defies description. "I'm sure we've all seen the war movies and the action movies in Hollywood," says First Sergeant Travis Powell, a flight medic from Mollala, Ore. "No one can parallel or even give you anything close to what it's like when you see your own." click here to view

Distress signals: (CONCORD MONITOR, NH)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:02:26 +0000

As Charlen McLean buried her oldest son yesterday, uncertainty weighted her grief: Why, after six tours of duty, was Staff Sgt. Charles Edward Dane dead by suicide? click here to view

Death of Psychiatrist and Other Soldiers Triggers Inquiry Into Military's Mental Health Care: (PSYCHIATRIC TIMES)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:00:49 +0000

Alarmed by the rising suicide rate among soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and "wanting to help," Matthew "Matt" Houseal, MD, a psychiatrist with the Texas Panhandle Mental Health Mental Retardation Center (TPMHMR), reenlisted as an Army Reservist and volunteered to serve in Iraq. click here to view

Military launches mental illness awareness campaign: (HR REPORTER, CANADA)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:00:00 +0000

The Canadian military is launching a campaign to encourage soldiers with mental illnesses, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), to step forward and get the help they need. click here to view

A Family's Valor, A Nation's Freedom: (WALL STREET JOURNAL)

Remind.org — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:58:00 +0000

When stories had been told, tears wept, and grief expressed, Mr. Bush asked if he could do anything. At that, Bill Krissoff spoke. "Yes," he said. "I'm a pretty good orthopedic surgeon. When my younger son is deployed to Iraq next March, I would like to be working as a Navy medical officer, but they won't let me because I am 61 years old. Will you give me an age waiver, Mr. President?" Mr. Bush pointed to me. Dr. Krissoff and I exchanged business cards and he promised to fax me his application. click here to view

Combat veterans, families pay heavy price: (ST. HELENA STAR, CA)

Remind.org — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:57:10 +0000

Although the military seems often fortuitously "hazy" on the correlation between exposure to combat and incidence of PTSD, various studies exist that prove that relationship is fairly linear. More combat equals more PTSD. And more PTSD, of course, creates more opportunities for suicide. click here to view

Funding doubled for midstate veterans assistance program: (PATRIOT -NEWS, HARRISBURG)

Remind.org — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:55:41 +0000

The Greater Harrisburg YWCA's homeless veterans reintegration program might be able to serve twice as many people next year.The rapid growth of the service in the midstate region led the U.S. Department of Labor to more than double its funding for the next year. click here to view

The U.S. in Iraq: An economics lesson: (LA TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:56:25 +0000

Moreover, the U.S. has barely begun to face the enormous financial bill for the war. By our accounting, the U.S. has already spent $1 trillion on operations and related defense spending, with more to come -- and it will cost perhaps $2 trillion more to repay the war debt, replenish military equipment and provide care and treatment for U.S. veterans back home. Many of the wounded will require indefinite care for brain and spinal injuries. click here to view

Way Station to provide job training for veterans: (FREDERICK NEWS, MD)

Remind.org — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:54:56 +0000

Way Station Inc. has won almost $800,000 in two federal grants to help veterans find jobs. The Frederick -based nonprofit will receive $500,000 to provide veterans with job training focusing on green jobs, and $299,999 to assist homeless veterans in finding work. click here to view

Veterans to be trained for green jobs under U.S. program: (LA TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:54:15 +0000

A veterans outreach organization in Long Beach was named one of 17 groups nationwide Wednesday to receive a share of $7.5 million to train veterans for green jobs. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis announced the agency grants to provide about 3,000 veterans nationwide with training and employment in green jobs. In California, the Long Beach site will get $500,000 to train about 100 veterans in Los Angeles County and find work for them. An additional $300,000 will aid 75 veterans in the San Francisco Bay Area. click here to view

Psychologist counsels troops, families for free: (OBSERVER & ECCENTRIC, DETROIT)

Remind.org — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:52:39 +0000

Livonia psychologist Joseph A. Damiani has joined Give an Hour, a nonpartisan, nonprofit national network of nearly 4,000 mental health professionals who are providing free counseling services to returning troops and their families. Give an Hour offers services to veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and their family members including married or unmarried partners, parents, siblings, aunts/uncles - anyone connected to the veteran who is suffering a psychological effect related to the veteran's service. click here to view

Yellow Ribbon Fund Keeps Troops' Families Mobile: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:53:32 +0000

Service members' long-term rehabilitation shouldn't keep them, or their family members, bound to the hospital grounds, and the Yellow Ribbon Fund is working to make sure that doesn't happen. click here to view

Gates Visits Wounded Warriors, Returns Two to Washington: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:51:56 +0000

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates visited Landstuhl Regional Medical Center here yesterday, meeting with wounded warriors and the staff that treats them and touring a new USO facility that's providing them a better quality of life as they heal. click here to view

Wounded EOD technician has big plans: (UAF NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:51:13 +0000

Faced with adversity that for some seems unrealistic to overcome, Sergeant Flowers looks to the future for two things: to train the next generation of EOD technicians and to get back on the golf course. "This isn't a career ender anymore," he said. "As long as I can get back up on my feet and learn to walk again -- which is going to be no problem -- I hope they're going to keep me in the Air Force. If I can, I'll go down to the school house at Eglin (Air Force Base, Fla.) and will try to teach." click here to view

Wounded Warrior Diaries: Family Heals Together, Stays Together: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:50:25 +0000

A retired Army captain who survived third-degree burns over 30 percent of his body while stationed in Iraq believes that through family, faith and a lot of hard work, anything can be overcome. Capt. Alvin Eugene Shell Jr., who served with the 16th Military Police Brigade, credits his wife, Danielle, his three sons, his mother and father, and his wife's parents for helping him recover. They are his heroes. click here to view

WVU team develops anti-infection technology: (LINCOLN JOURNAL, WV)

Remind.org — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:48:47 +0000

Wounded Vets Getting New Form of Mobility: (KTVI-TV, ST LOUIS)

Remind.org — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:49:37 +0000

Rehab has not been fun, but life is beginning to get better. Two months ago the charity "Segs for Vets" donated a Segway to Chas. He has mastered the art of balancing on one good leg and one prosthetic leg. "It helps us move around a lot faster, " he says. "We're not stuck to a wheelchair or crutches…we can hop on our Segway and go zooming along." click here to view

Confidential DoD memo outlines problems for wounded troops: (CNN)

Remind.org — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:48:02 +0000

While the military has instituted dozens of programs to help troubled soldiers with post traumatic stress, brain injuries, and other problems, a number of troops at Fort Hood, Texas, have privately told the nation's top military officer they feel they are treated poorly because they are wounded, ill or injured. In an April 19 confidential memo to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Michael Mullen, outlined a number of problems he observed during a trip to several military locations in Texas days before. click here to view

Suicide victim's mom: 'Bad things happen to good soldiers": (UNION-LEADER, NH)

Remind.org — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:47:18 +0000

But yesterday, during an interview aired nationally on CNN, McLean and her husband talked about the final days of Dane's life, one that ended on June 25 when the 37-year-old veteran of six tours of combat committed suicide. They will remember all the good days, but they hope others will learn from the ones that led to Dane's tragic end. "Bad things happen to good soldiers," Charlen McLean said. "There are scars that are invisible." click here to view

Vet loses personal battle: (CNN)

Remind.org — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:41:17 +0000

CNN's Kyra Phillips talks to grieving parents who just lost their Marine son to suicide.click here to view

Killed in action: (HONOLULU WEEKLY)

Remind.org — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:40:07 +0000

A suicide epidemic has soldiers killing themselves in record high numbers. Some months this year saw more American soldiers die by suicide than in combat. Hawaii has sent a vast number of troops to Iraq-more, at times, than any other state. Now, with a flood of soldiers now returning from Iraq, the ramped-up U.S. presence in Afghanistan and some local units preparing for their fourth and fifth deployments, Honolulu Weekly examines the toll that war is taking on our soldiers and their families, and what the agencies designed to serve them are doing about it. click here to view

Researchers Say Estrogen Might Help Brain Injured: (AHN)

Remind.org — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:39:14 +0000

People who suffer a traumatic brain injury might recover faster if they are given a dose of estrogen, researchers at the UT Southwestern Medical Center say. Researchers used double blind studies in two clinical trials to find out if a single, early dose of estrogen after a person suffered a severe traumatic brain injury or traumatic hemorrhagic shock could improve neurological and survival outcomes. click here to view

Healing Hidden Wounds: The Mental Health Crisis of America's Veterans: (JOINT FORCES QUARTERLY)

Remind.org — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:37:57 +0000

After our return from the first deployment, I held small roundtable discussions with my Marines and Sailors to talk about what we had seen, how each of us would characterize the deployment, what it was like to be home, and how those feelings manifested themselves. Many of the participants in these discussions commented that the operational tempo of the deployment was incredibly demanding... and they liked it; that being back in garrison was slow, boring, and meaningless; that those who didn't deploy with us "just didn't get it;" and that everyone missed those they served with. Although only a few admitted they had experienced symptoms of combat stress (e.g., sleeplessness, anxiety, anger, intrusive thoughts) most everyone's alcohol consumption had gone up exponentially, suggesting there were some issues my Marines, Sailors, and me , were not dealing with very well. click here to view

New PTSD program answers need for comprehensive treatment: (USAF NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:37:01 +0000

The solution came in the creation of an intensive eight-week therapeutic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Day Treatment Program called "evolution" that began in March 2009 at LRMC. During the eight-hour days, patients enrolled in the program participate in multiple disciplines and interests, including art therapy, yoga and meditation classes, substance abuse groups, anger and grief management, tobacco cessation, pain management and multiple PTSD evidence-based practice protocols. click here to view

Fordham Expands Opportunities for Veterans: (FORDHAM UNIVERSITY)

Remind.org — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:26:04 +0000

A new program for returning veterans seeking a Fordham education will be launched in the fall. FordhamVets, an initiative including all of the University's undergraduate, graduate and professional schools, is intended to ensure that academic and support programs are as "veterans-friendly" as possible. Fordham also has committed to participating in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Yellow Ribbon Program. This provision of the GI Bill encourages degree-granting institutions to provide tuition assistance to veterans over and above standard VA education benefits. click here to view

Gov't tax credit aims to get veterans back to work: (KVBC-TV LAS VEGAS)

Remind.org — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:25:09 +0000

You often hear of soldiers returning home from war only to be shunned when it comes to finding federal work. Now, News 3's Hetty Chang reports that the federal government is stepping in to help. Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, businesses are being offered an incentive: a $2,400 tax credit if they hire veterans returning from war. click here to view

The Wyden 5: (OREGON LIVE)

Remind.org — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:24:19 +0000

The occasion was to announce a package of five bills that Wyden will introduce in July to deal with benefits for vets and their families. The bills are a response to the concerns that Wyden and his staff, along with members of the state's Veterans Reintegration Task Force managed by Kulongoski aide Paul Evans, picked up in talking to vets' families around the state. click here to view

Iraq and Afghanistan veterans to get wet at Adaptive Water Sports Festival: (NY DAILY NEWS)

Remind.org — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:23:26 +0000

Imagine learning to water-ski after losing a leg, or scuba dive without an arm. For a group of wounded Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans, a festival in the Rockaways will get them off dry land to do exactly that, in spite of their life-changing injuries. click here to view

Injured soldiers look for peace of mind: (ANCHORAGE DAILY NEWS)

Remind.org — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:22:22 +0000

Copas, 25, is part of Fort Richardson's Warrior Transition Battalion, which helps injured soldiers heal and recover, so that they can return to active duty or prepare for life outside the military. On Sunday, the unit's soldiers and their families were invited to a day on Finger Lake in Wasilla put together by Challenge Alaska -- which helps people with disabilities enjoy sports and recreation -- and the Palmer Elks Lodge. click here to view

Surf therapy for stressed veterans: (BBC)

Remind.org — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:21:28 +0000

On the beach at Gwithian Downs near Hayle in Cornwall, Rich Emerson is teaching a surf lesson. His students are two fellow war veterans and all three are suffering post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after combat tours. click here to view

A Home Away From Home: Fort Bragg's Fisher House Helps Soldiers, Families: (ARMY NEWS)

Remind.org — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:20:35 +0000

When a Soldier makes the decision to serve our country, so does the family. The family is right there next to the Soldier enduring the many moves, separations and sometimes more critical situations. It's when those serious situations arise that the Army and its supporters come together to ensure the Soldier and his or her family are taken care of during their time of need. click here to view

Local soldier severely wounded in Iraq: MEXICO, MO LEDGER)

Remind.org — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:18:46 +0000

The Mexico Ledger has received multiple calls regarding the well-being of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Robert Canine, who in early May was severely injured during a combat maneuver in Iraq. The Ledger made inquiries, but Canine's family had flown to Washington, D.C., to be by his side, and were unavailable for comment. Late last week, The Ledger was granted an exclusive telephone interview with Canine - who is faring well with his rehabilitation, and was slightly modest about being dubbed a hometown hero. click here to view

With some work, veterans will find their way to Wrigley Field: (MILWAULKEE JOURNAL-SENTINEL)

Remind.org — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:19:44 +0000

A volunteer with Wisconsin veterans organizations, Larry Smith thought it would be relatively easy to get eight donated tickets for veterans recently returned from Iraq and Afghanistan to attend the Fourth of July Brewers-Cubs game at Wrigley Field. The Pembine man, whose father suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder from the Korean War, knew Major League Baseball is planning a national "Welcome Back Veterans" campaign this Saturday at all ballparks hosting games. He figured some Wisconsin veterans suffering from the disorder would like to see the game. click here to view

Wounded Warriors Return to Iraq: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:17:56 +0000

Now, almost a year and a half later, and after months of rehabilitation and physical therapy at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., Burrell returned to Iraq with five other amputee combat veterans as part of Operation Proper Exit. click here to view

Fighting the WAR to a full recovery: (JACKSONVILLE, NC, DAILY NEWS)

Remind.org — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:16:56 +0000

For the Marines of Wounded Warrior Battalion - East at Camp Lejeune, they're also part of a rehabilitation program that's encouraging athletics and competition. Through the Warrior Athlete Rehabilitation (WAR) program, wounded Marines and sailors are able to train as athletes, while increasing their strength so they can continue with military service or have a healthy life afterwards, program organizers said. click here to view

Disabled Veterans Get Help Faster at Ft. Carson: (KRDO-TV COLORADO SPRINGS)

Remind.org — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:16:07 +0000

The Mountain Post officially introduced its new Disability Evaluation System Monday that will help soldiers get disabilities benefits faster. D.E.S. is one of 18 pilot sites nationally. It's one of the largest and the only one that has its own medical staff. click here to view

Army team gives special welcome home to all wounded: (ARMY NEWS)

Remind.org — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:15:08 +0000

Wounded Soldiers sent home from overseas are greeted by their own before they are even off the plane at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. The Army's wounded are welcomed back to the country by a team of three Soldiers from the U.S. Army Military District of Washington: the Medical Evacuation to CONUS Hospitals team. Col. James Conaway, Master Sgt. Jon Taylor and Master Sgt. Juan Reyna act as advocates and liaisons for wounded Soldiers transitioning back to the United States. click here to view

Guardsmen say chemical exposure changed lives: (MILITARY TIMES)

Remind.org — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:14:16 +0000

David Moore's postwar life turned into a harrowing medical mystery: nosebleeds and labored breathing that made it impossible to work, much less speak. His desperate search for answers ended last year when he died of lung disease at age 42. What these three men - one sick, one dying, one dead - had in common is they were National Guard soldiers on the same stretch of wind-swept desert in Iraq during the early months of the war in 2003. click here to view

Alexian conference highlights veterans' mental health issues: (CHICAGO DAILY-HERALD)

Remind.org — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:13:22 +0000

Now working as at his department's training facility, Henderson knows he's one of the few military veterans who is unafraid to seek help for any emotional stress he feels from his combat service. "I'm good," he said. "I'm talking to people and not holding it in, but there are guys who don't want to or think they don't need to and they struggle. click here to view

The Nightmare Cure: (STRATEGY PAGE)

Remind.org — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:12:32 +0000

The U.S. Department of Defense has modified one of the U.S. Army's training games (Full Spectrum Warrior, or FSW) to help therapists treat combat veterans suffering from combat fatigue (PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder). FSW is your basic first-person shooter video game, but much more realistic. To turn FSW into a PTSD treatment tool, a new set of scenarios were created, and smells were added. The "virtual therapy" enables troops with PTSD to confront their fears, and learn to cope with them. The modified FSW was called Virtual Iraq. click here to view

'The military didn't want to pay for me for the rest of my life': (KVAL-TV, EUGENE, OR)

Remind.org — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:11:42 +0000

Driftmyer was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder by Eugene doctors after he was chaptered out from the special forces unit in Baghdad. He suffered several mental breakdowns during his service, but his discharge was classified as "other than medical." "Because the military didn't want to pay for me for the rest of my life," said Driftmyer. Driftmyer gets monthly disability pay for his physical injuries acquired in Iraq, but not for his mental health. click here to view

REGISTRATION DEADLINE NEARS FOR FREE FAMILY GETAWAY

Remind.org — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:47:40 +0000

POMONA, Calif., June 26, 2009 — The deadline is approaching for military personnel returning from service with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), and the families with whom they are reuniting, to register for participation in a free “camp” designed to help them readjust to home and community life in a relaxing and enjoyable setting. The registration deadline is July 27, however, if spaces are available after that date, additional applicants will be considered.

The Survive & Thrive Veterans and Families Project, launched by Casa Colina Centers for Rehabilitation, will hold its first-ever session, Sept. 17-20, near Big Bear Lake in California’s San Bernardino Mountains. Additional sessions for other families will be held in spring and fall 2010.

The camp is designed for Iraq/Afghanistan veterans and other service members with traumatic brain injury and their families. Attendees will participate in sports and outdoor activities, relax and enjoy nature in the peace of beauty of the mountains, and talk with other TBI families to create solutions to challenges. Casa Colina’s rehabilitation physicians and licensed therapists will be available to assist participants as they discover new ways to achieve a more successful and productive home life.

Casa Colina is currently accepting applications for the upcoming session, and interested families should contact the Survive & Thrive office at (909) 596-7733, extension 5577, or toll-free (800) 926-5462, ext. 5577, or via e-mail at surviveandthrive@casacolina.org. All applicants must meet Casa Colina’s eligibility requirements prior to being accepted for the program.

Casa Colina has received a grant from the McCormick Foundation’s “Welcome Back Veterans” Initiative to pay for camp-related costs, including housing, meals, activities and sports. Travel scholarships are also available. All meals and amenities will be provided.

Of the estimated 75,000 service members of the current Iraq and Afghanistan deployment who have survived with brain injuries, nearly 6,000 are classified as having “moderate” to “severe” brain injury. People with traumatic brain injury have been the special focus of Casa Colina’s continuum of care, which has been developed for the general public for more than 30 years. From this work, the staff at Casa Colina understands that, for both the person with the brain injury and the entire family, the process of reconnecting and re-integrating back into the home and community can pose significant challenges.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Stephanie Bradhurst 909/450-0127 sbradhurst@casacolina.org

Deliver: Make it easier for veterans to get the benefits they earned: (Hagatna Guam News)

Remind.org — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:10:11 +0000

Because of the years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States -- including Guam -- has an ever-increasing population of veterans, especially those disabled from service overseas in combat zones, who need and are eligible for benefits. These numbers will only continue to increase in the coming years. click here to view

Walter Reed Clinic's Cheerful Chaos (and a Brownie) Soothes All but the Toughest: (WASHINGTON POST)

Remind.org — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:09:30 +0000

No matter how badly you might appear after living through an explosion that killed your battle buddies, blew your long legs off and opened you up like a can of tuna, in Walter Reed's physical therapy clinic you are greeted with smiles and jokes and the occasional cheer. In fact, it's not unusual for the entire room to stand up and applaud the first time you are able to come down to the physical therapy clinic -- whether it's via stretcher or wheelchair. click here to view

VA claims and appeals pile up in Houston: (HOUSTON CHRONICLE)

Remind.org — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:07:43 +0000

Houston is at the heart of a growing national crisis involving the backlog of claims at the Department of Veterans Affairs that's approaching a record 1 million, including thousands of returning service members injured in Iraq or Afghanistan. click here to view

Some veterans of recent wars find homelessness at home: (LA TIMES)

Remind.org — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:08:46 +0000

was, back then, a joke Luis Pinto shared with his Army buddies in Iraq. As they were all eating food out of tin cans, living out of rucksacks, moving constantly from place to place, Pinto cracked, "If I become homeless, I'm ready." But five years later he didn't actually expect to find himself sleeping in alleys in Whittier or in friends' cars, too busy getting high to hold down a regular job. A suicide attempt on March 16 was the shock he needed to start putting his life back together.click here to view

VA center distributing vouchers for homeless veterans: (WILKES-BARRE TIMES LEADER)

Remind.org — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:07:02 +0000

Homeless veterans will soon have access to housing assistance through a federal grant given to the Wilkes-Barre Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The center will receive 35 housing vouchers to distribute to homeless veterans in its 19-county service district, after the federal government announced plans to distribute $75 million for 10,000 vouchers to VA medical centers across the nation to combat homelessness among veterans. click here to view

House approves creation of new Dept. of Veterans Affairs: (PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, RI)

Remind.org — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:06:21 +0000

"There are nearly 100,000 veterans in Rhode Island, many of them with dependents," said Rep. Kenneth Carter, D-North Kingstown, chairman of the House committee on veterans affairs. "There is a wide range of services that need to be provided to these individuals and to the next group of veterans who will be returning from the ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. These veterans deserve more attention through a full-fledged autonomous department of government." click here to view

Post-traumatic stress disorder screenings to be routine:: (GREAT FALLS TRIBUNE)

Remind.org — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:05:23 +0000

The legislation would require that all returning combat troops - active duty, National Guard and Reserves - would receive person-to-person mental health assessments after their return from combat, six months later, 12 months later and 24 months after their return. click here to view

Mets donate tickets to wounded vets: (MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL)

Remind.org — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:04:30 +0000

Now another five years later, Smith and roughly 50 fellow amputees were at Citi Field on Friday, taking in the Yankees' 9-1 Subway Series win over the Mets before Sunday's five-mile Hope & Possibility Race through Central Park. Hearing that the veterans were in town, the Mets donated 50 tickets to the group down the right-field line.[click here to view](http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp? ymd=20090626&content_id=5543846&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb)

Process eases Guard's return: (CHICAGO BEACON)

Remind.org — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:01:42 +0000

For National Guard soldiers returning home, the actual return is only one part of the process, only one aspect of the Army National Guard's holistic approach to helping soldiers and their families re-acclimate. The first step actually happens months before the return -- it's called the Family Academy, and according to Lt. Justin Anweiler of the Illinois Guard, it's about preparing for issues that may arise when a soldier returns home. click here to view

Retiring Marine Pushed Establishing Support For Recuperating Troops: (WASHINGTON POST)

Remind.org — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:02:38 +0000

The simple question Maxwell asked is credited with changing how the Marine Corps supports its wounded. His advocacy for central billeting for Marines recovering from injuries led two years ago to the creation of the Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment, headquartered at Marine Corps Base Quantico. click here to view

Dogs help injured soldiers under gov't program: (MSNBC)

Remind.org — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:00:55 +0000

Army Specialist Cameron Briggs washes down a cocktail of prescription drugs every day for post-traumatic stress disorder and a brain injury he suffered when four roadside bombs rocked his Humvee in Iraq. Tramadol for pain. Midrin for debilitating headaches. Minipress to suppress nightmares. Klonopin to control anger and anxiety. His next dose of treatment will come from an unlikely source: a purebred Golden Retriever. click here to view

'Chaplains' Closet Helps Landstuhl's Wounded Warriors: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:00:10 +0000

Lined with shelves organized in a manner that would make even the most obsessive-compulsive supply sergeant proud is the "Chaplains' Closet." The name is a misnomer; it is about the size of an average neighborhood convenience store and its official name is the Wounded Warrior Ministry Center. click here to view

Military uses virtual therapy to help troops heal wounds: (STARS & STRIPES)

Remind.org — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:59:20 +0000

The military is turning to the virtual world to treat traumatized veterans of the Iraq war, giving troops a high-tech way to confront and overcome mental war wounds. Virtual Iraq uses electronically re-created Iraqi environs that look like a video game, as well as the sounds and smells of deployment, to help those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder revisit the events that affected them so profoundly. click here to view

Soldiers' stress may be in brain, not mind: (EDMUNTON SUN)

Remind.org — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:58:33 +0000

Some soldiers returning from Afghanistan depressed, angry and aggressive could be suffering from physical injuries caused by exposure to gunfire and bomb blasts -- not psychological wounds from combat stress, according to a Montreal-based physiologist. click here to view

Army required to say 'behavioral health': (ARMY TIMES

Remind.org — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:57:27 +0000

The Pentagon issued a directive June 25 requiring Army commands at all levels to use the term "behavioral health services" when revising or updating policies, regulations, and documents relating to what heretofore have been called "mental" health services. click here to view

1 in 8 combat troops needs alcohol counseling: (ARMY TIMES)

Remind.org — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:56:28 +0000

One in eight troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan from 2006 to 2008 were referred for counseling for alcohol problems after their post-deployment health assessments, according to data from the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center. click here to view

The welcome they want: (BUFFALO NEWS)

Remind.org — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:56:13 +0000

Women and men fighting for this country should be a constant on the minds and in the hearts of all Americans, and that gratitude should be demonstrated not only in words but in action. It's all the 3,000 Veterans of Foreign Wars and their supporters want as they open a statewide convention in downtown Buffalo. click here to view

Minnesota National Guard builds new facilities for Disabled Veterans Rest Camp: (STILLWATER, MN GAZETTE)

Remind.org — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:55:19 +0000

"It's wonderful to see it being restored to its full potential and being readied for our next generation of veterans," she wrote in an e-mail. "While legislation appropriating $500,000 to this effort was helpful, it was truly the thousands of hours of volunteer labor ... which has made the most significant difference." click here to view

A Big Step for Homeless Veterans: (WHITE HOUSE.GOV)

Remind.org — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:54:28 +0000

As a Veteran, a former State Director of Veterans Affairs and now as Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs I understand the urgent need to address homelessness. click here to view

U.S. Military Veteran Opens Store Under Little Caesars Veterans Program: (Hispanic PR Wire)

Remind.org — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:53:33 +0000

"I am excited to be part of the Little Caesars Veterans Program because it offers veterans like me the opportunity to own and operate our own businesses," said Luckett. "I appreciate this innovative program that helps former U.S. military members build for our futures." click here to view

Paralympic champion works with wounded warriors: (FT LEAVENWORTH LAMP)

Remind.org — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:52:38 +0000

Winkler is a member of the organization Champions Made From Adversity and works with members of Fort Gordon's Warrior Transition Battalion twice a week at the Fort Gordon Fitness Center teaching a core fitness class combined with weight training and cardiovascular exercises. The fitness program capitalizes on military partnerships with U.S. Paralympics and CMFA, said Judie Thompson, occupational therapist with the WTBs. Winkler has been teaching the class since early May. click here to view

Injured Soldier Inspires Others; Starting Over: (KGMB-TV HONOLULU)

Remind.org — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:50:46 +0000

Twenty operations and physical therapy put him back on his feet. It took encouragement from family and friends to put him back together emotionally. "What I found out is that I wasn't my legs and my legs weren't me," he said. "I didn't want to let this moment in time define me." click here to view

Injured Durham Native Climbs Part Of Continent's Highest Peak: (NBC17 - DURHAM)

Remind.org — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:51:35 +0000

But this time, a fellow wounded warrior was trying to climb Denali in Alaska, the highest mountain in North America. Kuniholm wanted to go. But he knew it would be a challenge. click here to view

Military Members to Donate Their Brains to Science: (DISCOVER MAGAZINE)

Remind.org — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:49:56 +0000

Researchers hoping to literally get inside the heads of soldiers will have their chance: 20 retired and active members of the U.S. military have pledged to donate their brains for research on the physical effects of war on the brain. The program will be looking for evidence of brain damage caused by explosions and other wartime trauma, and the researchers involved have already examined the brains of athletes for similar problems. click here to view

Active, Reserve Chaplains Play Critical Role: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:49:06 +0000

Steen discussed how the military is helping soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines cope with the physical, mental and emotional stress while deployed in Iraq. Chaplains play a critical role in today's military by providing forward-deployed troops more than religious support, Steen explained. Among other things, they also provide training before and after deployments, help service members strengthen their marriages and families, and take an active role in suicide prevention. click here to view

Hear the Enemy, Stay Alive: (MIL HEATH SYS)

Remind.org — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:48:12 +0000

For the first time ever, the Army has deployed audiologists to combat zones, placing them in Iraq and Afghanistan to educate and train troops on hearing protection, and to monitor and treat soldier hearing problems. The influx of hearing experts is part of the new Army Hearing Program (formerly known Army Hearing Conservation), which is being implemented to ensure adequate hearing services are provided to soldiers in all environments, including during pre-and post-deployment operations. click here to view

Rising toll at US military hospital in Afghanistan: (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Remind.org — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:47:14 +0000

The urgent call came in: Roadside bombs had ripped through two Humvees and wounded eight or nine U.S. soldiers. Medevac helicopters immediately hit the air to ferry the soldiers to the main U.S. military hospital. But when they arrived, they carried only five patients. click here to view

Help available for post-traumatic stress: (FT LEAVENWORTH LAMP)

Remind.org — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:46:14 +0000

Anger is an innate response that is useful for confronting threatening circumstances. Anger rallies Soldiers to engage in combat. "Anger keeps you pumped up, alert, awake and alive," according to Battlemind training.click here to view

Army's senior NCO addresses Soldier issues during Wiesbaden visit: (ARMY NEWS)

Remind.org — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:44:59 +0000

Describing how he told the president that stress occurs both during deployment and "when the units come back during dwell time," he said he "wanted the president to understand that it's not just operational stress but also institutional stress and stress on our families." click here to view

Soldiers urged to take advantage of mental health resources: (COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE)

Remind.org — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:43:58 +0000

The Army's top psychiatrist, Brig. Gen. Loree K. Sutton, and Fort Carson commander Maj. Gen. Mark A. Graham spoke with reporters, civilian health care providers and others Wednesday as part of an Army-sponsored Warrior Care Summit in Colorado Springs. click here to view

Delays in VA claims unacceptable: (POUGHKEEPSIE JOURNAL)

Remind.org — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:50:17 +0000

The country has to do better - much better - by its veterans. The VA is supposed to handle the health-care needs of about 5.8 million veterans, including more than 40,000 in Dutchess and Ulster counties. It is an awesome responsibility. No system will ever be perfect, but streamlining the claims process must have a sense of urgency that has been lacking for too long. click here to view

Veterans Who Commit Crimes - What Do We Owe Them?: (HUFFINGTON POST)

Remind.org — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:48:27 +0000

In America everyone is supposed to be equal in the eyes of the law. But we've got a growing group, a particular class of defendants entering American courtrooms who I believe need special consideration. They are soldiers returning from war. click here to view

Program offers veterans services, housing: (CATHOLIC SENTINEL)

Remind.org — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:46:44 +0000

Given enough drops, a bucket slowly fills. So it is that in Lane County, more than three dozen veterans of military service and the streets have found that they can go home again. Vet LIFT is a four-year-old partnership that combines the resources of the Veterans Administration with the housing expertise of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County and its state and local funding partners. click here to view

New courts tailored to war veterans in US: (PEW CENTER)

Remind.org — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:47:37 +0000

Twenty years after local officials in Miami opened the nation's first drug court - a specialized "treatment court" aimed at rehabilitating low-level drug offenders instead of locking them up - state lawmakers in Illinois and Nevada are applying the same idea to a different population: war veterans who have had run-ins with the law. click here to view

Program Helps Homeless Vets Get Life Back On Track: (WBZ-TV, BOSTON)

Remind.org — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:45:54 +0000

Some veterans, who have been homeless, are getting a fresh start on life with some help. WBZ reporter Dawn Hasbrouck details an innovative new program that will give homeless veterans a new apartment and the skills needed to succeed in life. click here to view

Marathon runner does what he can to honor wounded veterans of Afghanistan, Iraq wars: (SEATTLE TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:44:42 +0000

Eldridge is running 10 marathons in 2009 with the goal of raising $100,000 for the Wounded Warriors Project, which helps wounded veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Saturday's Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon will be his sixth marathon of the year. "The experience was very humbling for me," Eldridge said of his conversation with Connors. "Here I was healthy and able-bodied and able do all the things that, on paper at least, looked like I was moving in the right direction and at the top of my game. I almost had this sense of guilt. click here to view

Backpack program started for Marines: (GAINSEVILLE, TX, DAILY REGISTER)

Remind.org — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:43:45 +0000

Lance Corporal Ryan Zimmerer's injury during a training mission in the South China Sea inspired his mother, Jackie Zimmerer, to do something for other wounded soldiers who are transferred to the Wounded Warriors unit at the Marine Base in Kaneohe, Hawaii. click here to view

Wounded Warriors Summit Mount McKinley: ( DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:42:08 +0000

When four of the seven-member Team Denali, which included four wounded veterans, reached the top of Mount McKinley in Alaska's Denali National Park, what should have been celebratory whoops and hollers was instead a quiet, tempered satisfaction, the team's leaders said. Though the weather was perfect when Army Lt. Col. Marc Hoffmeister and Army Spc. Dave Shebib approached the highest point in North America, they enjoyed it without three of their team members. click here to view

DOD mulls moving Landstuhl hospital to Ramstein: (STARS & STRIPES)

Remind.org — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:41:11 +0000

The Defense Department is studying whether to build an Army hospital and supporting facilities on Ramstein Air Base to replace the 56-year-old Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. Last August, Landstuhl received approval for a $400 million project that, among other upgrades, would add a five-story inpatient tower to the existing hospital. Construction on the new tower is slated to begin in 2010 or 2011. But with the new study ongoing, that project now is in limbo. click here to view

Army Leaders Struggle to Understand Record Suicides: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:40:16 +0000

Each case is as unique as the name inscribed on the dog tags. Soldiers are taking their own lives in record numbers, and Army senior leaders are struggling to understand why. "It rips your heart out," the Army's vice chief of staff, Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, told a group of soldiers last month while on a week-long tour of Army installations to look for clues. click here to view

Canadian military to launch mental-health awareness campaign: (CALGARY HERALD)

Remind.org — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:39:18 +0000

The head of the Canadian Forces will launch a mental-health awareness campaign Thursday as concerns grow that the country's military personnel are not being cared for properly, and that numbers of post-traumatic-stress casualties from Afghanistan could increase in the future. click here to view

Troops' Kids Feel War Toll: (USATODAY)

Remind.org — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:38:20 +0000

After seven years of war, most children of combat troops are showing more fear, anxiety and behavioral problems, according to the Pentagon's most sweeping survey of the effects of war on military children. Six out of 10 U.S. military parents told researchers their children have increased levels of fear and anxiety when a parent is sent to war, according to a survey of more than 13,000 military spouses of active-duty servicemembers. click here to view

Housing for vets a promising plan: (THE REPUBLICAN, SPRINGFIELD, MA)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:19:49 +0000

Soldier On, a nonprofit organization that works with the federal Department of Veterans Affairs to provide services to veterans in the region, has come up with a promising proposal that will provide much-needed housing for veterans and put the 7-acre site on the town's tax rolls. click here to view

"Body-count" Processing Must End at VA, Says The American Legion: (BUSINESSWIRE)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:19:03 +0000

An immediate overhaul of the Department of Veterans Affairs disability claims processing system is the only way out of a fast-growing nationwide backlog of unresolved cases, American Legion National Commander David K. Rehbein said after a congressional hearing last Thursday evening. click here to view

VA Launches 10-Year Health Study of 60,000 New Veterans: (WALL STREET JOURNAL)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:18:13 +0000

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has initiated a large, long-term study to look carefully at a broad array of health issues that may affect Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) Veterans and their counterparts who served during the same time period. VA's "National Health Study for a New Generation of U.S. Veterans" will begin with 30,000 Veterans deployed to OEF/OIF and 30,000 comparison Veterans who were not deployed. click here to view

Soldier with cranial injury set against self-pity: (ARIZONA DAILY STAR)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:16:49 +0000

The road back to some sort of normalcy has been rife with pain and indignity. He's been stared at by strangers, coped with countless surgeries and infections, and battled rage, self-pity and depression. Through it all, he kept hoping he could reach a point where life seemed worth living again. Finally, he has. click here to view

Obama extends survivor indemnity allowance: (MILITARY TIMES)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:17:32 +0000

President Barack Obama signed a bill Monday that extends a temporary survivors benefit through 2017 and also provides annual increases in the payment. The special survivor indemnity allowance was created two years ago as a small but symbolic payment to survivors whose military benefits are reduced dollar for dollar by the amount they receive in veterans survivor benefits. click here to view

Pushing and persevering: (POST-STAR, GLENS FALLS NY)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:16:04 +0000

Eddie knows what he wants and where he's going - back to the Marine Corps. The question, his parents say, is whether the Veterans Administration will help their son return. Before he can think about putting the uniform on again, he needs rehabilitation. He needs therapies that Eddie's parents say he deserves but isn't receiving. click hre to view

New hand helps soldier grip life: (AUGUSTA CHRONICLE)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:15:05 +0000

Cpl. Josh McCart likes it when kids notice his right hand and ask about it. "I tell them I am really Iron Man," he joked, waving around his lifelike i-LIMB Hand prosthesis in the Active Duty Rehabilitation Unit in the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center. Actually, more than the Marvel Comics hero, the bionic hand reminds him of the one Luke Skywalker received after having his cut off by Darth Vader in one of the Star Wars movies. click here to view

Saving Face - One doctor's quest to repair the wounds of war: (ON PATROL, USO)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:14:16 +0000

Aaron Mankin's favorite stories were always the ones about restoration. As a combat correspondent in Iraq he got to tell plenty of them. click here to view

California offers unique mental health care for vets returning from war: (KBIR-TV KNOXVILLE)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:13:26 +0000

It allows them to find out I'm not alone. I've gone through this too. It's ok to get help, here where you might go," Dr. Barbara Romberg said. Dr. Romby and her group, Give An Hour, use the site to help veterans deal with the mental post war challenges. click here to view

Injured soldier is given adapted SUV: (BALTIMORE SUN)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:12:39 +0000

An Army sergeant from Baltimore County who lost both his legs to an explosion in Iraq has been given a specially adapted SUV, thanks to a nonprofit group headquartered in California. Sgt. Ryan Major, a 2003 graduate of Towson High School who lives in Silver Spring, received the gray Toyota 4Runner, valued at nearly $40,000, at a ceremony at Antwerpen Toyota in Clarksville on Monday. click here to view

Gates Praises Volunteers' Efforts at Walter Reed: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:10:46 +0000

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today commended the work of the volunteers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here, saying they set the example for the rest of the country. Gates met with wounded soldiers and volunteers, using the occasion to help kick off President Barack Obama's "United We Serve" summer campaign aimed at boosting volunteerism and community service. click here to view

A Conversation with Admiral and Mrs. Mike Mullen: (ON PATROL, USO)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:11:33 +0000

In both their professional and personal roles, the Mullen's schedule is devoted to time spent with the country's wounded warriors, veterans, and the families of those who serve. The couple spoke with "ON PATROL" this spring to share the issues facing the services today, their vision for the future of our military, and how Americans can continue to support the military community. click here to view

Wounded veterans get an airlift, for free: (NBC NIGHTLY NEWS)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:09:56 +0000

Walter Fricke, a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War, founded a program to make sure veterans who need medical care have a way to get where they need to be: with their families. click here to view video click here to view text

Suicide Prevention Message Rolls Through Cities Nationwide: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:08:07 +0000

The Department of Veterans Affairs took to the road, literally, when it decided to advertise about its "VA Suicide Prevention Lifeline" on public transportation buses in 124 communities across the country. "We continue to look for new, innovative ways to reach our veterans," said Tammy Duckworth, assistant secretary of veterans affairs for public and intergovernmental affairs. "VA wants to make sure to exhaust all avenues to reach those in need of our services." click here to view

Army Psychologist Shares Unique Skills: (ARMY NEWS)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:07:13 +0000

Capt. Michelle Tsai, the behavioral health officer for the 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, is the office's other occupant. She is at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La., with the 202nd BSB, participating in a training exercise for the Raider Brigade's upcoming deployment to Iraq, where she will offer her services in order to ensure the mental health of Raider Soldiers.

Veterans now fight mental battle: (BBC)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:06:17 +0000

In the run-up to Armed Forces Day on 27 June, some veterans warn that fierce fighting in Afghanistan - and the legacy of the Iraq conflict - could lead to more personnel needing help for mental trauma. click here to view

A Chance for Clues to Brain Injury in Combat Blasts: (NY TIMES)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:05:19 +0000

No direct impact caused Paul McQuigg's brain injury in Iraq three years ago. And no wound from the incident visibly explains why Mr. McQuigg, now an office manager at a California Marine base, can get lost in his own neighborhood or arrive at the grocery store having forgotten why he left home. But his blast injury - concussive brain trauma caused by an explosion's invisible force waves - is no less real to him than a missing limb is to other veterans. Just how real could become clearer after he dies, when doctors slice up his brain to examine any damage. click here to view

Tax Exemption For Some Disabled Veterans: (MORNING TELEGRAPH, TYLER, TX)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:04:10 +0000

House Bill 3613, recently signed into law, gives a property tax exemption for disabled veterans with a 100 percent disability. click here to view

House Dems find money for disability retirees: (NAVY TIMES)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:03:23 +0000

One week after House Democrats said they did not have the money to pay for long-promised increases in pay for disabled retirees, they unveiled a major military and federal civilian pay package that does even more. click here to view

VA Secretary Hits the Road to Highlight "United We Serve" Effort: (DEPT OF VA)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:02:33 +0000

"We, who enjoy liberty's blessings, will forever remain in debt of the men and women who served our nation in uniform," Secretary Shinseki said. "Volunteering on their behalf is one way we can show our respect, regard and devotion for their service." click here to view

Donated car means wounded soldier won't have to bus to VA hospital: (PRESS-ENTERPRISE, SAN BERNADINO)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:00:48 +0000

A mortar round in Iraq hit Shawn McConahey's back in 2004, leaving the Army veteran with a Purple Heart, scraps of metal in his body and ongoing battles at home. Tuesday, a donor seeking to assist a veteran gave McConahey a shiny red car so he could drive to his medical appointments. The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes arranged the donation of a 2001 Dodge Intrepid R/T -- with sunroof -- to McConahey and his wife, Leona. click here to view

Sports program helps vets think beyond disabilities: (SACRAMENTO BEE)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:01:44 +0000

Last week, Rodriguez and 15 other veterans received lessons that have helped other disabled veterans achieve this dream. The program required the 16 to engage body and mind in outdoor sports activities such as whitewater rafting, water-skiing, handcycling and sled hockey. All hope these activities will aid them in their recovery and transition. click here to view

Volunteers build home for injured veteran in Cedar City: (SALT LAKE CITY TRIBUNE)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:00:01 +0000

Travis Wood, a U.S. Army sergeant who lost a leg in the war in Afghanistan, watched Tuesday as a group of Cedar City volunteers worked on the house he is getting free of charge. click here to view

2009 CNN Hero Roy Foster rescues homeless veterans with passionate determination: (DC EXAMINER)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:58:58 +0000

Roy Foster, Georgia native and U.S. Army Vietnam veteran may not be a military-decorated hero of war, but he holds the honor of another kind of hero, the very first CNN Hero of 2009 for his commitment, dedication, and relentless passion to rescue homeless veterans. click here to view

Flying the soldier: (AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASS'N)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:58:15 +0000

Ben, 22, an Afghanistan combat veteran, won a Bronze Star and Purple Heart there in 2007 after losing his right leg in an ambush. He's in the process of moving from the U.S. Army's Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C., to Orlando where he'll become a full-time student at the University of Central Florida in the fall. But on this warm June night, he needed to return to Walter Reed for some additional medical treatment-and that's where the Let's Go Flying SR22 came in. click here to view

Air Cav Medevac: on Call and Ready: (ARMY NEWS)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:57:23 +0000

Being a medic in a flight company, it is important to make the most of the time you have. With the short flight time between areas, medics have to be prepared to deal with whatever situation comes their way. "When we get three to four minutes out I will give them a call; one, to let them know that we are inbound so they can get the Soldier packaged, just so we can spend the least amount of time on the ground, and two, to get a patient update," said Henson. click here to view

Echoes: Combat Stress: (MILITARY HEALTH SYS)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:56:34 +0000

[Video] A word on dealing with combat stress after returning home from deployment. click here to view

Well-planned offensive pushes veterans agenda in Oregon: (OREGON.LIVE)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:54:59 +0000

Oregon soldiers will find it easier to avoid repossessions, keep their jobs, stay in college, get a home loan and spend time with their families because of the 2009 Legislature. New laws deliver more legal and logistical support than hard cash from the state's strapped coffers. click here to view

VA Moves Texas Brain Laboratory After Years Pass Without Testing: (WASHINGTON POST)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:54:02 +0000

Three years ago, the Department of Veterans Affairs established a laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin with high expectations that it would conduct state-of-the art research into combat-related brain injuries. Last month, VA announced it was moving the facility, after spending more than $3 million without testing a single veteran with traumatic brain injury. click here to view

At V.A. Hospital, a Rogue Cancer Unit: (NY TIMES)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:53:08 +0000

The 92 implant errors resulted from a systemwide failure in which none of the safeguards that were supposed to protect veterans from poor medical care worked, an examination by The New York Times has found. click here to view

VA domiciliary offers aid to troubled vets: (TEMPLE, TX, DAILY TELEGRAM)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:52:25 +0000

When the veteran is ready for help there are VA programs in place to assist. The domiciliary at the Olin E. Teague Veterans' Center has several residential treatment programs to help the veteran who is trying to find his or her footing in a world turned upside down. click here to view

The American (Soldier's) Dream: (MAYS BUSINESS SCHOOL, TEXAS A&M)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:51:34 +0000

Last year, 16 servicemen and -women injured as a result of military service since September 11, 2001, participated in the EBV program at Mays. The program is designed to assist veterans with disabilities in becoming small business owners. It's provided to participants for free, travel and accommodations included, thanks to the generosity of supporters. The wounded warriors selected for the program complete a three-week online business course prior to an intense eight-day residency period on the A&M campus. A year of long-distance mentoring with a Mays faculty member completes the course. click here to view

How a wounded soldier got a new face, new confidence - and what he wanted most: anonymity: (WASHINGTON EXAMINER)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:48:50 +0000

His face - every bone has been shattered - was splattered with pinkish third-degree burns. "I could have just flipped out," he says, pausing to remember. "But I looked in the mirror and said, all right, there's no changing it. I just have to deal with it. This is me now." Darron Mikeworth's face was his identity. So, too, was his life as a soldier. He was about to embark on a long journey to regain both. click here to view

Chairman Urges Athletic Directors to Help Wounded Warriors: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:50:12 +0000

The admiral said he wants the athletic directors to do what they can in their communities for wounded warriors, noting that young men and women from the Wounded Warrior Project were attending their convention. "What you do and the people you touch make such a difference in our country," Mullen said to them. click here to view

Amputee Combat Veterans Return to Iraq to "Close the Loop": (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:48:02 +0000

Six amputee combat veterans put their uniforms back on and returned to Iraq today for the first time since sustaining their injuries in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In the rotunda of the Al Faw Palace, Camp Victory, Baghdad, they introduced themselves to hundreds of their brothers and sisters in arms in support of yet another operation, Operation Proper Exit. click here to view

Operation Denali members back from McKinley climb: (KTTU-TV, ANCHORAGE)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:46:55 +0000

It's their first weekend back from a grueling two-and-a-half week climb up Mt. McKinley. Operation Denali is the team of wounded soldiers that set out to prove that combat injuries aren't the end of the world -- and they did just that. click here to view

Parents of dead soldier felt deceived, marginalized by military (Part 2): (Ottawa Citizen)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:46:05 +0000

A week after they buried their son, Sheila and Shaun Fynes received a letter from National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa. They opened it and were stunned by the first sentence: "I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits." The letter was an invitation from the director of casualty support to complete a survey about how the military treated the family. Included were questions about the family's experience in CFB Trenton, Ont., the base where the bodies of soldiers, killed in Afghanistan, arrive by aircraft. The Fynes had never been to Trenton. click here to view

One soldier's story of depression, addiction, and suicide: Grieving parents blame military's indifference (Part1): (Ottawa Citizen)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:45:19 +0000

Five years later, the Afghanistan veteran would be dead. His world would crash down around him in a haze of alcohol and drug abuse. In the course of a year, he would attempt suicide six times, before successfully hanging himself in a CFB Edmonton barracks. His parents, Shaun and Sheila Fynes of Victoria, B.C., are now living a nightmare, trying to understand exactly what happened to their son and why he didn't receive proper care for what several doctors diagnosed as major depression and post-traumatic stress syndrome. They can't understand how a soldier, known to be suicidal, was unsupervised the day he killed himself. click here to view

Tough soldiers find gentle care at riding center: (ANNAPOLIS CAPITAL)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:43:56 +0000

A disabled soldier, back from fighting in Iraq, leaned forward and rubbed the small gray mare's neck. He whispered to the horse, as if confiding in a girlfriend. Maryland Therapeutic Riding has implemented a program for disabled veterans who benefit from contact with horses.Advertisement Across the arena, another injured warrior, a larger man, was leaning back in his saddle and actually appeared to be dozing off as the gelding named Dakota walked along gently in the arena at Maryland Therapeutic Riding in Crownsville. click here to view

Horses as therapists: helping Arizona veterans heal: (ABC-15, YUMA AZ)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:43:02 +0000

Generations ago, horses were used to wage war. Now they're being used to heal the psychic wounds of war. In an trend still viewed as strange by much of the mental-health mainstream, some Southern Arizona counselors are using the beasts as co-therapists to treat troops suffering from combat trauma. click here to view

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Overseas Clinicians' Review: (ARMY NEWS)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:41:55 +0000

Medical professionals at the Qatar base routinely make proactive attempts to explain available resources to service members suffering with any mental health issues, including PTSD. They also strive to eliminate social stigmas associated with seeking professional assistance. An on-staff psychologist is available specifically for service members living with PTSD and other mental disorders. Fortunately, many of today's troops are learning the value of seeking mental health treatment and appear more likely to recommend it to their peers. click here to view

Military Strengthens Effort to Solve Growing MH Crisis: (AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASS'N)

Remind.org — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:41:01 +0000

Imagine if the governor of your state focused every day on mental illness, Robert Ursano, M.D., suggested to his audience at APA's 2009 annual meeting last month in San Francisco. The thought alone is so unlikely that it sounds shocking, but that is what the top ranks of U.S. armed services are doing now. click here to view

HUD, VA program aims to help homeless vets: (MILITARY TIMES)

Remind.org — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:14:42 +0000

A new partnership between the departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development aims to provide housing and assistance to an estimated 10,000 homeless veterans across the U.S., Guam and Puerto Rico. click here to view

Murray gets $262,500 to help local homeless veterans with housing: (Yakima Herald-Republic)

Remind.org — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:15:27 +0000

Homeless veterans will get help finding and paying for rental housing by the end of July under new funding secured by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. click here to view

New Court Seeks to Rehabilitate Criminal Soldiers: (OPPOSING VIEWS.COM)

Remind.org — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:13:56 +0000

The Never-ending Battle: (AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE)

Remind.org — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:12:51 +0000

Recent attention to how America cares for wounded warriors leads back to a long-brewing problem: VA's disability claims backlog. click here to view

VA to Revamp Its Technology Management: (WASHINGTON POST)

Remind.org — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:12:07 +0000

The Department of Veterans Affairs said it is overhauling its information technology management to try to more quickly correct problems with its computer systems, officials said yesterday. The overhaul is in part a response to major problems with the computerized scheduling system used at VA hospitals. click here to view

Marine tests device that restores some vision: (PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW)

Remind.org — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:11:14 +0000

Jernigan's determination to regain his independence after being blinded by a roadside bomb landed him Thursday in a new University of Pittsburgh vision restoration center, where he demonstrated a unique technology that allows him to "see" through a sensor on his tongue. click here to view

What if you could predict PTSD in combat troops? Oh, who cares...: (Neuron Culture )

Remind.org — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:10:30 +0000

What if you could predict which troops are most likely to get PTSD from combat exposure -- and takes steps to either bolster them mentally or keep them out of combat situations? A new study suggests we could make a start on that right now -- and cut combat PTSD rates in half by simply keeping the least mentally and physically fit soldiers away from combat zones. chick here to view

Alcohol abuse by GIs soars since '03: (USATODAY)

Remind.org — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:09:10 +0000

The rate of Army soldiers enrolled in treatment programs for alcohol dependency or abuse has nearly doubled since 2003 - a sign of the growing stress of repeated deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Army statistics and interviews. click here to view

Seeking Care is a Sign of Strength: DCoE's Real Warriors Campaign: (DOD LIVE)

Remind.org — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:08:10 +0000

As warriors, paying attention to physical, spiritual and psychological health are key components to resiliency and life after deployment. Maintaining a strong mind, body and spirit keeps us safe, healthy and able to function in our daily lives. click here to view

Operation Relax: 172nd uses parades, bonfires, games to keep stress down: (Stars&Stripes)

Remind.org — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:07:07 +0000

"While I do not personally engage in water pistol fights or hold parades to reduce stress, I do use humor and behavioral distraction to break unhealthy, maladaptive reactions," Mark D. Lerner, a clinical psychologist and president of the Institute for Traumatic Stress Inc., said. "This is particularly common among emergency responders who face traumatic events on a daily basis. Humor and distraction help to anchor individuals and provide brief separation or a cognitive break from the stressor." click here to view

California social work school dean says United States should adopt Israeli military's long-term concept of PTSD: (HAAETZ, ISRAEL)

Remind.org — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:05:05 +0000

The dean of one of America's top social work schools says she intends to lobby Congress to change the U.S. military's approach to Post-traumatic Stress Disorder after meeting here this month with Israeli professionals and academics on the subject. Marilyn Flynn, the dean of the University of Southern California School of Social Work, said "there's a better understanding here of the nature of PTSD and the power to intervene. It's understood here as a chronic condition." Americans still consider PTSD an acute anxiety reaction, Flynn explained, adding she intends to change that in favor of the Israeli understanding. click here to view

Law School Clinic on Wheels Helps Veterans: (LAW.COM)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:43:22 +0000

A group of Detroit law school students is touring the country in a Winnebago-turned-law-office, helping low-income veterans obtain disability and pension benefits. The University of Detroit Mercy School of Law students are traveling in what is believed to be the first mobile law office on wheels -- a 31-foot converted recreational vehicle that was donated last year by General Motors Corp. click here to view

Testimony: VA medical gear still being mishandled: (USATODAY)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:41:46 +0000

House lawmakers blasted Veterans Affairs officials on Tuesday after hearing testimony that the agency still wasn't following procedures for handling endoscopes, months after discovering that the improperly cleaned instruments may have exposed veterans to hepatitis and HIV. "I'm outraged that any of our nation's heroes were potentially infected or that they even have to worry about the possibility," said Rep. Harry Mitchell, D-Ariz., who is chairman of the House's Veterans' Affairs subcommittee on oversight and investigations. click here to view

Congress blasts VA for hospital problems: (MIAMI HERLD)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:42:33 +0000

Several employees at the Miami Veterans Affairs hospital are likely to be disciplined for failing to detect problems with improperly sterilized medical equipment in a case that has enraged members of Congress. The disclosure of the potential punishments came as federal lawmakers chided the Department of Veterans Affairs for not moving faster to address mistakes that may have exposed thousands of veterans to HIV and hepatitis. click here to view

Wounded Stuart to join in ultra marathon challenge: (UK GAZETTE)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:40:56 +0000

A SOLDIER who lost his leg in an explosion is hoping to be involved in the final part of a 250km desert marathon using a prosthetic leg. ... Six of Lance Cpl Hale's comrades from Colchester's 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment are preparing to embark on the ultra marathon on July 11 It will see them run about 50km a day for five days in up to 35 degrees. click here to view

American hospital in Afghanistan holds health fair: (USAF NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:39:52 +0000

Combined with the combat stress clinic located in the hospital, servicemembers have plenty of options to deal with the stresses associated with deployments. Inside the clinic, services like stress and anger management, suicide awareness and prevention, and combat and operational stress education round out Task Force Med-East's abilities to provide an "ounce of prevention for a pound of cure." click here to view

For One 'Good Day,' Injured Soldiers Leave Burdens Ashore: (WASHINGTON POST)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:38:59 +0000

For just one day, Pfc. Gilad Afridonidze didn't have to deal with the monotony of doctor visits and medications that have been his reality for a month, a world away from war. Afridonidze and his father, David Afridonidze, were among more than 50 veterans and as many relatives who joined a boat ride down the Potomac River last weekend hosted by the group Patriot Cruise and Salute. click here to view

Florida 'bootcamp' gives disabled vets a chance for success: (MIAMI HERALD)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:37:40 +0000

Former stockbroker Greg Amira, who barely survived the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and later was injured in Iraq as an Army reservist, now wants to get into something safer: pizza. His goal is to start a franchise pizza restaurant -- and a ''bootcamp'' for disabled veterans is helping him do it. Amira is among 19 participants attending the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities at Florida State University, one of five universities offering the program across the country. click here to view

Vets with brain injuries receive help here: (MUSKOGEE PHOENIX, OK)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:36:57 +0000

Traumatic brain injuries in veterans are finally receiving the attention they deserve, says a veteran and volunteer at the Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center. "In the past, a brain injury was a hidden thing," said C.J. Lockwood, a veteran of the U.S. Army. "Now we've got men and women coming back suffering from this, and we're going out looking for them. click here to view

Death of Camp Foster Marine an apparent suicide: (STARS & STRIPES)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:36:15 +0000

The death of a 27-year-old Marine on Okinawa last Thursday was an apparent suicide, according to a news release Monday. Cpl. Adam J. Grady of Hallstead, Pa., was found dead in his barracks room on Camp Foster, the Marines said. Because the death is under investigation, no further details of the incident were released. click here to view

Army releases suicide statistics: (KOAA, COLORADO SPRINGS)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:35:31 +0000

The U.S. Army releases the latest suicide data for 2009. So far this year, there are 45 confirmed suicides with 37 reported suicides under investigation. Of those confirmed, two suicides were from Fort Carson. click here to view

PART 2 --- Bringing violence back: An Afghan veteran's rage: (TORONTO STAR)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:32:41 +0000

An exclusive Star series investigates how the war in Afghanistan is creating a dangerous new class of offender in Canada - and finds growing evidence in jails, courtrooms and homes across the country. click here to view

PART3 --- The forgotten ones: A veteran's life of self-medicated torment: (TORONTO STAR)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:33:47 +0000

One man anesthetizes his return from Afghanistan with anything he can find. click here to view

PART 1 ---Home is new Afghan war front: (TORONTO STAR)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:31:44 +0000

More than 26,000 Canadians have served in Afghanistan. In the first of a three-part series, we tell the story of one soldier's troubled return. click here to view

Contrarian Approach for PTSD: (PSYCH CENTRAL)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:30:55 +0000

A different approach to managing PTSD suggests that for some people repressing rather than exposing the traumatic memories may be better for an individual's health. click here to view

Lesson In Leadership: (EDMONSON SUN)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:29:27 +0000

Without missing a beat, Graham replied, "It's a big problem and the Army is addressing it. We now understand every soldier has some degree of PTSD and the Army has a required re-entry program complete with counselors and psychologists to help these men and women. Army divorce, abuse, motorcycle accidents, caffeine addiction and suicide rates are skyrocketing compared to civilians." click here to view

Stressed Out: (ARMY TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:27:11 +0000

Kudos to Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch, commander of III Corps and Fort Hood, for his approach to reducing unit stress, as well as to Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for drawing attention to the general's example [" 'At the center of my life,'." June 8]. click here to view

VA looks at housing for homeless: (WICHITA EAGLE)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:26:24 +0000

The Department of Veterans Affairs is considering building a housing facility in Wichita for homeless veterans. The facility would be one of four the VA is proposing to build across the nation. click here to view

Number of VA claims poised to hit 1 million: (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:24:47 +0000

The Veterans Affairs Department appears poised to hit a milestone it would rather avoid: 1 million claims to process. The milestone approaches as the agency scrambles to hire and train new claims processors, which can take two years. VA officials are working with the Pentagon under orders from President Barack Obama to create by 2012 a system that will allow the two agencies to electronically exchange records, a process now done manually on paper. click here to view

Rural Alaska veterans need special care, VA chief says: (CORDOVA TIMES, AK)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:25:32 +0000

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki acknowledges Alaska's unique geography makes it difficult to provide VA health care access to veterans in rural Alaska but he has pledged to find ways to remedy the situation. click here to view

Congressman Sestak Supports Key Legislation for Low-Income Veterans: (NEWSBLAZE)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:24:07 +0000

As one critical step to address homelessness among Veterans, Congressman Joe Sestak (PA-07) cosponsored and helped the House pass by a 417-2 margin the Homes for Heroes Act, HR 403. The bill would provide shelter for homeless veterans and their families, and will help prevent low-income families from falling into homelessness. click here to view

Benefits boost for retirees, survivors blocked: (MILITARY TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:23:16 +0000

The House Armed Services Committee blocked Republican efforts to provide big boosts in retiree and survivor benefits because there was no way of covering the costs over the next 10 years. click here to view

Major Bauguess' widow helps wounded soldiers: (WILKES-BARRE JOURNAL-PATRIOT)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:22:29 +0000

A few months later, Bauguess returned to the family readiness group, but it felt different, she said. A widow among the wives of active-duty soldiers, she struggled to find her role. Then a friend asked whether she would be interested in starting a new outreach for the 82nd, the Wounded Warriors Committee, modeled on similar efforts by other units. "I didn't even have to think about it," she said. "I knew." click here to view

Guardsman running race to put military suicides in spotlight: (BANGOR,ME, DAILY NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:21:37 +0000

Col. John Mosher, director of operations for the Maine Army National Guard, compares thoughts of suicide to a looming mountain. "When you get to the top of that mountain, you get a new view on life," he said. "But when you're at the bottom, it looks insurmountable." To highlight suicide awareness among military members, Mosher is planning to literally climb a mountain. The 20-year guardsman will participate in the annual Mount Washington Road Race in New Hampshire...click here to view

Nothing South of Heroic: (MARINES MAGAZINE)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:20:14 +0000

Fighting in faraway places is nothing new for Marines. However, with an increased survival rate for those injured in combat, the recovery process for wounded warriors has reached new heights. This is one Marine's journey on his road to recovery. click here to view

Disabled veteran discusses life after the military: (AIR FORCE NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:19:26 +0000

"I know that I'll be alright," he said. "As long as I can work and bring home a paycheck and the AbilityOne program makes that possible for me and thousands of others who desperately need it." click here to view

Leading by example: (TACOMA NEWS- TRIBUNE)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:18:38 +0000

The sight of an officer marching past with the aid of hand crutches was not lost on the hundreds of wounded and injured soldiers of the Warrior Transition Battalion whom Dudek now commands. "The Army has to make a deliberate decision to let a paralyzed lieutenant colonel command a battalion," the 40-year-old said. "That doesn't happen often." click here to view

Q & A: (MARINES MAGAZINE)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:17:39 +0000

Interview with Wounded Warrior Regiment's Commanding Officer - Col. Gregory A. Boyle click here to view

Scars Are Not Forever: (MARINES MAGAZINE)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:02:30 +0000

Dr. Timothy Miller, chief of reconstructive surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center, operates on Aaron Mankin's face. Mankin was the first wounded service member to take advantage of Operation Mend, a partnership the U.S. military and UCLA Medical Center, through which UCLA provides world-class plastic reconstructive surgeries to disfigured service members. click here to view

Military fighting stress stigma: (EDMONTON SUN)

Remind.org — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:01:22 +0000

Soldiers who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder can face stigma that is more destructive than the illness itself, concludes a new report from MPs on the House of Commons defence committee. The report found the military is struggling to keep up with the needs of soldiers injured physically and psychologically in combat in Afghanistan. After hearing from soldiers, their families and experts in the field, the committee said attitudes toward mental illness in the forces remain "largely negative." click here to view

At war with PTSD: (TRIBUNE DEMOCRAT, JOHNSTOWN, PA)

Remind.org — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:12:12 +0000

The Department of Defense has taken major steps to help military personnel returning from deployment. The Veterans Administration offers counseling and treatment for soldiers suffering from the effects of combat, including post-traumatic stress disorder. So why are we publishing stories about military veterans who say they have PTSD and who are being charged with violent crimes? click here to view

New tax law aids disabled veterans: (ENNIS, TX, DAILY NEWS)

Remind.org — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:11:21 +0000

Texas veterans who are 100 percent disabled are now eligible for exemption of homestead property tax, according to Ellis County Veteran's Service Officer James Wilhoite. click here to view

Rule changes will give 265,000 veteran health care: (STARS & STRIPES)

Remind.org — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:09:31 +0000

Veterans Affairs officials plan to add more than 266,000 veterans to the health care program by October 2010, part of a new effort by the White House to expand coverage to those left out of the system in recent years. Philip Matkovsky, deputy chief business officer for VA member services, said as many as 4,000 new veterans could be enrolled in the next few weeks, and the department will send out letters to nearly half a million others asking them to reapply and see if they qualify under the new rules. click here to view

VA to explain hospital mistakes before committee: (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Remind.org — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:10:20 +0000

A House subcommittee is to meet Tuesday in Washington to discuss the endoscopic equipment mistakes at VA hospitals in Miami, Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Augusta, Ga., with agency officials. click here to view

Ex-Marine to bike across country to help Iraq war vets: (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER)

Remind.org — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:08:43 +0000

But Boudreau, 38, wanted to carry the conversation about veterans further. So, the captain who spent 12 years in the Marines planned a cross-country bike ride, starting in Seattle and ending in his hometown of Northampton, Mass. The goal: To talk openly about the war in communities along the route with vets and non-vets alike, and to help society understand what vets go through. He calls it "The Other Side" tour. click here to view

Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation Raises More Than $300,000: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:07:30 +0000

Since 1962, the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation has provided academic scholarships to children of Marines and Navy corpsmen serving with Marines, with particular attention given to children whose parent was killed or wounded in action. click here to view

Veterans Renovate Wounded Solider's Home: (FOX ATLANTA)

Remind.org — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:06:37 +0000

Some military veterans put the finishing touches on a special gift for a wounded Fayetteville soldier Monday. Thanks to their generosity, the injured Army sergeant will return home this week for the first time in 18 months. click here to view

The Look of a Brave Warrior: (MARINE CORPS MAGAZINE)

Remind.org — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:04:49 +0000

Teamwork. Camaraderie. Esprit de Corps. These terms commonly describe Marines. In the world of wounded warriors, these terms take on a new meaning. click here to view

Brave Pendle soldier learns to walk again: (U.K. BURNLEY CITIZEN)

Remind.org — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:05:43 +0000

A BRAVE soldier who lost both his legs after stepping on an explosive in Afghanistan is learning to walk again using prosthetic legs. Gregg Stevenson, 24, has surpassed doctors' expectations and made amazing progress. click here to view

Recovery unit set up plan for wounded soldier care: (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Remind.org — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:03:53 +0000

The first thing Lt. Col. Terry McDowell did when he took command of a recovery unit for wounded troops at Fort Bragg was establish a transition plan for each wounded soldier to work toward leaving the unit as soon as he or she arrives....At the same time, he's making sure that staff member are better trained to distinguish medical problems from disciplinary ones. click here to view

American hospital in Afghanistan holds health fair: (USAF NEWS)

Remind.org — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:03:02 +0000

Liaisons Provide Wounded Warriors Smooth Transitions to VA Care: (MIL HEALTH SYSTEM)

Remind.org — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:02:01 +0000

In a presentation before representatives from several military and veterans service organizations during a meeting hosted by DoD's Force Health Protection & Readiness office in late May, Kathleen Dinegar, acting national program manager of the VA Liaison Program Care Management and Social Work Service, said the program started six years ago with just one liaison at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. The VA now has 27 full-time social workers and nurses working as liaisons in 13 MTFs. Five additional MTFs with significant numbers of injured service members have been identified for future VA liaison assignments over the next several months. click here to view

Drug Problems Among Iraq, Afghan Vets Could Dwarf Vietnam: (TRANSWORLDNEWS)

Remind.org — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:00:59 +0000

Rather than the heroin addictions many Vietnam veterans brought back with them from Southeast Asia, today's returning soldiers are more likely to be addicted to prescription medications -- the very opiates prescribed to them by the military to ease stress or pain -- or stimulants used by soldiers to remain alert in combat situations. click here to view

Why Army Suicides Continued to Rise in May, and What We Can Do: (HUFFINGTON POST)

Remind.org — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:58:24 +0000

While a lot of attention has been paid to increasing counseling even more, and removing the stigma that troops attach to depression as a weak trait, that's just treating the problem after the fact. The root causes of combat stress leading to suicide are three-fold, mostly out of the hands of our generals, and therefore must be addressed by the Federal government. click here to view

VA Announces 15% Decrease in Homelessness Among Veterans: (REALESTATERAMA)

Remind.org — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:57:21 +0000

The number of veterans homeless on a typical night has declined 15 percent in the past year, thanks to the services offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and its partners in community- and faith-based organizations, plus changing demographics and improvements in survey techniques. The reduction of homeless veterans from more than 154,000 to about 131,000 was revealed in the 15th annual Community Homeless Assessment, Local Education and Networking Group (CHALENG) report on homeless veterans. click here to view

VA patients hope for real answers: (TENNESSEEAN)

Remind.org — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:56:19 +0000

Walter McRae wants to hear the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs tell him it is sorry. He wants its highest-ranking officials to say they're doing something to make sure veterans who turn to the government for medical treatment aren't being exposed to dirty equipment, the way he may have been six years ago. click here to view

VA seeking partners for work programs: (FT WORTH BUSINESS PRESS)

Remind.org — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:55:17 +0000

Veterans Industries, which falls under the VA North Texas Health Care System, is a compensated work therapy program that provides vocational rehabilitation to veterans. Pleasant and other veterans have gotten a new chance to enter the work force through Veterans Industries, and the program in Fort Worth recently welcomed a new manager, John Purkey. click here to view

VA clinic treats the whole veteran: (DAILY HERALD, WAUSAU, WI)

Remind.org — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:54:31 +0000

Hellmich is among area veterans who say the care and compassion they receive from Wausau's VA clinic has helped them endure life's challenges, especially those related to their military service. The VA, which took over operation of the clinic from a private contractor in April, is adding staff and expanding services to meet veterans' medical and emotional needs. click here to view

First Midwest 'Soldier Ride' helps veterans: (WLS-TV CHICAGO)

Remind.org — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:52:27 +0000

Sunday was the first ever Midwest "Soldier Ride." The big cycling event was designed by the Wounded Warrior Project to challenge injured veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and to help heal both the physical and mental wounds of war. click here to view

Paralyzed Soldier's Home Prepped For Homecoming: (WPTZ-TV Burlington, VT)

Remind.org — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:51:39 +0000

A community converged Sunday to help build a house for a Hyde Park soldier injured while on duty in Afghanistan. Pvt. 1st Class Andrew Parker, 21, of Hyde Park, was paralyzed when a roadside bomb exploded as he served with the Army in Afghanistan, NewsChannel 5's Matt Gerien reported. click here to view

After Brain Injury, Houston Veteran Rebuilds His Life: (HOUSTON CHRONICLE)

Remind.org — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:50:34 +0000

Project Victory has offered continuing therapy and training at its clinic near the Texas Medical Center, but DeJaico says he's done with being a patient. He doesn't want to think about his injury anymore, if he can help it. His focus is on the future. "I have to start a new life, basically," he said. "I never did any of this before. I have no choice but to do this." click here to view

Soldier Lost Half His Skull But Not His Determination: (ARIZONA DAILY STAR)

Remind.org — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:49:40 +0000

Five years have passed since he woke up drooling and paralyzed in an Army hospital with a coconut-sized hole in his cranium - an injury from which doctors said he would never fully recover. The road back to some sort of normalcy has been rife with pain and indignity. He's been stared at by strangers, coped with countless surgeries and infections, and battled rage, self-pity and depression. Through it all, he kept hoping he could reach a point where life seemed worth living again. Finally, he has. click here to view

Wounded warrior makes history as first-ever amputee to complete Army warrant officer school: (ARMY NEWS)

Remind.org — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:48:42 +0000

With a Warrant Officer One bar on his Army Combat Uniform, Halsey said he's ready to head off to his next assignment as part of the Criminal Investigation Command at Fort Gillam, Ga., and to fulfill his obligations as an officer. He said he hopes that as an amputee and as a warrant officer, he can inspire other Soldiers. He also hopes he continues to be seen as an active, contributing part of the Army -- not just a symbol of the war or of the Army's commitment to Soldiers. click here to view

Fort Bragg's unique Soldiers help alleviate combat stress: (ARMY NEWS)

Remind.org — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:46:45 +0000

The two noncommissioned officers are black Labrador retrievers, serving their country by providing combat stress therapy. The dogs were donated and trained by America's VetDogs, an organization dedicated to training dogs to serve the special needs of Soldiers. "The combat stress dogs give the unit another tool in their tool box when they are talking to Soldiers about what they are going through," said Mike Sergeant, chief training officer, America's VetDogs. "Almost everybody likes dogs. These two served as an ice-breaker when patients talked with a combat stress technician, helping the Soldier to open up and relax." click here to view

Military sees rise in eye injuries from lasers: (STARS & STRIPES)

Remind.org — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:47:48 +0000

A tool that the U.S. military says is saving civilian lives in Iraq and Afghanistan has backfired in the hands of some soldiers, causing temporary - and in at least two cases, permanent - eye damage to fellow troops. Laser-related eye injuries among U.S. soldiers in Iraq have risen significantly in the last six months, prompting the military to review its use of green lasers. click here to view

Army chaplains receive war zone stress training: (STARS & STRIPES)

Remind.org — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:45:52 +0000

Army chaplains and their assistants who have deployed downrange received some guidance themselves to help deal with the stresses of working in a war zone and giving the troops a shoulder to lean on. The chaplains got that help during last week's Resiliency Training Conference in Mannheim, Germany. Similar training has been done in the States, but Col. Doug Kinder, Installation Management Command-Europe's top chaplain, said he believes this is the first time it has been done overseas. The training was conducted by the San Antonio-based U.S. Army Medical Department Center and School. click here to view

Sgt. Sammuel Nichols, USMC Blog

Remind.org — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:41:48 +0000

Back in November of 2008 I read a heartwarming story in the Sacramento Bee of the homecoming of Army Spc. Trevor Hogue who made it back home to Granite Bay California from the Middle East. All of Trevor’s family came to the Sacramento Airport to greet him and all were very excited to be there to greet him. The article mentioned an older gentleman who, out of the blue, came up to thank Trevor for his service to our country. I remember the article brought tears to my eyes. click here to view

NCSU players spend time with Marines: (RALEIGH NEWS-OBSERVER)

Remind.org — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:03:33 +0000

For Wolfpack coach Tom O'Brien, who served nine years in the Marine Corps, the second annual trip to visit the Wounded Warrior Barracks, where injured and ill Marines convalesce, is a way of thanking the war veterans and adding a sobering dose of reality to his own players. A group of a dozen Marines, most age 19 to 22, spent an hour and a half talking with the Wolfpack contingent. click here to view

Soldier completes charity climb: (ITN, UK)

Remind.org — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:02:47 +0000

An Army officer who suffered horrendous injuries in Iraq has taken four days to finish his charity climb of El Capitan in the US. Major Phil Packer, 36, was told he would never walk again after suffering a spinal injury in a rocket attack in Basra in February last year. But since then he has completed a series of inspirational fundraising challenges, including walking the London Marathon on crutches. click here to view

Wounded Vets Overcome Obstacles In Soldier Ride: (WISC-TV)

Remind.org — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:02:02 +0000

Each soldier has a different story but all of them face life-long reminders of their service to the country. Events like this week's Soldier Ride help veterans prove to themselves, and everyone else, they can still accomplish anything. click here to view

Understanding post-traumatic stress disorder: (UK MINISTRY OF DEFENCE)

Remind.org — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:01:10 +0000

In a world where demands on soldiers are higher than they have been for decades and where combat on current operations is up close and personal, it is unsurprising that the topic of soldiers' mental health has been hotly debated in the media. click here to view

Fort Lewis' wounded warriors team up with Habitat for Humanity: (SEATTLE TIMES)

Remind.org — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:00:22 +0000

They said they wanted to give back to the community, as if they hadn't done enough for the country already. "It makes them feel needed," said Staff Sgt. James Warren, who has 10 soldiers in his Alpha Company squad that's part of the battalion. He was there helping hammer and hoist materials. click here to view

Education key to PTSD-related issues: (DAILY GLEANER, CANADA)

Remind.org — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:59:17 +0000

"Ignorance always feeds the fear of mental health injuries, and if you empower the people with the knowledge, it will definitely work in your favour to reduce the stigma," Doucette said Wednesday. click here to view

U.S. Navy, UCLA FOCUS on Supporting Military Families: (DEFENSE INDUSTRY DAILY)

Remind.org — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:58:26 +0000

The University of California, Los Angeles, received a $7.2 million firm-fixed-price contract to provide family support services for U.S. military personnel being deployed overseas. The services include group level briefings for pre- and post-deployment military and family, individual consultations, skill-building sessions for families, and multi-session family interventions. The services also include consultation to military staff, schools, family, and community on parenting and combating stress, traumatic grief, and other deployment-related stresses. click here to view

Numbers show the Army hasn't solved its suicide problem: (DAILY PRESS NEWPORT NEWS)

Remind.org — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:57:32 +0000

Frequent and extended deployments to the Middle East have often been cited as one cause for stress within the ranks. Others have pointed to the need to aggressively treat post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. click here to view

Army Takes New Approach to Suicide Prevention: (ARMY NEWS)

Remind.org — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:56:05 +0000

As the number of Soldiers committing suicide continues to rise, the Army's suicide prevention campaign shifts its focus to junior leaders in an effort to arm them with the tools they need to help their Soldiers before a problem reaches a tragic end. click here to view

Army sees jump in reported suicides in May: (NBC)

Remind.org — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:55:20 +0000

The Army said Thursday that were 17 reported suicides among active and reserve soldiers in May, more than twice as many as in the previous month. Of those, one was confirmed and 16 remained under investigation, the Army said. click here to view

Vets homeless aid is proposed: (ALBANY TIMES UNION)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:23:10 +0000

To combat what he called a "hidden tragedy," Schumer last week introduced the "Homes for Heroes" bill, which he said would give $200 million to veterans groups, non-profits and communities to expand and find affordable housing for homeless veterans. The federally funded facilities would provide counseling and employment services, and the bill also would create 10,000 more rental assistance vouchers for vets without homes, Schumer said Wednesday. click here to view

$3.5 million grant will expand care to rural veterans: (TUSCALOOSA NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:21:43 +0000

For many veterans, the best medicine after the chaos of war has been living out the rest of their lives in the quiet of rural West Alabama. But the quiet can only heal so much, and the distance between rural veterans and the city can be a barrier to receiving medical attention. click here to view

State Establishes Full Time Veterans Counseling Office in Syracuse VAMC: (NY VA)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:22:25 +0000

The New York State Division of Veterans' Affairs has established its state veterans counseling office at the Syracuse VA Medical Center with two counselors to provide benefits counseling and advocacy for veterans and their families. click here to view

'Business Bootcamp' for Disabled Veterans: (WCTV - TALLAHASSEE)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:20:56 +0000

Moncayo's not staying grounded, though. He's started his own helicopter commuter airline but he needs help, so he's taking part in the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans. It's an intense nine-day program where disabled vets get briefed on how to become successful entrepreneurs and business owners. click here to view

Day with wounded vets inspires Ravens: (BALTIMORE SUN)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:20:07 +0000

Next time you wonder whether we make too much of sports in this country, do yourself a favor: Go talk to a combat veteran. Talk to someone like Sgt. James Norris of the Army's 104th Cavalry, one of three wounded vets from Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington invited to watch the Ravens practice in Owings Mills on Wednesday. click here to view

Wounded Kentucky GI found dead at Fort Sam: (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:19:15 +0000

Spc. Franklin D. Barnett Jr., 29, was found dead in his room Sunday afternoon, according to a release from Brooke Army Medical Center. Barnett, who was hurt in Afghanistan, had been assigned to C Company of the Warrior Transition Battalion since Oct. 15. Barnett's death, at least the third in less than three months involving members of the battalion, is under investigation. click here to view

Face of Defense: Doctor Applies Traumatic Brain Injury Experience to Mission: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:18:31 +0000

When Army Col. (Dr.) Kenneth Lee began evaluating more than 3,000 Wisconsin Army National Guardsmen called to duty last fall in the state's largest operational deployment since World War II to ensure their medical readiness, he approached the task with unique and personal insights. click here to view

Mullen: Warfighters, Families, Wounded Warriors Drive Budget Request: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:14:54 +0000

But Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee he's particularly proud of funds dedicated to carrying for wounded warriors. "There is, in my view, no higher duty for this nation, or for those of us in leadership positions, than to care for those who sacrifice so much and who must now face lives forever changed by wounds both seen and unseen," Mullen told the Senate panel during a budget hearing. click here to view

15 months after bloodbath in Iraq, young veteran takes his life: (SACRAMENTO BEE)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:14:04 +0000

"You think that they are safe when they get back home," Donna Hogue said, tearfully reading printed messages that she and her son exchanged while he was at war. "They're not. The reality of the things that they experienced continues to haunt them." click here to view

Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology forum focuses on vets' mental health: (WEST ROXBURY TRANSCRIPT, MA)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:13:17 +0000

The Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology held a forum on Rivermoor Street in West Roxbury to discuss the issue of the mental health of returning war veterans and solutions to better assist them at the 32nd annual Erich Lindemann Memorial Lecture. Dr. David G. Satin, chairman of the lecture series, moderated Friday's event, called "Returning War Veterans: Challenges in Continuing Mental Health Care after Military and Civilian Trauma." click here to view

Awareness key as soldiers return home: (NEW LONDON DAY, CT)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:12:12 +0000

Of the 1.5 million soldiers deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq since 2001, an estimated 5 to 10 percent have mild traumatic brain injury, and up to 60 percent of those also have post-traumatic stress disorder. Navy psychiatrist Dr. Craig Martin recited those statistics Wednesday to impress on his audience the need for families, communities, mental health professionals and servicemen themselves to understand and recognize these conditions so those affected can get help. click here to view

Highlanders Protect Mental Health: (ARMY NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:11:18 +0000

Soldiers don't have to go it alone when dealing with any mental health issues that arise. "Taking care of Soldiers health mentally and physically is the first step in accomplishing the brigade's mission," said Col. Peter A. Newell, 4th Brigade, 1st Armored Division "Highlanders" commander. click here to view

Battalion's leaders look for stress relief: (STARS & STRIPES)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:19:57 +0000

Last month's deadly shooting at a stress clinic on the biggest U.S. military base in Baghdad prompted a meeting between Lt. Col. Dave Bair and his battalion's chaplain, Capt. Mike Smith. The two men sat down and asked aloud: Should they be doing anything different to watch for danger signs among their nearly 800 soldiers? click here to view

Suicide Before Deployment: (NY TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:04:44 +0000

While there is no doubt a connection between combat stress and suicide ("Intolerable Rise in Soldier Suicides," editorial, June 7), attention must also be given to soldiers who take their lives before deployment. click here to view

An update from Kim Dozier: (FOREIGN POLICY)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:03:53 +0000

The more I hear from Kimberly Dozier of CBS, the more impressed I am. This is from her commencement address at Wellesley College. She is talking about being hit by a car bomb a few years ago in Baghdad ...A lot of people have suffered similar agonies in recent years, but Kim does a good job of capturing it. click here to view

Gone fishin': Community rolls out red carpet for visiting soldiers: (PENINSULA CLARION, KENAI, AK)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:03:10 +0000

"A day like this means a lot," said Capt. Joshua Elliott, Alpha Company Commander of the Warrior Transition Battalion. "It means the community supports our soldiers -- the veterans who have actually gone to war. It's nice to see your community show a big 'thank you' to these guys for all they've done for them." click here to view

Vets trying to conquer their fears: (STATE JOURNAL, FRANKFORT, KY)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:02:09 +0000

The VFW statewide has a mission to ensure veterans know help is available for those who need it. Carlos Pugh, commander of the Department of Kentucky VFW and a Frankfort resident, has been on a grassroots campaign to spread information to VFW posts throughout the state. "I travel from district to district and talk to all veterans and let them know that if they're having problems mentally, there are people out there who can help," Pugh said. click here to view

Vince Gill Takes the Honors at Kennedy Center Show for Veterans: (WASHINGTON POST)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:01:15 +0000

The 52-year-old Nashville star made a fairly unimpeachable case for himself at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall on Monday -- never mind that the night was supposed to be about others. It was the launch event for Challenge America, an initiative to help injured veterans get on with their lives after coming home, and Gill and his wife, the singer Amy Grant, hosted the kickoff-cum-concert with more than a little help from their musician friends. click here to view

Bill would protect jobs of vets who need care: (MILITARY TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:00:26 +0000

The Wounded Veteran Job Security Act, sponsored by Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, would extend employment and re-employment rights rules that apply to mobilized members of the National Guard and reserve to disabled veterans who need medical treatment from the Department of Veterans Affairs for a service-connected injury, illness or disease. These could be illnesses that are the direct result of, or were aggravated by, military service. click here to view

From the Lab to the Battlefield: (MIL HEALTH SYS)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:59:18 +0000

With over 120,000 soldiers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, undoubtedly someone will suffer an injury therefore, medical solutions have to be effective, there's no place for faulty products. The Army has documented that the survival rate in ongoing conflicts is over 90%, the highest recorded in modern combat. This survival rate is the product of numerous innovations such as improvements in protective equipment, improvements in evacuation, improvements in the training of combat medics, and innovations in the medical equipment and techniques available at all levels of care from self/buddy aid, through field care given by medics and into hospital care delivered in theater and in the U.S. click here to view

VA relocates brain injury lab from Austin to Waco: (EXAMINER)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:58:23 +0000

"This move will place our laboratory in an ideal location that will allow us to better server our nation's military families and Veterans," Dr. Gerald Cross, VA's Acting Under Secretary for Health, said. "This program consolidation will enable VA to meet its mission of better understanding brain injuries and to help Veterans recover from such injuries." click here to view

Army Closing Some Special Care Units: (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:57:26 +0000

"One of the things that is driving this decrease in the size of the warrior transition unit is the fact that we've put soldiers back out into their units to heal," said Lt. Col. Mike Heimall, a deputy commander at Blanchfield Army Community Hospital at Fort Campbell. click here to view

Army's new SELF program looks at Soldiers' total well-being: (ARMY NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:56:00 +0000

Soldiers begin SELF by first taking computer-based self assessments. On-site clinicians can view the results of the assessments immediately afterwards, allowing them to tailor their consults to meet the Soldiers' particular needs. Soldiers can then be evaluated for individual health risks that may range from behavioral health issues, such as depression and anxiety, as well as physical health issues. click here to view

Pentagon Investigates Pill-Popping PTSD Prevention: (WIRED)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:55:01 +0000

As many as 300,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans may have suffered from PTSD or depression at some point, and the military has already spent millions on treatment for returning troops - everything from "samurai meditation" to at-home computerized counselors. Now the Pentagon's advanced research arm is hoping that a combination of neuroscience, psychology, and creative pill-popping can stop battlefield stress before it even starts. click here to view

Intolerable Rise In Soldier Suicides: (NEW YORK TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:49:42 +0000

Military suicide is the nation's problem, not just the Pentagon's. There is a shortage of mental health professionals in the military. click here to view

Help for homeless vets: (TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM, TX)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:48:58 +0000

The social workers at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System are devoted and will go the extra mile to make sure what needs to be done gets done, said Paula Wood, health care for the homeless veteran coordinator. click here to view

Crisis at the VA as Benefits Claims Backlog Nearly Tops One Million: (OP ED NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:48:01 +0000

The VA's claims backlog, which includes all benefits claims and all appeals at the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) and the Board of Veterans Appeals at VA, was 803,000 on January 5, 2009. The backlog hit 915,000 on May 4, 2009, a staggering 14 percent increase in four months. The issue has become so dire that veterans now wait an average of six months to receive disability benefits and as long as four years for their appeals to be heard in cases where their benefits were denied. click here to view

Tester tells veterans their rural health care options are improving: (THE BILLINGS, MT GAZETTE)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:47:13 +0000

Rural health care for military veterans is improving, but more needs to be done, Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., told Disabled American Veterans gathered in Billings Friday....Montana has roughly 100,000 veterans. For those living in far Eastern Montana, an all-day or overnight trip is sometimes required for treatment that may take less than a few hours. The availability of mental health care has become a key issue. click here to view

Bill to ease VA proof of PTSD moves forward: (MILITARY TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:46:27 +0000

A bill designed to make it easier for veterans to receive benefits and immediate care for post-traumatic stress disorder moved to the House Veterans Affairs Committee on Wednesday and is expected to be voted on by the committee next week. HR 952 would clarify that "combat with the enemy" is defined as duty in a combat theater during a time of war or against a "hostile force during a period of hostilities" for those seeking service-connected benefits for disabilities. click here to view

Warriors Take To The Water: (WASHINGTON TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:45:29 +0000

Wounded Warrior - as injured servicemen and women are respectfully referred to - Letterman was one of the participants in the Army vs. Marines Spring Bass Challenge held at the state park's Sweden Point Marina and in all of the adjacent waters, from the creek out into the broad Potomac River. More than 70 injured and disabled soldiers and Marines who served in Iraq and Afghanistan showed up, all of them intending to catch the largemouth bass that the tidal Potomac is justly renowned for. click here to view

For Troubled Vets, A Hard Road To Healing: (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:44:42 +0000

With each new tragedy, John Musewicz worries more about the stress and stigma suffered by soldiers fighting the war on terror. Ignoring the pain allows it to fester, said Musewicz, a Vietnam vet and a therapist running a new Council for Relationships program for soldiers and their families. Operation Home and Healing offers counseling at any of the council's 14 locations in Pennsylvania and South Jersey. Help can even be had for free if that's what it takes to persuade the proud, reluctant community to step forward. click here to view

'I thought he was dead': (SUDBURY STAR, CANADA)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:43:50 +0000

In late March, Justin and his family returned to Canada, with the injured soldier continuing his recovery at Ottawa's Civic Hospital. " The first day back, we were in an elevator at the Civic Hospital and he opened his good eye, to show me he could see from it," says Paul. "It was the first time I saw it." After five weeks at the Ottawa hospital Justin was released on an outpatient basis and returned to the home he owns near Canadian Forces Base Petawawa, where he is based. In addition to physiotherapy, he is awaiting a prosthetic eye and may require additional surgery for some lingering hearing loss and possibly more plastic surgery. Nevertheless, "he's already talking about entering some kind of strength or fitness competition" and is looking forward to resuming his military career, says Paul. click here to view

Group calls for paying caregivers of wounded: (MILITARY TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:41:52 +0000

Family members caring for severely wounded service members should receive pay for the medical and nonmedical assistance they provide to at least partly offset their time, the National Military Family Association says. Compensation should be paid both while the injured members are on active duty, and after they separate or retire, said Barbara Cohoon, deputy government relations director for the association. click here to view

Tipper Gore, George Stephanopoulos, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Richard Gephardt To Appear At Mental Health America's Centennial Conference: (MED NEWS TODAY)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:42:50 +0000

Military mental health leaders and veterans will explore the mental health issues of veterans, servicemen and women, and their families. Mark Benjamin, an award-winning reporter with Salon.com, will moderate a panel that includes Brig. General Loree K. Suttton, director of the Defense Center of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury; and Matt Kuntz, executive director of NAMI Montana.click here to view

Friend: Soldier who killed himself on West Cliff unable to control his aggression after two tours in Iraq: (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:41:03 +0000

Last year, Mason was assigned to a desk job after suffering injuries via two improvised explosive devices and because he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder, Johnson said. He lived with his wife off base, but the relationship was falling apart, he said. Mason tried to kill himself twice last year, Johnson said, though he doesn't think the failing marriage played a large role in that. "He didn't kill himself because he didn't like his life," Johnson said. "It was because he always felt like hurting people. He had a lot of anger and rage and he couldn't control it. click here to view

Continuing Commitment to Suicide Prevention: (MIL HEALTH SYS)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:39:57 +0000

I am very concerned with the recent number of suicides. These are trying times and suicide should never be an option. Every effort must be made to understand and inform soldiers and their families of the risk factors involved; to train soldiers, families and Army civilians to actively intervene when necessary; and to make them all aware of professional help at every level. click here to view

Love is a battlefield: (NEWSWEEK)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:37:40 +0000

Everyone likes doing what they're good at. But soldiers have to weigh the benefits and costs in ways that others don't. The more time soldiers do in war zones, the more likely they are to suffer posttraumatic stress disorder. A mental-health survey conducted by the Army has quantified the psychological wear and tear of repeated tours. As of spring 2008, 27 percent of noncommissioned officers with three or four deployments had shown symptoms of PTSD, compared with 12 percent of those with one tour. click here to view

India's first stemcell transplant for traumatic brain injury: (HINDUSTAN TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:36:48 +0000

A 27-year old woman, suffering from severe disability for the past one year following an accident, has succesfully underwent brain stemcell transplant surgery, the first such case in the country, doctors at a superspeciality hospital in Bangalore claimed on Saturday. click here to view

World War II Veteran Copes with Memories Through Golden Age Games: (DOD PRESS)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:35:30 +0000

The VA and National Veterans Golden Age Games have given Blatnik an outlet and release for his painful memories. Meeting fellow World War II veterans, as well as veterans from later wars, has showed him that he's not alone, the Rowlett, Texas, native said. He's learned that other veterans have gone through similar distress. click here to view

Vets offer lifeline to tested troops: (THE TENNESSEAN)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:30:16 +0000

Few of us are qualified as mental-health professionals or trained counselors, but every combat veteran has one thing in common that makes us very relevant to this new generation of warriors: We've walked in their shoes. We need to lend a sympathetic ear, tell them that we were once twentysomething and that we understand their fears and emotions. What's most important is that we were able to overcome our internal demons and successfully move on. click here to view

More Support for Caregivers of Veterans Needed: (IMPERIAL VALLEY NEWS, CA)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:29:25 +0000

"As with many programs in the VA, caregiver support is not consistently available to all veterans across the United States," commented Bob Filner, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. "The Committee is currently looking at ways to expand these programs and to provide more services to family members of veterans, particularly to caregivers of the seriously wounded." click here to view

Discredited Research Study Stuns an Ex-Army Doctor's Colleagues: (NY TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:27:41 +0000

Soon, he was not the only person asking questions. Army officials, alerted by Dr. Andersen, began an investigation. They uncovered an apparent case of falsified research by a doctor who had befriended Dr. Andersen when they both worked at Walter Reed, treating American soldiers severely injured in Iraq. click here to view

Housing for homeless veterans reopens this month: (TIMES-PICAYUNE, NEW OREANS)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:28:31 +0000

Beginning this month, a transitional housing program for homeless veterans that shut down after Hurricane Katrina will once again accept clients. The Volunteers of America of Greater New Orleans facility at 1002 Napoleon Ave., along with two independent-living homes in Mid-City, were heavily damaged during the storm. Their reopening means 56 new beds for homeless veterans in the New Orleans area, who number somewhere between 1,200 and 2,600 in Orleans and Jefferson parishes. click here to view

Vet counseling center hits the road: (DESERET NEWS, UT)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:26:54 +0000

The mobile outreach van made its official debut Friday morning in the parking lot of a West Valley City clinic and is one of 50 across the United States. Ben Webster, a veteran who served in Afghanistan and has worked as a readjustment counselor the last two years, said the idea is to be more proactive in delivering services to veterans. "There are a lot of veterans in their 40s who are working, who have young children, and an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule doesn't work for them in terms of getting help," he said. "We need to go to them." click here to view

Fort Lewis College Veterans' Club working to help vets transition from soldier to student: (NATIVE AMERICAN TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:26:02 +0000

During the past year, Fort Lewis College has invested a great deal of time and resources into making FLC a more veteran-friendly campus. Just a few of the highlights are the creation of the Fort Lewis College Veterans' Club; a new FLC website devoted to resources for vets; an invitation to renowned speaker, author and veteran, Sgt. Andrew Brandi to speak on campus; and the proposal of a new course especially for veterans called "Soldiers to Scholars." click here to view

Accused killer's family hopes tragedy draws attention to PTSD: (TRIBUNE-DEMOCRAT JOHNSTOWN, PA)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:25:07 +0000

"We just hope that we can get them and everyone to understand just how bad and big the problem of PTSD is. If all that comes of this is whatever the courts have in store for Nick, then there will be more families like ours trying to help a brother or son who has been accused of a horrible crime, and there will be more families of victims wondering why this had to happen. We want anyone who served their country to get the help they need before they end up in trouble - before they hurt someone." The Horners said the military seems to have no clear plan for addressing the growing problem of PTSD. click here to view

Veteran gets 5 years as part of plea deal: (FLORIDA TODAY)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:24:16 +0000

A veteran of the war in Afghanistan, whose family insists that he has not gotten the treatment he needs for post-traumatic stress disorder, was sentenced Monday to five years in prison for a crime he said he remembers little of. click here to view

Fort Stewart facing soldiers mental health issues: (COASTAL COURRIER, GA)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:23:22 +0000

While Fort Stewart officials have not had to deal with such large numbers of self-inflicted deaths, they have had their own issues linked to soldiers who seemed to be mentally-wounded from combat. click here to view

Targeting youth, Military Health System adds social networking tools: (NEXTGOV)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:21:44 +0000

The Military Health System has added social networking tools including Twitter, MySpace and YouTube in a push to engage more of the individuals it serves -- the 18- to 24-year-olds who make up a large portion of the more than 1.4 million troops on active duty. MHS' health site is a spiffy, easy-to-use portal that provides news and text-based information.... The agency also uses sites such as YouTube to reach to the younger age group with videos on subjects ranging from prosthetic legs to golf therapy clinics for combat wounded veterans to a short profile of an occupational therapist who works with combat-wounded veterans. click here to view

Army partnership helps Wounded Warriors pursue higher education: (ARMY NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:22:33 +0000

Wounded warriors have a second chance to serve their country thanks to an Army educational partnership formed last year. The Wounded Warrior Education Initiative allows wounded Soldiers, on active duty or medically retired, to pursue their master's degrees at no cost from the University of Kansas.click here to view

Problem isn't only at Fort Campbell: (THE TENNESSEAN)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:20:54 +0000

[This column was offered to The Tennessean by the public affairs office at the Fort Campbell Army Post] Fort Campbell recently drew national attention because of a distressing rate of suicide among its soldiers, the Army's highest. The obvious questions: "Why?" "Is there anything about Fort Campbell causing this?" Simply put: No, there isn't. click here to view

Bridgeport to Baghdad: Citizen Again: (WV PUBLIC RADIO)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:19:04 +0000

Every combat veteran has a different reaction to the trauma of war. Those reactions may dramatically affect their civilian life. In 2007, a Department of Defense Task Force found that three to four months after returning home, one-third of regular Army soldiers were experiencing mental health issues. The figure is even higher - one-half -- for National Guard and Reservists. click here to view

Ft. Hood Launching Programs To Help Returning Troops With Stress: (CNN)

Remind.org — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:17:57 +0000

Their lives are on the line every day and that certainly takes a toll. But soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan can't just turn off the stress switch when they come home. CNN's Barbara Starr looks at what one fort is doing to help them.click here to view

'Fighting for Life' is a moving experience: (KANSAS CITY STAR)

Remind.org — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:26:34 +0000

The latest documentary from Oscar-winning Terry Sanders ("Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision," "A Time Out of War") is about military medical trauma units dealing with battlefield casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan. This real-life "MAS*H" is both horrifying and eerily elating. There are nightmarish things in this unblinking film you'd rather not see, and yet by witnessing them we are elevated to a new level of understanding. click here to view

Number of Homeless Veterans Plunges at City Shelters: (NY TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:25:54 +0000

The Bloomberg administration's program to provide housing for hundreds of homeless veterans should be considered a national model, Robert V. Hess, New York City's commissioner of homeless services, told the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs in Washington on Wednesday. Mr. Hess, a former Army sergeant, said that the Department of Homeless Services reduced the number of veterans living in city shelters by 60 percent from December 2006 to May 2009. In December 2006, city officials created a task force to begin moving homeless veterans into permanent housing. click here to view

Teague's PTSD measure looks to aid troops: (EL DEFENSOR CHIEFTAIN, NM)

Remind.org — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:25:04 +0000

Rep. Harry Teague, D-N.M., said Wednesday he will introduce next week a bill aimed at bolstering services to address post-traumatic stress disorder, a condition affecting a growing number of troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. click here to view

Volunteers Help Navy Vet Injured In USS Cole Blast: (CBS-4 MIAMI)

Remind.org — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:23:38 +0000

Now the organization Rebuilding Together Miami is helping Gokool. Wednesday they installed grab bars in the bathroom, repaired and retiled the bathroom shower and built several small ramps. "We are very proud to have the opportunity and particularly satisfying to help those who served our country," said Donna Falas, Executive Director of Rebuilding Together. click here to view

Survivors would benefit from war bill measure: (MILITARY TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:24:21 +0000

Congressional Democrats are using an approximately $100 billion war funding bill to give recently expanded GI Bill education benefits to the children of military service members who die while on active duty. click here to view

Rush hour for the Kings Heath medics in Afghanistan: (BIRMINGHOM POST UK)

Remind.org — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:21:41 +0000

As hundreds of British soldiers were embroiled in fierce fighting at Taliban strongholds in southern Afghanistan, reporter Paul Bradley joined Kings Heath 202 Field Hospital as they prepared for the inevitable casualties. click here to view

Amy Grant challenges Americans to care - Grass-roots campaign to help disabled veterans: (WASHINGTON TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:22:50 +0000

Amy Grant, the best-selling Christian contemporary music singer-songwriter, is asking Americans to take care of wounded veterans in their communities. She and fellow artists -- including husband Vince Gill, Allison Kraus, Michael McDonald, Darius Rucker, Mac McAnally and Melinda Doolittle -- will appear in concert Monday at the Kennedy Center to launch Challenge America. click here to view

Army helps warriors in transition heal closer to home: (ARMY NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:20:52 +0000

The Army Warrior Transition Command overseeing the Warrior Transition Units is issuing refined criteria and instructions for assignment to WTUs to allow more Reserve and National Guard Soldiers to recover in their hometowns through community-based WTUs. Many of the warriors in transition will not only have the benefit of recovering at home, they'll also be able to use local civilian health care facilities, while remaining under the direct supervision of Army unit leaders and medical case managers. click here to view

Army identifies Military OneSource, Defense Center of Excellence Outreach Center as primary crisis intervention resources: (ARMY NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:19:54 +0000

Soldiers, Army civilians and their families in need of crisis intervention now have two resources to call for assistance, as the Army has identified Military OneSource and the Defense Center of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury as primary phone and online services to support our Army community. click here to view

Good counsel: (The Times, Trenton, NJ)

Remind.org — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:19:01 +0000

One bright and hopeful sign amid all of this is the welcome New Jersey plans for returning National Guard troops. The state department of Military and Veteran Affairs is partnering with members of the UMDNJ-University Behavioral HealthCare team to provide one-on-one counseling services to members of the returning 50th Combat Infantry Brigade as part of the "Welcome Home" reintegration program. click here to view

Retired chaplain helping soldiers: (CLARKSVILLE LEAF-CHRONICLE)

Remind.org — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:18:16 +0000

Graham, a retired Army chaplain of 25 years, is an associate pastor of missions and ministries at First Baptist Church in downtown Clarksville. "One of our ministries is the military," he said, explaining that the church has an ongoing weekly program for soldiers and family members called, "Combat Trauma: Bridges to Solutions." click here to view

Psychologist: Soldiers may be each other's best defense against suicide: (CLARKSVILLE LEAF-CHRONICLE)

Remind.org — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:17:19 +0000

Clinical psychologist Dr. Jay Gorban saw thousands of soldiers in the 15 years he spent working at the U.S. Army's Department of Behavior and not one committed suicide. Gorban now works in private practice, having retired in 2006. He says the number of soldiers who have committed suicide in the past year shows a true crisis has emerged, one that is long overdue for being addressed. "This is a whole new crisis they are having to deal with," Gorban said. "They are trying to reduce the stigma, to get everybody in a mass movement to be aware of soldiers who may need help and encourage them to seek help. That's why it is so terribly important to be able to identify soldiers with these issues. click here to view

Post to add clinical help: (CLARKSVILLE LEAF-CHRONICLE)

Remind.org — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:16:27 +0000

Fort Campbell on Monday will double the number of experts who will try to address a common factor found in 11 suicides the installation has had this year - alcohol. The clinical staff of the Army Substance Abuse Program at Fort Campbell will be doubled to 16, with the goal of helping prevent more suicides from occurring. click here to view

For families, toughest times may lie ahead: (MILITARY TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:14:45 +0000

Sheila Casey, the wife of Army Gen. George Casey Jr., said in testimony before a Senate panel that military families are tough and generally resilient, but the cumulative effects of eight years of war are showing. "Families are stretched and stressed," she said. "I often refer to them as the most brittle part of the force. ... We can no longer ask them to make the best of it." click here to view

Post sees second suicide in 2 weeks: (CLARKSVILLE LEAF-CHRONICLE)

Remind.org — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:15:36 +0000

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office confirmed Thursday that a Fort Campbell soldier committed suicide Monday night on Dean Road, the second suspected suicide this month by a soldier. click here to view

Stiff upper lip leads to greater mental health problems for ex-soldiers: (UK TELEGRAPH)

Remind.org — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:13:53 +0000

A "significant number" of soldiers returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan could be suffering silently from issues like post traumatic stress disorder because of traditional British reserve, the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Annual Meeting was told. Prof McFarlane, Professor Alexander McFarlane, professor of psychiatry at the University of Adelaide and head of the Australian Centre for Military and Veterans' Health, said that soldiers tend to have a "stiff upper lip" and do not readily complain - but British soldiers are just as vulnerable to post traumatic stress disorder as the military in other countries and this needed to be identified. click here to view

The Unseen Wounds of War: (NBC TODAY SHOW)

Remind.org — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:06:48 +0000

Kerry Sanders reports on how some men and women in the armed forces battle with post-traumatic stress disorder. [click here to view](http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/#31081941 [Text] http://ebird.osd.mil/ebfiles/e20090604681849.html)

Effort to assist veterans education: (BOSTON GLOBE)

Remind.org — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:44:43 +0000

Northeastern University announced yesterday that it will invest $2 million annually to help military veterans earn college degrees. Through the federal government's new Yellow Ribbon Program, Northeastern's financial commitment will be matched, dollar for dollar, by the Department of Veterans Affairs. School officials anticipate this will allow 162 veterans to attend the university at little or no cost. click here to view

Pastors try to reach out to veterans with PTSD: (COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE)

Remind.org — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:45:26 +0000

A series of Colorado Springs seminars that began in October have addressed these issues by teaching religious leaders how to recognize combat-related stress disorders, then refer sufferers to trained combat therapists. "Many troops worship at local churches, and pastors need to know of the challenges the troops returning from Iraq and their families face," said Brian Duncan, an organizer of the seminars and a psychotherapist at Pikes Peak Behavioral Health. click here to view

VA reaches out to vets and spouses: (THE SARATOGIAN, SARATOGA SPRINGS)

Remind.org — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:43:59 +0000

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is reaching out to inform wartime veterans and surviving spouses of deceased wartime veterans about an under-used, special monthly pension benefit called Aid and Attendance. Although this is not a new program, not everyone is aware of his or her potential eligibility. The Aid and Attendance pension benefit may be available to wartime veterans and surviving spouses who have in-home care or who live in nursing homes or assisted living facilities. click here to view

Veterans getting more post-deployment help: (CHATTANOOGA TIMES FREE PRESS)

Remind.org — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:43:12 +0000

Mr. Atkins hopes to help area veterans access the range of services available to them through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He is the first local "care manager" of the VA's Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom outreach program. click here to view

Grant to help military veterans: (FREDERICKBURG, VA STAR)

Remind.org — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:42:28 +0000

More help is on the way for area military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. The Rappahannock Area Community Services Board has received a $300,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Veterans Services to set up a regional program. click here to view

VFW calls on members to "stand up" against suicides: (STARS & STRIPES)

Remind.org — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:40:46 +0000

"Our government cannot battle this enemy alone," VFW Commander-in-Chief Glen Gardner Jr. wrote in an open letter to members this weekend. "Combat is personal, and so must be our outreach efforts. That's why I am issuing this call to action to urge every VFW member to get immediately involved by seeking out and extending a hand of friendship and help to your local servicemembers - active, Guard and Reserve - and to their families, too." click here to view

Event Aims to Mend Those Who've Served: (WASHINGTON POST)

Remind.org — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:41:38 +0000

Sixty-seven days after brain surgery, Staff Sgt. Dave Love was out on the Potomac, fishing for bass on a beautiful afternoon. He and more than 90 other wounded warriors participated in the Army vs. Marines Spring Bass Challenge yesterday at Smallwood State Park in Marbury. The event was a welcome change of scene for men whose days can be a blur of doctor visits and who are often tormented at night by post-traumatic stress. click here to view

Wounded Warriors Set Out to Conquer North America's Highest Peak: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:40:02 +0000

Today marks the start of a monumental challenge for four wounded veterans, their two mentors and one guide, as they move from the base of North America's highest peak in Alaska's Denali National Park to the mountain's base camp at an elevation of 6,850 feet. click here to view

AF dermatologist uses laser to treat wounded warrior scars: (USAF NEWS)

Remind.org — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:39:14 +0000

Maj. (Dr.) Chad Hivnor, Wilford Hall Medical Center Pediatric Dermatology chief, is using a new fractional laser to treat battle scars on servicemembers injured in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. "The laser softens the texture of the scars," Dr. Hivnor said. "We are following the results achieved and functional improvements." click here to view

Airmen "Unleash" New Recovery Program for Patients: (USAF NEWS)

Remind.org — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:38:30 +0000

Trained in explosives detection, narcotics detection and more, military working dogs here are now assisting in a different type of fight: The fight to rehabilitate patients at the Air Force Theater Hospital here. Members of the AFTH medical staff here held the first session of the K-9 Visitation Program May 15, a program that works to further patient recovery after injury or illness through animal-assisted therapy. click here to view

Therapist treats wartime trauma with art: (STARS & STRIPES)

Remind.org — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:36:52 +0000

The art therapy - which officials say is a first for the Army in Europe - is part of a push to aggressively target surging mental health problems among troops. Twenty-seven percent of noncommissioned officers on their third or fourth tour to Iraq or Afghanistan exhibited symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder, according to the Pentagon. click here to view

Military must focus on mental health: (VANCOUVER SUN)

Remind.org — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:37:47 +0000

The Canadian military must do more to address mental-health concerns within its ranks, National Defence Minister Peter MacKay said on Friday. "I don't think we've done the best job in the past," MacKay said in a joint interview with Canwest News Service and Global National. "I think while we have addressed it and will continue to do so . . . there is more to be done." click here to view

VA closing Austin brain-injury research program: (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Remind.org — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:36:12 +0000

The decision to move the program comes after almost two years of disputes between the program's former director and his VA bosses. The program has cost more than $2 million in federal money so far without testing a single veteran. click here to view

Army plans mental health training program: (The Leaf-Chronicle)

Remind.org — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:35:28 +0000

The Army will begin a program this summer to address the growing number of post-traumatic stress disorder problems by building the mental resilience of its soldiers. Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey discussed the initiative in a speech Thursday to the Atlantic Council, an international affairs think tank in Washington. click here to view

Trio of congressmen demand probe of Pittsburgh VA benefit delays: (PGH TRIBUNE)

Remind.org — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:12:55 +0000

Three members of Pennsylvania's congressional delegation said Thursday that they're outraged that Pittsburgh Department of Veterans Affairs employees delayed payments to veterans in order to qualify for a performance bonus. click here to view

Fighting the Good Fight: (LONG ISLAND PRESS)

Remind.org — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:12:08 +0000

With a few clicks of his mouse, David Lin, M.D., a primary care physician at Northport VA Medical Center, knows the entire medical history of his patients. One of those patients, Joe Sledge, a veteran and spokesman for the Northport VA, allows Lin to share his records with this reporter. Within seconds of logging into the VA system, Lin knows everything about Sledge thanks to VistA: what medications he takes; what, if any, operations he's had and where, by whom, when, what time, and more. Lin can even view X-rays, radiology reports and electrocardiographs. He can zoom in, focus on a particular area, change the resolution or control its brightness-advances not possible only a short while ago, he says. click here to view

McCormick Foundation, Major League Baseball Announce $2.6 Million in Additional Grants for "Welcome Back Veterans": (PR NEWSWIRE)

Remind.org — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:11:10 +0000

The McCormick Foundation's Board of Directors has approved $2.6 million in 2009 grants as part of Welcome Back Veterans, a national public awareness and fundraising initiative to address the mental health and employment needs of America's veterans and their families. This brings the total amount awarded through Welcome Back Veterans to more than $5.5 million. click here to view

Doing more for America's troops: (WASHINGTON TIMES)

Remind.org — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:10:17 +0000

The 290th newsmaker interview at The Washington Times was unique. Actor Gary Sinise, star of CBS's "CSI: NY" series, was grilled by editors and reporters for more than an hour on Memorial Day about his work on behalf of the troops. In the end, the normally hard-nosed crowd gave a unanimous round of applause to a man whose commitment to America's service members clearly is authentic. The endorsement was more heartfelt than any I have seen extended to leading U.S. politicians and distinguished foreign leaders who have graced our Green Room in the past. click here to view

Fishing with Falcons - NFL players provide wounded warriors with day on the lake: (ESPN)

Remind.org — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:09:24 +0000

For injured soldiers, it's a therapeutic getaway; for NFL players, it's an eye-opener. It was an outing of wounded members of the U.S. Armed Forces from the VA Medical Center in Augusta, Ga., and a close look at the occupants of the pontoon boat as it cruised Lake Lanier showed this was no ordinary fishing excursion. click here to view

Obama to visit Landstuhl: (WHITE HOUSE)

Remind.org — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:08:09 +0000

The President will visit wounded warriors and their families at Landstuhl Regional Medical Facility in Germany on June 5, 2009. Landstuhl supports our service men and women stationed in Europe, and serves a leading and vital role in the care and recovery of personnel medically evacuated. click here to view

Marine Uses "Real Warriors" to Help Others: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:07:21 +0000

Hopper said at first he would deny his commanding officer and sergeant major's questions about whether he thought he might be suffering from PTSD. It took him another two or three weeks to go back to his commander to seek help, he said, and when he did, his commander immediately called around to seek help for him. "I had a hard time trying to go get help first," Hopper said. "I thought of every way I could go and get help and not let anyone know about it. But you really can't do that in the military these days. click here to view

Defeating Combat Stress: (USAF NEWS)

Remind.org — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:06:21 +0000

Air Force Lt. Col. Alicia L. Tschirhart is the commander of the Kalsu Combat Stress Control Center and a psychiatrist. The center is one of three throughout Iraq that serve a number of provinces." We are able to see any service member that is stationed at Forward Operating Base Kalsu and anyone who needs assistance is sent here to this location. click here to view

General Battles Military: (ABC)

Remind.org — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:05:29 +0000

Gen. Mark Graham, the commanding general at Ft. Carson in Colorado, lost both of his sons in the same war -- but to two separate battles. The devastating losses of his sons to suicide and a roadside bomb just months apart have been his impetus to lead the military's battle against suicide. click here to view

Suicide prevention must stay top priority at Fort Campbell: (LEAF-CHRONICLE CLARKVILLE, TN)

Remind.org — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:04:42 +0000

Depression. Despair. Suicide. Fort Campbell is coming to grips with mental and emotional wounds in its ranks and looking for ways to deal with them and save its soldiers.click here to view

Suicides affect entire community: (LEAF-CHRONICLE CLARKVILLE, TN)

Remind.org — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:03:31 +0000

On Thursday, several people suggested that a greater show of appreciation for the troops from the community would make a meaningful difference, but Ward 2 City Councilwoman Deanna McLaughlin to a degree disagreed. While acknowledging thank-yous go a long way, she thinks dealing with an Army double standard would do more to help soldiers and families deal with the more frequent and longer deployments of recent years. click here to view

Suicide trend has 'got to stop': (LEAF-CHRONICLE CLARKVILLE, TN)

Remind.org — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:02:30 +0000

Townsend spent Wednesday and will spend today delivering a firm but caring message to soldiers, encouraging them to seek help. "It's got to stop now," Townsend said Wednesday to soldiers with the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade. "No matter how bad your problems seem today, it will get better, I promise you. Don't take away your tomorrow. " click here to view

VA Web Site Helps College Counselors Aid Veterans: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:39:44 +0000

The Department of Veterans Affairs has launched a new Web site to strengthen the connection between college and university mental health professionals and veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts studying on their campuses. click here to view

Veterans divided over proposed apartments on Sepulveda VA land: (LA TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:40:32 +0000

Proponents of the 147-unit project say L.A. County's 18,000 homeless veterans need access to affordable housing. Opponents want the property turned back into a full-service hospital. click here to view

Special courts aim to give veterans second chance: (CARMI, IL, TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:38:44 +0000

The ''veterans court,'' one of several popping up across the country, is aimed at getting nonviolent soldiers with otherwise clean records into treatment, sparing them a criminal conviction. Treatment can include psychological counseling or drug and alcohol rehab. ''I've been awed in that they take into account that you volunteered for your country and that it stands for something,'' said Myatt, with roughly 23 years of service in the Army and, lately, the National Guard. ''The judge and the others are saying our own brothers are lost in the system and we can help. This is our own taking care of our own.'' click here to view

Legislation could ease tax burden for widows of veterans: (BRISTOL PILOT, PA)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:37:23 +0000

State Rep. Steve Santarsiero (D-31) announced May 26 that a collaborative effort is ongoing with another state legislator to ensure that disabled veterans and spouses of military personnel killed in action receive property tax exemptions. click here to view

Senator John Thune Announces Rural Veterans Health Funding: (SENATE.GOV)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:36:27 +0000

Senator John Thune today commented on the announcement by the Veterans Health Administration that the Office of Rural Health will allocate over $1.5 million for mental health services for veterans living in rural areas surrounding Sioux Falls, South Dakota and St. Cloud, Minnesota. Overall, the Office of Rural Health is releasing $215 million nationwide to improve health care services for veterans in rural areas. click here to view

Recession brings cuts to veterans' service groups: (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:35:20 +0000

In Michigan and elsewhere, once-sacrosanct veterans' programs are no longer safe from the knife as tax revenues continue sliding in the recession. In a recent budget-cutting order, Gov. Jennifer Granholm and legislators slashed $1 million, or 25 percent, of funding for 11 groups that help veterans through a maze of paperwork and bureaucracy to get disability and pension benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. click here to view

Soldier who lost legs stands tall to thank students: (NEWSDAY - LONG ISLAND)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:33:53 +0000

Levi, on leave from rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., has made many such public appearances in the nearly two weeks since he came home to a hero's welcome. He said he never wants to show up in his motorized wheelchair. click here to view

His 'message' is one of hope, encouragement: (SAN ANTONIO NEWS-EXPRESS)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:32:42 +0000

He would undergo 32 surgeries in two years before doctors would declare him fixed. "Relatively, I was a mess," says Martinez, 25. "But now I'm a message. Hey, I'm a walking billboard." He also has a forum that the 31,000 other wounded Iraq War troops don't have. Martinez plays himself - a scarred Iraq veteran - in the popular soap opera "All My Children," and he travels across the country as a motivational speaker, with a twist. click here to view

Ole Miss coach to visit troops: (CLARION LEDGER, OXFORD, MS)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:28:28 +0000

Nutt will be joined by former Auburn and Ole Miss coach Tommy Tuberville, Mack Brown of Texas, Jim Tressel of Ohio State, Troy Calhoun of Air Force, Jim Grobe of Wake Forest and Rick Neuheisel of UCLA on the tour, which is expected to put the coaches in contact with between 15,000 and 20,000 U.S. service members. Along the way, they'll coach flag football games and stage mock football tryout camps with the troops. But mostly, they'll be there to lift the spirits of service members - some injured - who haven't seen their families in months. click here to view

Prince Harry to meet wounded US troops: (U.K. INDEPENDENT NEWS TELEVISION)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:27:23 +0000

The pair will tour the Veterans Affairs Medical Centre in Manhattan, which specialises in fitting prosthetic limbs and treating post-traumatic stress disorder. click heret o view

Ex-Dallas Cowboy Walker shares pain with soldiers: (DALLAS MORNING NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:26:26 +0000

He tells them what were once long-held secrets. Voices in his head. Living a lie. Playing Russian roulette. Herschel finally sought treatment, and this was his message to the troops: "If you've got a problem, there's no shame in getting help." Message received. click here to view

VA Studies Advanced Prosthetic Arm: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:25:35 +0000

The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced a three-year study of an advanced artificial arm that easily allows those with severe limb loss to pick up a key or hold a pencil. "This arm is a high-tech example of how VA researchers are continually modernizing the materials, design and clinical use of artificial limbs to meet veterans' lifestyle and medical needs," click here to view

Soldiers dealing with 'whole new crisis': (LEAF-CHRONICLE CLARKVILLE, TN)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:24:34 +0000

Gorban now works in private practice, having retired in 2006. He says the number of soldiers who have committed suicide in the past year shows a true crisis has emerged, one that is long overdue for being addressed. "This is a whole new crisis they are having to deal with," Gorban said. "They are trying to reduce the stigma, to get everybody in a mass movement to be aware of soldiers who may need help and encourage them to seek help. That's why it is so terribly important to be able to identify soldiers with these issues.click here to view

Young Women Veterans at High Risk for Suicide: (MEDSCAPE)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:23:08 +0000

Women veterans are 2 to 3 times more likely to commit suicide than nonveteran women. Furthermore, female veterans are more likely to be young and use firearms to commit suicide compared with their civilian counterparts, who tend to choose other methods - commonly drug overdose. Presented here at the American Psychiatric Association 162nd Annual Meeting, 2 studies - a small longitudinal study and a much larger, cross-sectional study - show that suicide risk is high among this growing population. click here to view

Army post shuts down for anti-suicide event: (CNN)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:21:47 +0000

"His intent was to be able to look them in the eye and make them aware that everyone cares about the issue, and make sure they know -- corporal to general -- what help is available," she said. "To make sure that people know we want them to keep living." Soldiers often refuse to admit they are having problems because of the culture of the military, she said. "You still have the stigma in the Army of asking for help -- it's an institution of strength and honor. And they need to understand that there is strength and honor in asking for help," Tyler said. click here to view

'Tell somebody,' if you're thinking of suicide, says general: (CNN INT'L)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:20:28 +0000

"If you don't remember anything else I say in the next five or 10 minutes, remember this -- suicidal behavior in the 101st on Fort Campbell is bad," Brig. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend told his forces. "It's bad for soldiers, it's bad for families, bad for your units, bad for this division and our army and our country and it's got to stop now. Suicides on Fort Campbell have to stop now." click here to view

Post takes lead in addressing problem: (LEAF-CHRONICLE CLARKVILLE, TN)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:19:28 +0000

Fort Campbell has the highest suicide rate in the Army, but some say it also is at the forefront of addressing the problem. click here to view

Congressman Tom Perriello proposes bills to improve rural Veterans healthcare: (WSLS-TV ROANOKE)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:21:58 +0000

Congressman Tom Perriello is ramping up efforts to expand health care access to veterans in rural areas. He is proposing a series of legislative initiatives to give rural veterans more health care options: increasing access to care at Community Health Centers and Community Based Outpatient Clinics; expanding telemedicine and home visits by nurses and health aides; and assisting with transportation to medical facilities. click here to view

Congressman Harry Teague (NM) to Unveil Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Legislation: (KDBC-TV LAS CRUCES)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:21:10 +0000

Congressman Teague's legislation calls for mandatory mental health screening for military personnel upon induction into the military, before and after deployment, and before discharge.click here to view

Tammy Duckworth shares her vision for veterans: (KHLN-TV, HONOLULU)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:20:06 +0000

The first is to make sure veterans understand what benefits are out there, and that they come in to get the help they need. Her second goal is to bring together more public and private partnerships that'll help more veterans. click here to view

Mother Courage: (READERS DIGEST)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:19:15 +0000

In 2006, two years after he was wounded, Ty wed his hometown sweetheart, Renee Kline, to whom he had proposed between his two deployments to Iraq. The event drew worldwide media attention. But the marriage unraveled, and the couple divorced after a year. ("We grew apart, went our own ways," says Ty, with practical detachment.) Since then, Becky, like thousands of mothers of disabled vets, has been her son's main caregiver. While Ty credits his whole family and his friends for rallying around him, he singles her out. "My mom has been awesome," he says. "She's been there for me through everything." click here to view

Combat Stress: A Natural Result of Heavy Mental and Emotional Work: (DCoE)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:18:17 +0000

Combat stress (sometimes called combat and operational stress or combat and operational stress reaction) is a common response to the mental and emotional effort service members exercise when facing tough and dangerous situations. Simply put, combat stress is similar to the muscle fatigue and soreness experienced after a tough physical workout. The way your brain handles combat stress can be compared to the way your body may handle a physical workout; it all depends on your level of fitness/training. click here to view

Reintegrating into Civilian Life: (DCoE)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:17:25 +0000

Where do you start? How do you begin making life normal again, when "normal" now means something completely different than before you received your orders?1 Here are some tips to help you in this transition: click here to view

US troops fighting to save lives in Afghanistan: (THE STAR, GAUTENG, SOUTH AFRICA)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:15:51 +0000

Lynch is part of a "Dustoff" flying medical evacuation, or medevac, team of national guard troops who speed around the country in helicopters equipped with cutting-edge medical technology to pick up wounded soldiers. They have revolutionised battlefield care, collecting the injured from the heart of hostile territory, winching them off steep mountainsides into hovering helicopters, and ensuring that all but the most severely wounded make it to hospital alive. click here to view

Defense launches campaign and Web site to destigmatize traumatic stress: (NEXTGOV)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:16:38 +0000

The Defense Department launched a multimedia campaign that includes a new Web site designed to reduce the stigma that combat veterans and their families say they feel when seeking mental health care. The effort includes the new Real Warriors Web site, which is hosted deliberately outside a military Internet domain because troops have reported that seeking help for mental health problems could harm their military careers. click here to view

Uniformed Services University in documentary: (MARYLAND GAZETTE)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:14:58 +0000

Their work takes them to war zones and hospitals around the world, but many begin at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda. Army doctors who dodge mortar fire in emergency rooms in Iraq and save the lives and limbs of wounded soldiers in Germany and in American hospitals require special training, a special ethic and especially strong nerves. click here to view

Research to help soldiers recover: (ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:14:13 +0000

Georgia Tech officials on Tuesday unveiled a $5 million research center aimed at finding better ways to heal combat wounds and speeding those treatments into military use... The researchers currently are focusing on using a person's own stem cells -- not the controversial stem cells taken from human embryos -- to enhance tissue and bone repair. They are developing a better way to deliver stem cells to an injured area, in which the cells take hold and help grow tissue and bone, she said. click here to view

Declining numbers prompt Army to restructure WTUs: (ARMY NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:13:03 +0000

The Army is in the process of streamlining its 36 Warrior Transition Units between now and October by closing three WTUs and restructuring six others. The number of Soldiers assigned to WTUs has declined from a high of 12,500 in June 2008 to its present number of about 9,500 and officials said they expect a further decline to 8,500 by summer 2010. click here to view

PTSD's toll on our soldiers: (LA TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:12:05 +0000

To its credit, the military has tried to update its attitudes and systems to accommodate the growing number of traumatized soldiers returning from our current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. But PTSD is still viewed as an abnormal response to battlefield trauma rather than the reaction of a normal person to the horrors of war. And so the stigma remains. click here to view

To many connected to the military, the ongoing wars are very real: (ATHENS NEWS, OH)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:10:58 +0000

Pulling back the curtain on the lives of those serving reveals similar experiences. So many stories, yet not many people seem to know of them. Most service members return to families gathered at venues full of hugs, kisses and flashing cameras, but underneath the sighs of relief, the war has stamped them all. Others come home earlier than expected, to less fanfare. They are the ones in flag-draped caskets or those recovering from wounds at Walter Reed. These are the ones who rarely make a footnote in the papers. Today, America seems fixated on bailouts and "American Idol," yet the war continues for many families. click here to view

Kim Dozier's thoughts three years after nearly dying: (FOREIGN POLICY)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:10:02 +0000

On Memorial Day 2006, Kimberly Dozier, a reporter for CBS, was in a vehicle in Baghdad that was blown up by a car bomb. Parts of the car were embedded in her legs. Several people were killed. Here is part of an e-mail she sent to some friends looking back on it from this Memorial Day. I am posting this with her permission. click here to view

Rep Baca: Fulfilling pledge to soldiers, veterans: (SAN BERNADINO SUN)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:09:09 +0000

As an Army veteran, I know first-hand that the commitment our troops make to our country is an iron-clad promise to serve and to protect - no matter the cost. We must ask ourselves, especially at this time of great economic suffering, if we are holding up our end of the bargain. Are we fulfilling our pledge to our soldiers, veterans and military families during their times of need? click here to view

Mullen: We owe wounded a lifetime of support: (NAVY TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:07:30 +0000

These Americans have had their lives suddenly - and in most cases permanently - changed, by battle wounds, serious injury or illness. Our duty to them and their families is to do everything we can to assist in this transition, a transition that has no time limits. click here to view

INNOVATIVE FAMILY CAMP TARGETS IRAQ/AFGHANISTAN AND OTHER VETERANS WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Remind.org — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:06:43 +0000

Casa Colina unveils unique new project to assist returning service members and their families as they readjust to each other and society

POMONA, Calif., May 13, 2009 — In one of the more innovative efforts to specifically assist military personnel returning from service with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), and the families with whom they are reuniting, Casa Colina Centers for Rehabilitation announced this week that it is launching the Survive & Thrive Veterans and Families Project.

This unique project consists of three different sessions. Each will bring together 12 different families – Iraq/Afghanistan Deployment (IAD) and other veterans with traumatic brain injury and their spouses, family caregivers, and/or parents. The first session will take place at a woodsy but very comfortable site near Big Bear Lake in California’s San Bernardino Mountains, where the soldiers and their families will participate in educational and therapeutic sessions, learn new coping and family support skills, solve problems, and develop new ways to communicate and thrive at home. As they enjoy the outdoors and camaraderie, participants will gain new insight and life skills under the guidance of Casa Colina’s physicians, neuropsychologists and therapists, who will lead exercises and discussions designed to help learning, adapting and looking at the future with a new view. Casa Colina’s nationally renowned Outdoor Adventures recreational therapy team will guide activities and the family strengthening process. Camp staff will provide all meals and amenities.

Session one is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 17 to Sunday, Sept. 20. Additional sessions are planned for spring and fall 2010. To ensure there will only be a nominal charge of $35 per person to participating families, Casa Colina has received a generous grant from the McCormick Foundation’s “Welcome Back Veterans” Initiative to operate the sessions. Casa Colina is currently accepting applications for the initial session, and interested families should contact the Survive & Thrive office at (909) 596-7733, extension 5577 or toll-free 800/926-5462, ext. 5577 or via e-mail at surviveandthrive@casacolina.org. All applicants must meet Casa Colina’s eligibility requirements.

Of the estimated 75,000 service members of the current Iraq and Afghanistan deployment who have survived with brain injuries, about 5,000 to 6,000 are more seriously affected and are classified as having “moderate” to “severe” brain injury. People with traumatic brain injury have been the special focus of Casa Colina's continuum of care, which has been developed for the general public for more than 30 years. From this work, the staff at Casa Colina understands that, for both the person with the brain injury and the entire family, the process of reconnecting and re-integrating back into the home and community can pose significant challenges.

“As part of our commitment to veterans with brain injury – recognized as the signature wound of the IAD – and their families, we are particularly interested in helping them find the best way to function together and get on with their lives with dignity and purpose,” said Felice L. Loverso, Ph.D., President & CEO of Casa Colina.

Patty Horan, wife of Capt. Patrick Horan, is still learning how to communicate with her husband since his traumatic brain injury in Iraq 2007 and subsequent return. After a year at Casa Colina Centers for Rehabilitation, Capt. Horan showed tremendous improvement and the family journey back to the routines of everyday life is slowly taking shape.

“The idea of Casa Colina’s family camp is really exciting to us, because we’re still learning,” Patty said. “How do we get him back into the community and how do we help him find a purpose? How do we fit into society now? What does our new life look like? There is still so much we need to know.”

The Horans, of Springfield, VA, are optimistic that opportunities like Casa Colina’s Survive and Thrive project will give families like theirs the chance to learn from physicians and rehabilitation professionals, uncover new resources, communicate and rebuild a sense of “normal” in how they move forward with their lives and family dynamics.

“Our experience at Casa Colina was great—the amount of support they gave us was amazing, and they truly care about veterans,” Patty Horan said. “I know the camp will be equally rewarding.” The McCormick Foundation grant will cover nearly all camp-related costs, including housing, meals, activities and sports. Travel scholarships also are available.

“We’re proud to sponsor this important project and give veterans and their families a chance to reconnect and learn how to re-establish their lives,” said David Grange, president and CEO of the McCormick Foundation. “Our veterans have given so much to this country. Returning home with a traumatic brain injury is devastating not only to the veteran, but also to spouses, children, parents and friends. With Casa Colina’s expertise, we can help these families cope and return to fulfilling and meaningful lives. We see these camps as an incredible opportunity to rehabilitate the whole family, not just the individual.” ###

About Casa Colina Centers for Rehabilitation Casa Colina Centers for Rehabilitation (meaning “house on the hill”) began in 1936 in Chino under the leadership of its founder, Frances Eleanor “Mother” Smith, and neighboring physicians, to provide rehabilitative care to children with polio. In the late 1950s when polio was at epidemic proportions, a plan to build a new hospital in Pomona to care for these children was underway. In 1960, the new hospital was completed, after the introduction of the polio vaccine, and Casa Colina then refocused its services, concentrating on people of all ages with a wide variety of disabilities. Today, it is privileged to provide medical rehabilitation services to many severely wounded military personnel, the majority of whom have traumatic brain injuries, which many consider “the signature injury” of the current wars. Casa Colina offers a unique continuum of care for individuals with traumatic brain injuries that range from acute rehabilitation, post-acute care, outpatient and long-term residential services. For more information, visit www.casacolina.org.

About the McCormick Foundation The McCormick Foundation’s mission is to advance the ideals of a free, democratic society by investing in children, communities and country. Welcome Back Veterans is an initiative of Major League Baseball and the McCormick Foundation, designed to enhance public awareness about issues facing today's veterans, as well as to raise funds to help support programs and services addressing the needs of America’s returning veterans and their families. Visit www.mccormickfoundation.org for more information.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Stephanie Bradhurst 909/450-0127 sbradhurst@casacolina.org

Bill would lower disabled vets' property taxes: (FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER, NC)

Remind.org — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:44:43 +0000

Legislation advanced in a House committee Wednesday to lower disabled veterans’ property taxes and give soldiers a break on college tuition. A third bill would help homeless veterans get government aid. The bills were approved by the House Homeland Security, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. click here to view

Wounded Warrior, Guardsman Sworn Into Key VA Position: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:45:30 +0000

In an emotional return to Walter Reed Army Medical Center here today, Army National Guardsman Maj. L. Tammy Duckworth was sworn in as assistant secretary of veterans affairs for public and intergovernmental affairs. She pledged to continue her commitment to military veterans. click here to view

Puppies Behind Bars: (SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE)

Remind.org — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:43:52 +0000

Man's best friend is being sent to jail as part of a program to help disabled soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. And for both the pups and the incarcerated men and women who train them, there couldn't be a better place for these dogs to grow up. click here to view

Wounded Paratrooper Reunites with Unit at All American Week: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:42:53 +0000

Of all the people who gathered on a gray and rainy Monday morning to watch the 82nd Airborne Division kick off its annual All American Week celebration with a division cohesion run, perhaps no one faced more obstacles to be there than Army Sgt. John Hoxie. click here to view

Soldiers Dive Into Therapeutic Waters: (ABC NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:41:43 +0000

Thousands of visitors flock to the white sand beaches of St. John annually for a plentiful dose of rest and relaxation. Wounded vets gain strength, confidence scuba diving on the island of St. John.But, for wounded soldiers, it's more than an exotic vacation destination -- it's a chance to get some underwater relief from the aches and pains of their injuries. click here to view

Saving lives on the battlefield: (WDTN-TV, Dayton)

Remind.org — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:40:20 +0000

It's a tactical rescue stretcher and is designed to be built inside bullet proof vests. It's tucked between the Kevlar and ceramic plate, protected so that should something happen, the stretcher is still intact. The system weighs less than 14 ounces and can withstand more than 350 pounds. click here to view

U.S. Troops Unfit for Combat?; (FOREST PARK, IL, NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:38:48 +0000

Complicating things is that the US military has been medicating soldiers before they are redeployed to Iraq, in order to keep enough boots on the ground. An anonymous survey of US troops taken during Fall 2007, used as part of the data in the Army's fifth Mental Health Advisory Team report, found that 12 percent of combat troops in Iraq and 17 percent in Afghanistan were on prescription drugs that were mostly antidepressants or sleeping pills. click here to view

Protect military's mental health: (JOPLIN GLOBE)

Remind.org — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:07:13 +0000

As to the military, we must consider the extraordinary demands of military service by an all-volunteer force. The solution in that case seems to us to be more rigorous screening at the entry and intermediate training level before combat assignments. Simply stated, boot camp and intermediate training must be pure hell to weed out those with mental-health weaknesses before sending them into high-stress combat. click here to view

Shameful story of ingratitude: (WASHINGTON TIMES)

Remind.org — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:06:29 +0000

The time has come for citizens to demand that Congress put bailing out America's severely wounded warriors at the top of its priority list. Until they do, America's shameful untold story will only continue to get worse. click here to view

VA's brain injury lab may be moved from UT to Waco: (AUSTIN-AMERICAN STATESMEN)

Remind.org — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:05:33 +0000

The $6 million-plus Brain Imaging and Recovery Laboratory, where the Department of Veterans Affairs rents a state-of-the-art brain scanner from UT to study traumatic brain injury, has been on ice since early 2008. Research was halted after the program's director, Robert Van Boven, accused his superiors of fraud and mismanagement prior to his 2007 arrival. A heated dispute followed, with Van Boven calling down several investigations and ultimately being fired by the VA in January. click here to view

Fresno VA starts work on treatment center: (FRESNO BEE)

Remind.org — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:04:26 +0000

The two-story building will serve veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, among others, who have substance-abuse problems and mental-health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder. The hospital will have three psychologists and a psychiatrist who will specialize in chemical dependency and post-traumatic stress disorder. click here to view

Women vets’ clinic addresses all health issues: (MUSKOGEE, OK, PHOENIX)

Remind.org — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:03:33 +0000

With more female veterans returning home from military duties, the Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center is putting greater emphasis on their outpatient women’s clinic. click here to view

Homeless vet seeking shelter: (FINANCE & COMMERCE, MINNEAPOLIS)

Remind.org — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:02:35 +0000

A planned $10 million supportive-housing project in Hastings addresses a growing concern: homelessness among military veterans. The 60-unit project, designed especially for homeless vets, is slated for construction on the 128-acre Hastings Veterans Home campus near the Vermillion River. If all goes according to plan, building could begin as soon as this spring. click here to view

Grassley probes ex-Army surgeon's Medtronic links: (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Remind.org — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:01:29 +0000

The Army's report, completed last October, found that Kuklo forged the signatures of four colleagues on the paper before submitting it to a British medical journal, where it was published last summer. The Army also said Kuklo's claim that he reviewed 138 veterans treated for leg wounds for the study did not match Walter Reed's own records. click here to view

Protecting veterans: Officials explore treatment court: (LACROSSE TRIBUNE)

Remind.org — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:00:24 +0000

The court would screen veterans facing criminal charges, guide them to treatment services for issues stemming from combat, such as PTSD and substance abuse, and require ongoing meetings with a judge, said La Crosse County Circuit Judge Todd Bjerke, who also has been a U.S. Army Reserve judge advocate since 1989 and a staff judge advocate for the 88th Regional Sustainment Command at Fort McCoy. “The bottom line is that veterans who get into trouble should be given an extra assistance for what they’ve done for us,” Bjerke said. “If you send them off to war and they come back damaged mentally or unable to keep sobriety, you shouldn’t hold the fact that you sent them off to war against them.” click here to view

Wounded troops, others to battle, but with paddles: (HONOLULU ADVERTISER)

Remind.org — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:59:10 +0000

"This event calls attention (to the fact that) Hawai'i does have wounded warriors and to pay tribute to them, to let them know we recognize them, we thank them, and we embrace them as part of our Hawai'i culture," Kubo said. The regatta is an outgrowth of the U.S. Attorney's Office's "Malama na Koa" support program for wounded military members. click here to view

Restoring the Earth helps veterans heal: (CNN)

Remind.org — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:57:59 +0000

Before helping the vets with training for new careers in green job fields, Fischer spent 15 years counseling veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. He says he "burned out" doing that work, but the experience instilled in him the need to make sure that veterans returning from war are given assistance to readjust. Vets who contact the VCC are helped by its small staff to enroll in a local community college and become part of a network of recently returned vets and older veterans who volunteer on the community projects. click here to view

Rising PTSD Among Airmen: (AIR FORCE MAGAZINE)

Remind.org — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:56:24 +0000

The Air Force Surgeon General, Lt. Gen. James Roudebush, testifying last week, said the Air Force is "seeing an increasing number of airmen with [Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder]." However, he told the House Armed Services military personnel panel that the service's early PTSD identification and treatment has enabled "the majority of these airmen [to] continue to serve with benefit of treatment and support." [click here to view] (http://www.airforce-magazine.com/DRArchive/Pages/default.aspx [Full testimony http://www.airforce-magazine.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Testimony/2009%20docs/051509Roudebush.pdf)

Beyond Combat, The Other Casualties Of War: (NEW LONDON DAY)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:51:11 +0000

Beyond the victims and their families, we must consider the U.S. soldier accused of the killings at a stress clinic as a casualty of a war that has dragged on too many years, and must also regard as deplorable a system that either fails to provide adequate mental-health treatment or tacitly discourages those who need counseling to take advantage of such services. click here to view

A Marine's Story: Documentary will feature late Jeffersonville Marine's struggle with combat-related stress: (NEWS & TRIBUNE, JEFFERSONVILLE, IN)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:49:46 +0000

Eric Hall, a Marine from Jeffersonville who struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder, made national headlines more than a year ago.... Now, Hall's story is being retold as a part of a new documentary that's in production titled, "When Jane and Johnny Come Marching Homeless." click here to view

Preventing Another Camp Liberty: (WASHINGTON POST)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:50:27 +0000

Baghdad. Kraft, who left active duty after nine years in the Navy and now treats combat stress patients, spoke with Outlook's Rachel Dry about how the military handles mental health and why PTSD can be like a sprained ankle. click here to view

Veteran Stand Down held in Missoula: (KPAX-TV, Missoula, MT)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:48:55 +0000

Saturday brought an effort to connect these homeless veterans with the help they need and dozens of people, both the homeless and volunteers, took to the streets outside the Poverello Center in downtown Missoula to offer some valuable assistance. click here to view

Life-changing work: (BOISE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:48:04 +0000

They both wanted to do something to give back to their community, and when Marohn mentioned helping veterans, Evans thought it was a great idea. Evans said disabled veterans are often found in bigger cities - sometimes homeless and wandering the streets. The two decided to build a home specifically for disabled veterans, a place to enjoy the beauty of North Idaho. click here to view

$2 million veterans shelter close to opening in East St. Louis: (NEWS-DEMOCRAT, BELLEVILLE, IL)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:47:16 +0000

After a six-year delay, work on a $2 million federally funded homeless veterans shelter is set to finish up next month, with a ribbon-cutting set for June 26, and the first residents expected to move in some time in late summer or fall. click here to view

Veterans face enemy at home: Denial, post-traumatic stress disorder: (PALM BEACH POST)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:46:28 +0000

Now being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder, Nelson said he is hoping the men and women fighting today in the Middle East don't wait 30 years to seek help. But the Army veteran suspects many will. "They are in denial. It hasn't manifested itself. They don't realize what's happened to them and that they should seek treatment," he said. click here to view

Seattle hospital teaches meditation to troubled vets: (SEATTLE TIMES)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:45:32 +0000

Last summer, the 34-year-old sergeant sought help at the Seattle veterans hospital, enrolling in group and individual therapy and starting medication to treat what doctors diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He also practices a form of meditation he learned through the VA Puget Sound Health Care System that has eased the horrific memories that bombarded his mind. click here to view

GI who lost legs to bomb comes home to Holbrook: (NY NEWSDAY)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:43:53 +0000

Army Cpl. Christopher Levi, who promised that he would learn to walk again after losing both legs in a Baghdad bomb attack last year, climbed from the Jeep on prosthetic limbs, then thanked the crowd for their outpouring of support.click here to view

New Book Aims to Help Children of Troops Buried in Arlington: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:44:45 +0000

But for many of those unfortunate children, it may still be difficult to understand the honor of their loved ones' sacrifices and what it means for a servicemember to be buried here. A new book titled "For Children of Valor: Arlington National Cemetery" is dedicated to helping children and families of the fallen buried here to cope with their loss. click here to view

Amputee Fort Drum soldier testing computerized knee: (NEWS 10, SYRACUSE)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:42:53 +0000

Thanks to his time at Walter Reed, Mitchell says he's been able to help test some of the new products for amputees. The most recent is called the Rheo knee and yet to hit the market, it's in essence a computer knee he's been testing at Howard Orthotics and Prosthetics in Watertown. click here to view

Help available for veterans with PTSD: (KRIS-TV Corpus Christi)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:41:24 +0000

The stigma for a military man or woman to admit _ much less publicly display _ any kind of disorderly conduct because of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often reduces the chance of them getting help. That was the assessment of Waymon Stewart, executive director of Tyler's Andrew Center. click here to view

PTSD therapy offers a 'virtual' return to Iraq battlefields: (NY DAILY NEWS)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:40:31 +0000

"We actually do want to create some stress," said Army Col. Michael Roy, a medical internist and director of military internal medicine who oversees Virtual Iraq at Walter Reed. "You may get worse before you get better," he said. "That's certainly the Achilles heel to all this." After spending five months in Iraq in 2007, I see what he means. I left feeling a little rattled and realized how quickly I went right back into survival mode - even for just a few minutes. click here to view

Is there a doctor in the house?: (TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:38:29 +0000

According to an Army Times article, the Army was 73 physicians short of its annual allotment, while the Navy was 86 doctors short. That dilemma has been in the crosshairs at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center since 2007, and recruiters have been meeting that challenge head-on to ensure the hospital has quality health care providers. click here to view

War Lingers, GI Suicides Rise: (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:36:45 +0000

At least 109 GIs, including two in the Coast Guard, killed themselves in the first four months of 2009. That's almost as many members of the military who died during the same period in Iraq and Afghanistan, 128. Sixty-four of those who committed suicide were in the Army, which is on track to break last year's record, 318. click here to view

Horror and stresses of Iraq duty led US sergeant to kill comrades: (U.K. GUARDIAN)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:35:40 +0000

Everyone - the father, the son, the army - agrees that three tours of Iraq drove Sergeant John Russell to the edge. But what pushed him over, into shooting dead five of his comrades in an army that was his life for 16 years, is a matter of bitter dispute. click here to view

Clinic Shootings Highlight Mental Health Challenges for Military: (WASHINGTON POST)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:34:43 +0000

The incident cast a stark light on some of the military's biggest mental health challenges: the deepening psychological and personal toll of repeated combat deployments, the stigma that surrounds seeking help, and the growing indications that some hardened soldiers such as Russell are having trouble ever mentally departing the war zone. click here to view

Bringing the war back home: (SCOTLAND SUNDAY HERALD)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:33:44 +0000

John Keaveney, a Scot who joined the US Army during the Vietnam war and now runs a veterans support organisation in California, believes that unless the military improves its mental health treatment, there will be similar massacres - but this time of civilians back home, not fellow GIs in a combat zone. click here to view

Soldiers reconnect with spouses after war: (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATEMAN)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:27:26 +0000

As the war in Iraq stretches into its seventh year and the conflict in Afghanistan expands, increasing numbers of returning servicemen and women face the challenge of holding together marriages ravaged by years of distance and the anxiety of combat. As many as 300,000 soldiers are returning with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, suffering flashbacks and nightmares that can shatter close relationships, according to a 2008 Rand Corp. study. Many more return feeling a generalized disconnection from loved ones that can turn soldiers into strangers in their own home. click here to view

Even after John Russell tragedy, troops' career fears hamper PTSD counseling: (NY DAILY NEWS)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:26:26 +0000

The military is spending more time and energy to get stressed-out soldiers into counseling, but many service members say the stigma is tough to overcome. click here to view

Army fights stigma of mental care: (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Remind.org — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:25:15 +0000

A military culture that values strength and a "can do" spirit is discouraging thousands of soldiers from seeking help to heal the emotional scars of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, despite top-level efforts to overcome the stigma, commanders and veterans say. click here to view

War’s Psychic Toll (NEW YOR TIMES)

Remind.org — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:26:59 +0000

I couldn’t have been less surprised to read last week that an American G.I. had been charged with gunning down five of his fellow service members in Iraq. The fact that this occurred at a mental health counseling center in the war zone just served to add an extra layer of poignancy and a chilling ironic element to the fundamental tragedy. click here to view

Avery building will become home to veterans: (NASHUA TELEGRAPH)

Remind.org — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:59:40 +0000

Combined with temporary veterans housing at Buckingham Place on Spring Street, the city would have a total of 60 apartments for transitional housing for veterans, Kelleher said. He noted the state now offers 35 certificates for permanent housing for veterans through the Veterans Administration Supported Housing program, with the possibility of more such certificates being approved next year. {click here to view] (http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090515/NEWS01/305159991/-1/YOUTH)

Soldiers Visit for Rest and Relaxation: (WMBB - PANAMA CITY)

Remind.org — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:58:56 +0000

It's a weekend to relax after witnessing the perils of war. Wounded soldiers from the Warrior Transition Battalion in Augusta, GA are visiting Panama City Beach for some rest and relaxation. click here to view

Public invited to salute injured veterans: (PENSACOLA JOURNAL)

Remind.org — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:58:11 +0000

"We're trying to make Pensacola a blueprint for ways that other communities can demonstrate their respect and appreciation for what these soldiers, sailors and Marines have done," Lauzen said. click here to view

Hill says Frankie aids in his battle with PTSD: (TIMES-RECORDER ZANESVILLE, OH)

Remind.org — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:57:30 +0000

Sgt. Allen Hill, of Kansas, is crediting Frankie, a dog who came from Shannon Valley Labs in Frazeysburg, with giving him the treatment he needs to deal with his PTSD. click here to view

Soldier Suicides: (COUNTERPUNCH)

Remind.org — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:55:52 +0000

But with the escalation of wars overseas and the economic crisis at home, the money needed to take care of veterans will not be allocated without veterans and civilians alike making this a central demand from the new administration. Putting force behind the demand "Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation" is essential if veterans are to get the benefits they deserve. click here to view

Iraq war veteran to put degree to work: (TACOMA HERALD TRIBUNE)

Remind.org — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:56:45 +0000

He plans to study the topic further at Walla Walla University this fall when he starts a master's program. The end goal is to try to identify people whose personality types might make them more prone to experiencing post-traumatic stress and either avoid sending them into combat, or take preventive measures first. click here to view

When combat stress kills: (BOSTON GLOBE)

Remind.org — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:55:03 +0000

Until regular care becomes part of the regimen, the burden of identifying service members in mental distress falls on their colleagues and loved ones. This just isn't enough. The profound psychic wounds of those we send to war must be identified and treated in a systematic way. click here to view

Why PTSD rates keep climbing: (KSLA-TV Shreveport)

Remind.org — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:54:14 +0000

"They don't aggravate other people. They don't hurt anybody. What they do is they absorb it and they carry it around with them for years, sometimes decades," explained Dr. Dean Edward Robinson. He's chief of the Mental Health Services Division at the Overton Brooks VA Medical Center in Shreveport. click here to view

The stress of war: helping our troops cope: (CNN)

Remind.org — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:53:17 +0000

[Video only] While we don't know exactly what may have triggered the attack at Camp Liberty on Monday - and we don't know if Sgt. Russell was suffering from the disorder - we do know that PTSD is real, and many troops have it. What triggers PTSD? And how do we support our troops coping with the scars of war? Heidi Collins talked with our chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta, and Iraq war veteran Patrick Campbell. click here to view

Military Stress Clinics: Treating Troops At War: (NPR)

Remind.org — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:52:08 +0000

Neal Conan talks with Tom Tarantino, legislative associate for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, who served with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, and Bryan Shea, a psychologist at St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center in New York who served three tours in Iraq as a military psychologist seeing soldiers in the field. click here to view

'John Wayne' attitude cited in military mental health issues: (DALLAS MORNING NEWS)

Remind.org — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:51:07 +0000

Hundreds of local veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq are receiving treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. But many more remain untreated and undiagnosed, because they don't want to appear weak or unfit for military service, say local military health officials and veterans. click here to view

Did Doctors Deny Iraq Shooter's Stress?: (CBS NEWS)

Remind.org — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:50:16 +0000

A soldier in accused shooter Army Sgt. John Russell's unit says Russell was angry because he thought he was suffering from combat stress. But he told his fellow troopers that the doctors at the clinic he allegedly attacked did not believe him, reports CBS News correspondent Kimberly Dozier at the Pentagon. click here to view

Tragedy Highlights Need for Mental Health Help, Casey Says: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:49:17 +0000

Casey did not comment directly on the case, but said all of these cases are fed by a lot of different factors, including repeated deployments. "Combat deployments are, by their nature, stressful," the general said. "I can't say that the deployments contributed, but I can't believe that the stress of combat deployments, added to the stress of personal and family issues, is not some sort of a contributing factor.click here to view

Mullen: Must do better on mental health: (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Remind.org — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:48:09 +0000

The nation's highest-ranking military officer says the United States has to do a better job of taking care of soldiers' mental health. click here to view

Amarillo VA Hospital treating combat stress disorders: (MILITARY TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:13:29 +0000

Doctors at the VA hospital in Amarillo hope treatment and therapy will help change their minds. "Hopefully the stigma wont keep people from getting what they need," said Dr. Paul Whittaker, OEF/OIF Clinic Director and VA Physician.click here to view

Advance funding for VA still an uphill battle: (MILITARY TIMES)

Remind.org — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:11:53 +0000

Advanced funding is a mechanism, endorsed by President Barack Obama, under which Congress would approve veterans health care budgets one year in advance to avoid any lapse in funding if an annual appropriations bill isn't approved on time, as often happens. All major veterans service organizations approve the idea, and have put it at the top of their combined legislative agenda for the year. click here to view

Cutting Edge Technology and Treatment Options for Veterans at Hearing: (IMPERIAL VALLEY NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:10:07 +0000

Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Bob Filner conducted a hearing to learn about the innovative technology and treatments which are currently available or are in development to help veterans. The hearing focused on how private sector companies work with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide veterans access to the latest technologies. click here to view

Reassessment Assists Guard Soldiers in Redeployment: (DOD NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:05:45 +0000

As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, the Army National Guard is calling attention to this program as it proactively screens redeploying Guard members for potential health issues. [click here to view}(http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=54336)

Veteran Talks About PTSD: (KELO-TV SOUIX FALLS)

Remind.org — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:00:57 +0000

A former South Dakota National Guard soldier who was shot at repeatedly while serving in Iraq still suffers from post-traumatic stress. She wants people to know it's a real disorder that affects a lot more people than you think. click here to view

Soldiers' Don't Receive Proper Mental Health Care, Local Army Wife Says: (WTOV-TV, STEUBENVILLE, OH)

Remind.org — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:59:36 +0000

A Wheeling woman said her husband suffers from PTSD, but continues to serve overseas. In an e-mail from the U.S. Army, officials assured her that mental health professionals are giving her husband support, but when she talks to him on the phone, her husband said that is not the case. click here to view

Sgt. John Russell and other casualties of war: (DALLAS MORNING NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:58:05 +0000

Not all casualties of war are physical. We who have the privilege of living in peace and security while American soldiers fight on our behalf have no right to leave them and their families to bear these burdens alone. click here to view

Extreme Reaction not Reflective of all Combat Veterans: (WITCHITA TIMES RECORD NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:56:21 +0000

Russell's alleged murder of five individuals is not a reflection on the war, but rather on human frailties. Sometimes human beings do the unthinkable, regardless of their surroundings or affiliation. One tragic decision compared to countless others who have chosen another way to deal with the stress. click here to view

'This Is Mental Health, Military-Style':(YAHOO NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:53:52 +0000

"It was tragic, but unfortunately it doesn't surprise me given the way we're recycling them in and out of war zones," said Shad Meshad, head of the National Veterans Foundation, which runs a toll free hotline for soldiers having difficulty adjusting to civilian life. "We are not doing a good job of treating these people as they serve two, three, or four tours in a combat zone," he added. click here to view

Iraq Shootings Underscore Combat Stress:(KBCI-TV BOISE)

Remind.org — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:52:20 +0000

But experts say the long conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq are unique in American history because fewer troops are now serving longer, multiple tours of duty. "I've seen soldiers who've had more than 30 months of continuous combat," said Dr. Larry Dewey, Chief of Psychiatry at the Boise V.A. Medical Center. "That's an incredible burden on them and their families." click here to view

Winding paths led victims to Iraq stress clinic: (MSNBC)

Remind.org — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:49:23 +0000

Stress brought the five together earlier this week at a Baghdad clinic, the emotionally wounded and the healers. And stress is what killed them. click here to view

Camp Liberty:(ABC NEWS)

Remind.org — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:46:51 +0000

ABC News visited the stress clinic where the shooting occurred just days before the tragedy. Lt. Col. Beth Salisbury, who runs the clinic and gave ABC News a glimpse inside, was not hurt in the shooting, but two members of her clinical staff were killed, along with three soldiers awaiting treatment.click to view

NMCSD staff stands up to help homeless veterans during annual Stand Down: (SAN DIEGO COMPASS)

Remind.org — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:25:27 +0000

NMCSD took the lead in providing medical services to the hundreds of veterans who turned out for the event, providing independent duty hospital corpsmen, pharmacy technicians, administrators, and experts in preventive medicine, said Stand Down medical coordinator Tony Carvajal. click here to view

War veterans face unique adjustments to college life: (BUFFALO NEWS)

Remind.org — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:22:43 +0000

Dobney, an Air Force reservist organizing a veterans club at Buffalo State College, describes an awkward, sometimes difficult transition from the military to college. She thinks campuses need more support services to help veterans - and she's not alone. It's a growing discussion, now that colleges are bumping into some of the particular needs facing veterans. click here to view

Combat vet helps UMA in transition: (KENNEBEC, ME, JOURNAL)

Remind.org — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:23:57 +0000

George Moody saw front-line combat in Iraq as a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army, sustaining injuries from three roadside bombs. When he returned home from his stint in the service, he wasted no time enrolling in classes at the University of Maine at Augusta. But the transition was difficult. click here to view

Group helps soldiers when the military can't: (TACOMA OLYMPIAN)

Remind.org — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:19:46 +0000

It's the work of Soldiers Project NW, a 14-month-old program that aims to help veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who, for whatever reason, aren't comfortable using the numerous mental-health programs the military medical system provides. Pearce asks for basic information and links the caller with a nearby therapist, who offers free sessions. click here to view

Psychologist: Understand Vets "Invisible Wounds": (WV PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE)

Remind.org — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:18:32 +0000

West Virginians are increasingly likely to know someone with what Barbara Romberg calls the "invisible wounds" of combat. Romberg is founder and president of Give An Hour, a group that asks mental health professionals to volunteer their time to help veterans. click here to view

Fighting the good fight: (BOSTON HERALD)

Remind.org — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:12:57 +0000

'Aftermath' delves into realities of life after war for injured vets --Four local military veterans share their struggles to overcome devastating injuries in "Aftermath," a sobering documentary from NECN airing tonight at 7. click here to view

I've got PTSD, we all do: (UNIV OF MN DAILY)

Remind.org — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:27:52 +0000

But as with the majority of veterans who have symptoms of PTSD, the severity of my symptoms has decreased over time, though I still can't say that I'm over it or that I still do not struggle with some things. But for me, (and I speak as an individual, not on behalf of all veterans) it was the rejection of these letters that ultimately lead to recovery. Other veterans wrestling with this issue may also find it helpful to call our struggles something else. I suggest NRPS: our natural response to prolonged stress. It's not a disorder, a guy in a white coat didn't ascribe it to you, and there's no stigma or disability rating for it, but I find it serves the individual much better. click here to view

PTSD options available for Navajo veterans: (DAILY TIMES, FARMINGTON NM)

Remind.org — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:09:08 +0000

Access to treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is expected to be easier for Navajo veterans following an agreement signed recently between the Navajo Area Indian Health Service and the Northern Arizona Veterans Affairs Health Care System. click here to view

U.S. National Guard members train to notify families of casualties: (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Remind.org — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:04:45 +0000

A few miles outside a small town in Illinois' farm country, the chaplain driving Capt. Jon Cape to one of the toughest assignments of the young officer's career pulled the car over to pray. Cape made a simple request of God: To grant him courage as he knocked on the door of the military wife who was about to learn she was a new widow. click here to view

Battling a different kind of war: (BOSTON GLOBE)

Remind.org — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:17:51 +0000

Sitting between a camera and a backlight, Robbins, an Iraq war veteran now training prospective Marine Corps officers at Norwich University, recalled how difficult it was to come home after his deployment, how home seemed like an altogether different place. click here to view

An advocate to help veterans: (TORONTO SUN)

Remind.org — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:26:34 +0000

No research has been done on homeless vets. No one knows how many there are among the estimated 800,000 veterans in Canada. Ottawa doesn't seem to care, but it's Strogan's project of the moment, which he's dubbed "Leave Nobody Behind." As he puts it: "We don't leave our wounded on the battlefield, so injured or homeless veterans should not be left to care for themselves." click here to view

Lawmaker: More need stress help in military: (EL PASO TIMES)

Remind.org — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:21:21 +0000

U.S. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, D-Texas, a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, is co-sponsoring a bill that would ease the path for women, soldiers who did not have combat jobs and soldiers who did not receive medals for combat service to receive full stress-disorder benefits. click here to view

Vision impaired vet takes second in archery event: (ARIZONA REPUBLIC)

Remind.org — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:16:32 +0000

Out of 20 disabled athletes who competed in archery in the recent 19th annual Desert Challenge Games, the only one with a visual impairment, Sgt. Mark Schrand of Mesa, managed to place second. The Iraq war veteran was nervous at first to be around a crowd of people, a symptom of his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. But with his wife cheering him on, Schrand felt like he made a huge step toward recovery. click here to view

Doctors Hail New Treatment for Trauma Victims as a Breakthrough: (KRDO - COLORADO SPRINGS)

Remind.org — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:07:54 +0000

Doctors say a new form of psychotherapy is effective in treating trauma victims including soldiers who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The University of Phoenix presented a free seminar about the treatment called EMDR. It stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. click here to view

Hidden Injuries: (KSN-TV WITCHITA)

Remind.org — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:22:12 +0000

Yet, like Curtis, there are no visible scars, no obvious sign of injury, but he has problems concentrating, following instructions, even remembering words. "It's kinda like I have to go back in my brain and shuffle around and find it and come back, and then try to say it." And when it comes to job interviews, that delay can hid Curtis' true potential. click here to view

A Soldier's Battle Back: Noberto Lara: (CHARLOTTE NEWS & OBSERVER)

Remind.org — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:15:02 +0000

Both war and its aftermath can confound expectations. So here the graduate of Visalia's Sequoia High School is: rebuilding his unanticipated new life at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. click here to view

Soldier's time in Iraq followed him home: (Evansville, IN, CourierPress)

Remind.org — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:01:53 +0000

When troops return from Iraq, Sears says, they are encouraged during the debriefing process to seek mental health evaluations. "But I know that doesn't happen with a lot of them. There are people out there just like me who aren't getting help. The services at the Vet Center are free. There's nothing to be afraid of." click here to view

Large numbers of vets need assistance: (DeKalb, IL MidWeek)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:48:35 +0000

Ben Gordon Center offers free support groups for veterans on a bi-weekly basis to assist them in returning to the community. Ben Gordon can also offer an opportunity for vets who need additional mental health or substance abuse support, Flora said. Assistance is also available to families dealing with the return or absence of a member. click here to view

NBHC Groton establishes new Psychological Health Program: (The Dolphin, SubBase Groton)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:43:18 +0000

We have been fortunate enough to obtain resources to expand our mission at NHCNE to include treatment for these injuries which otherwise would have been taken care of at larger military treatment facilities.

click here to view

Wounded US War Vets Offered Chance To Join Financial Industry: (CNN)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:41:13 +0000

The Wall Street Warfighters Foundation, Inc., is launching a training program called Operation Wall Street for wounded U.S. war veterans to get a start in the financial industry. As part of Operation Wall Street, the recruited veterans will get hands-on training from major financial institutions... click here to view

Army suicides rise as time spent in combat increases: (USAToday)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:35:32 +0000

Suicides among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans doubled from 52 in 2004 to 110 in 2006, the latest statistics available, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). And the suicide rate among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is outpacing the rate among civilians, a disturbing trend because the military screens troops for mental health issues and servicemembers typically are healthier than civilians... click here to view

Operation Healing Angel Gears Up for New Year: (DoDPress)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:38:26 +0000

"What I love about this mission is that we include the caregivers -- the medical personnel too often forgotten," Kellermann said. "I once worked in an emergency room and intensive care unit, so I know the stress and toll of dealing with traumatic events and the need for a morale boost whenever possible. click here to view

Army makes deployment hearing test mandatory: (MilitaryTimes)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:37:38 +0000

The hearing tests are now mandatory in an effort to collect the data from all soldiers and make sure they are fit for duty and get follow-up care if needed. They must take the test as soon as practicable upon redeployment, or as part of their post-deployment health assessment. click here to view

Wounded Warrior Diaries- Life Lessons Shape Iraq War Veteran: (DoDPress)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:33:50 +0000

Green-Byrd said people often ask her how she is doing and whether her experience defined her. "I tell people I only lost an arm," she said. "The Army didn't define who I was. I was 26 years old when I came in, and I was pretty confident who I was as a person. I discovered that person at Notre Dame. Yeah, I have a missing arm, but that does not have to shape who I am." click here to view

He Wouldn't Quit, So He Led: (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:31:40 +0000

Last month, Ingram became the first severely wounded soldier from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to become an officer. The new lieutenant, once an enlisted scout in the National Guard, leaves for Fort Benning today for training to prepare him to lead soldiers in battle -- possibly in Afghanistan.

click here to view

Fear for active-duty spouses triggers symptoms of PTSD: (TampaBayTribune)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:36:42 +0000

Still, "there's a lot of research to show that partners and spouses and kids suffer from secondary PTSD," said Tom Berger, a senior analyst for veterans benefits and mental health issues for the Vietnam Vets of America..."If somebody is with you and they're constantly hypervigilant ... you can sometimes take on that kind of anxiety," said Dr. Carri-Ann Gibson, director of the PTSD and trauma recovery program at James A. Haley VA Medical Center in Tampa. click here to view

An Army of Homeless: (AffordableHousingFinance)

Remind.org — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:56:56 +0000

The number of veterans on the streets is already high, but there are growing fears it will increase as soldiers return from Iraq and Afghanistan. "We're seeing more of them," says Michael Blecker, a Vietnam veteran and executive director of Swords to Plowshares in San Francisco, one of the nation's premier organizations providing housing and social services to veterans. The group houses approximately 200 people at a given time in its transitional and permanent housing units, including a handful of formerly homeless Iraq and Afghanistan vets. click here to view

Wounded Warriors: (NursingMag)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:47:01 +0000

Taking care of soldiers recovering from wounds, injuries or illness is a job with special challenges and rewards. A new training course is helping people with these special jobs prepare to make a positive impact on the lives of those who have sacrificed much in service to the nation. click here to view

VA Launches Partnership for NGO Outreach

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:44:00 +0000

Under the new NGO Gateway Initiative, launched today with the Veterans Coalition Inc., a non-profit organization formed more than two years ago by several major national veterans groups, the Veterans Coalition is available to assist NGOs in identifying the unmet needs of veterans, families and survivors, working with VA to help minimize duplication of effort and confusion among NGOs with programs for veterans. In addition, the program will encourage continuous feedback from NGOs on issues such as physical and mental health, employment, and satisfaction with government services and benefits affecting veterans. click here to view

Little Caesars veterans program expands to Canada: (PizzaMarketplace)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:41:56 +0000

The Little Caesars Canadian Veterans Program provides the following benefits for all qualified veterans: Franchise fee reduced by $5,000 for the first new store & $5,000 credit on the initial equipment order. Medically released veterans are eligible for greater benefits up to $35,000. click here to view

January 13, 2009 - Links between PTSD, substance abuse explored: (MilitaryTimes)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:39:05 +0000

At a two-day conference for civilian and military researchers, doctors produced one idea after another for treating and preventing substance abuse in service members with post-traumatic stress disorder. As the ideas bounced from person to person, they tried to tie them together in ways that could make sense in a military setting: They must be accessible to many people at once, they must be cheap, they must be proven, and they must be easy. And they must be immediate. click here to view

No Purple Hearts For PTSD, Pentagon Rules: (Stars&Stripes)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:49:54 +0000

Based on the group's findings, Dr. David Chu, undersecretary of personnel and readiness, has decided that PTSD does not meet the requirements for the Purple Heart, Lainez said on Monday. "Historically, the Purple Heart has never been awarded for mental disorders or psychological conditions resulting from witnessing or experiencing traumatic combat events (e.g., combat stress reaction, shell-shock, combat stress fatigue, acute stress disorder, or PTSD)," click here to view

Capella University Awards $50,000 in Scholarships to Injured Service Members: (WSJ)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:45:59 +0000

In honor of the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform, Capella University, an accredited, fully online university, has awarded five $10,000 scholarships to service members wounded.... click here to view

County eyes veterans' court: (PghTribune)

Remind.org — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:56:15 +0000

Such alternative courts are aimed at nonviolent offenders whose violations stem from mental illness, substance abuse, or in the case of veterans, PTSD. Instead of incarceration, they offer treatment programs to tackle the underlying causes of criminal behavior. click here to view

New court is sought to aid vets charged with crimes: (AZ Republic)

Remind.org — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:54:19 +0000

A coalition of legal officials and advocates for veterans in Maricopa County is considering setting up a special court that would provide vets with the help they need to cope. That could mean identifying veterans early in the system, connecting them to services the government already provides and linking the vets to a support network. The goal: Keeping them out of the criminal-justice cycle. click here to view

War Vets With Headaches Could Have Brain Problems: (USNews)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:56:35 +0000

"The most important finding was that the soldiers who continued to have problems with headaches and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) were much more likely to have signs of residual cognition impairment or abnormalities," said study author Dr. Robert L. Ruff..."By themselves, the deficits were not severe, but they compromised the veterans' ability to return to where they were." click here to view

Vets and depression: Returning from war to fight new battle: (Reuters)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:53:24 +0000

Depression is a "very potent" risk factor for suicide among people receiving treatment for depression at the VA, she notes, with a suicide rate that is three times higher than that of the overall VA patient population. Such high rates led Valenstein and her colleagues to study the best time to provide intensive interventions to veterans with depression to prevent suicide. click here to view

War Vets With Headaches Could Have Brain Problems: (USNews)

Remind.org — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:50:58 +0000

Holiday gift-match program a boost for homeless veterans: (BostonGlobe)

Remind.org — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:57:31 +0000

All 297 of the men and women who submitted wish lists to the center's annual Holiday Adopt-a-Veteran program, which matches gift-givers with homeless veterans, received brightly wrapped packages. Many got expensive items, like leather jackets and well-stocked gift cards. Yet if the reactions of the handful of veterans clustered in the center's lobby two days after Christmas were any indication, it really was the thought that counted most. click here to view

Surgeons want to help heal the scars of war: (MichLive)

Remind.org — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:02:39 +0000

The two (MD's) have invited to a Jan. 13 clinic any veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan who might need cosmetic correction or reconstruction of facial injuries. The free screening will determine who might benefit from outpatient surgery. That treatment will be done with the volunteer help of various staff at Spectrum Health Blodgett Hospital, anesthesiologists from Anesthesia Medical Consultants and possibly other needed surgical specialists, with the hospital itself providing facilities. click here to view

Study to pinpoint best rehab treatments for traumatic brain injuries: (ChiTrib)*

Remind.org — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:59:16 +0000

Rush University Medical Center is one of 11 health-care facilities in the United States and Canada that will share a $4.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to identify the most effective rehabilitation therapies for traumatic brain injuries. click here to view

Heroes: (MilHealthSys)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:44:44 +0000

Ass't Dep UnSecDef (Maint) John Johns shares with us a touching story about his recent visit to Walter Reed that he originally wrote in an e-mail and sent to friends and colleagues on Christmas Eve. click here to view

Air Force Initiates Surgical Specialty Training in Iraq: (USAFNews)

Remind.org — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:52:31 +0000

Optimally managing the unique head and neck injury patterns seen in Iraq and Afghanistan has led to a successful initiative out of Wilford Hall Medical Center here: sending the first surgical fellow to a war zone for a surgical rotation. click here to view

Head injuries a commonality among recent veterans: (PalmBeachPost)

Remind.org — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:51:52 +0000

It was another three years before the military instituted widespread testing. The delay allowed hundreds of thousands of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan to return to civilian life unchecked for a little-understood and potentially debilitating medical condition. click here to view

VA ramps up job search for injured vets: (ArmyNews)

Remind.org — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:39:59 +0000

The coordination service was established a year ago to recruit veterans into VA, especially those seriously injured in the current wars. It has nine regional coordinators working with local facility human resources offices across the country not only to reach out to potential job candidates but to ensure that local managers know about special authorities available to hire veterans click here to view