Steve Robinson Remembered As Tireless Fighter

Veteran Advocates Remember Steve Robinson
PBS Newshour
June 13, 2014

Steve Robinson, then director of veterans affairs at Veterans for America, appeared on the Feb. 21, 2007, PBS NewsHour about the problems at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

The death Thursday of Army veteran and advocate Steve Robinson, who made several appearances on the PBS NewsHour, prompted words of praise from veteran advocates and others who knew him. Robinson was 51 years old.

Paul Rieckhoff, founder and chief executive officer of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, wrote of Robinson: “He was a lion of a man. And the most important vets advocate of our time. He led the Gulf War Resource Center, mentored countless young vets, predicted most of the current VA problems, and never stopped fighting for our community.”

From Steven Wessels, founder of the Warrior Family Foundation: “Steve was known as a leader and great(est) champion for the veteran and military cause. Steve was the ally I needed when I imagined this endeavor at WFF. He never shied from setting me straight, altering my course, dusting me off and sending me back in, perhaps a bit more focused.”

Wessels recalled a story about Robinson’s dedication to his wife Patti. “When Steve was deployed (a decorated Ranger) he realized that a wedding ring wasn’t ideal in combat theatre. So, on his wedding ring finger he tattooed ‘Patti’. When I asked about it he answered, ‘Oh Wes, we are forever anyway, so it is actually better than a band of gold.’”

Robinson lent his perspective as an Army veteran and advocate on the NewsHour. In one appearance on Feb. 21, 2007, (video above) he described efforts to get problems with the patient care and facilities addressed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

“This issue isn’t about mold and mice. There’s a larger, systemic problem about capacity and case managers who are in the hospital addressing the individual needs of every service member and their family that come through that facility,” he said.
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10th Mountain:"They're kind of a canary in a coal mine," said Paul Rieckhoff

Iraq war strains U.S. army mental health system

By Claudia Parsons
1 hour, 10 minutes ago



FORT DRUM, New York (Reuters) - Fort Drum, a bleak U.S. Army base in upstate New York, is a test case for how the military is handling a looming mental health crisis.


The military and its critics agree on one thing -- there are not enough therapists to treat all the soldiers who return from Iraq and Afghanistan traumatized by the experience.

The 10th Mountain Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team (2BCT) is the most-deployed brigade in the U.S. army since 2001. It served two tours in Afghanistan, totalling 11 months, and was sent to Iraq twice for tours of 12 and 15 months.

"They're kind of a canary in a coal mine," said Paul Rieckhoff, a former Army captain who founded the advocacy group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. "They're a good barometer to understand the human cost of the war."

A report by advocacy group Veterans for America said the mental healthcare system at Fort Drum was not meeting the demands placed on it and had prepared inadequately for the return of more than 3,500 soldiers from Iraq late last year.

"Even though we knew this group were coming back from their 4th deployment and there would be these problems, we still had massive waits of two months (for appointments)," Veterans for America spokeswoman Adrienne Willis said.

The report, released in February, said there were not enough counselors, psychologists and psychiatrists, there was too much reliance on group therapy over individual care and there was a lack of continuity in care. The lack of a hospital on base was also a problem.

It said commanding officer Gen. Michael Oates deserved "commendation" for setting the tone that psychological wounds were legitimate combat wounds. Nevertheless, the stigma of mental problems kept many soldiers from speaking up, it said.

Todd Benham, head of Fort Drum's behavioral health department, attributed long wait times to a lack of staff. He said the unit had plans to expand but it takes time to recruit, particularly in a rural area such as Fort Drum.

"It's definitely a crunch, it's difficult recruiting and certainly it's more difficult up here," Benham said.

"I don't think anybody is pretending the stigma has gone away or we didn't have significant wait times for a while," Benham said. "We understand there was an issue."

"Yes, we recognize Fort Drum needs some help, but that's something we've been working on for a year or more," he said.
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linked from ICasualties.org

Veterans For America launches new website

From VFA

In time for Veterans Day, I am pleased to announce a few important developments here at Veterans for America.

First, we have just launched a revised website. Click here to take a look. Our new website is designed to be more dynamic and more helpful to servicemembers and veterans.

One of the top features of our new site is Our Troops Newsladder , which is sponsored by VFA. This feature allows readers to post links to articles, blogs, reports, and other online material. Anyone can sign in and post material, comment, and help determine the most important stories of the day.

I am also pleased to announce that VFA is launching a Wounded Warrior Registry. In order to help servicemembers suffering from traumatic brain injuries (TBI) or mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), we need to know the scale of the problem and how best we can be of assistance.

If you - or someone you know - served in Iraq or Afghanistan and is suffering from one of these wounds, please take a moment to go to the Registry so that VFA can effectively advocate for you, your family member, or friend. We can help get the treatment and assistance they are due. Click here to find out more about our Registry.

VFA's Wounded Warrior Registry will help VFA continue to play a leading role in advancing legislation that addresses the needs of the newest generation of wounded warriors. In recent months, we testified before the President's Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors (the Dole-Shalala Commission) and before the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs and met with military leaders responsible for helping wounded warriors. In addition, we continue to carry out an aggressive investigative program at bases across the country to ensure that wounded warriors get the help they deserve.

I hope that you will consider supporting us as we support our troops. All of your donations are fully tax deductible and every bit - even a small donation - helps.
Please click here and make a donation today.