FDA Warnings to Body-Parts Vendors Overlooked by VA
Bloomberg News
By Kathleen Miller
Apr 2, 2014
A U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs safety office isn’t tracking a health agency’s warnings on the potential for contaminated body tissue, a federal auditor’s review found.
The VA office doesn’t keep tabs on the Food and Drug Administration’s warning letters to suppliers of human and animal tissue, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report released for a congressional hearing today.
Lawmakers are asking questions about the VA’s ability to identify recalled products and notify affected patients, and possible conflicts of interest from agency doctors serving on a board of a vendor that received an FDA warning.
“I am alarmed at the great risk of harm our veterans face when they receive biological implants,” Representative Mike Coffman, a Colorado Republican and chairman of a House Veterans’ Affairs subcommittee, said during the hearing.
The veterans agency ordered $241 million in cadaver tissue and other material derived from human and animal bodies in the past three years, some of which came from vendors warned by federal regulators about contamination in their supply chain, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The tissue is used to replace burned skin, restore broken bones and treat other conditions.
read more here
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Dayton VA medical center inappropriately shared veteran's medical information
Air Force veteran can't get answers about medical records
Dayton (Ohio) Daily News
By Josh Sweigart
Published: April 2, 2014
When Air Force veteran Janet Jennings received notice in the mail last week that someone at the Dayton VA medical center had inappropriately shared her medical information, the news came with an apology.
But what Jennings can’t get is an explanation.
She called the local Department of Veterans Affairs phone number listed on the letter, but instead of telling her what happened, an “employee did not treat Ms. Jennings with the respect she deserves,” the VA admitted in a statement after Jennings called the I-Team.
“I don’t understand why they would not tell me who my information has been released to,” Jennings said in an interview in her Fairborn home.
“Was it released to a finance company, a medical company, somebody walking down the hall?”
This adds to a string of embarrassing cases of patients’ private medical information ending up in the wrong hands. Other issues in recent years included a stash of medical records found in a Centerville attic, and veterans receiving the wrong records in the mail.
VA officials tell the I-Team that the latest incident was isolated to Jennings and one other patient.
“In Ms. Jennings’ case, one page of her medical record was unredacted, leaving her name, date of birth, telephone number, and diagnosis visible. Her Social Security number was not included,” VA spokesman Ted Froats wrote in a statement.
The employee responsible is facing “significant administrative action,” Froats said.
The employee who was rude to Jennings has since retired from the VA, he said.
read more here
Dayton (Ohio) Daily News
By Josh Sweigart
Published: April 2, 2014
When Air Force veteran Janet Jennings received notice in the mail last week that someone at the Dayton VA medical center had inappropriately shared her medical information, the news came with an apology.
But what Jennings can’t get is an explanation.
She called the local Department of Veterans Affairs phone number listed on the letter, but instead of telling her what happened, an “employee did not treat Ms. Jennings with the respect she deserves,” the VA admitted in a statement after Jennings called the I-Team.
“I don’t understand why they would not tell me who my information has been released to,” Jennings said in an interview in her Fairborn home.
“Was it released to a finance company, a medical company, somebody walking down the hall?”
This adds to a string of embarrassing cases of patients’ private medical information ending up in the wrong hands. Other issues in recent years included a stash of medical records found in a Centerville attic, and veterans receiving the wrong records in the mail.
VA officials tell the I-Team that the latest incident was isolated to Jennings and one other patient.
“In Ms. Jennings’ case, one page of her medical record was unredacted, leaving her name, date of birth, telephone number, and diagnosis visible. Her Social Security number was not included,” VA spokesman Ted Froats wrote in a statement.
The employee responsible is facing “significant administrative action,” Froats said.
The employee who was rude to Jennings has since retired from the VA, he said.
read more here
Fort Sill Soldier rushed to aid car crash victims
Ft. Sill soldier uses training in real-life car rescue
KSWO News
Posted: Mar 31, 2014
COMANCHE COUNTY, Okla._ A Fort Sill soldier is being hailed a hero tonight after witnessing a brutal car accident and rushing to the aid of the two people trapped inside the vehicle.
The accident happened on Highway 7, just east of Lawton, and the timing could not have been more perfect. The soldier, who saw the entire accident unfold, is a trained medic. He quickly ran from his car with all the supplies he needed to save lives.
"Right place, right time," says Pfc. Jeremy Nedd, a medic with the 214th FIRES Brigade. "I just happened to be able to give the lady first aid at the time that she needed it."
Nedd was driving down Highway 7 the morning of March 30 shortly after 9 a.m. when out of the corner of his eye he saw an SUV in mid-air before flipping several times.
"The first couple of minutes of any type of situation like that are the most important," says Nedd.
The vehicle, a 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe, now sits mangled with shattered glass and blood-stained seats. After seeing the car tumble, Nedd quickly pulled over and grabbed his backpack full of supplies before running to the SUV with a grandmother and her 10-year-old grandson pinned inside.
read more here
KSWO News
Posted: Mar 31, 2014
COMANCHE COUNTY, Okla._ A Fort Sill soldier is being hailed a hero tonight after witnessing a brutal car accident and rushing to the aid of the two people trapped inside the vehicle.
The accident happened on Highway 7, just east of Lawton, and the timing could not have been more perfect. The soldier, who saw the entire accident unfold, is a trained medic. He quickly ran from his car with all the supplies he needed to save lives.
"Right place, right time," says Pfc. Jeremy Nedd, a medic with the 214th FIRES Brigade. "I just happened to be able to give the lady first aid at the time that she needed it."
Nedd was driving down Highway 7 the morning of March 30 shortly after 9 a.m. when out of the corner of his eye he saw an SUV in mid-air before flipping several times.
"The first couple of minutes of any type of situation like that are the most important," says Nedd.
The vehicle, a 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe, now sits mangled with shattered glass and blood-stained seats. After seeing the car tumble, Nedd quickly pulled over and grabbed his backpack full of supplies before running to the SUV with a grandmother and her 10-year-old grandson pinned inside.
read more here
Iraq veteran got billed for missing gear
Congressman Helps U.S. Veteran Get Money Back For Missing Gear
WBOY.com
By Kelsey Pape, Marion and Taylor County Reporter
Posted: Apr 01, 2014
FAIRMONT
United States veterans all have thousands of stories to share, but not many are like Gerrad Branum's.
Branum served in the U.S. Army from 2001-2005. On his way home from Iraq, several of his bags went missing.
"My bags were lost in Iraq. A duffel, a ruck, and another ruck. Those bags had all my gear. My equipment," Branum said.
Nearly a decade after being discharged from the military, Branum received a letter stating that the IRS took nearly $1,600 from his tax return for that missing gear.
"Every piece of paper I signed that was considerably a field loss, it is proven there is a real thing as a field loss," he said.
Branum said he has received an outpouring of support by congressmen, senators, and those on Facebook.
Congressman David McKinley was one of those people. He reached out to Branum following our first report on the issue.
read more here
WBOY.com
By Kelsey Pape, Marion and Taylor County Reporter
Posted: Apr 01, 2014
FAIRMONT
United States veterans all have thousands of stories to share, but not many are like Gerrad Branum's.
Branum served in the U.S. Army from 2001-2005. On his way home from Iraq, several of his bags went missing.
"My bags were lost in Iraq. A duffel, a ruck, and another ruck. Those bags had all my gear. My equipment," Branum said.
Nearly a decade after being discharged from the military, Branum received a letter stating that the IRS took nearly $1,600 from his tax return for that missing gear.
"Every piece of paper I signed that was considerably a field loss, it is proven there is a real thing as a field loss," he said.
Branum said he has received an outpouring of support by congressmen, senators, and those on Facebook.
Congressman David McKinley was one of those people. He reached out to Branum following our first report on the issue.
read more here
Guantánamo guard got medal for saving detainee then kicked out
Disgraced Guantánamo guard got medal for saving detainee from suicide
Miami Herald
Carol Rosenberg
April 1, 2014
A former Guantánamo guard being discharged instead of facing a sexual-assault trial did avert a detainee’s suicide around the time of last year’s prison camp raid that put hunger strikers under lockdown, the military confirmed.
Army Col. Greg Julian, a spokesman for Southern Command, could not identify the detainee who tried to kill himself. Nor could he pinpoint the exact date of the deed in April 2013 that won Sgt. Stevontae Lacefield, 24, his Joint Service Commendation Medal.
Separately, Julian said that Lacefield was leaving the Army with an “other than honorable” discharge and demotion to the lowest enlisted grade, rather than a general discharge, as a U.S. Army spokesman had earlier reported.
read more here
Miami Herald
Carol Rosenberg
April 1, 2014
A former Guantánamo guard being discharged instead of facing a sexual-assault trial did avert a detainee’s suicide around the time of last year’s prison camp raid that put hunger strikers under lockdown, the military confirmed.
Army Col. Greg Julian, a spokesman for Southern Command, could not identify the detainee who tried to kill himself. Nor could he pinpoint the exact date of the deed in April 2013 that won Sgt. Stevontae Lacefield, 24, his Joint Service Commendation Medal.
Separately, Julian said that Lacefield was leaving the Army with an “other than honorable” discharge and demotion to the lowest enlisted grade, rather than a general discharge, as a U.S. Army spokesman had earlier reported.
read more here
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Staten Island folks step up so Vietnam Vet can finally be buried
Deceased veteran, John L. Matyi, headed to Arlington after 15 months of uncertainty (update)
Staten Island Advance
By Timothy Harrison
March 31, 2014
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island must be the most compassionate place on earth.
After the Advance revealed last week that the ashes of a deceased veteran remained in a Florida funeral home for more than a year, the veteran's surviving brother received a slew of messages from Islanders who wanted to help any way they could.
Now, with John L. Matyi's cremation service paid for, Alex Matyi speaks with a whole new sense of hope - you can hear the transformation in his voice.
Alex knows his brother will be buried at Arlington soon, John's sole wish since he returned wounded from active duty.
A childhood friend of the Matyi brothers, who insisted on remaining anonymous after paying the $1,200 fee in full, called Alex Friday.
read more here
Florida funeral bill prevents Vietnam Veteran being laid to rest
Staten Island Advance
By Timothy Harrison
March 31, 2014
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island must be the most compassionate place on earth.
After the Advance revealed last week that the ashes of a deceased veteran remained in a Florida funeral home for more than a year, the veteran's surviving brother received a slew of messages from Islanders who wanted to help any way they could.
Now, with John L. Matyi's cremation service paid for, Alex Matyi speaks with a whole new sense of hope - you can hear the transformation in his voice.
Alex knows his brother will be buried at Arlington soon, John's sole wish since he returned wounded from active duty.
A childhood friend of the Matyi brothers, who insisted on remaining anonymous after paying the $1,200 fee in full, called Alex Friday.
read more here
Florida funeral bill prevents Vietnam Veteran being laid to rest
Police make visits with message for PTSD veterans
Police To Repeat Offenders: Let Us Help
CBS
Joel Thomas
March 31, 2014
BEDFORD (CBSDFW.COM) - He’s a former soldier who suffers the effects of PTSD and recent marriage problems. To protect his identity we’ll just call him Chuck.
“Losing my family like that, no one can ever really explain what you’re going through,” Chuck said.
Police know Chuck. They’ve visited on disturbance calls. He’s what police refer to as a repeat victim, people who often have disorders who police see more than once a year.
Bedford found that 9% of the people they dealt with were responsible for 20% of all their cases.
“Especially on the domestic violence side, repeated offenses against the same person,” said Bedford Police Chief Roger Gibson. “And on the mental health side, the same person being hospitalized over and over.”
Thursday, Chuck received a welcome visit from two specially trained officers and a counselor. They’re three of the four members of the Repeat Victimization Unit. They’re here to listen.
read more here
CBS
Joel Thomas
March 31, 2014
BEDFORD (CBSDFW.COM) - He’s a former soldier who suffers the effects of PTSD and recent marriage problems. To protect his identity we’ll just call him Chuck.
“Losing my family like that, no one can ever really explain what you’re going through,” Chuck said.
Police know Chuck. They’ve visited on disturbance calls. He’s what police refer to as a repeat victim, people who often have disorders who police see more than once a year.
Bedford found that 9% of the people they dealt with were responsible for 20% of all their cases.
“Especially on the domestic violence side, repeated offenses against the same person,” said Bedford Police Chief Roger Gibson. “And on the mental health side, the same person being hospitalized over and over.”
Thursday, Chuck received a welcome visit from two specially trained officers and a counselor. They’re three of the four members of the Repeat Victimization Unit. They’re here to listen.
read more here
Three Marines stabbed breaking up fight
Camp Pendleton Marines Stabbed in Baseball Brawl
The Marines were stabbed in the face and neck by broken beer bottles, police said
NBC News
By Steven Luke, R. Stickney and Andrew Lopez
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2014
Three Camp Pendleton Marines were stabbed Sunday when they tried to break up a fight between baseball fans in Huntington Beach, officials told NBC 7.
NBC 7 has obtained cell phone video of what officials refer to as an alcohol-fueled fight around 1:45 a.m. in the area of Main and Walnut streets, according to Huntington Beach Police Department.
When officers arrived and attempted to break up the large fight, Manuel Alvarez, 23, allegedly used a broken bottle to stab one of the Marines in the face.
Alvarez was taken into custody and faces an assault with a deadly weapon charge.
Another Marine was found nearby suffering from stab wounds. Both servicemen were taken to a hospital in stable condition.
A possible third victim was treated and released at a San Diego hospital.
read more here
The Marines were stabbed in the face and neck by broken beer bottles, police said
NBC News
By Steven Luke, R. Stickney and Andrew Lopez
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2014
Three Camp Pendleton Marines were stabbed Sunday when they tried to break up a fight between baseball fans in Huntington Beach, officials told NBC 7.
NBC 7 has obtained cell phone video of what officials refer to as an alcohol-fueled fight around 1:45 a.m. in the area of Main and Walnut streets, according to Huntington Beach Police Department.
When officers arrived and attempted to break up the large fight, Manuel Alvarez, 23, allegedly used a broken bottle to stab one of the Marines in the face.
Alvarez was taken into custody and faces an assault with a deadly weapon charge.
Another Marine was found nearby suffering from stab wounds. Both servicemen were taken to a hospital in stable condition.
A possible third victim was treated and released at a San Diego hospital.
read more here
‘We Have PTSD’: Wife of Veteran Shares Experiences
‘We Have PTSD’: Wife of Veteran Shares Experiences
By ABC News
Mar 31, 2014
This post by Blair Hughes originally appeared on www.warriorsandwives.com
I am the wife of a Iraq veteran with PTSD. For some, like my husband Jonah, the anxiety is so overwhelming and debilitating that we are considered “housebound.”
Oh, you noticed I said “we?”
Yes, that’s because I have PTSD, too.
I have a condition known as Secondary PTSD.
After three deployments and 10 IED blasts, my husband has several other injuries and I am his full-time caregiver. As a caregiver, I with him pretty much 24/7. I have adopted a constant sort of vigilance in order to predict and pre-empt my husband’s PTSD behaviors. Knowing the symptoms and his reaction to “trigger situations” inside and out is key to our survival, so much so that many of these symptoms become my reality, as well. Anxiety, extreme discomfort in crowds, hyper-vigilance and isolation just to name a few.
We try. We really do try to go outside our comfort zone. But when we do we often have a massive, far longer than normal, recovery period. A simple trip out to eat at an uncrowded restaurant, during a super slow time often results in the need for an afternoon in bed. If we do happen to venture out on a good day, during “normal” shopping hours, it’s very likely we end up two steps back from where we were.
Often, we have to use grocery delivery services. We pay for Amazon Prime (thank God for their Two-Day shipping!) because during a bad spell — when you just cannot leave the house for days at a time — sometimes you still need toilet paper.
read more here
By ABC News
Mar 31, 2014
This post by Blair Hughes originally appeared on www.warriorsandwives.com
I am the wife of a Iraq veteran with PTSD. For some, like my husband Jonah, the anxiety is so overwhelming and debilitating that we are considered “housebound.”
Oh, you noticed I said “we?”
Yes, that’s because I have PTSD, too.
I have a condition known as Secondary PTSD.
After three deployments and 10 IED blasts, my husband has several other injuries and I am his full-time caregiver. As a caregiver, I with him pretty much 24/7. I have adopted a constant sort of vigilance in order to predict and pre-empt my husband’s PTSD behaviors. Knowing the symptoms and his reaction to “trigger situations” inside and out is key to our survival, so much so that many of these symptoms become my reality, as well. Anxiety, extreme discomfort in crowds, hyper-vigilance and isolation just to name a few.
We try. We really do try to go outside our comfort zone. But when we do we often have a massive, far longer than normal, recovery period. A simple trip out to eat at an uncrowded restaurant, during a super slow time often results in the need for an afternoon in bed. If we do happen to venture out on a good day, during “normal” shopping hours, it’s very likely we end up two steps back from where we were.
Often, we have to use grocery delivery services. We pay for Amazon Prime (thank God for their Two-Day shipping!) because during a bad spell — when you just cannot leave the house for days at a time — sometimes you still need toilet paper.
read more here
At least 13 out of 18 Utah soldier death were suicides in 2013
National study shows military suicide rates climbing; Utah no exception
Deseret News
By Madeleine Brown
Published: Sunday, March 30 2014
SALT LAKE CITY — A large study of nearly 1 million soldiers shows the Army suicide rate surpassed the civilian suicide rate in 2008 and continues to rise.
And Utah is no stranger to military suicide.
Of the 18 Utah soldiers who died in 2013 and were recognized by the state Legislature earlier this year, at least 13 are confirmed suicides, according to Rep. Ryan Wilcox, R-Ogden.
"Would I say that (suicide) attempts have gone up? Absolutely," said Dr. Scott Hill, chief of mental health for the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System.
Better tracking could contribute to the rising numbers, Hill said, but the rates are climbing regardless. Ten veterans have committed suicide since Oct. 1, 2013, in Utah, southeastern Idaho and eastern Nevada, he said. The hotline for veterans in crisis received 283 calls from the same area during the same time frame.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates 22 veterans commit suicide each day. That number is one per day for active-duty soldiers, according to the nonprofit Stop Soldier Suicide.
read more here
Deseret News
By Madeleine Brown
Published: Sunday, March 30 2014
SALT LAKE CITY — A large study of nearly 1 million soldiers shows the Army suicide rate surpassed the civilian suicide rate in 2008 and continues to rise.
And Utah is no stranger to military suicide.
Of the 18 Utah soldiers who died in 2013 and were recognized by the state Legislature earlier this year, at least 13 are confirmed suicides, according to Rep. Ryan Wilcox, R-Ogden.
"Would I say that (suicide) attempts have gone up? Absolutely," said Dr. Scott Hill, chief of mental health for the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System.
Better tracking could contribute to the rising numbers, Hill said, but the rates are climbing regardless. Ten veterans have committed suicide since Oct. 1, 2013, in Utah, southeastern Idaho and eastern Nevada, he said. The hotline for veterans in crisis received 283 calls from the same area during the same time frame.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates 22 veterans commit suicide each day. That number is one per day for active-duty soldiers, according to the nonprofit Stop Soldier Suicide.
read more here
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