Benefit Held for Wounded Fort Hood Soldier Matthew Cooke - 2/20/2010
Friends and family members say Matthew Cooke is a man of few words but extraordinary action.
He was shot five times during the Fort Hood shooting in November, while saving the life of his fellow comrade.
Leon Matthews, a childhood friend of Cooke, said he's always been that way.
"He was always generous, selfless humble, said Matthews, of Harpursville, NY.
To honor his heroic actions, a benefit was held at the American Legion Post 183 in Sidney to raise money for Cooke.
"This benefit has really raised his spirits," said Larry Halbert, one of the event organizers.
read more here
http://www.wicz.com/news2005/viewarticle.asp?a=12862
Showing posts with label wounded soldiers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wounded soldiers. Show all posts
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Flying wounded from combat zone is a life-saving advancement
Flying wounded from combat zone is a life-saving advancement
By Seth Robbins, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Tuesday, February 23, 2010
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq — It was during World War I that an injured soldier was first evacuated by air, in a “Jenny” biplane modified to allow a single stretcher in place of the rear cockpit. And for nearly a century afterward, air evacuations of the badly injured out of the combat zone were the exception, not the norm.
Now, troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan are routinely flown to hospitals in the United States within three days. Some burn patients make it back within 24 hours, said Col. James King, the Critical Care Air Transport, or CCAT, theater medical director.
“We are moving patients thousands of miles,” King said, “that some civilian trauma doctors would be reluctant to even put on an elevator.”
Troops are treated at the front lines and then shuttled by helicopter to nearby combat support hospitals for life-saving surgeries, often within a critical one-hour window. The surgeons perform the minimum amount of operations to stabilize the patients, and then they are flown to hospitals in the U.S. or Germany, where they can receive more specialized care.
read more here
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=68221
By Seth Robbins, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Tuesday, February 23, 2010
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq — It was during World War I that an injured soldier was first evacuated by air, in a “Jenny” biplane modified to allow a single stretcher in place of the rear cockpit. And for nearly a century afterward, air evacuations of the badly injured out of the combat zone were the exception, not the norm.
Now, troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan are routinely flown to hospitals in the United States within three days. Some burn patients make it back within 24 hours, said Col. James King, the Critical Care Air Transport, or CCAT, theater medical director.
“We are moving patients thousands of miles,” King said, “that some civilian trauma doctors would be reluctant to even put on an elevator.”
Troops are treated at the front lines and then shuttled by helicopter to nearby combat support hospitals for life-saving surgeries, often within a critical one-hour window. The surgeons perform the minimum amount of operations to stabilize the patients, and then they are flown to hospitals in the U.S. or Germany, where they can receive more specialized care.
read more here
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=68221
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Moms Caring About Someone Else's Wounded Soldier
Moms Caring About Someone Else's Wounded Soldier
By Justin Foss, Reporter
By Justin Foss
Story Created: Feb 17, 2010 at 6:54 PM CST
Story Updated: Feb 17, 2010 at 6:54 PM CST
TODDVILLE – A hospital is never a good place to be lonely. For that reason, two mothers from Eastern Iowa are planning a trip to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C.
Lori Shebetka, 47, Shueyville, spent weeks looking after her son Kain Schilling after insurgents shot him in Afghanistan. While she was there, she saw soldiers who didn’t have a support group.
"We'd see somebody and ask if they need anything and everyone would say, ‘Nope, I'm good.’ They're in a wheelchair, missing a leg or an arm saying nope, I'm good,” said Shebetka.
Michele Albert, 43, Toddville, spent weeks at Walter Reed looking after her son Jonathon, 24, Toddville. The two families bonded and now the mothers are sharing their caring hearts with soldiers who are still recovering.
"That's a big message to send,” said Michele. “Maternal instinct - I'm pretty sure plays a part of it. But it's just letting them know that we care.”
read more here
Moms Caring About Someone Elses Wounded Soldier
By Justin Foss, Reporter
By Justin Foss
Story Created: Feb 17, 2010 at 6:54 PM CST
Story Updated: Feb 17, 2010 at 6:54 PM CST
TODDVILLE – A hospital is never a good place to be lonely. For that reason, two mothers from Eastern Iowa are planning a trip to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C.
Lori Shebetka, 47, Shueyville, spent weeks looking after her son Kain Schilling after insurgents shot him in Afghanistan. While she was there, she saw soldiers who didn’t have a support group.
"We'd see somebody and ask if they need anything and everyone would say, ‘Nope, I'm good.’ They're in a wheelchair, missing a leg or an arm saying nope, I'm good,” said Shebetka.
Michele Albert, 43, Toddville, spent weeks at Walter Reed looking after her son Jonathon, 24, Toddville. The two families bonded and now the mothers are sharing their caring hearts with soldiers who are still recovering.
"That's a big message to send,” said Michele. “Maternal instinct - I'm pretty sure plays a part of it. But it's just letting them know that we care.”
read more here
Moms Caring About Someone Elses Wounded Soldier
Sunday, November 22, 2009
2nd lt. overcomes severe combat wounds
2nd lt. overcomes severe combat wounds
By Gina Cavallaro - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Nov 22, 2009 8:54:18 EST
One of 2nd Lt. Peter Sprenger’s goals in life is to lead soldiers in the 75th Ranger Regiment. He eventually wants to command a battalion and even a brigade.
His goals are not unusual for a young officer candidate who has already led men in combat, but Sprenger, 26, was not supposed to make it this far. On Nov. 19, when he was commissioned as a second lieutenant, he beat the odds — and the naysayers.
He was blinded by a car bomb blast in Iraq on Dec. 9, 2003, after nearly nine months in country, with 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry. The attack also shattered his teeth, blew out his eardrums and peppered him with shrapnel.
The suicide driver of a car laden with explosives smashed a jagged ribbon of concertina wire around the perimeter of the soldiers’ outpost and rammed through concrete barriers before one of Sprenger’s fellow soldiers, a squad automatic weapon gunner, sprayed the driver with gunfire. But he still blew his 1,000 pounds of TNT near an open door where Sprenger was sitting on duty. As Sprenger turned to run for the radio, the blast rocked his body and knocked him down.
Dozens of others were also wounded in the attack. As he was being medically evacuated from Tal Afar in northern Iraq, Sprenger remembers thinking he didn’t want to leave because he hadn’t helped the battalion finish its mission.
read more here
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/11/army_sprenger_112209w/
By Gina Cavallaro - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Nov 22, 2009 8:54:18 EST
One of 2nd Lt. Peter Sprenger’s goals in life is to lead soldiers in the 75th Ranger Regiment. He eventually wants to command a battalion and even a brigade.
His goals are not unusual for a young officer candidate who has already led men in combat, but Sprenger, 26, was not supposed to make it this far. On Nov. 19, when he was commissioned as a second lieutenant, he beat the odds — and the naysayers.
He was blinded by a car bomb blast in Iraq on Dec. 9, 2003, after nearly nine months in country, with 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry. The attack also shattered his teeth, blew out his eardrums and peppered him with shrapnel.
The suicide driver of a car laden with explosives smashed a jagged ribbon of concertina wire around the perimeter of the soldiers’ outpost and rammed through concrete barriers before one of Sprenger’s fellow soldiers, a squad automatic weapon gunner, sprayed the driver with gunfire. But he still blew his 1,000 pounds of TNT near an open door where Sprenger was sitting on duty. As Sprenger turned to run for the radio, the blast rocked his body and knocked him down.
Dozens of others were also wounded in the attack. As he was being medically evacuated from Tal Afar in northern Iraq, Sprenger remembers thinking he didn’t want to leave because he hadn’t helped the battalion finish its mission.
read more here
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/11/army_sprenger_112209w/
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Purple Hearts proposed for Fort Hood victims
Glad someone thinks they should get medals too! Not so sure I agree with what else he said, but glad he wants to give them the medals and benefits they should receive. It's not like this was something like an accident.
Purple Hearts proposed for Fort Hood victims
November 17, 2009 2:34 p.m. EST
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Texas congressman to introduce bill to grant Purple Hearts for Fort Hood victims
Troops wounded in combat eligible for Purple Hearts
Washington (CNN) -- Military victims of the Fort Hood massacre will be eligible to receive the Purple Heart if Congress passes a bill introduced Tuesday.
Non-military victims could receive the Secretary of Defense Medal of Freedom -- the civilian equivalent of the Purple Heart. Both military and civilian personnel killed or wounded in the November 5 attack would be granted the same legal status as combatant casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The bill was introduced by Texas GOP Rep. John Carter, who represents Fort Hood in the House of Representatives.
"As far as I'm concerned, this was an attack by an enemy upon American troops on American soil," Carter said Tuesday at a Capitol Hill news conference.
The bill "is about giving soldiers the benefits that other soldiers get when they are unfortunate enough to be killed or wounded in a combat zone."
read more here
Purple Hearts proposed for Fort Hood victims
Thursday, November 12, 2009
13 premeditated murder charges for Hasan
What about charges for all the wounded? Don't they count? As for the wounded, will they get disability from the military for their wounds and have them treated as if they happened in war? This was an attack against them. What about medals? Do they get medals for being wounded like the Purple Heart or do they get medals for bravery when they cared more about their brothers and sisters even after they were wounded themselves? Will the families of the dead get the insurance money as if they died in war? What will happen to the families who lived on base and now their soldier is gone and they have to move off base, then get on with their lives? What happens to them? The kids? What happens to the kids when their parent was killed? Do these families get treated the same way a soldier's family is treated when they die in Iraq or Afghanistan?
Purple Hearts proposed for Fort Hood victims
November 17, 2009 2:34 p.m. EST
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Texas congressman to introduce bill to grant Purple Hearts for Fort Hood victims
Troops wounded in combat eligible for Purple Hearts
Washington (CNN) -- Military victims of the Fort Hood massacre will be eligible to receive the Purple Heart if Congress passes a bill introduced Tuesday.
Non-military victims could receive the Secretary of Defense Medal of Freedom -- the civilian equivalent of the Purple Heart. Both military and civilian personnel killed or wounded in the November 5 attack would be granted the same legal status as combatant casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The bill was introduced by Texas GOP Rep. John Carter, who represents Fort Hood in the House of Representatives.
"As far as I'm concerned, this was an attack by an enemy upon American troops on American soil," Carter said Tuesday at a Capitol Hill news conference.
The bill "is about giving soldiers the benefits that other soldiers get when they are unfortunate enough to be killed or wounded in a combat zone."
read more here
Purple Hearts proposed for Fort Hood victims
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Frederick police officer recovering from injuries in Iraq
Frederick police officer recovering from injuries in Iraq
by Erica L. Green Staff Writer
While her husband may be growing restless, Heather Preece is just settling down enough to finally rest.
Reed Preece, a Frederick Police officer serving in Iraq, is recovering nicely from injuries he suffered when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device on April 12, his wife said.
"He's really bored," Heather said. "He's pushing to be cleared to get back out there. I'm just settling and trying to get back to normal."
Heather received a phone call on Easter Sunday informing her that her husband was "injured, but alive," then another call less than 24 hours that said he was "bloody, but OK."
Preece, 24, a first lieutenant in the Army National Guard, had suffered second-degree-burns to left side of body, shrapnel wounds to neck, left shoulder, and left leg. He also suffered a fractured knee and had to be treated for smoke inhalation from helping pull soldiers out of a burning vehicle.
go here for more
http://www.gazette.net/stories/04232009/frednew153958_32535.shtml
by Erica L. Green Staff Writer
While her husband may be growing restless, Heather Preece is just settling down enough to finally rest.
Reed Preece, a Frederick Police officer serving in Iraq, is recovering nicely from injuries he suffered when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device on April 12, his wife said.
"He's really bored," Heather said. "He's pushing to be cleared to get back out there. I'm just settling and trying to get back to normal."
Heather received a phone call on Easter Sunday informing her that her husband was "injured, but alive," then another call less than 24 hours that said he was "bloody, but OK."
Preece, 24, a first lieutenant in the Army National Guard, had suffered second-degree-burns to left side of body, shrapnel wounds to neck, left shoulder, and left leg. He also suffered a fractured knee and had to be treated for smoke inhalation from helping pull soldiers out of a burning vehicle.
go here for more
http://www.gazette.net/stories/04232009/frednew153958_32535.shtml
Monday, April 20, 2009
Another bad product sent to troops puts them at risk,,,thanks Bush
WoundStat found to be potentially hazardous
By Gina Cavallaro - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Apr 20, 2009 17:25:22 EDT
The Army has permanently suspended the use of WoundStat, a new product it had begun sending to war zones to help stop bleeding in wounds where bandages or tourniquets could not be applied.
Safety and clotting effectiveness studies conducted by the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research determined that WoundStat’s clotting granules, which are poured directly into a wound, could injure the lining and wall of a blood vessel and potentially lead to surgical replacement of the vessel, according to an April 17 All Army Activity message.
The granules could also cause damage if they travel to other parts of the body, as occurred in two test animals that were found to have the granules in their lungs, the message said.
By Gina Cavallaro - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Apr 20, 2009 17:25:22 EDT
The Army has permanently suspended the use of WoundStat, a new product it had begun sending to war zones to help stop bleeding in wounds where bandages or tourniquets could not be applied.
Safety and clotting effectiveness studies conducted by the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research determined that WoundStat’s clotting granules, which are poured directly into a wound, could injure the lining and wall of a blood vessel and potentially lead to surgical replacement of the vessel, according to an April 17 All Army Activity message.
The granules could also cause damage if they travel to other parts of the body, as occurred in two test animals that were found to have the granules in their lungs, the message said.
More than 17,000 packages of WoundStat purchased in October were being distributed as a replacement for QuikClot, which sometimes caused second degree burns around the wound.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/04/army_woundstat_042009w/
I need to go and scream now,,,,,,,,
8 U.S. soldiers wounded by Iraq bomb
8 U.S. soldiers wounded by Iraq bomb
By Brian Murphy - The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Apr 20, 2009 9:03:51 EDT
BAGHDAD — A suicide bomber wearing an Iraqi military uniform struck a U.S. military delegation visiting the mayor of violence-wracked Baqouba on Monday, injuring at least eight American soldiers and nine others.
It was not immediately clear whether the attacker was a member of the Iraqi military or in disguise, but U.S. forces have faced both types of assaults.
Bombers have used police and military uniforms to clear checkpoints in the past. In February, two police officers opened fire on U.S. soldiers in the northern city of Mosul, killing one soldier and raising worries about insurgent infiltration in security forces.
go here for more
8 U.S. soldiers wounded by Iraq bomb
By Brian Murphy - The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Apr 20, 2009 9:03:51 EDT
BAGHDAD — A suicide bomber wearing an Iraqi military uniform struck a U.S. military delegation visiting the mayor of violence-wracked Baqouba on Monday, injuring at least eight American soldiers and nine others.
It was not immediately clear whether the attacker was a member of the Iraqi military or in disguise, but U.S. forces have faced both types of assaults.
Bombers have used police and military uniforms to clear checkpoints in the past. In February, two police officers opened fire on U.S. soldiers in the northern city of Mosul, killing one soldier and raising worries about insurgent infiltration in security forces.
go here for more
8 U.S. soldiers wounded by Iraq bomb
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Too many admitted into Warrior Transition Units
Too many admitted into Warrior Transition Units
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky
By Lolita C. Baldor - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Nov 2, 2008
In a rush to correct reports of substandard care for wounded soldiers, the Army flung open the doors of new specialized treatment centers so wide that up to half the soldiers currently enrolled do not have injuries serious enough to justify being there, The Associated Press has learned.
Army leaders are putting in place stricter screening procedures to stem the flood of patients overwhelming the units — a move that eventually will target some for closure.
According to interviews and data provided to the AP, the number of patients admitted to the 36 Warrior Transition Units and nine other community-based units jumped from about 5,000 in June 2007, when they began, to a peak of nearly 12,500 in June 2008.
The units provide coordinated medical and mental health care, track soldiers’ recovery and provide broader legal, financial and other family counseling. They serve Army active duty and reserve soldiers.
Just 12 percent of the soldiers in the units had battlefield injuries while thousands of others had minor problems that did not require the complex new network of case managers, nurses and doctors, according to Brig. Gen. Gary H. Cheek, the director of the Army’s warrior care office.
The overcrowding was a “self-inflicted wound,” said Cheek, who also is an assistant surgeon general. “We’re dedicating this kind of oversight and management where, truthfully, only half of those soldiers really needed this.”
click link for more
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky
By Lolita C. Baldor - The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Nov 2, 2008
In a rush to correct reports of substandard care for wounded soldiers, the Army flung open the doors of new specialized treatment centers so wide that up to half the soldiers currently enrolled do not have injuries serious enough to justify being there, The Associated Press has learned.
Army leaders are putting in place stricter screening procedures to stem the flood of patients overwhelming the units — a move that eventually will target some for closure.
According to interviews and data provided to the AP, the number of patients admitted to the 36 Warrior Transition Units and nine other community-based units jumped from about 5,000 in June 2007, when they began, to a peak of nearly 12,500 in June 2008.
The units provide coordinated medical and mental health care, track soldiers’ recovery and provide broader legal, financial and other family counseling. They serve Army active duty and reserve soldiers.
Just 12 percent of the soldiers in the units had battlefield injuries while thousands of others had minor problems that did not require the complex new network of case managers, nurses and doctors, according to Brig. Gen. Gary H. Cheek, the director of the Army’s warrior care office.
The overcrowding was a “self-inflicted wound,” said Cheek, who also is an assistant surgeon general. “We’re dedicating this kind of oversight and management where, truthfully, only half of those soldiers really needed this.”
click link for more
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Iraq Veteran's Purple Heart Stolen From Home
Purple Heart Stolen From Soldier's Home
POSTED: 5:08 pm EDT October 28, 2008
SHELBY, N.S. -- Someone stole a Purple Heart from a soldier’s home in Cleveland County.
“I couldn't understand why someone would want to steal that,” he said.
He was awarded the Purple Heart after a roadside bomb in Iraq jarred the truck he was in. He was hospitalized for 13 months and eventually given a medical discharge from the Army.
On October 10, someone broke into his home just north of Shelby. He came home and learned two cell phones were missing.
“I went to the area where I had all my metals. They were all thrown around and I had a feeling that one would be taken,” he said.
The ribbon and metal that make up the Purple Heart are worth very little, but because it is only given to those injured on battle it's invaluable to Shytle.
“It just means sentimental value to me,” he said.
go here for more
http://www.wsoctv.com/news/17824393/detail.html
POSTED: 5:08 pm EDT October 28, 2008
SHELBY, N.S. -- Someone stole a Purple Heart from a soldier’s home in Cleveland County.
“I couldn't understand why someone would want to steal that,” he said.
He was awarded the Purple Heart after a roadside bomb in Iraq jarred the truck he was in. He was hospitalized for 13 months and eventually given a medical discharge from the Army.
On October 10, someone broke into his home just north of Shelby. He came home and learned two cell phones were missing.
“I went to the area where I had all my metals. They were all thrown around and I had a feeling that one would be taken,” he said.
The ribbon and metal that make up the Purple Heart are worth very little, but because it is only given to those injured on battle it's invaluable to Shytle.
“It just means sentimental value to me,” he said.
go here for more
http://www.wsoctv.com/news/17824393/detail.html
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Two Canadians hurt during outpost attack in Afghanistan
Two Canadians hurt during outpost attack in Afghanistan
Tom Blackwell , Canwest News Service
Published: Sunday, September 28, 2008
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Two Canadian soldiers were hurt, one of them seriously, when Taliban insurgents attacked an outpost west of Kandahar City on Saturday with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades.
One of the soldiers has been released from hospital, and the other is in stable condition but will be transferred to a U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany.
"I just came from speaking with him. The soldier is in very good spirits," said Colonel Jamie Cade, deputy commander of Canada's mission in Kandahar. "He's going to be OK."
click post title for more
linked from ICasualties.org
Tom Blackwell , Canwest News Service
Published: Sunday, September 28, 2008
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Two Canadian soldiers were hurt, one of them seriously, when Taliban insurgents attacked an outpost west of Kandahar City on Saturday with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades.
One of the soldiers has been released from hospital, and the other is in stable condition but will be transferred to a U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany.
"I just came from speaking with him. The soldier is in very good spirits," said Colonel Jamie Cade, deputy commander of Canada's mission in Kandahar. "He's going to be OK."
click post title for more
linked from ICasualties.org
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Wounded body, mind and medicated
the battle within
Soldiering on in pain
Troops who return from war with battered bodies and minds are increasingly turning to prescription medication to ease their injuries.
By David Olinger and Erin Emery
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 08/25/2008 11:21:18 PM MDT
Strain of duty surfaces
Military officials say there is no way to track how much pain and behavioral medication is being consumed by soldiers at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, in part because soldiers and military doctors often bring medication from home when they're sent overseas.
Annual surveys by a military mental- health advisory team, however, have asked soldiers whether they have taken medicine for mental health, combat stress or sleep problems. The number who said yes jumped from 8 percent in 2004 to 14 percent in 2005, then dipped to 12 percent in 2006. Last year, one in eight soldiers surveyed in Iraq and one in seven in Afghanistan said they had taken sleeping pills or antidepressants.
If those surveys are accurate, nearly 20,000 soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan took mental-health or sleep medication last year. According to Ritchie, about half of those soldiers took antidepressants.
By comparison, roughly one in 20 American men and one in 10 American women reported taking an antidepressant in the most recent survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For three straight years, the mental- health advisory team has reported that multiple deployments are affecting the Army's mental health. This year it reported that 27 percent of noncommissioned officers with three or more deployments had mental-health problems, compared with 12 percent on their first tour.
Alcohol use increased with second deployments, and soldiers deploying for the third or fourth time were "significantly more likely" to report they had stress or emotional problems that worried their supervisors and limited their ability to do their jobs.
The mental-health surveys do not ask how many soldiers go to war with physical pain or are regularly taking narcotics.
go here for more
http://www.denverpost.com/previous2/home/ci_10302929
Soldiering on in pain
Troops who return from war with battered bodies and minds are increasingly turning to prescription medication to ease their injuries.
By David Olinger and Erin Emery
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 08/25/2008 11:21:18 PM MDT
Strain of duty surfaces
Military officials say there is no way to track how much pain and behavioral medication is being consumed by soldiers at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, in part because soldiers and military doctors often bring medication from home when they're sent overseas.
Annual surveys by a military mental- health advisory team, however, have asked soldiers whether they have taken medicine for mental health, combat stress or sleep problems. The number who said yes jumped from 8 percent in 2004 to 14 percent in 2005, then dipped to 12 percent in 2006. Last year, one in eight soldiers surveyed in Iraq and one in seven in Afghanistan said they had taken sleeping pills or antidepressants.
If those surveys are accurate, nearly 20,000 soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan took mental-health or sleep medication last year. According to Ritchie, about half of those soldiers took antidepressants.
By comparison, roughly one in 20 American men and one in 10 American women reported taking an antidepressant in the most recent survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For three straight years, the mental- health advisory team has reported that multiple deployments are affecting the Army's mental health. This year it reported that 27 percent of noncommissioned officers with three or more deployments had mental-health problems, compared with 12 percent on their first tour.
Alcohol use increased with second deployments, and soldiers deploying for the third or fourth time were "significantly more likely" to report they had stress or emotional problems that worried their supervisors and limited their ability to do their jobs.
The mental-health surveys do not ask how many soldiers go to war with physical pain or are regularly taking narcotics.
go here for more
http://www.denverpost.com/previous2/home/ci_10302929
Monday, August 25, 2008
War Veterans’ Concussions Are Often Overlooked
J.D. Pooley for The New York Times
Former Staff Sgt. Kevin Owsley struggles with memory loss and light sensitivity, symptoms of mild traumatic brain injuries he sustained in 2004.
War Veterans’ Concussions Are Often Overlooked
By LIZETTE ALVAREZ
Published: August 25, 2008 Former Staff Sgt. Kevin Owsley is not quite sure what rattled his brain in 2004 — the roadside bomb that exploded about a yard from his Humvee or the rocket-propelled grenade that flung him across a road as he walked to a Porta Potti on base six weeks later.
After each attack he did what so many soldiers do in Iraq. He shrugged off his ailments — headaches, dizzy spells, persistent ringing in his ears and numbness in his right arm — chalking them up to fatigue or dehydration. Given that he never lost consciousness, he figured the discomfort would work itself out and kept it to himself.
“You keep doing your job with your injuries,” said Mr. Owsley, 47, an Indiana reservist who served as a gunner for a year outside Baghdad in March 2004. “You don’t think about it.”
But more than three years after coming home, Mr. Owsley’s days have been irrevocably changed by the explosions. He struggles to unscramble his memory and thoughts. He often gets lost on the road, even with directions. He writes all his appointments down but still forgets a few. He wears a hearing aid, cannot bear sunlight on his eyes, still succumbs to nightmares and considers four hours of sleep a night a gift.
Mr. Owsley is part of a growing tide of combat veterans who come home from war with mild traumatic brain injuries, or concussions, caused by powerful explosions. As many as 300,000, or 20 percent, of combat veterans who regularly worked outside the wire, away from bases, in Iraq or Afghanistan have suffered at least one concussion, according to the latest Pentagon estimates. About half the soldiers get better within hours, days or several months and require little if any medical assistance. But tens of thousands of others have longer-term problems that can include, to varying degrees, persistent memory loss, headaches, mood swings, dizziness, hearing problems and light sensitivity. These symptoms, which may be subtle and may not surface for weeks or months after their return, are often debilitating enough to hobble the lives and livelihoods of returning soldiers.
go here for more
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/26/us/26tbi.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Why should wounded have to wait for care?
Veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan deserve more immediate care
Today's Topic: Backlog deepens for veterans care
The Tennessean - Nashville,TN,USA
Our View
How much more can veterans be asked to endure?
First, they are sent to fight in hostile conditions in Iraq and Afghanistan, sometimes more than once. Their tours of duty are extended. Some are injured by gunfire, an improvised explosive device, or suffer a mental disorder because of the constant stress.
They return to the states and need medical attention. If they're lucky, they will only have to wait four months to receive it.
Four months is the national average. In the Washington, D.C., area, it is more like six months, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office.
It's no wonder that veterans groups nationwide are upset. Two organizations, Veterans United for Truth and Veterans for Common Sense, have filed suit against the Department of Veterans Affairs, demanding reform. Though a judge threw out their suit over a jurisdictional issue, the groups have appealed.
That the VA has had problems responding to veterans' needs is not news. But the problem is rapidly worsening, despite signs only a year ago that the situation might improve.
In May 2007, Congress boosted funding to improve VA facilities, beef up mental-health services and expedite disability claims. Two months later, VA Secretary Jim Nicholson stepped down, part of a move to bring fresh leadership, and a presidential commission recommended broad reforms in veterans care that included a Web site for medical records.
According to the recent GAO report, the HealtheVet program, as the modernized recordkeeping program for health claims is called, is so far behind that it won't be ready until 2018, six years later than planned.
click post title for more
Today's Topic: Backlog deepens for veterans care
The Tennessean - Nashville,TN,USA
Our View
How much more can veterans be asked to endure?
First, they are sent to fight in hostile conditions in Iraq and Afghanistan, sometimes more than once. Their tours of duty are extended. Some are injured by gunfire, an improvised explosive device, or suffer a mental disorder because of the constant stress.
They return to the states and need medical attention. If they're lucky, they will only have to wait four months to receive it.
Four months is the national average. In the Washington, D.C., area, it is more like six months, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office.
It's no wonder that veterans groups nationwide are upset. Two organizations, Veterans United for Truth and Veterans for Common Sense, have filed suit against the Department of Veterans Affairs, demanding reform. Though a judge threw out their suit over a jurisdictional issue, the groups have appealed.
That the VA has had problems responding to veterans' needs is not news. But the problem is rapidly worsening, despite signs only a year ago that the situation might improve.
In May 2007, Congress boosted funding to improve VA facilities, beef up mental-health services and expedite disability claims. Two months later, VA Secretary Jim Nicholson stepped down, part of a move to bring fresh leadership, and a presidential commission recommended broad reforms in veterans care that included a Web site for medical records.
According to the recent GAO report, the HealtheVet program, as the modernized recordkeeping program for health claims is called, is so far behind that it won't be ready until 2018, six years later than planned.
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Wednesday, August 20, 2008
At Fort Sill, stand up for wounded soldiers, get fired
Roeder’s departure Friday, following his contact with USA Today, was purely coincidental, said Col. Sam White, an executive officer at Fort Sill. He said Roeder has a history of confrontations with base officials.
Yes, you read it right. Considering Chuck Roeder was trying to take care of the wounded troops instead of the brass, this would have caused confrontations with them if they were ignoring the problems and not doing anything about them. Wouldn't it? How many times have you been on a job and faced with the frustration of your bosses not doing what needed to be done? In this case, these are wounded soldiers living in deplorable conditions no one at the top of the food chain wanted to do anything about. Roeder, based on accounts, resorted in reporting the problem to USA Today because no one was doing anything about the mold.
The same thing happened at Walter Reed. People knew about the problems there but did not let their conscience get to them and they avoided doing anything until the Washington Post reporters made the story public knowledge. Then all of a sudden, gee, magically they cared enough.
Maj. Gen. Peter Vangjel, Commander at Fort Sill, claimed they had begun to address the problem. When exactly was that? Before Roeder went to the newspaper or after he was interviewed?
How many reports do we need to read or see on YouTube before the commanders get it right for the sake of the troops? When will they see the men and women in their command as worthy of the best care possible? After all, with two occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan, they are risking their lives. Why should they suffer when they manage to come home wounded? Haven't they suffered enough without their own commanders adding salt to the wound?
Senior Chaplain Kathie Costos
Namguardianangel@aol.com
www.Namguardianangel.org
www.Woundedtimes.blogspot.com
"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of early wars were treated and appreciated by our nation." - George Washington
Liaison in Sill mold issue forced to resign
By Gregg Zoroya - USA Today
Posted : Wednesday Aug 20, 2008 6:37:57 EDT
FORT SILL, Okla. — An Army social services coordinator here who told USA Today about poor conditions at Fort Sill’s unit for wounded soldiers has been forced out of his job, the employee and base officials said Tuesday.
Soldiers meeting with Army Secretary Pete Geren here Tuesday said Chuck Roeder, 54, was a strong advocate for their problems and should not have been forced to leave.
On Monday, USA Today reported that the unit’s barracks were infested with mold and that soldiers had been ordered by commanders not to speak about conditions there. Maj. Gen. Peter Vangjel, Fort Sill’s commander, said base officials had started to investigate and fix the problems. He told The Associated Press on Monday that complaints about mold in the barracks of wounded soldiers did not, as reported, go “unheeded for months.”
Roeder was hired at Fort Sill in January. He contacted USA Today in July about problems at Fort Sill, which were confirmed by more than 20 soldiers.
Roeder’s departure Friday, following his contact with USA Today, was purely coincidental, said Col. Sam White, an executive officer at Fort Sill. He said Roeder has a history of confrontations with base officials.
“They can say whatever they want to say, but they’re not being truthful,” Roeder said. “I stand up for soldiers. I’m sure the word got out that I’d encouraged soldiers to speak.”
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/08/gns_sillmold_082008/
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Germany: Program helps wounded at Landstuhl get away
Program helps wounded warriors get away
Instead of being stuck in their rooms on a Saturday in the summer, about 40 wounded troops recovering at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center were able to visit a massive castle, see Gen. George Patton’s grave and step inside a World War II German bunker.
Instead of being stuck in their rooms on a Saturday in the summer, about 40 wounded troops recovering at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center were able to visit a massive castle, see Gen. George Patton’s grave and step inside a World War II German bunker.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Fort Sill Warrior Transition Unit, mold and morale morass
Army leaders defend supervision of soldier care unit
By Gregg Zoroya, USA TODAY
LAWTON, Okla. — Staff Sgt. Michael Riley plans to leave the Army later this month on a medical discharge. He suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder along with back and brain injuries from blasts in Iraq. And he's angry about the care he received at Fort Sill's program for wounded soldiers here.
Riley is among 20 soldiers who complained to USA TODAY last week about mold in the barracks, delays in processing medical cases and morale in the Warrior Transition Unit (WTU) for wounded and injured outpatients at Fort Sill, an artillery training installation. While leaders of the unit are addressing the mold issues, they defended the unit's supervision and morale.
After problems surfaced last year at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., the Army established a WTU at each of 35 installations. Soldiers assigned to these units receive specialized care. They are assigned a squad leader, nurse case manager and doctor to care for them, and usher them to return to duty or medical retirement. "Those three people are with this soldier from start to finish … (to ensure) that the soldier can get through the system without having to fight," Gen. Michael Tucker said in announcing the program last year. "The soldier's mission is to heal."
But as the number of soldiers in the program doubled from 6,000 to 12,000 by June, individual care slipped, congressional investigators found. In July, Army leaders told Congress they were struggling to improve the program. "It takes time to kill bureaucracies," Lt. Gen. Michael Rochelle said.
The mold in the barracks is just one of the problems in the Fort Sill transition unit, soldiers there told USA TODAY. The soldiers described commanders who seem more concerned with enforcing discipline and punishing infractions than with creating an environment conducive to healing.
go here for more
http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2008-08-17-Mold-Inside_N.htm
UPDATE
Wounded soldiers complain of mold at Fort Sill barracks
By GREGG ZOROYA • USA Today • August 18, 2008
LAWTON, Okla. — Barracks at a Fort Sill wounded-soldier unit — created in response to poor conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. — are infested by mold, soldiers said. They say their complaints went unheeded for months.
Col. Robert Bridgford, garrison commander, said he ordered workers to replace ventilation ducts apparently encrusted with mold in two 48-room wounded-soldier barracks at Fort Sill.
go here for more
http://www.theleafchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080818/NEWS01/808180320
By Gregg Zoroya, USA TODAY
LAWTON, Okla. — Staff Sgt. Michael Riley plans to leave the Army later this month on a medical discharge. He suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder along with back and brain injuries from blasts in Iraq. And he's angry about the care he received at Fort Sill's program for wounded soldiers here.
Riley is among 20 soldiers who complained to USA TODAY last week about mold in the barracks, delays in processing medical cases and morale in the Warrior Transition Unit (WTU) for wounded and injured outpatients at Fort Sill, an artillery training installation. While leaders of the unit are addressing the mold issues, they defended the unit's supervision and morale.
After problems surfaced last year at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., the Army established a WTU at each of 35 installations. Soldiers assigned to these units receive specialized care. They are assigned a squad leader, nurse case manager and doctor to care for them, and usher them to return to duty or medical retirement. "Those three people are with this soldier from start to finish … (to ensure) that the soldier can get through the system without having to fight," Gen. Michael Tucker said in announcing the program last year. "The soldier's mission is to heal."
But as the number of soldiers in the program doubled from 6,000 to 12,000 by June, individual care slipped, congressional investigators found. In July, Army leaders told Congress they were struggling to improve the program. "It takes time to kill bureaucracies," Lt. Gen. Michael Rochelle said.
The mold in the barracks is just one of the problems in the Fort Sill transition unit, soldiers there told USA TODAY. The soldiers described commanders who seem more concerned with enforcing discipline and punishing infractions than with creating an environment conducive to healing.
go here for more
http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2008-08-17-Mold-Inside_N.htm
UPDATE
Wounded soldiers complain of mold at Fort Sill barracks
By GREGG ZOROYA • USA Today • August 18, 2008
LAWTON, Okla. — Barracks at a Fort Sill wounded-soldier unit — created in response to poor conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. — are infested by mold, soldiers said. They say their complaints went unheeded for months.
Col. Robert Bridgford, garrison commander, said he ordered workers to replace ventilation ducts apparently encrusted with mold in two 48-room wounded-soldier barracks at Fort Sill.
go here for more
http://www.theleafchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080818/NEWS01/808180320
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Canadian care for wounded:Bringing Our Wounded Home Safely
Improve care for troops: Senate
All Canadian soldiers physically or psychologically wounded in Afghanistan must be guaranteed state-of-the-art, special treatment when they return home from war, a Senate committee urges in a new report. Full Story
Improve care for troops: Senate
Report calls for state-of-the-art medical treatment for Afghan veterans
By KATHLEEN HARRIS, NATIONAL BUREAU CHIEF
The Toronto Sun
OTTAWA -- All Canadian soldiers physically or psychologically wounded in Afghanistan must be guaranteed state-of-the-art, special treatment when they return home from war, a Senate committee urges in a new report.
The study released yesterday by the defence and security committee -- named "Bringing Our Wounded Home Safely" -- calls for standardized "first class" care for all soldiers and equality in compensation and treatment for part-time reservists injured in the line of duty.
"If you don't take care of the wounded, you can't expect people to go to war to protect you," committee chairman Sen. Colin Kenny said in an interview. "We want to recognize that they have done something special for us."
Kenny said the Senate group found impressive care is provided to soldiers on the front lines in Afghanistan and hospitals in Kandahar and in Landstuhl, Germany, where U.S.-run hospitals treat wounded Canadians.
But the injured troops receive varying standards for treatment and rehabilitation when they return home to Canada.
click above for more
All Canadian soldiers physically or psychologically wounded in Afghanistan must be guaranteed state-of-the-art, special treatment when they return home from war, a Senate committee urges in a new report. Full Story
Improve care for troops: Senate
Report calls for state-of-the-art medical treatment for Afghan veterans
By KATHLEEN HARRIS, NATIONAL BUREAU CHIEF
The Toronto Sun
OTTAWA -- All Canadian soldiers physically or psychologically wounded in Afghanistan must be guaranteed state-of-the-art, special treatment when they return home from war, a Senate committee urges in a new report.
The study released yesterday by the defence and security committee -- named "Bringing Our Wounded Home Safely" -- calls for standardized "first class" care for all soldiers and equality in compensation and treatment for part-time reservists injured in the line of duty.
"If you don't take care of the wounded, you can't expect people to go to war to protect you," committee chairman Sen. Colin Kenny said in an interview. "We want to recognize that they have done something special for us."
Kenny said the Senate group found impressive care is provided to soldiers on the front lines in Afghanistan and hospitals in Kandahar and in Landstuhl, Germany, where U.S.-run hospitals treat wounded Canadians.
But the injured troops receive varying standards for treatment and rehabilitation when they return home to Canada.
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Canadian troops better cared for in Afghanistan than in Canada
08/12/08 Canwest: Wounded Canadians getting better care in Afghanistan than back home
Canadian soldiers wounded in Afghanistan may be receiving better health care and rehabilitation services in military facilities overseas than they get upon returning home, a Senate report released Tuesday said.
Defence minister pledges help for wounded soldiers
Juliet O'Neill, Canwest News Service
Published: Tuesday, August 12, 2008
OTTAWA - Defence Minister Peter MacKay says the government will do anything it can to eliminate shortcomings in the health care and rehabilitation of injured military personnel returning from Afghanistan.
He made the comment in an interview Tuesday in response to a Senate defence committee report which said injured Canadian soldiers should be getting first class health care and rehabilitation when they get home from Afghanistan.
The report cited uneven treatment across the country and singled out the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital in Edmonton as a top-notch facility that should serve as a national model.
At least 280 Canadian soldiers have been wounded and nearly 400 others have suffered non-battle injuries, including stress disorders, since the Canadian mission in Afghanistan began in 2002.
"We take these recommendations very seriously," MacKay said in an interview with Canwest News Service. "We're constantly working towards improving and continuing to upgrade the health care system as it applies directly to Canadian soldiers who have served.
"It is unacceptable, in my view, to have a disparity of treatment that leaves a soldier feeling as if his or her country or government is not responding to their needs," MacKay added. "So if that requires further investment, we're looking at that. If that requires hiring more health care professionals for a certain niche area, like mental health, we are doing that."
click above for more
Linked from ICasualties.org
Canadian soldiers wounded in Afghanistan may be receiving better health care and rehabilitation services in military facilities overseas than they get upon returning home, a Senate report released Tuesday said.
Defence minister pledges help for wounded soldiers
Juliet O'Neill, Canwest News Service
Published: Tuesday, August 12, 2008
OTTAWA - Defence Minister Peter MacKay says the government will do anything it can to eliminate shortcomings in the health care and rehabilitation of injured military personnel returning from Afghanistan.
He made the comment in an interview Tuesday in response to a Senate defence committee report which said injured Canadian soldiers should be getting first class health care and rehabilitation when they get home from Afghanistan.
The report cited uneven treatment across the country and singled out the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital in Edmonton as a top-notch facility that should serve as a national model.
At least 280 Canadian soldiers have been wounded and nearly 400 others have suffered non-battle injuries, including stress disorders, since the Canadian mission in Afghanistan began in 2002.
"We take these recommendations very seriously," MacKay said in an interview with Canwest News Service. "We're constantly working towards improving and continuing to upgrade the health care system as it applies directly to Canadian soldiers who have served.
"It is unacceptable, in my view, to have a disparity of treatment that leaves a soldier feeling as if his or her country or government is not responding to their needs," MacKay added. "So if that requires further investment, we're looking at that. If that requires hiring more health care professionals for a certain niche area, like mental health, we are doing that."
click above for more
Linked from ICasualties.org
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Army answer for WTU problem, take in less wounded
Army thins warrior transition entrance rules
By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Aug 9, 2008 8:05:01 EDT
When Army generals recently appeared before Congress to testify about staffing problems at the service’s Warrior Transition Units, they laid out several new changes to fix those problems.
But they left out a key part of the plan: It lowers staffing needs at the WTUs by freezing out thousands of wounded soldiers.
“The Army issued a Fragmentary Order on July 1, 2008, refining the entry criteria for WTUs,” Lt. Gen. Eric Schoomaker, Army surgeon general, wrote on a medical command Web site. “Two base requirements: six months’ expected rehabilitative care and the need for complex medical management.”
But the scandal that erupted last year over mismanagement at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., showed that leaving soldiers in their own units as they go through the medical retirement process can cause problems in two ways:
• The process is delayed by line-unit personnel who don’t know how to handle medical retirement paperwork.
• First sergeants are stuck with nondeployable soldiers in deployable slots, creating an adversarial relationship between soldiers and their commands.
A recent case at Fort Lewis, Wash., shows how this can happen. A month ago, a soldier told Army Times his company has several soldiers being medically retired. He said his first sergeant told them they had better keep their noses clean or he would process them out on Article 15s because he needs deployable soldiers in their slots.
Meanwhile, the soldier said he has been assigned staff duty during times when he had out-processing briefings or medical appointments, and was told if he misses the duty, he’ll be in trouble. Then he was told he already had orders to go to the WTU — good news because he’d had to fight to get paperwork written up and signed.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/08/army_disabled_080908w/
By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Aug 9, 2008 8:05:01 EDT
When Army generals recently appeared before Congress to testify about staffing problems at the service’s Warrior Transition Units, they laid out several new changes to fix those problems.
But they left out a key part of the plan: It lowers staffing needs at the WTUs by freezing out thousands of wounded soldiers.
“The Army issued a Fragmentary Order on July 1, 2008, refining the entry criteria for WTUs,” Lt. Gen. Eric Schoomaker, Army surgeon general, wrote on a medical command Web site. “Two base requirements: six months’ expected rehabilitative care and the need for complex medical management.”
But the scandal that erupted last year over mismanagement at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., showed that leaving soldiers in their own units as they go through the medical retirement process can cause problems in two ways:
• The process is delayed by line-unit personnel who don’t know how to handle medical retirement paperwork.
• First sergeants are stuck with nondeployable soldiers in deployable slots, creating an adversarial relationship between soldiers and their commands.
A recent case at Fort Lewis, Wash., shows how this can happen. A month ago, a soldier told Army Times his company has several soldiers being medically retired. He said his first sergeant told them they had better keep their noses clean or he would process them out on Article 15s because he needs deployable soldiers in their slots.
Meanwhile, the soldier said he has been assigned staff duty during times when he had out-processing briefings or medical appointments, and was told if he misses the duty, he’ll be in trouble. Then he was told he already had orders to go to the WTU — good news because he’d had to fight to get paperwork written up and signed.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/08/army_disabled_080908w/
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