Girl burned by white phosphorus leaves Bagram

Girl burned by white phosphorus leaves Bagram

By Rahim Faiez - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jun 24, 2009 17:44:29 EDT

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan — A nurse fixed a black wig on Razia’s scarred and disfigured scalp before the 8-year-old took off around the emergency room to bid farewell to the staff who cared for her after white phosphorous scorched her head, face, neck and hands.

When Razia came to the U.S. military hospital four months ago, Capt. Christine Collins didn’t think she would make it out alive. On Wednesday, the little Afghan girl left this military hospital for an arduous journey to her village, a 50-mile drive from Bagram Air Base.

“I am fine, I want to go home,” Razia quietly told Collins and a group of other hospital staff who had come to see her off.

Wearing a pair of blue jeans and a pink-striped shirt, Razia was eager to see her mother — who awaited her at a cousin’s house deep in the countryside still rife with insurgents. The two have not seen each other since shells ripped through their home on March 14 just after breakfast, killing two of Razia’s sisters.

It’s unclear where the white phosphorus came from that disfigured Razia for life — burning her face, now marked with permanent scars. Razia’s father, Abdul Aziz, blames international forces since U.S., French and Afghan troops gathered outside his home just before the shells were fired. U.S and NATO troops use white phosphorus to illuminate targets, create smoke screens and destroy old bunkers, but say they don’t use it as a weapon.

A U.S. military spokeswoman with NATO’s security force said military officials can’t be certain whether it was their own round or an enemy round that hit Razia’s house.
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http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/06/ap_burned_afghan_girl_062409/

Is this what we've been waiting for? Nope!

UPDATE.........then again, maybe not.

I took a look at the site and was not impressed by what I read.

This was there,

Folder 8 - THE Burris Life Coach for Warriors

THE Burris Life Coach for Warriors is considered the only legitimate fix for PTSD. The reason for this is the Program Process of THE Burris Life Coach is the only proven process for depression which is the primary symptom for PTSD.

I could not find where or who declared "THE Burris Life Coach is the only proven process for depression which is the primary symptom for PTSD" especially when considering according to the website, they have been doing this for 25 years. I never heard of them before this. Who considers it the only "fix" for PTSD? Any ideas? Do police departments use it? Do fire departments use it? Has any veteran's program used it?

Along with this piece of information I'm really scratching my head now.

July 6, 2009 and Jul 7 2009
by Kelly Burris PhD
Registration Deadline: June 29, 2009
Seat price: $3,997.00

The Definitive Standard for Every Life Coach and All Who Work in the Field of Mental Health
With 25 years of research, development and refinement the framework of the SR™ process will allow you to effectively help your clients with there Emotional - Spiritual - Relationship - Business and Personal objectives with an integral data collection process that will hold up under the most stringent scrutiny. THE Burris Life Coach is "The Only Proven Process for Subconscious Restructuring™." The SR™ process has set a clear standard in the mental health and life coaching disciplines by virtue of its data collection process and its ability to address human behavior at the very beginning of the process at the deepest level of the subconscious. This has allowed the SR™ process to be extraordinarily effective with all people and all behavioral issues. After becoming Certified your question is simply ..."Which demographic do I want to have the greatest impact on?"

22% Success rate?

From their site

The recent studies, conducted by a growing team of "Master SR Coaches," show the process having widespread and consistently dramatic results on depression symptoms. One such study, conducted by Master SR Coach Dr. Ron Clark, has delivered an average 22% reduction in depression symptoms in just 4 hours. While another study, conducted by Master SR Coach Dr. Janis Smith accomplished an average 68% reduction in depression symptoms over a five week period. Dr Burris's company, THE Burris Life Coach is challenging these numbers against results shown by medications and traditional therapy.

Looks like I have to take back my optimism on this now. This PR release plus almost $4,000 for a two day mail course and no outside studies published on the effectiveness of what they claim,,,,,,looks like more of the same claims we've read for a very long time and now, I'm completely depressed all over again.

It very well may be what we've been waiting for, simply because of this part,,...

all human behavior is emotionally driven and you cannot change an emotional state unless you fully understand how an emotional state comes about

I don't know but it sounds a lot better than some of the other things they've been talking about doing.

Rand Study Supports Evidence-Based Subconscious Restructuring Process for PTSD

The only evidence-based program process in mental health uniformly complies with an extensive Rand Study on PTSD in the Military

Henderson, NV (PRWEB) June 24, 2009 -- A Rand study from the Center for Military Health Policy Research titled "Invisible Wounds of War" supports an evidence-based plan for intervention and prevention of PTSD and Suicide in the military. Subconscious Restructuring or SR has 25 years of research, development and documented results with the primary symptom of PTSD and suicide. The Rand study just confirmed what we have been attempting to convey to the mental health system for almost 20 years states Kelly Burris, PhD, developer of the SR process.

The SR process is based on the reality that all human behavior is emotionally driven and you cannot change an emotional state unless you fully understand how an emotional state comes about.

The "Implementation of Evidence-Based SR Process into the Military" proposal covered every issue and beyond brought up by this extensive Rand study. Following are the four recommendations made by Rand after the study and how they would each be addressed by the implementation of the SR Process.

1. Increase the cadre of providers who are trained and certified to deliver proven (evidence-based) care, so that capacity is adequate for current and future needs.

Implementation and integration of the Burris SR process will begin with Burris SR certification of selected Military leadership, psychiatrists, psychologists, chaplains, and Family Support Center staff, then proceed to workshops involving PTSD and/or suicidology-identified warriors and their families, then the general unit population, and their families. Burris Master-level SR Certifiers would initially certify the leadership and intervention staff, then assist in the warrior/family workshops. Over time, each unit and base will reach a point of self-sustaining competence, and the Burris staff would then both monitor incoming data from completed units and their families, and begin to implement the Burris SR program for other units and commands world-wide.

2. Change policies to encourage active duty personnel and veterans to seek needed care.

The evidence-based SR process is not psychotherapy and therefore would remove the stigma of seeking help. Everyone from new recruits to returning Warriors would go through the SR Process as part of their entry and exit from the military. A simple Follow-up with the emotional checklist could be done all throughout the term of military service which would eliminate guessing who might need help.

3. Deliver proven, evidence-based care to service members and veterans whenever and wherever services are provided.

As an already proven evidence-based intervention program with most mental health problems over some 25 years, the infrastructure put in place by Master SR Coaches would allow all service members to become a self-perpetuating healing and wellness intervention unit over time. This would ensure everyone within the Military that needed help would get it.
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Rand Study Supports Evidence-Based Subconscious Restructuring Process for PTSD

Coos Bay NAMI Project aims to help troubled veterans

Project aims to help troubled veterans
By Jolene Guzman, Staff Writer


COOS BAY — They are warriors. They see themselves as strong. They don’t realize — or don’t want to believe — they need help.

Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder discover months or years later it takes more than time and a few drinks to chase their problems away. A group of local organizations and volunteers wants to be there for those vets and their families when they ask for a helping hand.

Veteran and retired physician John Mesquita said many vets are brought back home and dropped into society without much of a transition. They go through a period when they feel they just need to “man up” and handle service-related problems on their own. Family and friends are more likely to notice the signs of PTSD before the vet.

“The common denominator is do they ask for help,” he said.

Mesquita helped built a partnership between the Coos County National Alliance on Mental Illness, local Department of Veterans’ Affairs mental health professionals and the Nancy Devereux Center to start weekly PTSD group counseling sessions in Coos Bay. The sessions are on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The goal of the sessions is to offer a comfortable place for vets and their families to find helping and understanding.

“We want to give more than lip service,” Mesquita said. “We want this to be a step up, stand up and do the right thing kind of service.”

Monday sessions are for all veterans seeking counseling. Wednesday sessions are directed at vets who have served and returned in the last 10 years, and each Friday special support groups are scheduled for families of vets suffering from PTSD.
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Project aims to help troubled veterans

Why Vietnam Veterans Are Finally Getting Help

There have been a lot of questions about why Vietnam veterans are filing claims for PTSD now, after all these years. This pretty much answers those questions. It's not that they are just now understanding they need help. They are finally finding out there is help for them!

It still irks me that they are the last ones to know when they were the first generation to fight for PTSD to be treated. They came home just like the older veterans did carrying this wound within them but they were the first ones to fight to have it treated and compensated. As bad as it is for the veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, think of how much worse it would be if they did not push for treatment, research and programs to be in place.

I do more videos focused on Vietnam veterans for this reason alone. I started doing outreach work in 1982 because of them and now it's lead to helping the newer veterans, but also police officers, firefighters and victims. The problem is, there are just not enough programs like the VFW is doing for them. It would be wonderful if the rest of the service organizations would do the same. The good thing is, more of them are.

VFW holds event to get info to those who need it
By SEAN PATRICK NORRIS, Staff Writer
Published 06/24/09

Bill Brady served as a Marine in Vietnam for two years.

Bob Prater was as an Army sniper there in 1969 and 1970.

Both men came out of the war needing help and have been struggling to find it.

On Saturday, the two men and 50 other Vietnam-era vets received help from the state Department of Veterans Affairs, benefiting from outreach efforts even as the agency works to help a new generation of soldiers coming home.

"There is a lot more out there than there was when some of these veterans separated 20 or more years ago," said Cate Conroy, deputy director of outreach for the department. "There is a lot of new information."

Soldiers leaving the services now are given an overview of benefits available from the military and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Older vets are often on their own to find out what help they can get.

"Especially now with an aging veteran population and tough economic times it can really make a difference in someone's life," Conroy said.

Vets at Saturday's event said the outreach hasn't always been there for them. Brady, a Glen Burnie resident, said his experiences with the state and federal agencies have been frustrating.

"Whenever I went to them you were always put on hold or put on a list and you never heard from them again," he said. "It was like, hurry up and wait."

The Veterans Muster held at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 160 in Glen Burnie, however, provided about 15 tables stocked with information on finding help for health problems, education aid and other issues. He and other vets strolled, browsed and asked questions.

Conroy acknowledged she's heard of people having problems with benefits, but most focus on the federal agency. She said her organization has a better track record.

"I know when I separated (from the military) 17 years ago there was a lot of misinformation," she said. "I know they are working to improve and they have come a long way. I use the VA for health care and it's great."

Prater, the former Army sniper, said Saturday was the first time he received information about getting help for post-traumatic stress disorder, a mental health complication many combat veterans face.
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VFW holds event to get info to those who need it

Vietnam Vet swims Sea of Cortez for Wounded Warrior Project

Night Train Swimmers attempt to break world record with relay swim
June 24, 2009
157-mile Swim Across Sea of Cortez to Benefit Wounded Warrior Project (WWP)

Night Train Swimmers will attempt to break the world record for the longest continuous relay swim. Departing from La Paz, on the Baja California Sur, the six member team will cross the Sea of Cortez to hit mainland Mexico approximately 157 miles away. The team is using this event as a fundraiser to benefit Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), a non-profit organization whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors.

The record-breaking relay swim will commence on June 27th at 8:00am from a beach near La Paz, Mexico, and is expected to take approximately 3-4 days and nights of continuous swimming. Live GPS tracking will be available at www.nighttrainswimmers.com where the team will also keep an updated blog and photo gallery.

Vito Bialla, himself a Wounded Vietnam Veteran, says, “I’m taking it upon myself to try to make the world just a little bit better. By completing this swim and raising money for Wounded Warrior Project, we can make a huge difference for our injured heroes when they return home. It’s a privilege to help our returning Veterans.”
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Night Train Swimmers attempt to break world record with relay swim