Why I cannot support the latest "effort" to prevent suicides tied to military service

There is not a day that goes by when I do not hear about veterans complaining about what they are not getting at the same time reporters continue to simply push the message of what the DOD and the VA "are doing."

While it would be easier for me to just jump on the growing number of bloggers heals, I'd rather be able to sleep at night. The simple fact is none of the bills coming out of congress did what they were supposed to do. Suicides tied to military life went up after they decided to spend billions a year on what doesn't work.

We've seen the line of members of congress make grand speeches, pretending they have the answers when they apparently don't even understand the questions. We've also seen the line of veterans taking their own lives, facing off with police officers, crashing vehicles and ending up homeless. We see the destruction instead of healing and that is a pitiful place to be watching all of this from.

The outside world can cheer all they want about the latest bill needing to be passed but the rest of us are paying the price for how easily accepted as better than nothing these bills actually turn out to be.

So here is the bottom line and why we have been seeing the wrong results from all they have done thus far.

Over 80% of Veterans with PTSD Believe Current VA Treatment is Ineffective
IVN
By Wendy Innes
December 4, 2014

The Clay Hunt bill would also examine discharge characteristics for individuals with PTSD to ensure that those with PTSD aren’t dishonorably discharged for problems related to their PTSD and thus keep them from getting treatment at the VA. It would also establish a drug take-back program and allow the VA to work with veterans service organizations to help prevent suicides.

While this bill aims to make strides in mental health care, there are those who are critical of some of the provisions. In particular, there are some who question repaying student loans for new providers.

According to The Warriors’ Hope Project, only 16 percent of veterans believe the treatment they currently receive at the VA has been effective at treating their PTSD symptoms, which consists primarily of medication. The Warriors’ Hope Project asserts that the money that would be spent on this program could be better used in other ways, instead of paying for more psychiatrists to prescribe more medications.

According to The Warriors’ Hope Project, while both the Senate and House versions of the bill contain important provisions, neither go far enough to have a substantive impact on PTSD or veteran suicide.

The most important recommendation The Warriors’ Hope Project makes is to expand access to mental health care in the private sector. This would mean that veterans can seek out whatever help they feel is most beneficial to them and with whatever provider they are comfortable with.

Currently if a veteran wants to use a provider in the civilian world, they must pay for it out-of-pocket.

It’s unclear if either the Senate or House version of the bill will make it out of committee before the new session of Congress begins in January.
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Buffalo New York Food Banks: 35,000 are veterans or currently in the military

Food 2 Families: Veterans A Growing Group In Need of Help
WGRZ NBC News
Erica Brecher
December 3, 2014

Billoni said 27 percent of people the Food Bank serves in a four-county region, or some 35,000 people, are veterans or servicemembers currently in the military.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- It's not always who you'd expect receiving help from the Food Bank.

One growing group of people finding themselves in need is our own U.S. veterans.

"Well, for a man, it's not a good feeling," said Vietnam veteran Frank Kirkwood. "Lost employment. And especially in this particular area, and then my age too, you know I'm 59 years old."

The Veterans One-Stop Center in Buffalo, which helps veterans find the resources they need to get back their economic stability and emotional well-being, helped put Kirkwood in touch with Post 77, a member recipient of the Food Bank of Western New York.

"Sometimes there's a little bit more month left at the end of the food," said Roger Woodworth, president and CEO of the One-Stop Center.

Woodworth recognizes the need to help post-Vietnam and post 9/11 veterans growing.

He says putting them in touch with places like the Food Bank takes care of a short-term need that can put them on the path of meeting long term goals.

"When you look at providing a little bit of economic stability in the form of food supplements, or a hit around the holiday time with food, that helps make choices easier. It helps with economic well-being and emotional well-being," he explained.

He says 60 percent of post-Vietnam era veterans coming into the One-Stop Center are at risk of homelessness, and those are often the same folks struggling to feed themselves.
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Maj. Gen. Harold Greene's death "could not have been foreseen"

Military report: No negligence in death of U.S. General in Afghanistan
CNN
By Jamie Crawford, CNN National Security Producer
December 4, 2014

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Maj. Gen. Harold was killed by a member of the Afghan National Army in August
A report said there was no way the death could have been "foreseen"
The International Security Assistance Force authored the report

Washington (CNN) -- An investigation into the killing of the most senior U.S. military officer since 9/11 found the incident could not have been "foreseen" or "prevented," according to a military report out Thursday.

Maj. Gen. Harold Greene, who was leading efforts to train soldiers in Afghanistan, was killed by a member of the Afghan National Army on Aug. 5 during a visit to a military training facility in Kabul.

The report was from the International Security Assistance Force, which serves as NATO's command over allied military operations in Afghanistan.

Greene, along with more than 90 other US and Coalition personnel, visited the Marshal Fahim National Defense University to take a look at the construction of a site at the school that would serve officers in the Afghan Army.

According to the report, overall security at the site was provided by Danish forces, but there were protection forces from the United States, United Kingdom and Germany also present. But despite "extensive security planning" for the event, the report said "there was no comprehensive plan that incorporated all participating security elements," as each individual security detachment did their own preparation.

"The threat level that day was assessed as low, with no indicators of unusual activity or concern," the report said.
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Navy Bails Out Bill Cosby Honor

14 minutes ago
Navy revokes honorary title given to Cosby
Associated Press
December 4, 2014

WASHINGTON — The Navy is revoking Bill Cosby’s title of honorary chief petty officer, saying allegations of sexual abuse made against the comedian are serious and conflict with the Navy’s core values.

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Master Chief Petty Officer Michael Stevens made the announcement Thursday in a statement.

Cosby enlisted in the Navy in 1956 and served four years as a hospital corpsman before being honorably discharged in 1960 as a 3rd Class Petty Officer. The honorary title was presented to Cosby in 2011.
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Bill Cosby made honorary chief petty officer

Congressional Grinch Cuts Pay and Benefits For Troops

BREAKING NEWS
House passes defense bill with benefit cuts, money for Obama war strategy
Stars and Stripes
By Travis J. Tritten
December 4, 2014
WASHINGTON — The House on Thursday passed a defense budget that cuts troop benefits and clears the way for the Obama administration to continue its war strategy against the Islamic State, despite bipartisan outcry over a lack of debate.

The last-minute budget compromise reduces military pay raises, housing allowances, prescription medicine coverage, and commissary funding next year, while providing $63.7 billion for overseas wars and permission for continued arming and training of Syrian rebel groups.

The Senate is expected to vote next week on the massive 2015 budget bill, which was cobbled together during weeks of closed-door negotiations after the Senate failed to pass its version of a defense budget.

The military “is going to have to live with a dramatically smaller amount of money than they thought they would have,” said Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee.

He said the cuts do not go far enough and more are likely in the coming years.

The military is faced with a shrinking budget as sequestration forces caps on spending. Top brass came to Capitol Hill earlier this year lobbying for a wide range of cuts to personnel and equipment, warning that their ability to fight wars depends on reining in the ballooning expenses.
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