Committee votes to protect vet gun ownership
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Jun 27, 2008 6:27:14 EDT
Lists of veterans who have been assigned fiduciaries to handle financial matters on their behalf could not be used to prevent gun ownership under an amendment approved by the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee on Thursday.
By voice vote, the committee attached to a veterans’ health care bill an amendment prohibiting the Department of Veterans Affairs from sharing lists of so-called “incompetent” veterans with the FBI. Only if there has been specific ruling that a veteran poses a risk to himself or others could the VA pass a name on to the FBI for inclusion in records used to make instant background checks before gun purchases, under the amendment to S 2969, the Veterans’ Health Care Authorization Act of 2008.
Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, ranking Republican on the veterans’ committee and the chief sponsor of the amendment, said the VA makes a determination of incompetence based, primarily, on whether a veteran is capable of handling his own finances. If he cannot, a fiduciary is appointed to handle their benefits.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/06/military_veterans_gunownership_062608w/
Not sure on this one at all. A friend is in this postition. What we have to remember is that there is not always a one size fits all answer. Some of these veterans should never have been able to own a gun, just like some people in this country should never be able to own one. But what is the answer? Do we go with this but allow the local law enforcement to make their own rules given the fact they are the ones dealing with whatever happens in the long run? Murphy and Akaka want to side on common sense but Burr wants to take the side of the NRA attitude. Who is right?
When Congress was taking on gun ownership for PTSD veterans, they were very upset wondering if veterans with mild PTSD would have to give up their jobs if they had to give up their guns. some of them decided that they would not seek treatment for PTSD because of this. Would you rather see a veteran with PTSD owning a gun and not getting help or would you rather see them getting help and keeping their jobs? Again there is not a one size fits all answer when it comes to PTSD. After all, we do have thousands of them in Iraq and Afghanistan right now with weapons a lot more dangerous than a hand gun.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Brain imaging may show PTSD, TBI or both
High-tech testing for war vets with post-traumatic stress disorder
'Magnetic stethoscope' will search for brain injuries in soldiers
By Kristen Kridel Chicago Tribune reporter
11:13 PM CDT, June 25, 2008
An Elk Grove Village hospital plans to use brain-imaging technology to determine whether combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder also might suffer from undiagnosed traumatic brain injuries.
A "magnetic stethoscope" primarily used to study epilepsy and autism will help determine how brain function is altered by PTSD, officials at Alexian Brothers Medical Center said Wednesday.
The MEG technology—short for magnetoencephalography—allows doctors to read magnetic signals produced by the brain when exposed to visual or auditory stimuli, said Jeffrey Lewine, director of the Alexian Center for Brain Research.Those signals appear to differ in a veteran who only has PTSD compared with one who has PTSD and traumatic brain injury, Lewine said.
The combination can be hard to diagnose but critically affect proper treatment, according to Lewine. "You have to know what you're treating to get the right treatment," Lewine said.
"Behavioral testing doesn't always distinguish the different components. We need to look at the biology."
go here for more
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-vets-trauma-center_both_26jun26,0,3069101.story
'Magnetic stethoscope' will search for brain injuries in soldiers
By Kristen Kridel Chicago Tribune reporter
11:13 PM CDT, June 25, 2008
An Elk Grove Village hospital plans to use brain-imaging technology to determine whether combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder also might suffer from undiagnosed traumatic brain injuries.
A "magnetic stethoscope" primarily used to study epilepsy and autism will help determine how brain function is altered by PTSD, officials at Alexian Brothers Medical Center said Wednesday.
The MEG technology—short for magnetoencephalography—allows doctors to read magnetic signals produced by the brain when exposed to visual or auditory stimuli, said Jeffrey Lewine, director of the Alexian Center for Brain Research.Those signals appear to differ in a veteran who only has PTSD compared with one who has PTSD and traumatic brain injury, Lewine said.
The combination can be hard to diagnose but critically affect proper treatment, according to Lewine. "You have to know what you're treating to get the right treatment," Lewine said.
"Behavioral testing doesn't always distinguish the different components. We need to look at the biology."
go here for more
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-vets-trauma-center_both_26jun26,0,3069101.story
Veterans-good enough to serve but not to live next door to Betty?
Neighbors worry about home intended for homeless veterans
Rockford Register Star - Rockford,IL,USA
By Chris Green
RRSTAR.COM
Posted Jun 25, 2008 @ 12:10 PM
Last update Jun 25, 2008 @ 03:16 PM
ROCKFORD — The grass is mowed, the flower beds are weed-free and the scent of freshly painted interior walls lingers throughout the home.
Carpenter’s Place closed Friday on the three-bedroom ranch home at 3426 Ridge Ave. It moved in furniture over the weekend, and on Tuesday, a group of employees and volunteers stood in a circle in the living room, held hands and prayed for the people who will live in the house and the neighbors.
The only thing missing now is the tenants, and that’s what has neighbors worried.
Located in a quiet northwest neighborhood, the home will be used to house three military veterans who are transitioning back into society.
“It’s got the neighbors in an uproar,” next-door neighbor Betty Percey said Tuesday afternoon.
“They’ve been exposed to war. What happens if one night one of them goes off the deep end? All of this looks fine and good now, but is it going to last?”
click above for more
First, not all homeless veterans have PTSD and the majority of PTSD do not "go off the deep end" so both of these notions are absurd. Are there some who commit crimes? Sure but they are rare compared to how many veterans have PTSD. Do some "normal civilian" neighbors commit crimes too? Yes. So why aren't the homeless veterans worried about the neighborhood they are moving into? Anyone can have PTSD if they lived through trauma. So it could be anyone in the neighborhood. Why do they have to single out veterans when it comes to them living in their "nice" neighborhood?
Veterans are just like everyone else surviving trauma, only veterans were willing to lay down their lives for the sake of people who do not want them in their neighborhood because of some ridiculous notion. Homeless veterans were good enough to serve the country but not good enough to move in? Given a choice, I would rather have someone with the character who was willing to serve the country living next door to me. It takes a special person to be able to do that. Does Betty Percey understand that law enforcement officers get PTSD too? Well maybe she'll move and improve the neighborhood these veterans want to move into.
Rockford Register Star - Rockford,IL,USA
By Chris Green
RRSTAR.COM
Posted Jun 25, 2008 @ 12:10 PM
Last update Jun 25, 2008 @ 03:16 PM
ROCKFORD — The grass is mowed, the flower beds are weed-free and the scent of freshly painted interior walls lingers throughout the home.
Carpenter’s Place closed Friday on the three-bedroom ranch home at 3426 Ridge Ave. It moved in furniture over the weekend, and on Tuesday, a group of employees and volunteers stood in a circle in the living room, held hands and prayed for the people who will live in the house and the neighbors.
The only thing missing now is the tenants, and that’s what has neighbors worried.
Located in a quiet northwest neighborhood, the home will be used to house three military veterans who are transitioning back into society.
“It’s got the neighbors in an uproar,” next-door neighbor Betty Percey said Tuesday afternoon.
“They’ve been exposed to war. What happens if one night one of them goes off the deep end? All of this looks fine and good now, but is it going to last?”
click above for more
First, not all homeless veterans have PTSD and the majority of PTSD do not "go off the deep end" so both of these notions are absurd. Are there some who commit crimes? Sure but they are rare compared to how many veterans have PTSD. Do some "normal civilian" neighbors commit crimes too? Yes. So why aren't the homeless veterans worried about the neighborhood they are moving into? Anyone can have PTSD if they lived through trauma. So it could be anyone in the neighborhood. Why do they have to single out veterans when it comes to them living in their "nice" neighborhood?
Veterans are just like everyone else surviving trauma, only veterans were willing to lay down their lives for the sake of people who do not want them in their neighborhood because of some ridiculous notion. Homeless veterans were good enough to serve the country but not good enough to move in? Given a choice, I would rather have someone with the character who was willing to serve the country living next door to me. It takes a special person to be able to do that. Does Betty Percey understand that law enforcement officers get PTSD too? Well maybe she'll move and improve the neighborhood these veterans want to move into.
Iraq Vet Driven by Friend's Death
Iraq Vet Driven by Friend's Death
Daniel W. Reilly
Politico
Jun 25, 2008
June 25, 2008 - On the eve of last month’s Senate vote on Sen. Jim Webb’s GI Bill, Patrick Campbell clicked "send" on one last lobbying e-mail to staffers. Then he broke down and cried.
Campbell, the legislative director for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, had started his message by laying out all of the latest developments on Webb’s bill.
In the final paragraphs, the Iraq war veteran shared the news that was foremost in his mind, news that he hadn’t shared with anyone outside his unit.
"Yesterday," he wrote, "one of my buddies from Iraq committed suicide."
It should have been a heady week for Campbell, a week in which the former staffer for Sen. Barbara Boxer (Calif.) and other Democrats shared a rally stage with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), saw the Senate vote overwhelmingly in favor of Webb’s bill and graduated from law school at Catholic University.
go here for more
http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/ArticleID/10492
Daniel W. Reilly
Politico
Jun 25, 2008
June 25, 2008 - On the eve of last month’s Senate vote on Sen. Jim Webb’s GI Bill, Patrick Campbell clicked "send" on one last lobbying e-mail to staffers. Then he broke down and cried.
Campbell, the legislative director for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, had started his message by laying out all of the latest developments on Webb’s bill.
In the final paragraphs, the Iraq war veteran shared the news that was foremost in his mind, news that he hadn’t shared with anyone outside his unit.
"Yesterday," he wrote, "one of my buddies from Iraq committed suicide."
It should have been a heady week for Campbell, a week in which the former staffer for Sen. Barbara Boxer (Calif.) and other Democrats shared a rally stage with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), saw the Senate vote overwhelmingly in favor of Webb’s bill and graduated from law school at Catholic University.
go here for more
http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/ArticleID/10492
VCS thanks Judge for hearing them anyway
June 25, VCS Press Release: Court Rules that Veterans Should Seek Relief from VA and Congress, Veterans to Appeal
VCS thanks Judge Samuel Conti for our day in court. By confirming many of the allegations in our lawsuit, VCS considers the Court’s ruling a very loud and bright warning shot over the bow for Congress and VA to overhaul VA now. VA needs massive reform soon, before the situations becomes worse as hundreds of thousands of wounded, ill, and injured Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans flood into the VA system. VCS stands willing to work with Congress and VA to resolve the many serious problems the Court confirmed. VCS intends to work closely with our attorneys, Morrison & Foerster and Disability Rights Advocates, as we move forward with an appeal.
click above for more
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)