Traumatised soldiers get sub-standard care
AM - Monday, 30 March , 2009 08:22:00
Reporter: Jennifer Macey
TONY EASTLEY: An investigation into the Defence Force's mental health services reveals that most returned soldiers aren't getting adequate care.
The report commissioned by the Federal Government has been leaked to the ABC's Four Corners program and The Age newspaper.
It shows that two-thirds of veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder are receiving sub-standard treatment.
Jennifer Macey reports.
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Traumatised soldiers get sub-standard care
ABC Online - Australia
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Reported deaths by Afghan Army soldier may have been insurgent instead
What would have been worse? An insurgent getting his hands on an Afghan Army uniform and killing Choe and Toner or a real Afghan Army soldier doing it?
There were also three non-combat related deaths in Afghanistan as well.
These reports are on LA Times and linked from
iCasualties.org: Operation Enduring Freedom
Florence B. Choe, 35, of El Cajon, Calif.; lieutenant, Navy. Choe was one of two military personnel killed Friday when an insurgent posing as an Afghan National Army soldier opened fire on U.S. military personnel. Choe was assigned to Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan at Camp Shaheen in Mazar-E-Sharif, Afghanistan.
Francis L. Toner IV, 26, of Narragansett, R.I.; lieutenant junior grade, Navy. Toner was one of two military personnel killed Friday when an insurgent posing as an Afghan National Army soldier opened fire on U.S. military personnel. Toner was assigned to Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan at Camp Shaheen in Mazar-E-Sharif, Afghanistan.
There were also three non-combat related deaths in Afghanistan as well.
Jose R. Escobedo Jr., 32, of Albuquerque; sergeant, Army. Escobedo died March 20 in Baghdad of noncombat-related injuries suffered a day earlier at Forward Operating Base Kalsu in Iskandariya, Iraq, southeast of the capital. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment in Schweinfurt, Germany.
Raphael A. Futrell, 26, of Anderson, S.C.; staff sergeant, Army. Futrell died of noncombat-related injuries Wednesday in Baghdad. He was assigned to the 13th Military Police Detachment, 728th Military Police Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command at Ft. Shafter, Hawaii.
Adam J. Hardt, 19, of Avondale, Ariz.; private first class, Army. Hardt died of noncombat-related injuries March 22 at Forward Operating Base Airborne in Afghanistan's Wardak province, southwest of Kabul. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) at Ft. Drum, N.Y.
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-wardead29-2009mar29,0,2408847.story
These reports are on LA Times and linked from
iCasualties.org: Operation Enduring Freedom
Man Kills Sisters on 5-Year-Old's Birthday
Cannot imagine the pain in the family or the police officers responding to this. Please add them to your prayers.
Man Kills Sisters on 5-Year-Old's Birthday
By GLEN JOHNSON, AP
MILTON, Mass. (March 29) -- A man on a rampage fatally stabbed his 17-year-old sister, decapitated his 5-year-old sister in front of a police officer and then headed toward his 9-year-old sister before officers shot him amid what their chief described as "a killing field."
There is no clear motive yet for the events that unfolded about 5 p.m. Saturday in this tony Boston suburb that is also home to Gov. Deval Patrick. But there is no doubt at the carnage wrought by 23-year-old Kerby Revelus against his three sisters in the two-family home they shared with their parents and grandmother.
go here for more
Man Kills Sisters on 5-Year-Old's Birthday
UPDATE March 31, 2009
5-year-old's beheading came 'out of the blue'
By the time the police officer kicked the door in, it was too late. Kerby Revelus was holding his 5-year-old sister, Bianca, and while the officer watched, decapitated her with a kitchen knife. Police had received a 911 call from another sibling, 17-year-old Samantha. Suffering from deep cuts in her upper body, she was losing strength and would soon be dead. full story
Man Kills Sisters on 5-Year-Old's Birthday
By GLEN JOHNSON, AP
MILTON, Mass. (March 29) -- A man on a rampage fatally stabbed his 17-year-old sister, decapitated his 5-year-old sister in front of a police officer and then headed toward his 9-year-old sister before officers shot him amid what their chief described as "a killing field."
There is no clear motive yet for the events that unfolded about 5 p.m. Saturday in this tony Boston suburb that is also home to Gov. Deval Patrick. But there is no doubt at the carnage wrought by 23-year-old Kerby Revelus against his three sisters in the two-family home they shared with their parents and grandmother.
go here for more
Man Kills Sisters on 5-Year-Old's Birthday
UPDATE March 31, 2009
5-year-old's beheading came 'out of the blue'
By the time the police officer kicked the door in, it was too late. Kerby Revelus was holding his 5-year-old sister, Bianca, and while the officer watched, decapitated her with a kitchen knife. Police had received a 911 call from another sibling, 17-year-old Samantha. Suffering from deep cuts in her upper body, she was losing strength and would soon be dead. full story
Grey’s Anatomy gets it right about PTSD
Grey’s Anatomy gets it right about PTSD
Kathy Quan RN BSN
LA Mental Health Examiner
The March 26, 2009 episode of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy accurately depicts Dr. Owen Hunt’s PTSD as a a real war wound and mental illness which is treatable.
PTSD is a brain disorder characterized by symptoms such as recurring nightmares, insomnia, depression, mood swings, and high levels of anxiety. This disorder has been linked to traumatic events such as combat stress and childhood abuse. With appropriate diagnosis and treatment with a wide variety of therapies along with medication, recovery can be achieved.
Magnetic imaging (MRI) studies and PET scans have identified areas of the brain where significant changes have been seen in patients suffering from PTSD. The primary area of focus is the hippocampus which plays a big role in short-term memories and emotions. The amygdala which controls emotional memories was first thought to be the primary focus, but more recent studies have shown the hippocampus may be the real link.
Shrinkage in the hippocampus along with increased blood flow to the prefrontal cortex, the portion of the brain responsible for decision-making activities, has also been documented in the recent research. This hyperactivity in the prefrontal cortex is thought to cause an excessive reaction to fear.
go here for more
Grey’s Anatomy gets it right about PTSD Examiner.com - USA
Kathy Quan RN BSN
LA Mental Health Examiner
The March 26, 2009 episode of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy accurately depicts Dr. Owen Hunt’s PTSD as a a real war wound and mental illness which is treatable.
PTSD is a brain disorder characterized by symptoms such as recurring nightmares, insomnia, depression, mood swings, and high levels of anxiety. This disorder has been linked to traumatic events such as combat stress and childhood abuse. With appropriate diagnosis and treatment with a wide variety of therapies along with medication, recovery can be achieved.
Magnetic imaging (MRI) studies and PET scans have identified areas of the brain where significant changes have been seen in patients suffering from PTSD. The primary area of focus is the hippocampus which plays a big role in short-term memories and emotions. The amygdala which controls emotional memories was first thought to be the primary focus, but more recent studies have shown the hippocampus may be the real link.
Shrinkage in the hippocampus along with increased blood flow to the prefrontal cortex, the portion of the brain responsible for decision-making activities, has also been documented in the recent research. This hyperactivity in the prefrontal cortex is thought to cause an excessive reaction to fear.
go here for more
Grey’s Anatomy gets it right about PTSD Examiner.com - USA
Fallen soldier to receive Silver Star
U.S. Army
Cpl. Jonathan Ayers fought heroically until enemy fire cut him down as outnumbered U.S. soldiers repelled a wave of Taliban fighters in July.
Fallen soldier to receive Silver Star
By MONI BASU
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Cpl. Jonathan Ayers picked up an M-240 machine gun and unleashed a hail of bullets from the observation post of a small base American soldiers had set up only days before.
Taliban fighters had attacked before sunrise on July 13, 2008, recalled the GIs’ battalion commander, Col. William Ostlund, now stationed at Fort Benning.
They were firing from a nearby mosque, storefronts in the local bazaar and homes of elders in Wanat, a village tucked in the rugged foothills of the Hindu Kush along Afghanistan’s eastern border with Pakistan.
Grenades exploded. Bullets sliced through trees, severing branches. Everything was on fire, even the grass.
A bullet grazed Ayers’ helmet and knocked him back. But the 24-year-old soldier from Snellville did not recoil. His paratrooper instincts took over. He kept firing amid fierce enemy RPGs and small arms fire.
When one weapon seized up because so many rounds had been fired so rapidly, Ayers picked up another. He fought on until an enemy bullet got him. And he fell — one of nine soldiers who died that day, the largest loss of American life in a single battle in Afghanistan.
On Sunday, the military will posthumously award Ayers its third-highest medal for valor: the Silver Star. His brother Josh, 26, plans to accept the medal, a gold star with a laurel wreath and a silver star superimposed in the center. On the back, the inscription reads: “For gallantry in action.”
Only 146 soldiers who fought in Afghanistan have been honored with Silver Stars, including 13 others in Ayers’ battalion. In Iraq, the military has awarded 396 Silver Stars.
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Fallen soldier to receive Silver Star
Atlanta Journal Constitution - GA, USA
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Man busted for robbery at cop convention
Man busted for robbery at cop convention
Published: March 28, 2009
HARRISBURG, Pa., March 28 (UPI) -- A 19-year-old man chose the wrong venue to try an armed robbery -- a Pennsylvania hotel hosting 300 police narcotics officers, officials allege.
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Man busted for robbery at cop convention
Published: March 28, 2009
HARRISBURG, Pa., March 28 (UPI) -- A 19-year-old man chose the wrong venue to try an armed robbery -- a Pennsylvania hotel hosting 300 police narcotics officers, officials allege.
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Man busted for robbery at cop convention
Eli Painted Crow, female warrior fights for female warriors
Mike Tharp: Local vets stand up for Stand Down
Jim, a Vietnam veteran, sits in Eli PaintedCrow's living room. Balding, brown-bearded with calloused hands, he talks with Ismael Hernandez, vice commander of Merced's Disabled American Veterans chapter.
Eli (pronounced 'Ellie'), 48, a Yaqui Indian, shuffles through copies of online material she's just printed out from her ever-humming laptop. As she talks in her kitchen about her efforts to help female veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Jim's words slide in from the other room: "Rockets...mortars...PTSD."
Eli moved to Merced in 1989, early in her 22-year career in the U.S. Army. She got out as an E-7, a mid-level noncommissioned officer. NCOs form the backbone of any military unit. They know more than privates and corporals and colonels and generals about how the Army and Marines work. Eli's MOS (military occupational specialty) was 88M, truck driver.
go here for more
http://www.mercedsunstar.com/115/story/760851.html
Jim, a Vietnam veteran, sits in Eli PaintedCrow's living room. Balding, brown-bearded with calloused hands, he talks with Ismael Hernandez, vice commander of Merced's Disabled American Veterans chapter.
Eli (pronounced 'Ellie'), 48, a Yaqui Indian, shuffles through copies of online material she's just printed out from her ever-humming laptop. As she talks in her kitchen about her efforts to help female veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Jim's words slide in from the other room: "Rockets...mortars...PTSD."
Eli moved to Merced in 1989, early in her 22-year career in the U.S. Army. She got out as an E-7, a mid-level noncommissioned officer. NCOs form the backbone of any military unit. They know more than privates and corporals and colonels and generals about how the Army and Marines work. Eli's MOS (military occupational specialty) was 88M, truck driver.
go here for more
http://www.mercedsunstar.com/115/story/760851.html
Surgeon heals patients and their violent ways
Surgeon heals patients and their violent ways
Story Highlights
Dr. Carnell Cooper's Violence Intervention Program helps trauma victims
The program aims to break the cycle of violence by targeting its root causes
Study: Participants are three times less likely to be arrested for a violent crime
Do you know a hero? Nominations are open at CNN.com/Heroes
BALTIMORE, Maryland (CNN) -- Dr. Carnell Cooper, a Baltimore surgeon, is saving lives inside and outside the operating room.
Since becoming a trauma surgeon 16 years ago, he has dedicated himself to treating the many young African-American men who've been shot, stabbed or beaten, only to see them return to the ER with another severe injury just months later.
But when one of his patients was readmitted with a fatal gunshot wound to the head in 1996, it changed Cooper's life.
"The night that we pronounced that young man dead and my colleagues said there's really nothing we can do in these situations. ... I just didn't believe that," said Cooper, 54. "From that day forward, I said, 'Let's see what we can do.' "
Cooper created the Violence Intervention Program (VIP) at the Shock Trauma Unit of the University of Maryland Medical Center, the state's busiest hospital for violent injuries. It became one of the country's first hospital-based anti-violence programs.
"We approached this problem like any public health crisis, like heart disease or smoking," he said. "We tried to work on the root causes."
Since 1998, VIP has provided substance abuse counseling, job skills training and other support services to nearly 500 trauma victims.
Don't Miss
Get involved: Violence Intervention Program
In Depth: CNN Heroes
"Using that scalpel blade to save their life is the first step," Cooper said. "The next step is to try to keep them from coming back."
A 2006 study by Cooper and his colleagues, published in the Journal of Trauma, showed that people in the program were six times less likely to be readmitted with a violent injury and three times less likely to be arrested for a violent crime.
The issue hits close to home for Cooper. Born to unwed teenagers in Dillon, South Carolina, he grew up in a neighborhood where violent crime was commonplace; he had friends and relatives who ended up dead or in jail.
But his grandparents made sure he stayed on the right path. As a straight-A student, he attended a prestigious high school in Massachusetts, then Yale University and Duke University School of Medicine.
But while Cooper rose above his circumstances, he felt sympathy for the young men who rotated in and out of his operating room.
"They could be my friends, my family," he said.
Cooper's program attempts to help patients from the moment they arrive because victims of violence face a greater risk of receiving another violent injury. Everyone treated for violent wounds at the hospital is seen by a VIP case worker, often at bedside. For Cooper, approaching patients at this early stage is crucial.
"We may get them in a moment when they are thinking, 'I just almost died,' " he said. "We say, 'We're going help you find a way to get out of the game.' "
Watch Cooper talk to a victim of violence at his bedside »
go here for more of this
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/25/cnnheroes.carnell.cooper/index.html
Story Highlights
Dr. Carnell Cooper's Violence Intervention Program helps trauma victims
The program aims to break the cycle of violence by targeting its root causes
Study: Participants are three times less likely to be arrested for a violent crime
Do you know a hero? Nominations are open at CNN.com/Heroes
BALTIMORE, Maryland (CNN) -- Dr. Carnell Cooper, a Baltimore surgeon, is saving lives inside and outside the operating room.
Since becoming a trauma surgeon 16 years ago, he has dedicated himself to treating the many young African-American men who've been shot, stabbed or beaten, only to see them return to the ER with another severe injury just months later.
But when one of his patients was readmitted with a fatal gunshot wound to the head in 1996, it changed Cooper's life.
"The night that we pronounced that young man dead and my colleagues said there's really nothing we can do in these situations. ... I just didn't believe that," said Cooper, 54. "From that day forward, I said, 'Let's see what we can do.' "
Cooper created the Violence Intervention Program (VIP) at the Shock Trauma Unit of the University of Maryland Medical Center, the state's busiest hospital for violent injuries. It became one of the country's first hospital-based anti-violence programs.
"We approached this problem like any public health crisis, like heart disease or smoking," he said. "We tried to work on the root causes."
Since 1998, VIP has provided substance abuse counseling, job skills training and other support services to nearly 500 trauma victims.
Don't Miss
Get involved: Violence Intervention Program
In Depth: CNN Heroes
"Using that scalpel blade to save their life is the first step," Cooper said. "The next step is to try to keep them from coming back."
A 2006 study by Cooper and his colleagues, published in the Journal of Trauma, showed that people in the program were six times less likely to be readmitted with a violent injury and three times less likely to be arrested for a violent crime.
The issue hits close to home for Cooper. Born to unwed teenagers in Dillon, South Carolina, he grew up in a neighborhood where violent crime was commonplace; he had friends and relatives who ended up dead or in jail.
But his grandparents made sure he stayed on the right path. As a straight-A student, he attended a prestigious high school in Massachusetts, then Yale University and Duke University School of Medicine.
But while Cooper rose above his circumstances, he felt sympathy for the young men who rotated in and out of his operating room.
"They could be my friends, my family," he said.
Cooper's program attempts to help patients from the moment they arrive because victims of violence face a greater risk of receiving another violent injury. Everyone treated for violent wounds at the hospital is seen by a VIP case worker, often at bedside. For Cooper, approaching patients at this early stage is crucial.
"We may get them in a moment when they are thinking, 'I just almost died,' " he said. "We say, 'We're going help you find a way to get out of the game.' "
Watch Cooper talk to a victim of violence at his bedside »
go here for more of this
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/25/cnnheroes.carnell.cooper/index.html
2 coalition troops killed by Afghan soldier
2 coalition troops killed by Afghan soldier
Staff report
Posted : Friday Mar 27, 2009 17:30:11 EDT
Two coalition service members died and another was wounded March 27 when an Afghan National Army soldier reportedly opened fire on them, officials in Kabul said in a press release.
A fourth service member appeared to be unharmed but was evacuated to a medical facility for evaluation. The Afghan soldier is reported to have killed himself immediately after the incident, which happened about 2:20 p.m. on March 27 in northern Afghanistan. No more details were available.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/03/army_shooting_032709w/
Staff report
Posted : Friday Mar 27, 2009 17:30:11 EDT
Two coalition service members died and another was wounded March 27 when an Afghan National Army soldier reportedly opened fire on them, officials in Kabul said in a press release.
A fourth service member appeared to be unharmed but was evacuated to a medical facility for evaluation. The Afghan soldier is reported to have killed himself immediately after the incident, which happened about 2:20 p.m. on March 27 in northern Afghanistan. No more details were available.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/03/army_shooting_032709w/
Vietnam vets honored with special day in Lynn MA
Vietnam vets honored with special day in Lynn
By David Liscio / The Daily Item
LYNN - The older ones are in their late 70s, the younger just about 60.
They're veterans of the Vietnam War and on Sunday they'll be honored across Lynn, the result of a special proclamation read aloud Friday at City Hall by Mayor Edward Clancy Jr.
Veterans representing every conflict since World War II gathered in the lobby for a recognition ceremony, some still able to fit into their military uniforms.
"I had to go outside," said Tom Miller, 67, of Lynn, who spent 22 years in the Marine Corps and served two tours of duty in Vietnam. "I got too emotional when I heard them play the Star Spangled Banner."
The notes burst from veteran Dick Perry's trumpet, filling the cavernous room. The men saluted flags held erect by members of the ROTC. Chris Lewis, president of his class at Lynn Classical High School, read the sobering statistics from the Vietnam War - 47,424 battle deaths and 153,303 with non-mortal wounds. More than 58,000 died as a result of the war. About 7.1 million Vietnam-era veterans are living.
go here for more
http://www.itemlive.com/articles/2009/03/28/news/news04.txt
By David Liscio / The Daily Item
LYNN - The older ones are in their late 70s, the younger just about 60.
They're veterans of the Vietnam War and on Sunday they'll be honored across Lynn, the result of a special proclamation read aloud Friday at City Hall by Mayor Edward Clancy Jr.
Veterans representing every conflict since World War II gathered in the lobby for a recognition ceremony, some still able to fit into their military uniforms.
"I had to go outside," said Tom Miller, 67, of Lynn, who spent 22 years in the Marine Corps and served two tours of duty in Vietnam. "I got too emotional when I heard them play the Star Spangled Banner."
The notes burst from veteran Dick Perry's trumpet, filling the cavernous room. The men saluted flags held erect by members of the ROTC. Chris Lewis, president of his class at Lynn Classical High School, read the sobering statistics from the Vietnam War - 47,424 battle deaths and 153,303 with non-mortal wounds. More than 58,000 died as a result of the war. About 7.1 million Vietnam-era veterans are living.
go here for more
http://www.itemlive.com/articles/2009/03/28/news/news04.txt
Authorities fear war experience could make standoffs more numerous, dangerous
Authorities fear war experience could make standoffs more numerous, dangerous
March 28, 2009 - 12:00 PM
CARLYN RAY MITCHELL
THE GAZETTE
Army Spc. Larry Applegate was firing rifles inside his Widefield home for nearly an hour before he turned a gun on himself, gasping his last breath into the phone, an El Paso County Sheriff's deputy on the other end.
Nearly certain Applegate, 27, had killed himself as he had threatened, the deputies surrounding his house that January day waited for any movement inside. There was only stillness.
It was a worst-case scenario in a standoff arising from a domestic violence report, made that much more volatile by Applegate's Army training and war experience.
Due to the rates of mental health problems experienced by Iraq war veterans, experts say it isn't the last time a soldier will barricade himself in a house, forcing a police response that in the mind of someone suffering from post traumatic stress disorder or a traumatic brain injury could seem like a battle zone.
"We are training these people to be unconsciously competent at defending themselves," said Eleanor Alden, a clinical social worker in Denver who treats PTSD in private practice. "They just do it. And then they came back and we put them in a different situation, but the same triggers will have the same kind of response. Then they end up in some sort of fugue state where they are responding the way they are trained to respond but in the wrong situation."
For local law enforcement agencies, standoffs with the suicidal or people involved in domestic disputes are intense situations, often with multiple X factors. Adding in somewhat unpredictable behavior of someone suffering from mental and physical wounds of war can heighten the situation.
go here for more
http://www.gazette.com/articles/carson_50784___article.html/fort_situation.html
March 28, 2009 - 12:00 PM
CARLYN RAY MITCHELL
THE GAZETTE
Army Spc. Larry Applegate was firing rifles inside his Widefield home for nearly an hour before he turned a gun on himself, gasping his last breath into the phone, an El Paso County Sheriff's deputy on the other end.
Nearly certain Applegate, 27, had killed himself as he had threatened, the deputies surrounding his house that January day waited for any movement inside. There was only stillness.
It was a worst-case scenario in a standoff arising from a domestic violence report, made that much more volatile by Applegate's Army training and war experience.
Due to the rates of mental health problems experienced by Iraq war veterans, experts say it isn't the last time a soldier will barricade himself in a house, forcing a police response that in the mind of someone suffering from post traumatic stress disorder or a traumatic brain injury could seem like a battle zone.
"We are training these people to be unconsciously competent at defending themselves," said Eleanor Alden, a clinical social worker in Denver who treats PTSD in private practice. "They just do it. And then they came back and we put them in a different situation, but the same triggers will have the same kind of response. Then they end up in some sort of fugue state where they are responding the way they are trained to respond but in the wrong situation."
For local law enforcement agencies, standoffs with the suicidal or people involved in domestic disputes are intense situations, often with multiple X factors. Adding in somewhat unpredictable behavior of someone suffering from mental and physical wounds of war can heighten the situation.
go here for more
http://www.gazette.com/articles/carson_50784___article.html/fort_situation.html
Senate OKs creation of Veterans’ Corps
Senate OKs creation of Veterans’ Corps
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Mar 27, 2009 20:32:05 EDT
A program in which veterans would volunteer to help active-duty members make the transition to civilian life has moved a step closer to reality with the Senate’s March 26 vote to more than triple the number of national service jobs.
The bill, HR 1388, authorizes a new Veterans’ Corps, whose success would be measured by the number of veterans who are helped to go to college or find jobs, the number of military families provided assistance, and the number of homeless veterans who find housing.
The Senate approved the bill on a 79-19 vote, and retitled the measure the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act so it would carry the name of the Massachusetts Democratic senator whose family has long been involved in national service programs.
The House of Representatives passed the bill, which it called the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act, or GIVE Act, on March 18 by a 321-105 vote.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/03/military_veteranscorps_032709w/
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Mar 27, 2009 20:32:05 EDT
A program in which veterans would volunteer to help active-duty members make the transition to civilian life has moved a step closer to reality with the Senate’s March 26 vote to more than triple the number of national service jobs.
The bill, HR 1388, authorizes a new Veterans’ Corps, whose success would be measured by the number of veterans who are helped to go to college or find jobs, the number of military families provided assistance, and the number of homeless veterans who find housing.
The Senate approved the bill on a 79-19 vote, and retitled the measure the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act so it would carry the name of the Massachusetts Democratic senator whose family has long been involved in national service programs.
The House of Representatives passed the bill, which it called the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act, or GIVE Act, on March 18 by a 321-105 vote.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/03/military_veteranscorps_032709w/
Friday, March 27, 2009
Oakland police mourned by family, fellow officers and dignitaries
Oakland police mourned by family, fellow officers and dignitaries
The city's 800-strong police force, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and both of the state's senators attend the funeral of Mark Dunakin, John Hege, Ervin Romans and Daniel Sakai.
By Ann M. Simmons and Peter H. King
1:39 PM PDT, March 27, 2009
Reporting from Los Angeles and Oakland -- Mourners jammed the 19,000-seat Oracle Arena in Oakland today to pay their respects to four Oakland police officers killed by a parolee after a routine traffic stop turned into a manhunt and gun battle.
Hundreds of law enforcement personnel and government officials from across the nation and Canada joined family and friends of the slain officers: Mark Dunakin, John Hege, Ervin Romans and Daniel Sakai. The entire 800-strong Oakland police force attended, wearing black tape stretched diagonally across their badges. Many sniffed back tears.
go here for more
Oakland police mourned by family, fellow officers and dignitaries
The city's 800-strong police force, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and both of the state's senators attend the funeral of Mark Dunakin, John Hege, Ervin Romans and Daniel Sakai.
By Ann M. Simmons and Peter H. King
1:39 PM PDT, March 27, 2009
Reporting from Los Angeles and Oakland -- Mourners jammed the 19,000-seat Oracle Arena in Oakland today to pay their respects to four Oakland police officers killed by a parolee after a routine traffic stop turned into a manhunt and gun battle.
Hundreds of law enforcement personnel and government officials from across the nation and Canada joined family and friends of the slain officers: Mark Dunakin, John Hege, Ervin Romans and Daniel Sakai. The entire 800-strong Oakland police force attended, wearing black tape stretched diagonally across their badges. Many sniffed back tears.
go here for more
Oakland police mourned by family, fellow officers and dignitaries
VA: 16 patients of problem clinics infected
Mar 27, 9:23 PM EDT
VA: 16 patients of problem clinics infected
By BILL POOVEY
Associated Press Writer
CHATANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) -- Viral infections, including hepatitis, have been found in 16 patients exposed to contaminated equipment at Veterans Affairs medical facilities, a department spokeswoman said Friday. So far, 10 colonoscopy patients from the VA medical center in Murfreesboro, Tenn., have tested positive for hepatitis, VA spokeswoman Katie Roberts told The Associated Press.
In a later e-mail, she reported six patients at the VA's ear, nose and throat clinic in Augusta, Ga, tested positive for unspecified viral infections.
go here for more
VA: 16 patients of problem clinics infected
VA: 16 patients of problem clinics infected
By BILL POOVEY
Associated Press Writer
CHATANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) -- Viral infections, including hepatitis, have been found in 16 patients exposed to contaminated equipment at Veterans Affairs medical facilities, a department spokeswoman said Friday. So far, 10 colonoscopy patients from the VA medical center in Murfreesboro, Tenn., have tested positive for hepatitis, VA spokeswoman Katie Roberts told The Associated Press.
In a later e-mail, she reported six patients at the VA's ear, nose and throat clinic in Augusta, Ga, tested positive for unspecified viral infections.
go here for more
VA: 16 patients of problem clinics infected
Non-combat death in Iraq announced by DOD
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Raphael A. Futrell, 26, of Anderson, S.C., died March 25 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 13th Military Police Detachment, 728th Military Police Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, Fort Shafter, Hawaii.
The incident is under investigation.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Raphael A. Futrell, 26, of Anderson, S.C., died March 25 in Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 13th Military Police Detachment, 728th Military Police Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, Fort Shafter, Hawaii.
The incident is under investigation.
St Andrews University dies after head trauma
Fall student dies after all-clear from hospital
Alex Richardson fell around 15 feet through the skylight of the Mica Home Store
Date: 28 March 2009
By Fiona Macleod and Lyndsay Moss
A STUDENT at St Andrews University has died from a head injury two days after he was discharged from hospital in a tragedy that echoes the recent death of actress Natasha Richardson.
Alex Richardson, 21, crashed through a skylight of a DIY story in St Andrews town centre on Tuesday night after venturing on to the roof to dance during a student party.
He was treated by paramedics at the scene and rushed to hospital and released the following afternoon.
But just six hours after leaving Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, friends found him collapsed and unconscious at home after a suspected brain haemorrhage.
Despite being rushed back to the hospital, his condition deteriorated rapidly and his life-support machine was turned off yesterday after friends and family travelled from his home town of Newmarket, Suffolk, to be by his bedside.
Medical experts said the case echoed that of movie star Natasha Richardson, who died recently after injuring her head skiing in Canada.
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Fall student dies after all-clear from hospital
Alex Richardson fell around 15 feet through the skylight of the Mica Home Store
Date: 28 March 2009
By Fiona Macleod and Lyndsay Moss
A STUDENT at St Andrews University has died from a head injury two days after he was discharged from hospital in a tragedy that echoes the recent death of actress Natasha Richardson.
Alex Richardson, 21, crashed through a skylight of a DIY story in St Andrews town centre on Tuesday night after venturing on to the roof to dance during a student party.
He was treated by paramedics at the scene and rushed to hospital and released the following afternoon.
But just six hours after leaving Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, friends found him collapsed and unconscious at home after a suspected brain haemorrhage.
Despite being rushed back to the hospital, his condition deteriorated rapidly and his life-support machine was turned off yesterday after friends and family travelled from his home town of Newmarket, Suffolk, to be by his bedside.
Medical experts said the case echoed that of movie star Natasha Richardson, who died recently after injuring her head skiing in Canada.
go here for more
Fall student dies after all-clear from hospital
Military sends help as uncertainty floods Fargo
Military sends help as uncertainty floods Fargo
U.S. military forces and 15 helicopters were ordered Friday night to Fargo, North Dakota, to assist the state as it prepares for possible historic flooding, a U.S. military official told CNN. The swollen Red River broke a 112-year-old flood record earlier, and Fargo was winding down a massive sandbagging effort. "If we're going to go down, we're going to go down swinging," the mayor said. full story
U.S. military forces and 15 helicopters were ordered Friday night to Fargo, North Dakota, to assist the state as it prepares for possible historic flooding, a U.S. military official told CNN. The swollen Red River broke a 112-year-old flood record earlier, and Fargo was winding down a massive sandbagging effort. "If we're going to go down, we're going to go down swinging," the mayor said. full story
Bill would improve vets insurance benefits
Bill would improve vets insurance benefits
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Mar 27, 2009 16:44:39 EDT
The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee chairman introduced legislation Thursday to improve veterans insurance benefits.
Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, proposes to expand retroactive payments of traumatic injury insurance, to increase supplemental life insure for totally disabled veterans, and to create a new life insurance program for veterans with service-connected disabilities.
This is the second major veterans bill introduced this year by Akaka, who in early March unveiled a rehabilitation and employment package.
In a statement, Akaka said the new bill, S 728, “improves benefits for veterans with severe burn injuries, expands insurance programs, and secures cost-of-living increases for certain benefits, some of which have not been updated for decades.”
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http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/03/military_veteransinsurance_032709w/
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Mar 27, 2009 16:44:39 EDT
The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee chairman introduced legislation Thursday to improve veterans insurance benefits.
Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, proposes to expand retroactive payments of traumatic injury insurance, to increase supplemental life insure for totally disabled veterans, and to create a new life insurance program for veterans with service-connected disabilities.
This is the second major veterans bill introduced this year by Akaka, who in early March unveiled a rehabilitation and employment package.
In a statement, Akaka said the new bill, S 728, “improves benefits for veterans with severe burn injuries, expands insurance programs, and secures cost-of-living increases for certain benefits, some of which have not been updated for decades.”
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/03/military_veteransinsurance_032709w/
Maj. Gen. John F. Campbell to be new Fort Campbell Commander
Campbell gets new commander
The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Mar 27, 2009 18:11:06 EDT
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. — Maj. Gen. John F. Campbell, deputy director for regional operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has been named the new commanding general for Fort Campbell and the 101st Airborne Division.
The military announced the assignment Friday, but it will likely be months before he officially takes command of the installation on the Kentucky-Tennessee state line.
Campbell will replace Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Schloesser, who is the commander of U.S. forces in eastern Afghanistan.
Schloesser took command in May 2006 and has overseen the division’s split deployment starting in 2007 to Iraq and Afghanistan.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/03/ap_campbellcommander_032709/
Shattered soldiers say there was no help when they needed it for PTSD
This is what the national media should be reporting on instead of filling time in with the easy things to report on. Every channel you turn to, they are all talking about the same story, the same rumor, the same trouble. This is something they can do something about, but they won't bother with it.
Shattered soldiers say there was no help when they needed it
Shattered soldiers say there was no help when they needed it
"I probably need to get some help before I slit your throats while you're sleeping." That's what a now AWOL Fort Lewis soldier said he told his command staff before he tried to kill his sergeant in Iraq. Even after the alleged attack, the soldier said, the Army never got him any mental help.
By Liz Rocca
My job was to kick down doors."
His Army buddies called him "K-10." On the dusty streets of Iraq he had one goal: "Find insurgents and punish them. Period."
K-10 can't use his real name because now he's a fugitive - a deserter. With just three weeks left in the Army, K-10 went AWOL from the Fort Lewis Post when, he says, the flashbacks of battle became more than he could bear.
"I never had nightmares before I went to Iraq," says K-10.
Another soldier, who now goes by the fictitious name of Arthur Smith, says he was so tortured by terrifying nightmares he went AWOL from the National Guard.
"I would wake up shaking, I would wake up sweating," he says. "I would have dreams of being gunned down by other Army soldiers."
Army Combat Veteran Santiago Cisneros tried to kill himself just eight months after leaving Iraq.
"I fought a war back there in Iraq. I didn't know I was going to have to fight a war back here in the United States within myself," says Santiago.
All three men told the Problem Solvers they are shattered soldiers, diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and didn't get the help they needed from the military they served.
Santiago Cisneros never dreamed he'd have trouble adjusting to civilian life again.
"It took a while to realize I was dealing with PTSD because I didn't know what post-traumatic stress disorder was. I had no clue"
Army Combat Veteran Santiago Cisneros tried to kill himself just eight months after leaving Iraq.
"I fought a war back there in Iraq. I didn't know I was going to have to fight a war back here in the United States within myself," says Santiago.
Shattered soldiers say there was no help when they needed it
Shattered soldiers say there was no help when they needed it
"I probably need to get some help before I slit your throats while you're sleeping." That's what a now AWOL Fort Lewis soldier said he told his command staff before he tried to kill his sergeant in Iraq. Even after the alleged attack, the soldier said, the Army never got him any mental help.
By Liz Rocca
My job was to kick down doors."
His Army buddies called him "K-10." On the dusty streets of Iraq he had one goal: "Find insurgents and punish them. Period."
K-10 can't use his real name because now he's a fugitive - a deserter. With just three weeks left in the Army, K-10 went AWOL from the Fort Lewis Post when, he says, the flashbacks of battle became more than he could bear.
"I never had nightmares before I went to Iraq," says K-10.
Another soldier, who now goes by the fictitious name of Arthur Smith, says he was so tortured by terrifying nightmares he went AWOL from the National Guard.
"I would wake up shaking, I would wake up sweating," he says. "I would have dreams of being gunned down by other Army soldiers."
Army Combat Veteran Santiago Cisneros tried to kill himself just eight months after leaving Iraq.
"I fought a war back there in Iraq. I didn't know I was going to have to fight a war back here in the United States within myself," says Santiago.
All three men told the Problem Solvers they are shattered soldiers, diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and didn't get the help they needed from the military they served.
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