Memorial grows at spot of soldier's suicide
By CATHY KELLY
Posted: 05/27/2009 01:30:57 AM PDT
SANTA CRUZ -- Red, white and blue flowers now mark the oceanfront spot where a soldier shot himself Friday, as people paid tribute to the accomplished infantryman.
Cards and notes at the scenic spot along West Cliff Drive thank Army Pfc. Roy Brooks Mason Jr. for his service to the country and convey condolences to his family.
Mason, 28, of Fairfield, was a decorated soldier who had been deployed to Iraq twice.
He was stationed at Fort Carson, Colo., and was reported missing from there Tuesday.
About 1:15 p.m. Friday, Mason called emergency dispatchers from a call box near West Cliff Drive and Stockton Avenue and told a dispatcher a dead body would be in a red Chevrolet Cobalt there, a car he had recently rented in Colorado. He asked that someone "clean up the area" before children saw anything.
Tuesday, those who had heard about Mason's death struggled to make sense of it.
One man parked near the overlook said he wasn't surprised to hear of the loss, as he had served in the Marine Corps and knew that "soldiers go through a lot."
Ingrid Smith of Santa Cruz stopped and took a moment to straighten a story about Mason that had partially fallen off a bench.
Smith said hearing about Mason's death angered her, as she believes the military needs to change the way it deals with those who need help.
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Wednesday, May 27, 2009
11 suicides at Fort Campbell prompts stand-down
11 suicides at Campbell prompts stand-down
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky.
By Kristin M. Hall - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday May 27, 2009 15:26:04 EDT
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. — Regular duties are suspended for three days at Fort Campbell, which leads the Army in suicides this year, so commanders can identify and help soldiers who are struggling with the stress of war and most at risk for killing themselves.
The post began a stand-down Wednesday so soldiers can focus on suicide prevention training in the wake of 11 confirmed suicides by Campbell soldiers this year. More deaths are being investigated as possible suicides.
“This is not a place where Fort Campbell and the 101st Airborne Division want to be,” said Brig. Gen. Stephen Townsend. “We don’t want to lead the Army in this statistic.”
From January to March, the installation on averaged one suicide per week, Townsend said. After an Army-wide suicide prevention campaign in started in March, there were no suicides for six weeks, he said.
“But last week we had two. Two in a week,” Townsend said.
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky.
By Kristin M. Hall - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday May 27, 2009 15:26:04 EDT
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. — Regular duties are suspended for three days at Fort Campbell, which leads the Army in suicides this year, so commanders can identify and help soldiers who are struggling with the stress of war and most at risk for killing themselves.
The post began a stand-down Wednesday so soldiers can focus on suicide prevention training in the wake of 11 confirmed suicides by Campbell soldiers this year. More deaths are being investigated as possible suicides.
“This is not a place where Fort Campbell and the 101st Airborne Division want to be,” said Brig. Gen. Stephen Townsend. “We don’t want to lead the Army in this statistic.”
From January to March, the installation on averaged one suicide per week, Townsend said. After an Army-wide suicide prevention campaign in started in March, there were no suicides for six weeks, he said.
“But last week we had two. Two in a week,” Townsend said.
“You wouldn’t hesitate to seek medical attention for a physical wound or injury,” Townsend said. “Don’t hesitate to seek medical attention for a psychological injury.”
For female soldiers, last battle is within
For female soldiers, last battle is within
By Mark Curnutte - Cincinnati Enquirer
Posted : Monday May 25, 2009 11:20:29 EDT
They are just a fistful of the 200,000 female troops thrust into battle — intentionally or not — in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Spc. Angela Strittholt, Army Reserve Spc. Jennifer Wells, Lt. Col. Iva Griggs and Spc. Laura Seaman are among those female troops who have came home with problems once reserved for fighting men.
They arrive with physical injuries such as paralysis, lost limbs and bad backs. They develop mental health issues, as seemingly benign as sleeplessness and as potentially debilitating as post-traumatic stress disorder, which the Veterans Affairs Department reports that up to 40 percent of veterans — regardless of gender — have or develop during their lives.
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For female soldiers, last battle is within
By Mark Curnutte - Cincinnati Enquirer
Posted : Monday May 25, 2009 11:20:29 EDT
They are just a fistful of the 200,000 female troops thrust into battle — intentionally or not — in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Spc. Angela Strittholt, Army Reserve Spc. Jennifer Wells, Lt. Col. Iva Griggs and Spc. Laura Seaman are among those female troops who have came home with problems once reserved for fighting men.
They arrive with physical injuries such as paralysis, lost limbs and bad backs. They develop mental health issues, as seemingly benign as sleeplessness and as potentially debilitating as post-traumatic stress disorder, which the Veterans Affairs Department reports that up to 40 percent of veterans — regardless of gender — have or develop during their lives.
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For female soldiers, last battle is within
VA Web Site Helps College Counselors Aid Veterans
To view and download VA news release, please visit the following
Internet address:
http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel
VA Web Site Helps College Counselors Aid Veterans
WASHINGTON (May 27, 2009) - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has
launched a new Web site to strengthen the connection between college and
university mental health professionals and the Veterans of the Iraq and
Afghanistan conflicts now studying on their campuses.
"Many of our newest Veterans are beginning their post-service lives by
furthering their educations," said Dr. Gerald M. Cross, VA's acting
under secretary for health. "This initiative is designed to ensure that
colleges and universities are able to assist with any special mental
health needs they may have."
The Web site, www.mentalhealth.va.gov/College, features recommended
training for college and university counselors, with online modules
including "Operation SAVE" for suicide prevention, "PTSD 101" and
"Helping Students Who Drink Too Much." It also will feature a resource
list that will be updated regularly.
Although the Web site is designed primarily for counselors, it also
serves as a resource for Veteran-students who wish to learn more about
the challenges they may face in adjusting to their lives after leaving
the military.
"We hope counselors and our returning Veterans find this site helpful
and easy to use," Cross said. "As the site grows, we expect it will
become an increasingly valuable resource."
The new site is one of several Web-based tools VA has developed to
assist Veterans in dealing with mental health issues. Others include a
guide for families of military members returning from deployment and
information about a suicide prevention hotline for Veterans.
Internet address:
http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel
VA Web Site Helps College Counselors Aid Veterans
WASHINGTON (May 27, 2009) - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has
launched a new Web site to strengthen the connection between college and
university mental health professionals and the Veterans of the Iraq and
Afghanistan conflicts now studying on their campuses.
"Many of our newest Veterans are beginning their post-service lives by
furthering their educations," said Dr. Gerald M. Cross, VA's acting
under secretary for health. "This initiative is designed to ensure that
colleges and universities are able to assist with any special mental
health needs they may have."
The Web site, www.mentalhealth.va.gov/College, features recommended
training for college and university counselors, with online modules
including "Operation SAVE" for suicide prevention, "PTSD 101" and
"Helping Students Who Drink Too Much." It also will feature a resource
list that will be updated regularly.
Although the Web site is designed primarily for counselors, it also
serves as a resource for Veteran-students who wish to learn more about
the challenges they may face in adjusting to their lives after leaving
the military.
"We hope counselors and our returning Veterans find this site helpful
and easy to use," Cross said. "As the site grows, we expect it will
become an increasingly valuable resource."
The new site is one of several Web-based tools VA has developed to
assist Veterans in dealing with mental health issues. Others include a
guide for families of military members returning from deployment and
information about a suicide prevention hotline for Veterans.
Defense launches campaign and Web site to destigmatize traumatic stress
Defense launches campaign and Web site to destigmatize traumatic stress
By Bob Brewin 05/26/2009
The Defense Department launched a multimedia campaign that includes a new Web site designed to reduce the stigma that combat veterans and their families say they feel when seeking mental health care.
The effort includes the new Real Warriors Web site, which is hosted deliberately outside a military Internet domain because troops have reported that seeking help for mental health problems could harm their military careers.
The site went live on May 21 on a dot-net domain, an address where developers hope troops and their families feel it is safe to look for mental health information as opposed to looking for the same information hosted on a dot-mil domain, , said Army Brig. Gen. Loree Sutton, a psychiatrist who serves as director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury.
Lisa Jaycox, a behavioral scientist with the RAND Corp. and one of the co-editors of the 2008 report " Invisible Wounds of War," said Defense faces a tough task when it comes to destigmatizing treatment for mental and psychological problems.
A survey RAND conducted in conjunction with its study showed that troops did not seek mental health care due to concern over "negative career repercussions," Jaycox said. "It's extremely hard to disentangle fitness for duty from seeking mental health care."
To lessen the stigma, Defense could show positive examples of people who sought help for post-traumatic stress disorder while their military careers thrived, Jaycox said.
Sutton said Real Warriors offers concrete examples of three combat veterans who candidly relate their battles with PTSD.
Army Maj. Gen. David Blackledge is one of the three profiles. Blackledge, the Army's assistant deputy chief of staff for mobilization and reserve issues, said in February he decided to talk publicly about his struggle with PTSD because he believed it was critical for senior Army leaders to discuss their experiences with combat stress.
The Defense centers designed Real Warriors to help troops and their families in a variety of ways, including anonymous, online chat sessions with mental health professionals, Sutton said.
Because many of the 1.9 million servicemen and women who have served one or more tours in Iraq or Afghanistan are young, officials decided to incorporate social media and Internet tools to reach that audience. The site's developers included buttons at the bottom of the page that users can click to access pages on Facebook, Digg, Delicious and Twitter that focus on mental health issues.
go here for more
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090526_4907.php
By Bob Brewin 05/26/2009
The Defense Department launched a multimedia campaign that includes a new Web site designed to reduce the stigma that combat veterans and their families say they feel when seeking mental health care.
The effort includes the new Real Warriors Web site, which is hosted deliberately outside a military Internet domain because troops have reported that seeking help for mental health problems could harm their military careers.
The site went live on May 21 on a dot-net domain, an address where developers hope troops and their families feel it is safe to look for mental health information as opposed to looking for the same information hosted on a dot-mil domain, , said Army Brig. Gen. Loree Sutton, a psychiatrist who serves as director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury.
Lisa Jaycox, a behavioral scientist with the RAND Corp. and one of the co-editors of the 2008 report " Invisible Wounds of War," said Defense faces a tough task when it comes to destigmatizing treatment for mental and psychological problems.
A survey RAND conducted in conjunction with its study showed that troops did not seek mental health care due to concern over "negative career repercussions," Jaycox said. "It's extremely hard to disentangle fitness for duty from seeking mental health care."
To lessen the stigma, Defense could show positive examples of people who sought help for post-traumatic stress disorder while their military careers thrived, Jaycox said.
Sutton said Real Warriors offers concrete examples of three combat veterans who candidly relate their battles with PTSD.
Army Maj. Gen. David Blackledge is one of the three profiles. Blackledge, the Army's assistant deputy chief of staff for mobilization and reserve issues, said in February he decided to talk publicly about his struggle with PTSD because he believed it was critical for senior Army leaders to discuss their experiences with combat stress.
The Defense centers designed Real Warriors to help troops and their families in a variety of ways, including anonymous, online chat sessions with mental health professionals, Sutton said.
Because many of the 1.9 million servicemen and women who have served one or more tours in Iraq or Afghanistan are young, officials decided to incorporate social media and Internet tools to reach that audience. The site's developers included buttons at the bottom of the page that users can click to access pages on Facebook, Digg, Delicious and Twitter that focus on mental health issues.
go here for more
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090526_4907.php
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