Senators Press Military To Improve Brain-Wound Care
Categories: Military
05:11 pm
June 23, 2010
by T. Christian Miller, ProPublica, and Daniel Zwerdling, NPR
Senators pressed senior military leaders Tuesday to improve their efforts to address traumatic brain injuries, suicide and other wounds suffered by soldiers returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Responding to what he called "disconcerting" reports by NPR and ProPublica, Sen. Carl Levin, (D-Mich.) said at a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee that the military needed to better address the wide range of medical and behavioral problems affecting troops.
Earlier this month, we reported that the military was failing to diagnose and adequately treat troops with brain injuries. Since 2002, official military figures show more than 115,000 soldiers have suffered mild traumatic brain injuries, also called concussions, which leave no visible scars but can cause lasting problems with memory, concentration and other cognitive functions.
But the unpublished studies that we obtained and the experts that we talked to said that military screens were missing tens of thousands of additional cases. We also talked to soldiers at one of the military's largest bases who complained of trouble getting treatment.
read more here
Senators Press Military To Improve Brain-Wound Care
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Iraq war veteran Walter Harvin went downhill after beating
Iraq war veteran Walter Harvin went downhill after beating, mom testifies
BY Oren Yaniv
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Thursday, June 24th 2010, 4:00 AM
Her hero son's PTSD only got worse after the beating he took from a city cop, an Iraq war veteran's mom testified Wednesday.
And now, he's missing.
"I don't know if my son is alive or dead," said Cora Page, 46, of son Walter Harvin, who was seen cuffed and on the ground, taking baton blow after baton blow from Officer David London.
London is on trial for assault and falsifying a police report after a video of the July 2008 beating surfaced.
Read more: Iraq war veteran Walter Harvin went downhill after beating
BY Oren Yaniv
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Thursday, June 24th 2010, 4:00 AM
Her hero son's PTSD only got worse after the beating he took from a city cop, an Iraq war veteran's mom testified Wednesday.
And now, he's missing.
"I don't know if my son is alive or dead," said Cora Page, 46, of son Walter Harvin, who was seen cuffed and on the ground, taking baton blow after baton blow from Officer David London.
London is on trial for assault and falsifying a police report after a video of the July 2008 beating surfaced.
Read more: Iraq war veteran Walter Harvin went downhill after beating
PTSD on Trial:Iraq veteran to go to rehab instead of jail for manslaughter
Judge sentences Iraq veteran to rehab instead of jail for manslaughter
BY Oren Yaniv
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Thursday, June 24th 2010, 4:00 AM
A drunk ex-Marine who killed a beloved dad of five on the FDR is off to rehab instead of jail after a judge spared a "decent human being" and Iraq war veteran.
Brandon Connolly, 33, was facing two to six years behind bars after the Valley Stream, L.I., man earlier pleaded guilty to manslaughter and vehicular manslaughter. But the judge was moved by accounts of the personal trainer's service in Bosnia and two tours in Ramadi and Fallujah.
"We're dealing with a reckless act committed by a decent human being," Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Thomas Farber said, speaking haltingly. "I don't know what the just sentence is in this case."
Read more: Judge sentences Iraq veteran to rehab instead of jail
BY Oren Yaniv
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Thursday, June 24th 2010, 4:00 AM
A drunk ex-Marine who killed a beloved dad of five on the FDR is off to rehab instead of jail after a judge spared a "decent human being" and Iraq war veteran.
Brandon Connolly, 33, was facing two to six years behind bars after the Valley Stream, L.I., man earlier pleaded guilty to manslaughter and vehicular manslaughter. But the judge was moved by accounts of the personal trainer's service in Bosnia and two tours in Ramadi and Fallujah.
"We're dealing with a reckless act committed by a decent human being," Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Thomas Farber said, speaking haltingly. "I don't know what the just sentence is in this case."
Read more: Judge sentences Iraq veteran to rehab instead of jail
Military looks at holistic prevention methods finally
Military looks at holistic prevention methods finally
by
Chaplain Kathie
Is depression contagious? Evidence suggests it is. Consider something as simple as a yawn. When you see someone yawn, the automatic response is to yawn as well. Happens to me all the time. I could see a dog yawn on TV and end up doing it. This response comes from the brain. When you see someone tired, often you find yourself feeling tired as well. When you surround yourself with people working out in groups, you usually have a better workout by being inspired, plus the competition thing kicks in and it's better than working out alone. We are all affected by the people around us and what we see.
Bad moods are contagious no matter how happy you may feel, someone going through negative motions will always bring you down. PTSD can cause something called Secondary PTSD because living with people with PTSD is stressful in itself, usually caused by the emotional roller coaster as well as their uncontrollable responses.
This report on PTSD and suicide points out that there have been suicides in non-deployed soldiers. While not all suicides are due to PTSD or mental illness, there has to be some reason behind those suicides. Consider that before anyone enters into the military they are given physical exams as well as mental health ones. After passing these tests, they start training. With some committing suicide but have not been deployed, this really leaves a big, huge question. Why?
Physically they are conditioned to withstand a lot of stress on their bodies. Mentally they have passed the tests but do the methods used to train them mentally cause a problem they are not ready to deal with considering what happened in their lives prior to military life? Were they unprepared for their new lives in the military? Was the attitude of the people around them affecting their attitude? Was it the possibility of being deployed into Iraq or Afghanistan? These questions focus on the non-deployed forces, but what about the other suicides taking place?
The National Guards and Reservists face the same problems the rest of the active military does but the truth is, when they return home, the support system for them is just not there. They have the extra stresses of being away from home and family, jobs, businesses and friends without really wanting to do more than take care of their own communities. Too often they are redeployed, taken yet again from their lives and asked to step into the life of a soldier. What about them? What about their extra stresses above and beyond deployment? What about their families when they do not want to give up as a National Guardsman/woman, because they still believe it is important for them to stay in?
All the factors involved in human emotions must be considered whenever looking at what to do about it. Most suicides happen for one very simply human need dying. The last glimmer of hope things will change has evaporated. Why get up if today will be just as bad as yesterday? Why try when you are overlooked, beaten down, unappreciated or abandoned? If you cannot hope that something will turn around and things will get better, or believe "this too shall pass" then you lose the drive to breathe.
When you have PTSD, you have this lack of hope inside of you along with everything else going on. There just doesn't seem to be any reason to face pain day after day when you are getting no help to heal. Yet when you are finally in a place when you understand why you feel the way you do, someone is listening to you without judging you, showing they care about you instead of expecting you to "just get over it" then a glimmer of hope turns into moments, hours and weeks of feeding off hope while noticing things inside of you are changing. Your soul is unloaded of the pain it has been carrying as you begin to heal.
Just as negative emotions are contagious, positive ones are just as able to be caught by other people. It depends on you. Who do you surround yourself with? Other people you know will understand you or people more willing to judge you? Who do you go to for help? Someone who is always telling you what to do instead of listening to what the problem is or someone willing to listen because you need to get it off your shoulders? If your burden is centered around spiritual problems, do you turn to someone without a simple understanding or do you go to someone with strong faith? You may like the people you hang around with, but when you are in need, you need to ask yourself if they can fill that need or feed the problem.
There is a lot more now being attempted by the military to address PTSD, TBI and suicides but until they stop thinking the troops are machines and start to look at them as highly trained humans, they will not be able to help and save lives. The good news is that they are trying.
by
Chaplain Kathie
Is depression contagious? Evidence suggests it is. Consider something as simple as a yawn. When you see someone yawn, the automatic response is to yawn as well. Happens to me all the time. I could see a dog yawn on TV and end up doing it. This response comes from the brain. When you see someone tired, often you find yourself feeling tired as well. When you surround yourself with people working out in groups, you usually have a better workout by being inspired, plus the competition thing kicks in and it's better than working out alone. We are all affected by the people around us and what we see.
Bad moods are contagious no matter how happy you may feel, someone going through negative motions will always bring you down. PTSD can cause something called Secondary PTSD because living with people with PTSD is stressful in itself, usually caused by the emotional roller coaster as well as their uncontrollable responses.
This report on PTSD and suicide points out that there have been suicides in non-deployed soldiers. While not all suicides are due to PTSD or mental illness, there has to be some reason behind those suicides. Consider that before anyone enters into the military they are given physical exams as well as mental health ones. After passing these tests, they start training. With some committing suicide but have not been deployed, this really leaves a big, huge question. Why?
Physically they are conditioned to withstand a lot of stress on their bodies. Mentally they have passed the tests but do the methods used to train them mentally cause a problem they are not ready to deal with considering what happened in their lives prior to military life? Were they unprepared for their new lives in the military? Was the attitude of the people around them affecting their attitude? Was it the possibility of being deployed into Iraq or Afghanistan? These questions focus on the non-deployed forces, but what about the other suicides taking place?
The National Guards and Reservists face the same problems the rest of the active military does but the truth is, when they return home, the support system for them is just not there. They have the extra stresses of being away from home and family, jobs, businesses and friends without really wanting to do more than take care of their own communities. Too often they are redeployed, taken yet again from their lives and asked to step into the life of a soldier. What about them? What about their extra stresses above and beyond deployment? What about their families when they do not want to give up as a National Guardsman/woman, because they still believe it is important for them to stay in?
All the factors involved in human emotions must be considered whenever looking at what to do about it. Most suicides happen for one very simply human need dying. The last glimmer of hope things will change has evaporated. Why get up if today will be just as bad as yesterday? Why try when you are overlooked, beaten down, unappreciated or abandoned? If you cannot hope that something will turn around and things will get better, or believe "this too shall pass" then you lose the drive to breathe.
When you have PTSD, you have this lack of hope inside of you along with everything else going on. There just doesn't seem to be any reason to face pain day after day when you are getting no help to heal. Yet when you are finally in a place when you understand why you feel the way you do, someone is listening to you without judging you, showing they care about you instead of expecting you to "just get over it" then a glimmer of hope turns into moments, hours and weeks of feeding off hope while noticing things inside of you are changing. Your soul is unloaded of the pain it has been carrying as you begin to heal.
Just as negative emotions are contagious, positive ones are just as able to be caught by other people. It depends on you. Who do you surround yourself with? Other people you know will understand you or people more willing to judge you? Who do you go to for help? Someone who is always telling you what to do instead of listening to what the problem is or someone willing to listen because you need to get it off your shoulders? If your burden is centered around spiritual problems, do you turn to someone without a simple understanding or do you go to someone with strong faith? You may like the people you hang around with, but when you are in need, you need to ask yourself if they can fill that need or feed the problem.
There is a lot more now being attempted by the military to address PTSD, TBI and suicides but until they stop thinking the troops are machines and start to look at them as highly trained humans, they will not be able to help and save lives. The good news is that they are trying.
Services work to learn more about brain ailments, suicides
Posted 6/23/2010
by Lisa Daniel
American Forces Press Service
6/23/2010 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury and suicides among servicemembers are interrelated problems requiring holistic prevention methods and more scientific study, military leaders told a Senate panel June 22.
"The reality is, the study of the brain is an emerging science, and there still is much to be learned," Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, the Army vice chief of staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee during a hearing about how the services are dealing with brain injuries and mental health problems.
The vice chiefs of the Air Force and Navy, the Marine Corps' assistant commandant and a Veterans Affairs Department health official also spoke before the committee. All agreed with General Chiarelli that the Defense and Veterans Affairs department officials are coordinating better than ever to diagnose and treat brain injuries and mental disorders, and that much more is known about such conditions today than when combat operations began after Sept. 11, 2001.
Still, they acknowledged, much more needs to be done. They noted that suicides are highest among ground forces. The Army reported 162 confirmed suicides last year, up from 140 in 2008 and 115 in 2007. The Marine Corps reported 52 suicides last year -- more per capita than the Army, and up from 42 in 2008 and 33 in 2007. Last year's numbers are expected to rise as more investigations are completed, officials said.
While the military officers cited increased deployments and less time at home as one area of stress, many more risk indicators such as personal problems with relationships, legal matters and careers are also factors, they said.
In the Army, 79 percent of suicides were by servicemembers who had one or no deployments, and 60 percent were on their first deployment, General Chiarelli said.
Also, General Chiarelli said, suicides among active-duty Soldiers have dropped while simultaneously increasing among reserve-component Soldiers, especially National Guard members.
read more here
Services work to learn more about brain ailments
Korean War Museum to may have to give up land
Lack of Funds May Force Korean War Museum to Surrender Its Land
By Diane Macedo
Published June 23, 2010
FOXNews.com
A ground-breaking ceremony for the Korean War National Museum in Springfield, Ill., will no longer be taking place this summer – because the museum doesn’t have enough money even to start construction.
According to the museum website, the museum is “well short of financial and operational goals to break ground” due to “the recent economic downturn,” as well as leaders it says were “too optimistic” about their ability to raise funds.
Korean War Museum to Surrender Its Land
By Diane Macedo
Published June 23, 2010
FOXNews.com
A ground-breaking ceremony for the Korean War National Museum in Springfield, Ill., will no longer be taking place this summer – because the museum doesn’t have enough money even to start construction.
According to the museum website, the museum is “well short of financial and operational goals to break ground” due to “the recent economic downturn,” as well as leaders it says were “too optimistic” about their ability to raise funds.
Korean War Museum to Surrender Its Land
VA launches program for soldiers exposed to toxic chemicals
VA launches program for soldiers exposed to chemicals in Iraq
By Bill Straub
Evansville Courier & Press
Posted June 23, 2010
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Veterans Affairs is creating a program designed to aid military personnel who came in contact with a toxic chemical known as sodium dichromate during their service in Iraq.
The move could provide assistance to dozens of members of the Indiana National Guard.
In a letter to Rep. Baron Hill, D-Seymour, dated June 11, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki said his agency “is committed to caring for our nation’s veterans and continues its outreach efforts on this exposure.’’
Shinseki said the VA is implementing a comprehensive surveillance program that follows the recommendations of various authorities that regulate exposure to hexavalent chromium, the toxic chemical found in sodium dichromate.
read more of this here
VA launches program for soldiers exposed to chemicals
also read more here
American Lung Association deeply concerned
By Bill Straub
Evansville Courier & Press
Posted June 23, 2010
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Veterans Affairs is creating a program designed to aid military personnel who came in contact with a toxic chemical known as sodium dichromate during their service in Iraq.
The move could provide assistance to dozens of members of the Indiana National Guard.
In a letter to Rep. Baron Hill, D-Seymour, dated June 11, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki said his agency “is committed to caring for our nation’s veterans and continues its outreach efforts on this exposure.’’
Shinseki said the VA is implementing a comprehensive surveillance program that follows the recommendations of various authorities that regulate exposure to hexavalent chromium, the toxic chemical found in sodium dichromate.
read more of this here
VA launches program for soldiers exposed to chemicals
also read more here
American Lung Association deeply concerned
Veteran awarded money after VA psychiatrists committed malpractice
Veteran Awarded $600,000 for VA’s Failure to Refer him for Medical Treatment
June 23, 2010 posted by Terry Richards
All Veterans who currently receive or formerly received VA Medical Care should read this story to see if this same type of VA Malpractice happened to them. If it did, then they may have a Legal Cause of Action for a Federal Tort Claim. Even if the Statute of Limitations has expired you can still file a SECTION 1151 CLAIM for Service-Connected Disability which has NO TIME LIMIT. At the end of this story there will be a Link with further information about SECTION 1151 CLAIMS and suing the VA for Medical Malpractice in a Federal Tort Claim, among other things.
Deasy v. US., 99 F.3d 354 (1996)
VA Hospital Malpractice; Failure To Refer Patient
Under Colorado and Maryland law, the evidence supported a district court’s finding that Veterans Administration (VA) psychiatrists committed malpractice by failing to refer a patient for medical treatment for his edema, held the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. This was so even though the government claimed the plaintiff’s psychiatrists were not qualified to offer expert opinion on the standard of care required of physicians who treat edema, since the relevant issues in the case were whether it was a breach of the psychiatric standard of care to fail to refer the patient and whether failure to do so increased the patient’s psychiatric symptoms, on which the psychiatrists were qualified to give expert opinions, said the court.
read more here
VA Hospital Malpractice
June 23, 2010 posted by Terry Richards
All Veterans who currently receive or formerly received VA Medical Care should read this story to see if this same type of VA Malpractice happened to them. If it did, then they may have a Legal Cause of Action for a Federal Tort Claim. Even if the Statute of Limitations has expired you can still file a SECTION 1151 CLAIM for Service-Connected Disability which has NO TIME LIMIT. At the end of this story there will be a Link with further information about SECTION 1151 CLAIMS and suing the VA for Medical Malpractice in a Federal Tort Claim, among other things.
Deasy v. US., 99 F.3d 354 (1996)
VA Hospital Malpractice; Failure To Refer Patient
Under Colorado and Maryland law, the evidence supported a district court’s finding that Veterans Administration (VA) psychiatrists committed malpractice by failing to refer a patient for medical treatment for his edema, held the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. This was so even though the government claimed the plaintiff’s psychiatrists were not qualified to offer expert opinion on the standard of care required of physicians who treat edema, since the relevant issues in the case were whether it was a breach of the psychiatric standard of care to fail to refer the patient and whether failure to do so increased the patient’s psychiatric symptoms, on which the psychiatrists were qualified to give expert opinions, said the court.
read more here
VA Hospital Malpractice
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Headstones at Arlington dumped in stream to stop erorsion?
Did they think of just using ROCKS instead of headstones?
Arlington headstones in stream to stop erosion
The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jun 23, 2010 18:05:09 EDT
ARLINGTON, Va. — Army officials say that old headstones found lying in a stream on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery had been placed there deliberately for erosion control.
The tombstones were found by reporters for The Washington Post earlier this month in the aftermath of an internal Army investigation that found chaotic management at the cemetery and the apparent mislabeling of more than 200 graves. Cemetery officials at first could not say why the tombstones were in the stream.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/06/ap_grave_stream_062310/
Silver Stars awarded to 2 Richardson soldiers
Silver Stars awarded to 2 Richardson soldiers
The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jun 23, 2010 12:03:57 EDT
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Two Fort Richardson soldiers have been awarded the Silver Star medal for bravery in combat in Afghanistan.
In a ceremony Tuesday at the Army post, the military’s third-highest medal was presented to Spc. Ryan. S. Chester and Spc. Robert E. Parson, members of the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) of the 25th Infantry Division.
The Army says Chester fought continuously for 25 minutes unprotected after being thrown from his vehicle while on patrol. Parson fought enemy fire to protect the evacuation of his wounded squad leader.
Chester was a gunman in the roof turret of an armored vehicle on July 6, 2009, when the 19-man platoon was ambushed by 30 enemy fighters, the Army said.
read more here
Silver Stars awarded to 2 Richardson soldiers
The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jun 23, 2010 12:03:57 EDT
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Two Fort Richardson soldiers have been awarded the Silver Star medal for bravery in combat in Afghanistan.
In a ceremony Tuesday at the Army post, the military’s third-highest medal was presented to Spc. Ryan. S. Chester and Spc. Robert E. Parson, members of the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) of the 25th Infantry Division.
The Army says Chester fought continuously for 25 minutes unprotected after being thrown from his vehicle while on patrol. Parson fought enemy fire to protect the evacuation of his wounded squad leader.
Chester was a gunman in the roof turret of an armored vehicle on July 6, 2009, when the 19-man platoon was ambushed by 30 enemy fighters, the Army said.
read more here
Silver Stars awarded to 2 Richardson soldiers
American Lung Association deeply concerned over Burn Pits
Shut down burn pits, lung association urges
By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jun 23, 2010 17:05:42 EDT
The American Lung Association called for the military to ban open-air burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The association “is deeply concerned by reports of the use of burn pits and negative effects on lung health on soldiers in both Iraq and Afghanistan,” H. James Gooden, chairman of the association’s board of directors, said during a Senate defense appropriations subcommittee hearing Wednesday.
read more here
Shut down burn pits, lung association urges
By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jun 23, 2010 17:05:42 EDT
The American Lung Association called for the military to ban open-air burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The association “is deeply concerned by reports of the use of burn pits and negative effects on lung health on soldiers in both Iraq and Afghanistan,” H. James Gooden, chairman of the association’s board of directors, said during a Senate defense appropriations subcommittee hearing Wednesday.
read more here
Shut down burn pits, lung association urges
Maywood CA lets everyone go including police
California town to lay off all city employees, disband police
By Muriel Kane
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010 -- 11:46 am
Economic hard times are causing many municipalities to look for ways to reduce their payrolls, but none has taken it as far as the town of Maywood, California.
On Monday night, the Maywood City Council voted unanimously to fire all 100 city employees and contract out most services, including record-keeping, street maintenance, and parks and recreation, to the neighboring town of Bell.
"We will become 100% a contracted city," Maywood's interim city manager stated.
Even the Maywood police department will be disbanded. Those services will be provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, since a proposal earlier this month to merge Mayfield's police department with that of Bell was met with angry protests by Bell residents.
read more here
California town to lay off all city employees
By Muriel Kane
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010 -- 11:46 am
Economic hard times are causing many municipalities to look for ways to reduce their payrolls, but none has taken it as far as the town of Maywood, California.
On Monday night, the Maywood City Council voted unanimously to fire all 100 city employees and contract out most services, including record-keeping, street maintenance, and parks and recreation, to the neighboring town of Bell.
"We will become 100% a contracted city," Maywood's interim city manager stated.
Even the Maywood police department will be disbanded. Those services will be provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, since a proposal earlier this month to merge Mayfield's police department with that of Bell was met with angry protests by Bell residents.
read more here
California town to lay off all city employees
Army Holds Wounded Warrior Conference held in San Antonio
There is a lot of confusion on Wounded Warriors. There is the program connected to the Army and the project which is a charity.
Army Holds Wounded Warrior Conference held in San Antonio
Terry Gildea, TPR (2010-06-23)
SAN ANTONIO, TX (KERA) - The U-S Army is holding a special conference in San Antonio this week designed to examine how it cares for wounded soldiers. More from Texas Public Radio's Terry Gildea.
This is the sixth year that Army brass have invited wounded warriors and their families to sit down and discuss what they think the service branch is doing right and wrong when caring for soldiers. Colonel Jim Rice is director of the Army's Wounded Warrior Program.
Col. Jim Rice: This event is about listening to those who have been through it and learning about ways we can continue to improve how we care for our most severely wounded and injured soldiers, veterans and their families and take action.
read more here
Wounded Warrior Conference
One killed, 2 injured in training accident at Fort Bragg
Why are contractors training soldiers?
One killed, 2 injured in training accident at Fort Bragg
By the CNN Wire Staff
June 22, 2010 5:42 p.m. EDT
(CNN) -- A civilian Army contract employee was killed and two other people were injured Tuesday in a small-arms training accident at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, an Army spokesman said.
The contract worker, who managed operations at training ranges on the base, was taken to Womack Army Medical Center where he was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound, according to a statement.
The injured included another civilian contractor, who was transported by air to UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill, and a soldier enrolled at the U.S. Army's John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. The soldier was grazed by a bullet and was being treated at Womack.
go here for more
http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/06/22/north.carolina.army.accident/
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Soldiers struggling with undiagnosed brain injury
Soldiers struggling with undiagnosed brain injury
Web producer: Sheryl Kornman
The American Forces Press Service covered a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday exploring how the services are dealing with brain injuries and mental health problems. Here is its report:
WASHINGTON, D.C. (American Forces Press Service/KGUN9-TV) - Post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury and suicides among service members are interrelated problems requiring holistic prevention methods and more scientific study, military leaders told a Senate panel Tuesday.
"The reality is, the study of the brain is an emerging science, and there still is much to be learned," Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, Army vice chief of staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee during a hearing about how the services are dealing with brain injuries and mental health problems.
The vice chiefs of the Navy and Air Force, the Marine Corps' assistant commandant and a Veterans Affairs Department health official also spoke before the committee. All agreed with Chiarelli that the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments are coordinating better than ever to diagnose and treat brain injuries and mental disorders, and that much more is known about such conditions today than when combat operations began after Sept. 11, 2001.
Still, they acknowledged, much more needs to be done. They noted that suicides are highest among ground forces. The Army reported 162 confirmed suicides last year, up from 140 in 2008 and 115 in 2007. The Marine Corps reported 52 suicides last year – more per capita than the Army, and up from 42 in 2008 and 33 in 2007. Last year's numbers are expected to rise as more investigations are completed, they said.
read the rest here
Soldiers struggling with undiagnosed brain injury
Web producer: Sheryl Kornman
The American Forces Press Service covered a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday exploring how the services are dealing with brain injuries and mental health problems. Here is its report:
WASHINGTON, D.C. (American Forces Press Service/KGUN9-TV) - Post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury and suicides among service members are interrelated problems requiring holistic prevention methods and more scientific study, military leaders told a Senate panel Tuesday.
"The reality is, the study of the brain is an emerging science, and there still is much to be learned," Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, Army vice chief of staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee during a hearing about how the services are dealing with brain injuries and mental health problems.
The vice chiefs of the Navy and Air Force, the Marine Corps' assistant commandant and a Veterans Affairs Department health official also spoke before the committee. All agreed with Chiarelli that the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments are coordinating better than ever to diagnose and treat brain injuries and mental disorders, and that much more is known about such conditions today than when combat operations began after Sept. 11, 2001.
Still, they acknowledged, much more needs to be done. They noted that suicides are highest among ground forces. The Army reported 162 confirmed suicides last year, up from 140 in 2008 and 115 in 2007. The Marine Corps reported 52 suicides last year – more per capita than the Army, and up from 42 in 2008 and 33 in 2007. Last year's numbers are expected to rise as more investigations are completed, they said.
read the rest here
Soldiers struggling with undiagnosed brain injury
Gen. Stanley McChrystal, top commander in Afghanistan, ordered back home
UPDATE
The people I usually agree with on most things think McChrystal should be fired, or at least forced to resign. On this one, I have to disagree only because when we were waiting for Generals to tell the truth about Iraq, they were silenced and forced to resign. They put their men and women first and cared about what was happening to them as well as why. The same people saying McChrystal should go, used to support the free speech rights of the others. So why not now?
Was his choice of words wrong? I think so. Was he grinding some kind of ax? Probably. Did he publicly insult elected officials and the President's cabinet? Yes and his words have power since the rest of the world is listening. The problem comes from voices calling for him to pay with losing his career. He should be busted in rank but stay in the military if that's what he wants to do but I don't think he should have to give up the military. We can't just want them to speak out on what they think only when we agree with it. After all, too many generals had to leave the military for telling the truth and that was wrong.
Updated at 6:04 p.m. Gen. Stanley McChrystal has "offered to resign," according to a Twitter post from Time magazine's Joe Klein on Tuesday. Earlier, Klein, citing "a very reliable source," told CNN that McChrystal had already submitted his resignation.
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/22/latest-mcchrystal-developments/?hpt=T1
The people I usually agree with on most things think McChrystal should be fired, or at least forced to resign. On this one, I have to disagree only because when we were waiting for Generals to tell the truth about Iraq, they were silenced and forced to resign. They put their men and women first and cared about what was happening to them as well as why. The same people saying McChrystal should go, used to support the free speech rights of the others. So why not now?
Was his choice of words wrong? I think so. Was he grinding some kind of ax? Probably. Did he publicly insult elected officials and the President's cabinet? Yes and his words have power since the rest of the world is listening. The problem comes from voices calling for him to pay with losing his career. He should be busted in rank but stay in the military if that's what he wants to do but I don't think he should have to give up the military. We can't just want them to speak out on what they think only when we agree with it. After all, too many generals had to leave the military for telling the truth and that was wrong.
Gen. Stanley McChrystal, top commander in Afghanistan, ordered home over Rolling Stone comments
BY Sean Alfano
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Tuesday, June 22nd 2010, 8:51 AM
Gen. Stanley McChrystal apologized from overseas Tuesday for ripping the administration in a magazine article.
Now, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan will have a chance to say sorry in person.
McChyrstal has been ordered to Washington to explain why he and his staff criticized the White House in a recent Rolling Stone interview, administration officials said Tuesday.
Earlier, McChrystal had attempted to defuse the backlash over his comments in the piece, titled "The Runaway General."
"I extend my sincerest apology for this profile. It was a mistake reflecting poor judgment and should never have happened," he said.
"Throughout my career, I have lived by the principles of personal honor and professional integrity. What is reflected in this article falls far short of that standard," McChrystal added.
Instead of attending the monthly White House meeting on Afghanistan and Pakistan via teleconference, the general will be there in person Wednesday, the officials told The Associated Press.
The first casualty from the article appears to be a civilian member of McChyrstal's staff who allegedly arranged the Rolling Stone interview.
NBC News reported that Duncan Boothby quit his role on the general's public relations team. According to a senior military official, he was "asked to resign."
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Gen. Stanley McChrystal, top commander in Afghanistan
Gen. Stanley McChrystal, top commander in Afghanistan
New York Daily News
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