Medal of Honor to be awarded to living soldier
2nd Afghanistan war MoH announced by White House this week
By Michelle Tan - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Sep 10, 2010 12:25:16 EDT
Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta will be the first living Medal of Honor recipient since the Vietnam War.
On Thursday, President Obama spoke with Giunta, who is assigned to 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, in Vicenza, Italy, to inform him that he will be awarded the nation’s highest valor award, according to the White House.
Giunta, 25, will be honored for his actions during a fierce firefight Oct. 25, 2007, in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley.
According to the White House announcement, when an insurgent force ambush split Giunta’s squad into two groups, he exposed himself to enemy fire to pull a comrade back to cover. Later, while engaging the enemy and attempting to link up with the rest of his squad, Giunta noticed two insurgents carrying away a fellow soldier. He immediately engaged the enemy, killing one and wounding the other, and provided medical aid to his wounded comrade while the rest of his squad caught up and provided security.
His courage and leadership while under extreme enemy fire were integral to his platoon’s ability defeat an enemy ambush and recover a fellow American paratrooper from enemy hands, according to the White House.
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http://www.armytimes.com
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Fort Hood assessing soldiers after suicides
Astonishing! Fort Hood soldiers discovered someone they lived with, someone they served with, someone put in the position of being responsible for their mental health, was also the person who would open fire on them and kill 13, plus wound many more. Yet with all of this, all that happened before the rampage, the commander at Fort Hood does not think this had anything to do with the rise in suicides on base.
Fort Hood is their home. Their wives go shopping with the kids. Families eat at the food court. Their kids go to school and they play at the neighbor's house. They ride their bikes and play in the parks. This was supposed to be a safe place for them with security so this one place on earth was a place they could relax without having to worry about someone trying to kill them there. That was taken away from them. All that happened before it came with the sense of betrayal by the military when someone like Hasan was not only put in position of taking care of them but that there were signs he hated them. Did the Commander of Fort Hood consider what kind of message that sent?
I did a lot of post after the shooting and one of the first ones was about issuing a warning about what was to come after all this.
But they must not agree or they wouldn't take the view they did.
Fort Hood is their home. Their wives go shopping with the kids. Families eat at the food court. Their kids go to school and they play at the neighbor's house. They ride their bikes and play in the parks. This was supposed to be a safe place for them with security so this one place on earth was a place they could relax without having to worry about someone trying to kill them there. That was taken away from them. All that happened before it came with the sense of betrayal by the military when someone like Hasan was not only put in position of taking care of them but that there were signs he hated them. Did the Commander of Fort Hood consider what kind of message that sent?
I did a lot of post after the shooting and one of the first ones was about issuing a warning about what was to come after all this.
November 5, 2009
Aftermath of Fort Hood shootings may be worse
As the news reports kept coming out today about the carnage at Fort Hood, my greatest fears were not for today, but for the next few months ahead. No one is talking about "secondary stressors" and this needs to be addressed quickly.
There are crisis teams heading there according to the press briefing by Lt. Gen. Robert Cone. This is one of the best things they can do. I spent months taking this kind of training and it is very thorough. The issue that we need to be concerned about is when there are thousands of soldiers, combat soldiers with multiple tours, many of them are dealing with mild PTSD. Mild PTSD is not that hard to cope with. They live pretty normal lives while covering up the pain they have inside. Many even cope well the rest of their lives but many do not. Like a ticking time bomb, PTSD rests waiting to strike if untreated. It waits for the next traumatic event and then mild PTSD turns into PTSD on steroids.
These are the soldiers that will need the greatest help as soon as possible.
These bases are very well secured. That makes the soldiers and their families feel safe. Think about going into combat and then making it home alive where you are supposed to be safe. Then having this happen.
I was at Fort Hood in March. I had an auto rental and even though I had a military issued ID, that was not good enough at the guard house. I had to show my rental agreement every time I drove onto the base. Even if you have a Department of Defense sticker on your car, you still have to show your military ID. That makes them feel they are safe. Then away from harm, away from combat, they end up having to face something like this from not only one of their own, but a Major and a Doctor who is supposed to be there for them, trying to kill them.
read more here
Aftermath of fort Hood Shootings may be worse
But they must not agree or they wouldn't take the view they did.
Fort Hood assessing soldiers after suicides
By Angela K. Brown - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Sep 29, 2010 20:52:09 EDT
FORT HOOD, Texas — Thousands of soldiers stationed at Fort Hood are receiving extra visits from their superiors this week following a recent spate of suspected suicides, the Texas Army post's senior commander said Wednesday.
Fourteen suicides among soldiers stationed at Fort Hood have been confirmed so far this year. Six more are suspected, including four in the past week, according to figures released by the Army Suicide Prevention Task Force. The Army reported 11 suicides of Fort Hood soldiers in 2009, down from the previous record high of 14 in 2008.
The task force did not return calls from The Associated Press seeking the number of suicides reported at other Army bases so far this year.
Maj. Gen. William Grimsley said Wednesday that Fort Hood soldiers from the rank of sergeant and below — more than 32,000 soldiers — would be visited in their barracks or off-post homes this week to get "a better sense" of how they are doing. Their superiors also will make sure weapons privately owned by soldiers are properly registered, Grimsley said.
He said he does not know what may have caused the rash of apparent suicides, but that soldiers who take their own lives often are struggling with financial or relationship problems and multiple deployments. Grimsley said Fort Hood leaders also plan to offer more training on how to recognize and help at-risk troops.
The commander sees no correlation between the suicides and the shooting rampage last year that killed 13 and injured dozens more on the sprawling Army post, where 46,500 troops are now stationed. Maj. Nidal Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, has been charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder in the Nov. 5 attack.
"People on the afternoon of the 5th felt their sanctuary was violated ... but the immediate aftermath of that ... is that Fort Hood is incredibly resilient and bounced back immediately," Grimsley said.
read more here
Fort Hood assessing soldiers after suicides
Few soldiers assigned to domestic violence care finish programs at Fort Bragg
Few soldiers assigned to domestic violence care finish programs
By Greg Barnes
Staff writer
Fort Bragg sometimes orders soldiers who commit domestic violence to deploy before they have finished court-mandated programs designed to correct their abusive behavior, court and military officials said.
There are two primary programs for abusive soldiers: The county operates the RESOLVE program, and Fort Bragg oversees the Marching to Change program. Judges refer soldiers to both, and a review committee at Fort Bragg sends soldiers to the on-post program, as well.
Numbers provided by Fort Bragg and the county show that less than half of the soldiers enrolled have completed either program. A variety of reasons are listed for the failure to finish, including deployments.
In Cumberland County, District Court judges often defer prosecution for soldiers who commit domestic violence, allowing the soldiers to clear their records if they abide by the terms of their probation. Many times, those terms include the completion of the RESOLVE or Marching to Change programs.
Debby Tucker, executive director of the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence, calls the numbers "very discouraging."
read more here
Few soldiers assigned to domestic violence care finish programs
By Greg Barnes
Staff writer
Fort Bragg sometimes orders soldiers who commit domestic violence to deploy before they have finished court-mandated programs designed to correct their abusive behavior, court and military officials said.
There are two primary programs for abusive soldiers: The county operates the RESOLVE program, and Fort Bragg oversees the Marching to Change program. Judges refer soldiers to both, and a review committee at Fort Bragg sends soldiers to the on-post program, as well.
Numbers provided by Fort Bragg and the county show that less than half of the soldiers enrolled have completed either program. A variety of reasons are listed for the failure to finish, including deployments.
In Cumberland County, District Court judges often defer prosecution for soldiers who commit domestic violence, allowing the soldiers to clear their records if they abide by the terms of their probation. Many times, those terms include the completion of the RESOLVE or Marching to Change programs.
Debby Tucker, executive director of the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence, calls the numbers "very discouraging."
read more here
Few soldiers assigned to domestic violence care finish programs
3rd ID soldier accused of shooting, killing 2 others
3rd ID soldier accused of shooting, killing 2 others
By Denise Etheridge
Special to the News
Updated: Sept. 29, 2010 10:06 a.m.
Two Fort Stewart soldiers died from gunshot wounds Friday in a non-combat incident while deployed in support of Operation New Dawn. A fellow soldier is being held in connection to the fatal shootings, and in the wounding of another soldier.
Spc. John Carrillo Jr., 20, of Stockton, Calif., and Pfc. Gebrah P. Noonan, 26, of Watertown, Conn., were fatally shot following a “verbal altercation” on Sept. 23 in Fallujah, Iraq, said U.S. military spokesman Col. Barry Johnson in an Associated Press story. The military has not released the name of a third solider who was injured in the incident.
Spc. Neftaly Platero of Houston, Texas, is suspected of shooting his fellow soldiers, Johnson said.
Carrillo and Noonan were assigned to 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. The 4th brigade deployed to Iraq in July.
“Both came to Fort Stewart in May 2010, and it was their first deployment,” said Fort Stewart spokesperson Kevin Larson.
The installation’s public affairs office referred all inquiries about Noonan and Carrillo’s deaths to U.S. Forces-Iraq, based in Baghdad.
read more here
3rd ID soldier accused of shooting, killing 2 others
By Denise Etheridge
Special to the News
Updated: Sept. 29, 2010 10:06 a.m.
Two Fort Stewart soldiers died from gunshot wounds Friday in a non-combat incident while deployed in support of Operation New Dawn. A fellow soldier is being held in connection to the fatal shootings, and in the wounding of another soldier.
Spc. John Carrillo Jr., 20, of Stockton, Calif., and Pfc. Gebrah P. Noonan, 26, of Watertown, Conn., were fatally shot following a “verbal altercation” on Sept. 23 in Fallujah, Iraq, said U.S. military spokesman Col. Barry Johnson in an Associated Press story. The military has not released the name of a third solider who was injured in the incident.
Spc. Neftaly Platero of Houston, Texas, is suspected of shooting his fellow soldiers, Johnson said.
Carrillo and Noonan were assigned to 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. The 4th brigade deployed to Iraq in July.
“Both came to Fort Stewart in May 2010, and it was their first deployment,” said Fort Stewart spokesperson Kevin Larson.
The installation’s public affairs office referred all inquiries about Noonan and Carrillo’s deaths to U.S. Forces-Iraq, based in Baghdad.
read more here
3rd ID soldier accused of shooting, killing 2 others
Middletown soldier, wife found slain at Fort Hood
Middletown soldier, wife found slain at Fort Hood
01:00 AM EDT on Thursday, September 30, 2010
By By Richard salit and amanda milkovits
Journal staff writers
A soldier from Middletown and his wife were found shot to death in their home at Fort Hood, Texas, in an apparent murder-suicide.
Sgt. Michael Timothy Franklin, 31, and his wife, Jessie Anne Yeager-Franklin, 29, were found dead on Sunday at the massive Army post. Franklin, a decorated soldier who served two tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom, was the latest in a series of confirmed and suspected suicides at the base.
The couple leave behind a 6-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son, and their grieving families. Franklin’s mother, Beverly, awoke neighbors in her apartment complex in Middletown with her screams of grief when she was notified of the deaths of her son and daughter-in-law. “It was really sad,” said neighbor Yamaris Espinet. “It hit everybody hard to find out about that.”
Officials from the Rhode Island National Guard met with the family Wednesday and later issued a statement on their behalf, saying the couple’s families remained “inconsolable.”
“Though the family may not know the final circumstances which led to this tragedy, we are mindful and proud of Michael’s devotion to his country while volunteering for two tours in Iraq, for which he received numerous awards and decorations,” the statement read, on behalf of Beverly Franklin. “We ask for our privacy and for the public to keep both our families in their prayers at this time.”
Middletown soldier, wife found slain at Fort Hood
01:00 AM EDT on Thursday, September 30, 2010
By By Richard salit and amanda milkovits
Journal staff writers
A soldier from Middletown and his wife were found shot to death in their home at Fort Hood, Texas, in an apparent murder-suicide.
Sgt. Michael Timothy Franklin, 31, and his wife, Jessie Anne Yeager-Franklin, 29, were found dead on Sunday at the massive Army post. Franklin, a decorated soldier who served two tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom, was the latest in a series of confirmed and suspected suicides at the base.
The couple leave behind a 6-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son, and their grieving families. Franklin’s mother, Beverly, awoke neighbors in her apartment complex in Middletown with her screams of grief when she was notified of the deaths of her son and daughter-in-law. “It was really sad,” said neighbor Yamaris Espinet. “It hit everybody hard to find out about that.”
Officials from the Rhode Island National Guard met with the family Wednesday and later issued a statement on their behalf, saying the couple’s families remained “inconsolable.”
“Though the family may not know the final circumstances which led to this tragedy, we are mindful and proud of Michael’s devotion to his country while volunteering for two tours in Iraq, for which he received numerous awards and decorations,” the statement read, on behalf of Beverly Franklin. “We ask for our privacy and for the public to keep both our families in their prayers at this time.”
Middletown soldier, wife found slain at Fort Hood
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Soldier dies trying to stop fight between two other soldiers
Soldier killed trying to stop fight
Stockton Army
By Joe Goldeen
Record Staff Writer
September 29, 2010 12:00 AM
STOCKTON - Army Spc. John Carrillo Jr. of Stockton was killed last week while trying to break up a fight between two soldiers inside his barracks in Fallujah, Iraq, a family member said Tuesday.
Carrillo, 20, leaves behind his wife, Reylene, the couple's 3-year-old and 3-month-old children, his parents, John Sr. and Desiree Carrillo, three siblings ages 9, 7 and 5, and numerous other relatives in the Stockton area.
He died Friday, a day after the fight and shooting incident. Authorities with United States Forces-Iraq, based in Baghdad, said Spc. Neftaly Platero, 32, of Houston has been placed in pretrial confinement in connection with the deaths of Carrillo and Pfc. Gebrah Noonan, 26, of Watertown, Conn., and the shooting of a third unnamed military member at the base 40 miles west of Baghdad. The third victim's injuries are not life threatening.
read more here
Soldier killed trying to stop fight
Stockton Army
By Joe Goldeen
Record Staff Writer
September 29, 2010 12:00 AM
STOCKTON - Army Spc. John Carrillo Jr. of Stockton was killed last week while trying to break up a fight between two soldiers inside his barracks in Fallujah, Iraq, a family member said Tuesday.
Carrillo, 20, leaves behind his wife, Reylene, the couple's 3-year-old and 3-month-old children, his parents, John Sr. and Desiree Carrillo, three siblings ages 9, 7 and 5, and numerous other relatives in the Stockton area.
He died Friday, a day after the fight and shooting incident. Authorities with United States Forces-Iraq, based in Baghdad, said Spc. Neftaly Platero, 32, of Houston has been placed in pretrial confinement in connection with the deaths of Carrillo and Pfc. Gebrah Noonan, 26, of Watertown, Conn., and the shooting of a third unnamed military member at the base 40 miles west of Baghdad. The third victim's injuries are not life threatening.
read more here
Soldier killed trying to stop fight
VA's Disclosure Policy Lauded in New England Journal of Medicine
VA's Disclosure Policy Lauded in New England Journal of Medicine
WASHINGTON (September 29, 2010)- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
policy on disclosure of adverse medical events was praised as a
"valuable resource for all health care institutions" in an article in a
recent issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
"At VA we strive every day to deliver superior health care," said Dr.
Robert Petzel, VA's Under Secretary for Health. "When mistakes occur, we
immediately acknowledge them and learn how we can do better in the
future."
Adverse events, such as incomplete cleaning of medical instruments, may
affect significant numbers of patients over time. However, prompt
disclosure also presents an opportunity to quickly assess risk to
patients and to learn how to improve health care delivery and processes.
The article, entitled The Disclosure Dilemma, states that although many
health care organizations have adopted policies encouraging disclosure
of adverse events to individual patients, these policies seldom address
large scale adverse events. It adds, however, that VA's own disclosure
policy is "a notable exception."
The authors, including Denise Dudzinski, Ph.D., an associate professor
and Director of Graduate Studies at the Department of Bioethics &
Humanities at the University of Washington School of Medicine in
Seattle, go on to say that VA's policy outlines "a clear and systematic
process" for disclosure decisions regarding large scale adverse events
-a process that can include convening a multidisciplinary advisory board
with representation from diverse stakeholder groups and experts,
including ethicists. A co-author of the article is VA employee Mary
Beth Foglia, RN, Ph.D., of the National Center for Ethics in Health Care
and affiliate faculty at the Department of Bioethics and Humanities the
University of Washington.
The VA policy endorses transparency and expresses an obligation to
disclose adverse events that cause harm to patients. Its provisions can
include the convening of a multidisciplinary advisory board to review
large-scale adverse events, recommend whether to disclose and provide
guidance on the manner of disclosure.
The authors of the article conclude with the following observation,
which summarizes VA's philosophy on the matter: "Disclosure should be
the norm, even when the probability of harm is extremely low. Although
risks to the institution are associated with disclosure, they are
outweighed by the institution's obligation to be transparent and to
rectify unanticipated patient harm."
For additional information, contact the VA Office of Public Affairs
at 202-461-7600.
WASHINGTON (September 29, 2010)- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
policy on disclosure of adverse medical events was praised as a
"valuable resource for all health care institutions" in an article in a
recent issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
"At VA we strive every day to deliver superior health care," said Dr.
Robert Petzel, VA's Under Secretary for Health. "When mistakes occur, we
immediately acknowledge them and learn how we can do better in the
future."
Adverse events, such as incomplete cleaning of medical instruments, may
affect significant numbers of patients over time. However, prompt
disclosure also presents an opportunity to quickly assess risk to
patients and to learn how to improve health care delivery and processes.
The article, entitled The Disclosure Dilemma, states that although many
health care organizations have adopted policies encouraging disclosure
of adverse events to individual patients, these policies seldom address
large scale adverse events. It adds, however, that VA's own disclosure
policy is "a notable exception."
The authors, including Denise Dudzinski, Ph.D., an associate professor
and Director of Graduate Studies at the Department of Bioethics &
Humanities at the University of Washington School of Medicine in
Seattle, go on to say that VA's policy outlines "a clear and systematic
process" for disclosure decisions regarding large scale adverse events
-a process that can include convening a multidisciplinary advisory board
with representation from diverse stakeholder groups and experts,
including ethicists. A co-author of the article is VA employee Mary
Beth Foglia, RN, Ph.D., of the National Center for Ethics in Health Care
and affiliate faculty at the Department of Bioethics and Humanities the
University of Washington.
The VA policy endorses transparency and expresses an obligation to
disclose adverse events that cause harm to patients. Its provisions can
include the convening of a multidisciplinary advisory board to review
large-scale adverse events, recommend whether to disclose and provide
guidance on the manner of disclosure.
The authors of the article conclude with the following observation,
which summarizes VA's philosophy on the matter: "Disclosure should be
the norm, even when the probability of harm is extremely low. Although
risks to the institution are associated with disclosure, they are
outweighed by the institution's obligation to be transparent and to
rectify unanticipated patient harm."
For additional information, contact the VA Office of Public Affairs
at 202-461-7600.
Fort Hood had four suicides in one weekend
Army's largest base reeling from four apparent suicides in one weekend
By Larry Shaughnessy, CNN
September 29, 2010 6:41 p.m. EDT
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: "Every one of these is tragic," post commander says
Four soldiers from the Fort Hood base apparently killed themselves
There have been 14 other suicides at Fort Hood this year
The base is also the site of the worst shooting on a military base in decades
(CNN) -- Four soldiers from Fort Hood, Texas died over the week. In all four cases, it appears the soldiers, all decorated veterans from the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan, took their own lives, according to Christopher Haug, a Fort Hood spokesman.
If confirmed as suicides, it would be on top of 14 other suicides on the base this year. Base officials called a news conference for Wednesday afternoon to discuss the problem of suicides at the huge base in central Texas.
"Every one of these is tragic," said Maj. Gen. William Grimsley, the post commander. "It's personally and professionally frustrating as a leader."
Grimsley did not announce any major action or response during the news conference. "I don't think there is a simple answer," he said.
The recent spate of incidents, began Friday Sept. 24 when the body of Pvt. Antonio E. Heath, 24, of Warren, New York, was found in Temple, Texas, the victim of a gunshot wound. Heath was deployed to Iraq for most of 2009 and earned a number of medals including the Army Commendation Medal.
The next day, Master Sgt. Baldemar Gonzales, 39, of Victoria, Texas was found dead in his residence on Fort Hood. During his service he had fought in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. During that time he earned a Bronze Star, a Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, an Army Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters as well as numerous other decorations.
That same day the body of Sgt. Timothy Ryan Rinella, 29, of Chester, Virginia, was found in his home in Copperas Cove, just outside of Fort Hood. He had an "apparent gunshot wound," according to information released by Fort Hood.
Rinella served three tours of duty in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan.
And then on Sunday, Sgt. Michael F. Franklin and his wife, Jessie, were found dead of apparent gunshot wounds in their home on the post. The case is being investigated as a murder-suicide. They were the parents of a 6-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son. Franklin served two tours of duty in Iraq in just the past four years, earning an Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters and several other decorations.
read more here
Four apparent suicides in one weekend
By Larry Shaughnessy, CNN
September 29, 2010 6:41 p.m. EDT
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: "Every one of these is tragic," post commander says
Four soldiers from the Fort Hood base apparently killed themselves
There have been 14 other suicides at Fort Hood this year
The base is also the site of the worst shooting on a military base in decades
(CNN) -- Four soldiers from Fort Hood, Texas died over the week. In all four cases, it appears the soldiers, all decorated veterans from the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan, took their own lives, according to Christopher Haug, a Fort Hood spokesman.
If confirmed as suicides, it would be on top of 14 other suicides on the base this year. Base officials called a news conference for Wednesday afternoon to discuss the problem of suicides at the huge base in central Texas.
"Every one of these is tragic," said Maj. Gen. William Grimsley, the post commander. "It's personally and professionally frustrating as a leader."
Grimsley did not announce any major action or response during the news conference. "I don't think there is a simple answer," he said.
The recent spate of incidents, began Friday Sept. 24 when the body of Pvt. Antonio E. Heath, 24, of Warren, New York, was found in Temple, Texas, the victim of a gunshot wound. Heath was deployed to Iraq for most of 2009 and earned a number of medals including the Army Commendation Medal.
The next day, Master Sgt. Baldemar Gonzales, 39, of Victoria, Texas was found dead in his residence on Fort Hood. During his service he had fought in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. During that time he earned a Bronze Star, a Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, an Army Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters as well as numerous other decorations.
That same day the body of Sgt. Timothy Ryan Rinella, 29, of Chester, Virginia, was found in his home in Copperas Cove, just outside of Fort Hood. He had an "apparent gunshot wound," according to information released by Fort Hood.
Rinella served three tours of duty in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan.
And then on Sunday, Sgt. Michael F. Franklin and his wife, Jessie, were found dead of apparent gunshot wounds in their home on the post. The case is being investigated as a murder-suicide. They were the parents of a 6-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son. Franklin served two tours of duty in Iraq in just the past four years, earning an Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters and several other decorations.
read more here
Four apparent suicides in one weekend
Why refuse help to heal?
It does not seem possible that there are still some soldiers thinking it is better to appear to be a drunk or drugged up than to be thought of as being wounded but somehow that is the message they end up getting. Why? Why is it better to appear to be selfish, mean, nasty, uncaring and even thought of as a "low life" than it is to let someone know they are hurting?
If they admit what's going on inside of them it can help save their lives as well as help their families. The stigma is still alive and well so there is much more work to do before all of them know what PTSD and there is no shame in it. It does not make them weak. It does not make them less than the man or woman they were before. It does not make them tough to fall apart instead of getting help to heal.
read more here
Many troops turning to drugs crime
If they admit what's going on inside of them it can help save their lives as well as help their families. The stigma is still alive and well so there is much more work to do before all of them know what PTSD and there is no shame in it. It does not make them weak. It does not make them less than the man or woman they were before. It does not make them tough to fall apart instead of getting help to heal.
Many troops turning to drugs, crime
A task force investigating the high rate of Army suicides released a report in July concluding that more soldiers died as a result of high-risk behavior last year than they did in combat.
The report said that although soldiers are seeking behavioral health treatment in record numbers, a troubling subset refuse to get help, use illegal drugs and commit crimes.
In the month before the 350-page report became public, 32 soldiers killed themselves, the highest number in a single month since the Vietnam era. Armywide, 239 soldiers, including National Guard and Reserve troops, committed suicide in fiscal 2009. Of those, 162 were active-duty soldiers. The number of active-duty suicides was 52 in 2001, the last year before the wars began.
The study - titled Army Health Promotion, Risk Reduction and Suicide Prevention Report 2010 - found that soldiers and their units have become "transient tenants of garrisons," largely because of multiple deployments and troops moving from base to base.
The result, the report said, is that young and midlevel commanders are unaccustomed to taking care of soldiers' needs and problems at home. As a consequence, the report says, some discipline has been lost.
"There are instances where a leader's lack of soldier accountability resulted in suicide victims not being found until they had been dead for three or four weeks," the report says. "In an organization that prides itself on never leaving a soldier behind, this sobering example speaks to the breakdown of leadership in garrison, which appears to be worsening as the requirements of prolonged conflict slowly erode the essential attributes that have defined the Army for generations."
The report concludes that the lack of leadership and the stress of war are leading some soldiers to engage in high-risk behaviors, including crime and drug and alcohol abuse.
read more here
Many troops turning to drugs crime
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Fort Hood reports record number of suicides
Fort Hood reports record number of suicides
Rash of deaths comes as the military grapples with how to recognize mental health problems
updated 9/28/2010 6:28:34 PM ET
FORT HOOD, Texas — Fort Hood officials are investigating a rash of suicides in recent days, including the apparent murder-suicide of a soldier and his wife, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday.
The incidents come as the central Texas Army post reports a record number of soldiers taking their own lives. According to figures released Tuesday, 14 suicides and six more suspected suicides have been reported so far this year among soldiers stationed at Fort Hood. Fort Hood reported 11 suicides in all of 2009.
On Sunday, 31-year-old Sgt. Michael Timothy Franklin and his wife, Jessie Ann Franklin, were found shot dead in their Fort Hood home. Army officials are investigating the deaths as a murder-suicide.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39408050/ns/us_news-life
Rash of deaths comes as the military grapples with how to recognize mental health problems
updated 9/28/2010 6:28:34 PM ET
FORT HOOD, Texas — Fort Hood officials are investigating a rash of suicides in recent days, including the apparent murder-suicide of a soldier and his wife, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday.
The incidents come as the central Texas Army post reports a record number of soldiers taking their own lives. According to figures released Tuesday, 14 suicides and six more suspected suicides have been reported so far this year among soldiers stationed at Fort Hood. Fort Hood reported 11 suicides in all of 2009.
On Sunday, 31-year-old Sgt. Michael Timothy Franklin and his wife, Jessie Ann Franklin, were found shot dead in their Fort Hood home. Army officials are investigating the deaths as a murder-suicide.
Two soldiers died Saturday in unrelated apparent suicides, including a veteran of four tours in Iraq. A fourth soldier was found dead Friday. In November 2009, an Army psychiatrist at the base was accused of going on a shooting rampage that left 13 people dead and dozens injured.
The deaths come as the military grapples with how to prevent suicides among the troops.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39408050/ns/us_news-life
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