Manager at VA said "we don't want to know or we'll have to treat it"

Veterans Affairs' mental-health system denounced at hearing
Wednesday's hearing before the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs followed the release of an inspector general's report Monday that found the VA has greatly overstated how quickly it provides mental-health care for veterans.
By Steve Vogel
The Washington Post

One manager directed the staff to focus only on the immediate reason for an appointment and not to ask the veteran about any other problems because "we don't want to know or we'll have to treat it," according to Tolentino.

WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs' mental-health-care system suffers from a culture where managers give more importance to meeting meaningless performance goals than helping veterans, according to testimony before a Senate committee Wednesday.

The hearing before the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs followed the release of an inspector general's report Monday that found the VA has greatly overstated how quickly it provides mental-health care for veterans.

"They need a culture change," Linda Halliday, the VA's assistant inspector general for audits and evaluations, told the committee.

"They need to hold facility directors accountable for integrity of the data."

VA practices "greatly distorted" the waiting time for appointments, Halliday said, enabling the department to claim that 95 percent of first-time patients received an evaluation within 14 days when, in reality, fewer than half were seen in that time.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., chairman of the committee, said the findings show a "rampant gaming of the system."

Nicholas Tolentino, a former mental-health administrative officer at the VA Medical Center in Manchester, N.H., told the committee that managers pressed the staff to see as many veterans as possible while providing the most minimal services possible.
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'Take the warrior mask off...get help' for PTSD

Latino soldier to fellow troops:
'Take the warrior mask off...get help'
April 25th, 2012

Editor's note: Overseas, they fight for freedom. In America, they fight for jobs. “Voters In America: Vets Wanted?” is the first part of CNN In America's documentary series on American voters. J.R. Martinez narrates the documentary airing at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET May 13 on CNN.

By Sonya Hamasaki,
CNN Los Angeles

(CNN) - When Army Master Sergeant Mike Martinez arrived in Saudi Arabia for his first assignment 22 years ago, he knew his experience in the infantry would make him “real tough, tough like nails.” But little did he know back then just how much those words would resonate now, in his new role as a voice for the invisible wounds of war.

Martinez, 42, shared his story in the USO’s first Invisible Wounds public service announcement to address post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries - the masked wounds encountered by many of the 300,000 troops returning home. He’s on a mission to educate Latino troops, in particular, whom he says are likely to feel a cultural stigma surrounding mental health treatment.

“I tell my Hispanic brothers that are still serving, don’t let pride get in the way," Martinez said. "Pride’s going to kill you. Take that warrior mask off and if you need to, get help. Get it in the beginning stages, and not later.”

Even veterans seeking help might not be getting a quick response from those who would care for them, according to an report released by the U.S. Office of Veterans Affairs this week. While the number of former service members seeking mental health care increased by 39% from 2005 to 2010, according to the Veterans Health Administration, the agency hasn't been meetings its goals to evaluate them within 24 hours and begin treatment within two weeks.
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Soldier killed, five others injured in autobahn accident near Bamberg

Soldier killed, five others injured in autobahn accident near Bamberg
By MARCUS KLÖCKNER AND JENNIFER H. SVAN
Stars and Stripes
Published: April 25, 2012

A U.S. Army Humvee lies in shambles after it was struck by a civilian truck on the autobahn near Bamberg, Germany, on Tuesday. A U.S. soldier was killed and five others were injured. The truck driver, from Nuremberg, was slightly injured. Courtesy of Ronald Rinklef

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — One U.S. soldier was killed and five others were injured when a large truck slammed into the rear of their slow-moving military convoy Tuesday afternoon on the autobahn south of Bamberg, German police and U.S. Army officials said.

The soldiers were part of the same company within the 21st Theater Sustainment Command and are stationed in the Schweinfurt area, said Army Capt. Gregory Jones, a spokesman for the 21st TSC in Kaiserslautern.

Two of the soldiers received life-threatening injuries, one was seriously injured and two were slightly injured, according to German police. The truck driver had minor injuries, German police said.
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Grade-schoolers in trouble for wearing wounded warrior tees

This came from one of my friends on Facebook.


Grade-schoolers in trouble for wearing wounded warrior tees
by Mayra Moreno /
KENS 5
Posted on April 23, 2012 at 6:26 PM


CONVERSE, Texas - They thought it would be a harmless gesture to wear a t-shirt in support of their father who is a wounded warrior. But two elementary school girls got in trouble for it.

According to the Judson ISD spokesperson, the girls got in trouble for breaking the dress code before, but this time, their mom said, they were just supporting their father.

First grade student, Savannah and fourth grade student, Taylor, were raised in an Army family.

"I'm paralyzed. I have a TBI," said Army Spc. Justin Perez-Gorda.

The girls' father was injured by a road-side bomb in Afghanistan. The family moved to San Antonio not long after Perez-Gorda was injured in 2011.

"This organization may build us a home that is safe for my husband to be safe in," said Josie Perez-Gorda.

Last week, the family learned they could soon get help from a non-profit organization. They received t-shirts with their logo on Thursday, so on Friday the two girls wore the shirts to school in support of their father. They got in trouble with their principal at Masters Elementary.

"We do have a standardized dress code," said Judson ISD spokesperson, Aubrey Chancellor. "We certainly support the military, but we do have to be consistent across the board when it comes to following the dress code."

Mom and dad are upset and wondering why the school allows students to wear t-shirts with college logos but not one with an organization that supports wounded warriors like their father.

"These guys are fighting for our country and they should be able to wear something that honors their parents, especially if they are wounded," said the girls' mother.

The district spokesperson said if a parent feels the dress code needs to be changed they are always welcome to attend board meetings to address their concerns.

The Judson Independent School District dess code requiremenst for grades pre-k to 8th are as follows: Polo-style shirts (any color - solid or stripes), t-shirt with college or JISD campus spirit logo.

send letters to:
Judson ISD
8012 Shin Oak Drive
Live Oak TX 78233
210-945-5100 Receptionist

Criminal hazing: Raped by his fellow soldiers

Criminal hazing: Raped by his fellow soldiers
‘Crazy Troop’ NCOs court-martialed after initiation ritual in Iraq went too far, Army victims say

By Michelle Tan - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Apr 25, 2012
Warning: Some details of this story are graphic and may be disturbing.

FORT HOOD, Texas — Minutes after returning to his room after a long day of training Iraqi soldiers, Spc. Jarett Wright heard the door open.

Three of his fellow soldiers entered and pushed him down on the bed. Wright struggled, but the other soldiers were too strong.

Two of them — both sergeants — held him down by the shoulders. Another grabbed his legs.

The soldiers ripped off Wright’s belt and tore off his pants and underwear.

Taking turns, the sergeants grabbed Wright’s genitals while the third soldier repeatedly shoved a finger into his anus.

The attack lasted about a minute. But Wright was not the first, nor the last, soldier in C Troop, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, to endure this kind of assault. The unit calls itself “Crazy Troop.”

Wright, who spoke to Army Times about what happened to him, said all the new guys in the troop experienced some sort of initiation. However, the initiations escalated with attacks on him and two other specialists, he said. The two other victims also described identical attacks in interviews with Army Times.
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Marine Who Criticized Obama On Facebook, Other-Than-Honorable Discharge

Gary Stein, Marine Who Criticized Obama On Facebook, Will Receive Other-Than-Honorable Discharge
By ELLIOT SPAGAT
04/25/12

SAN DIEGO — A sergeant will be discharged for criticizing President Barack Obama on Facebook in a case that called into question the Pentagon's policies about social media and its limits on the speech of active duty military personnel, the Marine Corps said Wednesday.

Sgt. Gary Stein will get an other-than-honorable discharge and lose most of his benefits for violating the policies, the Corps said.

The San Diego-area Marine who has served nearly 10 years in the Corps said he was disappointed by the decision. He has argued that he was exercising his free-speech rights.
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Obama surges in campaign donations from military members

Report: Obama surges in campaign donations from military members
By DEREK TURNER
Published: April 25, 2012

The U.S. military has long been closely linked with the Republican party, particularly when it comes to presidential candidates, but that may be changing.

In March, President Barack Obama took in the most campaign contributions from those within the military and the Department of Defense, trumping the previous leader, conservative candidate Ron Paul, according to data collected by the Center for Responsive Politics. Despite essentially locking up the Republican nomination, Mitt Romney lags far behind.
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Army encourages new way of looking at combat and PTSD

I can't believe I am finally reading something like this after all these years of screaming about it!

Army encourages new way of looking at PTSD
Traditional definitions of post-traumatic stress disorder may not fit in the case of a trained warrior, a new policy document states.
By Kim Murphy,
Los Angeles Times
April 25, 2012
SEATTLE

In a move to improve treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder, the Army is discouraging the use of traditional definitions such as feelings of fear, helplessness and horror — symptoms that may not be in a trained warrior's vocabulary. It also is recommending against the use of anti-anxiety and antipsychotic medications for such combat stress in favor of more proven drugs.

The changes are reflected in a new policy document released this month, one that reflects a growing understanding of the "occupational" nature of the condition for many troops. For them, the symptoms often associated with combat stress — hyperarousal, anger, numbness and sleeplessness — may be signs of illness at home but also responses crucial to survival in a war zone.

Doctors who adhere strictly to traditional PTSD definitions could withhold lifesaving treatment for those who need it most, Army doctors now warn, passing over soldiers or accusing them of faking problems.

"There is considerable new evidence that certain aspects of the definition are not adequate for individuals working in the military and other first-responder occupations," such as firefighting and police work, according to the policy, developed by the U.S. Army Medical Command.

"They often do not endorse 'fear, helplessness or horror,' the typical response of civilian victims to traumatic events. Although they may experience fear internally, they are trained to fall back on their training skills [and] may have other responses such as anger."
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I don't think I'd call it "new evidence" since most studies on combat and PTSD go back 40 years!

FSU grad still recovering from 2009 Fort Hood shooting

FSU grad still recovering from 2009 Fort Hood shooting
Apr. 25, 2012
By Doug Blackburn
Democrat senior writer

FSU graduate Patrick Zeigler survived two tours in Iraq but was nearly killed during the Nov. 5, 2009 massacre at Fort Hood.

Zeigler, a Florida State graduate who was gravely wounded during the Nov. 5, 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, has relocated to a civilian hospital in California. His daily rehabilitation continues, 30 months out and counting.

He is hopeful he will be able to walk without a cane by August, when he is scheduled to testify in the murder trial of former Army psychiatrist Malik Hasan, charged with killing 13 men and women at Fort Hood. He also continues to work on his left arm, which remains mostly paralyzed after it suffered two bullet wounds.

Zeigler remains a positive, focused man. He and his wife, Jessica, who married at Fort Hood in December 2010, are expecting their first child in late October, within weeks of the third anniversary of the Fort Hood tragedy.
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Marines Brace for Cuts From Pentagon

Local Marines Brace for Cuts From Pentagon

More than 600 Marines filled Camp Pendleton’s base theater to learn how the Marine Corps will decide who will stay and who will go

By Lea Sutton
Tuesday, Apr 24, 2012
NBC San Diego

Major cuts in the defense budget are making their way to San Diego as the Marine Corps prepares to cut the size of its overall force by 20,000 Marines.

On Tuesday, officials from Headquarters Marine Corps were on Camp Pendleton to brief Marines on that drawdown plan.

Anxiety was in the air on base as many Marines braced themselves for how those personnel cuts will affect them.

"We know that the drawdowns are happening, so I think everybody's kind of anxious trying to figure out how that affects them. You know, for their personal life - not only for their own career, but for their families”, said Major Mark Paolicelli, who attended the brief.

More than 600 Marines filled Camp Pendleton’s base theater to learn how the Marine Corps will decide who will stay and who will go.
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