USMC braces for post-combat child abuse spike
By Gina Harkins
Staff writer
Marine Corps Times
Posted : Wednesday May 23, 2012
With the end of full-scale combat in Afghanistan in sight, the Marine Corps wants to head off an anticipated spike in the number of child-abuse and child-neglect incidents associated with post-deployment stress and family reunification.
Family advocacy personnel throughout the service are being trained to better help Marines — along with their spouses and children — improve communication and cope with traumatic events. The effort focuses on therapy techniques that emphasize participation from parents and children.
This program, called trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy, was developed in the 1960s and has proven effective in civilian circles. But stressors that are found in military and civilian communities — such as divorce, bullying and substance abuse — can be compounded in the former by challenges brought on by frequent moves, long parental absences and deployments, said Maj. Shawn Haney, a spokeswoman for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, home to the Corps’ Family Advocacy Program.
From 2007 to 2010, as the Corps grew by thousands of Marines to meet demands in Iraq and then Afghanistan, the number of reported child-maltreatment cases — including physical and sexual abuse, and neglect — nearly doubled, according to an information paper provided to Marine Corps Times in April by the Family Advocacy Program. In 2007, there were 397 reported cases. In 2010, there were 767.
read more here
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Deployed Marines face electrocution threat
Deployed Marines face electrocution threat
By Dan Lamothe
Staff writer
Marine Corps Times Posted : Wednesday May 23, 2012
At least four Marines have been electrocuted in Afghanistan since November, highlighting another hazard for ground forces fighting in Helmand province.
Cpls. Adam Buyes, Connor Lowry and Jon-Luke Bateman and Lance Cpl. Kenneth Cochran were killed in three separate incidents. Buyes died Nov. 26, Bateman and Cochran on Jan. 15, and Lowry on March 1.
Buyes was a radio operator with 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, out of Okinawa, Japan. He died in Sangin district after leaving a patrol base on foot with his unit, according to documents outlining a command investigation into his death. His three-foot radio antenna hit a power line hanging about eight feet high, causing “sparks/fire” beneath his feet.
The documents were released to Marine Corps Times through a Freedom of Information Act request.
read more here
By Dan Lamothe
Staff writer
Marine Corps Times Posted : Wednesday May 23, 2012
Clockwise from upper left are: Cpl. Jon-LukeBateman, Cpl. Adam Buyes, Cpl. Connor Lowry and Lance Cpl. Kenneth Cochran.
At least four Marines have been electrocuted in Afghanistan since November, highlighting another hazard for ground forces fighting in Helmand province.
Cpls. Adam Buyes, Connor Lowry and Jon-Luke Bateman and Lance Cpl. Kenneth Cochran were killed in three separate incidents. Buyes died Nov. 26, Bateman and Cochran on Jan. 15, and Lowry on March 1.
Buyes was a radio operator with 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, out of Okinawa, Japan. He died in Sangin district after leaving a patrol base on foot with his unit, according to documents outlining a command investigation into his death. His three-foot radio antenna hit a power line hanging about eight feet high, causing “sparks/fire” beneath his feet.
The documents were released to Marine Corps Times through a Freedom of Information Act request.
read more here
General Pittard retracts "selfish suicide" statement
UPDATE
Would be nice if "reporters" would either stay on a story or give credit where credit is due. Happens all the time and they get paid for what they do.
by Chaplain Kathie
When Major General Dana Pittard blames soldiers for committing suicide and says they are "selfish" for doing it we should all be wondering how much more he isn't saying. How many others in his position feel the same way? Is this type of thinking holding up recovery after combat? Is it what is behind a failure like Resiliency Training? After all, considering the theory behind what was called "Battlemind" claims soldiers can "train their brains to be mentally tough" ended up telling them if they do become a combat survivor with PTSD, it is their fault.
We have rejoiced when general have come out publicly talking about their own battles with PTSD and how they got help to heal. The assumption the military finally got it turned out to be wishful thinking when the servicemen and women were still being betrayed by the military. The number of military suicides went up along with attempted suicides no matter how much was "done" to address it.
I started to slam Battlemind back in 2008 when reports started to come about what the programming was actually producing. A generation of troops with limited knowledge on PTSD corrupted by thinking PTSD was their fault for being weak minded and not training right.
It seems General Pittard just let the cat out of the bag when he said soldier suicides were selfish acts.
Then while "working out in the gym" he thought better about it and retracted his statement. So why did it take this long to change his mind? He wrote his commentary in January? It took Yochi J. Dreazen National Journal publishing this May 22, 2012 before the general public was made aware of it.
Would you want to listen to this guy on what to do about PTSD after he said what he said? Why is he still pushing "Resiliency Training" when it has been proven to be a deadly failure? Stop and think about the other steps taken to save their lives and get them help. All of these programs along with groups around the country have not been enough to bring the suicides and attempted suicides down for a reason. Battlemind already told them to blame themselves just like Pittard's comment calling them selfish!
General Pittard, was Marine Clay Hunt selfish too?
Army general retracts statement about suicide By Patricia Kime - Staff writer Posted : Friday May 25, 2012 13:29:21 EDTGeneral Pittard retracts "selfish suicide" statement too late!
by Chaplain Kathie
When Major General Dana Pittard blames soldiers for committing suicide and says they are "selfish" for doing it we should all be wondering how much more he isn't saying. How many others in his position feel the same way? Is this type of thinking holding up recovery after combat? Is it what is behind a failure like Resiliency Training? After all, considering the theory behind what was called "Battlemind" claims soldiers can "train their brains to be mentally tough" ended up telling them if they do become a combat survivor with PTSD, it is their fault.
We have rejoiced when general have come out publicly talking about their own battles with PTSD and how they got help to heal. The assumption the military finally got it turned out to be wishful thinking when the servicemen and women were still being betrayed by the military. The number of military suicides went up along with attempted suicides no matter how much was "done" to address it.
I started to slam Battlemind back in 2008 when reports started to come about what the programming was actually producing. A generation of troops with limited knowledge on PTSD corrupted by thinking PTSD was their fault for being weak minded and not training right.
It seems General Pittard just let the cat out of the bag when he said soldier suicides were selfish acts.
Then while "working out in the gym" he thought better about it and retracted his statement. So why did it take this long to change his mind? He wrote his commentary in January? It took Yochi J. Dreazen National Journal publishing this May 22, 2012 before the general public was made aware of it.
Thoughts while working out in the gym
Maj. Gen. Dana J. H. Pittard 1st AD and Fort Bliss Commanding General
Maj. Gen. Dana J. H. Pittard
1st AD and Fort Bliss Commanding General
On Suicide – A Retraction
In my commentary published January 19, 2012, I stated suicide was a selfish act. Thanks to many of you and your feedback, I have learned that this was a hurtful statement. I also realize that my statement was not in line with the Army’s guidance regarding sensitivity to suicide. With my deepest sincerity and respect towards those whom I have offended, I retract that statement.
There are many reasons why a person may take his or her own life; it is very complex. Suicide is a serious problem, not only in our Army, but throughout our entire nation. Our efforts to prevent suicide at Fort Bliss are having a beneficial effect. We have lower than average suicide rates within FORSCOM. We have more than four times the number of Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) personnel than other Army installation, the most Master Resilience Trainers, 160 behavioral health providers, and inspiring stories every month of Soldiers who intervened when one of their battle buddies had suicidal ideations or attempts. Our Wellness Fusion Campus is unique within the Army and is the cornerstone of a deliberate, programmed and accountable installation-wide resilience campaign. Our goal is to create the most fit, healthy, and resilient community in America.
We must continue to do better each and every day, reaching out, encouraging and helping those in need.
A person sometimes considers suicide when they lose hope about the future and they do not feel connected with others around them – a profound sense of hopelessness. We can all help by wrapping our arms around our fellow Soldiers and showing them a future that is positive and supportive. This takes both leadership and compassion. Leaders at all levels must continue with the intrusive, yet caring and compassionate, leadership that has become a part of our culture at Team Bliss. Battle buddies and leaders must stay vigilant and act when someone is in need. None of us are immune from needing help. All of us, at some point, need help for mental, emotional, or relationship stress.
Please seek help – it is the right thing to do!
• 24-hour Chaplain: 915-637-4265
•Team Bliss Operations Center: 915-744-1255
• Emergence Crisis Hotline: 915-779-1800
• National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Would you want to listen to this guy on what to do about PTSD after he said what he said? Why is he still pushing "Resiliency Training" when it has been proven to be a deadly failure? Stop and think about the other steps taken to save their lives and get them help. All of these programs along with groups around the country have not been enough to bring the suicides and attempted suicides down for a reason. Battlemind already told them to blame themselves just like Pittard's comment calling them selfish!
General Pittard, was Marine Clay Hunt selfish too?
Walter Reed Hospital welcomes combat veteran visitors
Welcome, Military Visitors
Combat veterans from capital in town
Wednesday, May. 23, 2012
Recovering injured combat veterans from Washington area military medical centers arrive today for a six-night visit including participation in several events wrapping up Military Appreciation Days and the Memorial Day weekend.
An estimated 57 visitors will be the largest number thus far on the visits arranged by Scents for Soldiers. “I’m pretty confident we’ll have a bus full – 57 [service veterans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan] – this time,” says Christina Shealy, founder of Scents for Soldiers. “The most we’ve done on the bus trips is 37.” This is the sixth bus trip, and Scents also has brought injured service people here in small groups.
The visitors this weekend include Marines for the first time, a dozen from the former National Naval Medical Center at Bethesda, Md., combined in 2011 with the Walter Reed Army Medical Center to form the new tri-service Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Other Scents patients are from Fort Belvoir Community Hospital in Virginia. The latter includes Army, Navy and Air Force medical personnel.
read more here
Marine's Mom says to not pity her son
Video: Marine’s mom tells Morristown crowd: Don’t pity my Double Amp
Posted by Kevin Coughlin
May 24, 2012
We all gripe about our aches and pains. After hearing a story like Landi Simone’s, they quickly melt away.
Landi is the mother of Adrian Simone, who joined the Marines after graduating from Montville High School in 2010. He went to Afghanistan young and strong…and came back a “double amp.” That’s double amputee, in military hospital slang.
At a Memorial Day ceremony in Morristown on Wednesday, Adrian’s mom told a powerful story of sacrifice, devotion and love.
Patriotism, ultimately, is not about brass bands and flag-waving. It’s about 19-year-old boys who bravely carry on, after feces-covered roadside bombs blow their legs off. And it’s about the families who help make them whole again, savoring every extra minute that medicine and luck have granted them. If you want to thank Lance Corporal Simone for his service, take 17 minutes from your holiday weekend and watch this video of a grateful mother doing him proud.
read more here
Posted by Kevin Coughlin
May 24, 2012
We all gripe about our aches and pains. After hearing a story like Landi Simone’s, they quickly melt away.
Landi is the mother of Adrian Simone, who joined the Marines after graduating from Montville High School in 2010. He went to Afghanistan young and strong…and came back a “double amp.” That’s double amputee, in military hospital slang.
At a Memorial Day ceremony in Morristown on Wednesday, Adrian’s mom told a powerful story of sacrifice, devotion and love.
Patriotism, ultimately, is not about brass bands and flag-waving. It’s about 19-year-old boys who bravely carry on, after feces-covered roadside bombs blow their legs off. And it’s about the families who help make them whole again, savoring every extra minute that medicine and luck have granted them. If you want to thank Lance Corporal Simone for his service, take 17 minutes from your holiday weekend and watch this video of a grateful mother doing him proud.
read more here
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Hero N.J. cop turned NBA ref helps vets with PTSD
Hero N.J. cop turned NBA ref helps vets with post-traumatic stress
WEDNESDAY MAY 23, 2012
BY JEFF ROBERTS
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
The shotgun never was out of reach, stashed near the bed on those anxious nights Bob Delaney actually dared to sleep.
A threat had been discovered on a wiretap recording, part of a conversation among mob figures. And the message was all too clear.
Delaney had to die.
“All I was thinking was, ‘They’re coming to get me,’ ” the former New Jersey State Trooper said.
The mob never caught up with the Paterson native, despite his work in the landmark undercover operation Project Alpha, in which he infiltrated the Genovese and Bruno crime families from 1975 to 1977.
But the stress of being so deeply immersed — often with a wire attached to his body — exacted a toll on Delaney.
However, the hero cop turned decorated NBA referee has harnessed that experience in his third career, helping the soldiers and veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars cope with the debilitating effects of post-traumatic stress disorder.
read more here
WEDNESDAY MAY 23, 2012
BY JEFF ROBERTS
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
The shotgun never was out of reach, stashed near the bed on those anxious nights Bob Delaney actually dared to sleep.
A threat had been discovered on a wiretap recording, part of a conversation among mob figures. And the message was all too clear.
Delaney had to die.
“All I was thinking was, ‘They’re coming to get me,’ ” the former New Jersey State Trooper said.
The mob never caught up with the Paterson native, despite his work in the landmark undercover operation Project Alpha, in which he infiltrated the Genovese and Bruno crime families from 1975 to 1977.
But the stress of being so deeply immersed — often with a wire attached to his body — exacted a toll on Delaney.
However, the hero cop turned decorated NBA referee has harnessed that experience in his third career, helping the soldiers and veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars cope with the debilitating effects of post-traumatic stress disorder.
read more here
WWII veteran graduates high school at 87!
World War II vet, 87, graduates high school
Posted:May 22, 2012
LANCASTER COUNTY, PA (WPMT/FOX) – An 87-year-old man who dropped out of high school to serve during World War II finally earned his diploma.
Carlos E. Gonzalez was awarded his high school diploma during a special ceremony Monday.
Gonzalez is now a graduate of the 2012 class of Conestoga Valley High School.
Gonzalez said it was something he wanted to accomplish ever since he left high school at 18 to serve in the army.
read more here
Posted:May 22, 2012
LANCASTER COUNTY, PA (WPMT/FOX) – An 87-year-old man who dropped out of high school to serve during World War II finally earned his diploma.
Carlos E. Gonzalez was awarded his high school diploma during a special ceremony Monday.
Gonzalez is now a graduate of the 2012 class of Conestoga Valley High School.
Gonzalez said it was something he wanted to accomplish ever since he left high school at 18 to serve in the army.
read more here
Police offer course on taking care of combat veterans
Police share info on vets in crisis
Article by: Mark Brunswick
Star Tribune
Updated: May 22, 2012
A one-day course is scheduled next month to teach law enforcement personnel de-escalation tactics for military veterans in crisis.
The course, hosted by the Lakeville Police Department and the Upper Midwest Community Policing Institute, recognizes the unique circumstances first responders often face when dealing with veterans.
The eight-hour class teaches cops, 911 dispatchers, emergency medical responders, jail personnel, chaplains and others who may encounter a veteran in crisis how to use verbal tactical skills to defuse potentially dangerous situations. It also will deal with the effects of multiple deployments, understanding the emotional impact of war-time stressors, challenges of veterans with reintegration and definitions and how to identify the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health disorders affecting veterans.
read more here
Article by: Mark Brunswick
Star Tribune
Updated: May 22, 2012
A one-day course is scheduled next month to teach law enforcement personnel de-escalation tactics for military veterans in crisis.
The course, hosted by the Lakeville Police Department and the Upper Midwest Community Policing Institute, recognizes the unique circumstances first responders often face when dealing with veterans.
The eight-hour class teaches cops, 911 dispatchers, emergency medical responders, jail personnel, chaplains and others who may encounter a veteran in crisis how to use verbal tactical skills to defuse potentially dangerous situations. It also will deal with the effects of multiple deployments, understanding the emotional impact of war-time stressors, challenges of veterans with reintegration and definitions and how to identify the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health disorders affecting veterans.
read more here
For this VA doctor, TBI and PTSD is personal
After all is said and done, the best "helpers" have a personal connection to PTSD. Here's one of them.
VA Hospital doctor is injured veteran himself
Posted on: May 22, 2012
by Ted Perry
MILWAUKEE — This Memorial Day weekend, we will rightly honor those who served our country and paid the ultimate price. One National Guard colonel who survived an attack is determined to help other veterans.
What he learned about himself makes him a hero in the hospital.
When he was in college, Kenneth Lee got a call from his father. The conversation was brief and direct. His father didn’t approve of his son taking grant money to pay for tuition. To his father’s pride and his mother’s horror, Lee joined the National Guard and stayed in to help pay for school at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Dr. Lee re-enlisted and became Colonel Lee – the top medical professional in the Wisconsin National Guard. In 2003, his unit was called to Iraq. There were some close calls, but none closer than the one on September 12th, 2004.
“Out of nowhere came a suicide car bomber, straight to us, right into our convoy. Next thing I know I wake up in the ER,” Lee said.
Dr. Lee cannot remember that day, and as he takes FOX6 News on a tour around the VA Hospital, he was almost nonchalant about a photograph of the event that almost took his life.
Dr. Lee looks perfectly fit and strong, but there is a lasting effect from that September day. Dr. Lee suffered a traumatic brain injury, and his short-term memory is still week.
“If I don’t have it down in my Blackberry, even though my wife told me four hours ago it’d be out the window. I’ve been going through a lot of notepads and my secretaries are constant reminders to me. They remind me of a lot of things,” Dr. Lee said.
read more here
Tug McGraw Celebrity Shootout for PTSD and TBI veterans
Tug McGraw Foundation Sets Lineup For 'Celebrity Shootout'
May 23, 2012
The TUG McGRAW FOUNDATION, has announced the lineup for its "CELEBRITY SPORTING CLAY SHOOTOUT," presented by DELTASPORTS TV, on TUESDAY, JUNE 5th at the NASHVILLE GUN CLUB.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the TUG McGRAW FOUNDATION and its efforts to improve the lives of military service members who have been affected by Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
read more here
May 23, 2012
The TUG McGRAW FOUNDATION, has announced the lineup for its "CELEBRITY SPORTING CLAY SHOOTOUT," presented by DELTASPORTS TV, on TUESDAY, JUNE 5th at the NASHVILLE GUN CLUB.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the TUG McGRAW FOUNDATION and its efforts to improve the lives of military service members who have been affected by Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
read more here
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