DOD participants included Steve Jones, principle deputy assistant secretary of defense for health affairs; Ellen Embrey, deputy assistant secretary of defense for force health protection and readiness; and Jack Smith, acting assistant secretary of defense and chief medical officer. They were joined by several subject matter experts from the MHS.
Before and during the live program, servicemembers and their families submitted questions and comments about DOD programs, priorities and efforts covering many broad issues with the main focus on wounded warriors. Participants could either write or text their questions.
Pain management programs, funding of new programs, standardized physical examination processes, care for service members with traumatic brain injury or post traumatic stress disorder, and concerns about the medical evaluation process were among many of the questions or concerns posted. Check out the MHS Wounded Warrior Webhall for official DOD responses.
"This was a great start for opening a dialogue with our MHS beneficiaries and I look forward to continuing this type of discussion in the future," said Doctor Casscells. "In addition to my regular blog which is available 24/7 for questions and concerns, I plan to host a regular Webhall with my senior staff."
Questions not answered during the hour-long live Webhall will be answered within 24 hours of the event at the Web site. Participants and viewers should check back to the website for additional information. See the Military Health System Blog for more information about the Webhall.
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123086631
Many of us who were injured and were evacuated from Afghanistan or Iraq have difficulties not only adjusting to the injuries but also the return to life outside a combat zone. As soldiers we are always held to the values of each respected branch of service we come from, I believe there should be a time to get the combat zone out of our heads, a time of decompression if you will. Also getting all medical treatment should come first. Some troops that return and are in the process of healing begin to realize that they might not be the same person they were when they left both mentally and physically. This is one of the greatest amounts of stress on a soldier injured downrange, the uncertain future they face. Reserve and Guard troops it is even worse because they left civilian jobs and if injuries keep themn from returning to that job they have known possibly for many years suddenly they have to give them up and change according to there new physical and mental limitations. Some troops cannot handle this and feel helpless and confused leading to more emotional issues stacked on the mental combat issues. Some injured troops bring more problems down on top of themselves by getting into trouble and getting Article 15's, disciplinary actions and find that they are suddenly discharged without their honorable discharge. Everyone knows what a discharge that reads anything but honorable will get you in life. The roads ahead of each soldier who gave themselves both physically and mentally to this war deserves Honorable Discharges. Mistakes happen and each soldier is responsible for his or her actions in the end.
The military should look at each soldier individually and if necessary morally and ethically. The suicide rate for soldiers returning from the war is off the charts and the military needs to look at that closer and understand that sometimes mentally they don't always make the best descisions. Mental health needs to outway anything else including disciplinary actions for these soldiers. What good does it do to Art 15, confine, or discharge a wounded soldier and in the end he takes his life because he knows his future is bleak.
Without coming out of the military with a good discharge, the physical and mental ability to adjust and transition to civilian life many soldiers would rather give up. It is hard to fight the demons from combat that are in your head let alone look at your family knowing that getting a job with the physical and mental limitations you have and possible discharge without it being honorable because of a mistake. If anyone volunteers to give it all to the country and survives they deserve the honor that goes along with that sacrifice. The funeral of a soldier who fought in this war who took his life for any reason is one too many period.
Dr. Casscells, ASD Health Affairs at 2008-02-14 13:26:05 wrote:
Thanks for these challening questions. Let me try some short answers and then all of you please feel free to chime in. To Sheila Smith: you are correct: for example we were given by Congress an unprecedented extra $900 million to improve our approach to combat stress and prevent - and treat- PTSD, and prevent suicide. We have allocated that money to the Army, Navy and AF to support their hiring of psychologists and psychiatrists and nurse-clinicians, to improve our pre-deployment screening, to implement educational programs to reduce the stigma of asking for help(emphasizing it takes strength to ask for help, that facing fear is real courage, that overcoming depression marks you as a proven leader).
These programs are underway, but have yet to receive much attention in the press as their success is not yet proven. We are also fielding new tests to identify - in the field - service members who have concussions ( mild traumatic brain injury). We are also developing new programs with NIH to develop ways to coax nerve cells to regrow; an exciting development is that we may soon be able to instruct cells fromm skin or saliva to become stem cells. This is a longer -term research effort . Many other initiatives, esp to reduce a rising incidence of suicide in the Army. Other important initiatives are teh Army's WTU's (warrior transition units) which now surround our wounded warriors with medical, nursing, and bureaucracy help; we are also working closely with VA in improving the disability eval process, and updgrading our electroninc health records to make them more useful, private, portable, and patient-controlled. This is a small part of what we are doing. What do YOU think we can do better? Respectfully, Ward Casscells, MD
From Moderator
Even though this event is scheduled from 1-2pm you will still be able to submit after the event has ended. You may continue to submit your question and come back later to get your answers. MHS Moderator
go here for more questions and some answershttp://www.health.mil/WoundedWarriorWebhall.aspx
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