Aging veterans and Combat PTSD

PTSD 101 Course
National Center for PTSD

Transcript for: Aging and PTSD
Welcome to PTSD 101. These PTSD 101 podcasts were extracted from online multimedia courses and may refer to tables, charts, or videos. To view the complete courses, which include all these elements, and to find out about earning free continuing education credits, please go to ptsd.va.gov.

Today we are going to talk about a topic that is near and dear to my heart, Aging and PTSD.

Hello and welcome. My name is Dr. Joan Cook and I am a psychologist on faculty in the Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and am a researcher at the National Center for PTSD.

Veteran 1:
Our company went in with 220 men and by nightfall only 23 of us were still able to fight. We lost almost 90% that day. I got captured in September 30th of 1944, and I was a POW from the 30th of September until April the 15th of '45. And I never told anybody about my experiences, because I didn't want to remember exactly what I'd seen. What I've seen, you cannot describe! It's too horrible.

Why is the topic of aging and PTSD so important? The answer is for numerous reasons.

The number, proportion and diversity of older adults in the general population are steadily increasing, particularly in industrialized countries, where older adults are expected to constitute 33% of the population by 2050.

Compared to the scientific investigation of exposure to potentially traumatic events and potential mental health effects in other age groups, much less is known about those aged 65 and over.

The graying of the population can particularly be seen in Veterans served in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In Fiscal Year 2009, almost 100,000 Veterans received services in the VA Specialized Outpatient PTSD Programs. Of these, 41% served during the Vietnam War era, 1% during the Korean War era, and 1% during the World War II era. The remainder served during other eras. So although we are losing our World War II and Korean Conflict Veterans to death, our Vietnam Veterans, which comprise a large part of our patient care in VA, are on average 59 years old and aging.

A number of my colleagues and I suspect that trauma and PTSD in older adults is under-recognized and thus under-treated. Lack of recognition of the effects of trauma including PTSD or misattribution of symptoms to other psychiatric or medical problems can have serious consequences for older adults.

Indeed it may have negative implications for older adults’ treatment and recovery, including the design of inadequate treatment plans, administration of poorly focused or inappropriate psychotherapy, medication or other medical intervention.

Veteran 2
My PTSD has changed as I've gotten older, like in my 50's, in that things have gotten more intense: my feelings, sounds, startle response. It seems like my health problems, I'm finding out now, are more related to Vietnam and the side effects of the herbicides.

And the stress, heart condition, diabetes, it just seems to pile on year after year. I find I'm getting more and more illnesses associated with my tour in Vietnam. As I've gotten older, I'm getting the nightmares more intense; waking up with the heart palpitations the sweating, you know, shortness of breath.

Veteran 3:
Well for me, when I retired, I struggled with--I had more time to think with my PTSD so, even though I was getting the treatment, I felt like I was doing well, there were episodes where, because I was getting older, I didn't feel as strong as I used to. I felt more vulnerable.

Two empirical studies present the strongest evidence to date of a link between PTSD and dementia. In one investigation, researchers followed over 181,000 Veterans over six years, including more than 53,000 with PTSD. Those with PTSD were more than twice as likely to develop dementia.

In another investigation, older Veterans with a diagnosis of PTSD, or who were Purple Heart recipients, were compared to age and gender matched Veterans with no PTSD or Purple Heart. There was a greater prevalence and incidence of dementia in older Veterans with PTSD. Those who had PTSD, but whom were not Purple Heart recipients, had almost twice the odds of developing dementia as those who did not have PTSD but were Purple Heart recipients or the comparison groups. The authors concluded that PTSD may be a greater risk factor for dementia than combat-related trauma alone.

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Central Florida Events for Veterans

Central Florida Events for Veterans from Cathy Haynes

June 14 is Flag Day. Fly your flag proudly. Retire your torn, tattered and faded flag and replace it with one that is American made. Check the labels

Museum of Military History – Flag Day Ceremony – Fri. June 14, 6pm at the Museum, 5210 W. Irlo Bronson Hwy, Kissimmee. The Civil Air Patrol will present the colors to open the ceremony. The Osceola County Veterans Council will be providing military honors. As part of the event, the Marine Corps League will properly dispose of your worn out flags by holding a flag retirement ceremony. The event sponsor is Kisselback Ford. Info: 407-891-6916

Flag Retirement Ceremony – Sat. June 15, 12 noon, Orlando Scottish Rite Masonic Center at 1485 Grand Road, Winter Park. Ceremony retiring over 5000 flags is sponsored by Knights of St. Andrews, with active military and veterans, fraternal organizations. Special honoring of First Responders (police, fire, 911). Light lunch follows. 407-657-4550.

6th Annual Poker Run (motorcycle ride fundraiser) – Sat. June 15 – hosted by Caretakers M.E. to benefit Honor Flight, J.O.S.H., etc. Starts at American Legion Post #183, 2706 Wells Ave., Fern Park. 8:30 – 3:30. Food, vendors, music, raffle for Glock 21 45 caliber. All vehicles welcome! Info: Magi at 407-340-9780 magi@caretakersme.com Flier available.

Florida Association of Veteran Owned Businesses (FAVOB) –Mon. June 17, 11:30 am meeting at Fairwinds Corporate Center, 3087 N. Alafaya Trl, Orlando, 32826. Strength in numbers for all veteran (including service disabled veterans) owned businesses. Provides networking and awareness of local and state contacts and contracts. Contact Brian for next date, location and info: chairman@favob.org 407-374-9072.

Greeters needed! 3 Honor Flight hubs are taking their trips to Washington DC on Sat. June 22. Greeters are needed to welcome the WWII and Korean War veterans home after their eventful day. 75 veterans from Central Florida, Space Coast and Villages hubs will take the day long trip to visit the WWII Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, Korean War and Vietnam Wall Memorials and others. Come welcome them, the guardians and staff home at the airport in the evening! They return to Orlando Int’l Airport (MCO) from Baltimore (BWI). Terminal A, Airside 2 (gates 100-129) – in front of the Starbucks coffee. These are the last flights until August as the heat and humidity in July are too much for the veterans.
Space Coast - Returning to Orlando (MCO) at 8pm on Southwest #2195.
Central FL - Returning to Orlando (MCO) at 9:55 pm on AirTran #211
Villages - Returning to Orlando (MCO) at 10:10pm on Southwest #3573.
Free parking and transportation to terminal has been arranged at an off-site facility… Contact Cathy at 407-239-8468 chaynes11629@yahoo.com to get the location and password!
ALWAYS check online before leaving home to verify return arrival times due to possible unscheduled changes.

Veterans Memorial Park dedication – Polk County - Sat. June 22 at 10 am, Lake Alfred, Highway 17 corner Seminole Ave in front of Southern Garden Nursing Home. The Park will be dedicated to USMC Sgt. Christian B Williams, his fallen comrades and the fallen of Polk County. Sgt. Williams, of Winter Haven, was killed in Iraq in July 2006 from a suicide attack. The park will honor all veterans – those who served and are still serving.

Commemoration of the start of Korean War – Tues. June 25, KWVA Mid-FL Chapter 173 has a ceremony beginning 12 noon, Casselberry Veterans Club, Inc. at 200 Concord Dr., Casselberry, 32707. Info: Nancy Travers (Program Coordinator) 407 252-7447 or gunship442@aol.com or Robert Johnson at rodojohn5@centurylink.net.

AVET Project requests donations for a Navy Family Picnic – Sat. June 29, 11am – 5pm. Items needed for up to 400 persons by Tues. June 18. Food, sweets, plates, etc. Contact AVET Project at 321-373-7046 kim@avetproject.org

Liberty Weekend concert – Sat. June 29, 7:45 pm at Hyatt Regency Orlando Intl Airport, 9300 Airport Blvd. Unique concert of patriotic music and popular favorites by the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) will recognize a local distinguished aviation veteran. Those attending will receive three hours of free parking. Free. 407-825-2055.

33rd National Veterans Wheelchair Games. July 13-18 in Tampa. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! LOCAL VETS are participating! The Games, representing the largest annual wheelchair sports event in the world, are presented by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Paralyzed Veterans of America (includes vets with MS and ALS.) More than 500 Veterans from across the United States, Puerto Rico and Great Britain are expected to compete. Events will take place at the Tampa Convention Center, Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina, Pin Chasers Bowling Lanes, Clearwater Long Center, Raymond James Stadium, Silver Dollar Shooter’s Club, Jefferson High School, Hillsborough Community College and the Tampa Bay Times Forum. The 33rd Games will include competitions in 18 different events such as swimming, basketball, table tennis, archery, and wheelchair slalom, which is a timed obstacle course. The athletes compete in all events against others with similar athletic ability, competitive experience or age. www.wheelchairgames.va.gov Contact DAV members Ray at furnray65@yahoo.com 407-501-0767 or Lyle at lyle.schmeiser33@att.net

Volunteers needed - Daytona Coke Zero 400 Race to help AVET Project at concessions. Sat. July 6, 11:30 am - ?. 30 volunteers needed, must be age 18 and older. Watching race will be allowed during breaks and if there are enough volunteers. 5:30 Pre-Race concert with Sheryl Crow. 7:30 race start for 400 miles.

Home At Last fundraising - This is the fifth special project that will be built by West Orange Habitat for Humanity for permanently disabled veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns. Marine Corp. Ronald C. “CJ” Barnes, wife Katy, and new baby Max, will receive a specially designed home later this year, with your help. Severe injuries to this warrior were received on Friday the 13th in May, 2011 in Afghanistan. Kindly make checks payable to West Orange Habitat for Humanity (designate check for Home At Last 2013 Project) and mail to West Orange Habitat for Humanity, P. O. Box 38, Oakland, FL 34760 or donate online to Home at Last 2013 at www.homeatlasthomes.org or http://westorangehabitat.org. WOHH is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization and donations are tax deductible.

Events in media - Do you like seeing heartwarming coverage of veterans or military stories on TV? Have there been good articles of local veterans or military efforts in newspaper or social media that make you smile? Let the writers, producers and editors know. Thank them for the thoughtful coverage and ask for more like it!

Attention traveling wounded veterans and disabled: If you are traveling thru Orlando International Airport (OIA) for holidays and any other time, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has a special committee. Team Cares is part of TSA's customer service practice of assisting people with disabilities during the security screening process and extends it to traveling wounded veterans and their families. There are procedures for assistance from curbside to security screening gates at all airports. Call 888.262.2396 nation wide. For Orlando specific, you may call 407-284-5458 to schedule.

OIA has great info at http://www.orlandoairports.net/ops/disabled.htm - including Companion Care Restrooms and Service Animal Relief areas. TSA has information at their national website - http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information ; and click on 'Wounded Warrior Accommodations' and/or 'Travelers with Disabilities and Medical Conditions.' It is best to submit the request for assistance at least 72 hrs. prior to traveling. For any issues with traveling thru Orlando Int'l Airport, my resource contact is Johana Mesa, the Team CARE Special Mission Scheduling Officer - (c) 407-284-5458. Johana.S.Mesa@tsa.dhs.gov A team member can be scheduled to meet and personally escort and provide assistance thru the security screening. Depending on the airline, a non-traveling companion may be able to accompany the warrior to/from the airline gate without a ticket. Airline/TSA permission is required in advance. Service Animal Relief Areas are available on Level 2 of both the "A" and "B" Terminals. The "A" Terminal Service Animal Relief Area is located at the North East corner of the building (to the right as you exit the building) near the Southwest Airlines Bag Claim. The "B" Terminal Service Animal Relief Area is located at the South West corner of the building (to the right as you exit the building) near the US Airways Bag Claim.

Generations of war veterans show what team work really is

Veterans from WWII to Afghanistan swap war stories, share bonds in Henderson courtroom
Las Vegas Sun
By Jackie Valley
Friday, March 8, 2013
WWII Veterans Honored in Henderson

Ninety-year-old Richard Zimpfer considers himself the lucky one.

The World War II veteran — part of a small team charged with maintaining anti-aircraft systems during the war — once drove a Jeep to retrieve an explosive that didn’t detonate. He returned unharmed.

Now he chuckles at the memory, but don’t call him a hero. He says he’s just one of many who served.

“I just feel I am lucky,” said Zimpfer, choking back tears as he spoke during a ceremony Thursday in Henderson’s Veterans Treatment Court. “I had a good time, and I have never regretted having served.”

Zimpfer and two female World War II veterans, Evie Hallas and Billie D’Entremont, received handmade quilts thanking them for their service and, perhaps more important, a round of applause from the people sitting in the courtroom, including a few younger veterans.

Veterans Treatment Court, a specialty court launched in June 2011, aims to help veterans who face issues — whether it be post-traumatic stress disorder or drug and alcohol addiction — after they return home from service. It enrolls veterans charged with certain misdemeanor crimes, such as drunken driving, petty larceny and possessing marijuana, and attempts to rehabilitate them through a team approach.
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Native Americans have rich history of military service

REGION: Native Americans have rich history of military service
BY JAMES RAMOS SAN MANUEL BAND OF SERRANO MISSION INDIANS
Published: 03 November 2011

November welcomes cooler weather, federal and state elections in even-numbered years, a national day of Thanksgiving and the celebration and recognition of Native American Heritage Month. This Friday marks another tribute, one that extends beyond the lines of culture, politics and race – Nov. 11 is Veteran’s Day.

Native Americans have a rich history of military service and have fought to protect our Nation, even as tribes were battling for their own freedoms and rights. Indeed, Native Americans fought as soldiers in the Civil War, World War I and other conflicts years before they were even granted U.S. citizenship in 1924.

As a people, Native American military heroes are numerous. It is estimated that 12,000 American Indians served in the United States military in World War I. During World War II, 44,000 Native Americans served the country with valor, including codetalkers from a number of Indian tribes who sent messages using their ancient native languages across military radios on the battlefields.

When Iwo Jima was won, Pima Indian Ira Hayes was one of the six Marines who famously raised the U. S. flag atop Mount Suribachi, an image of sacrifice and victory that was later commemorated in both a U.S. postage stamp and the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Va.

Cherokee Billy Walkabout, an Airborne Ranger of the 101st, is believed to be the most decorated Indian soldier of the Vietnam War. He received the Distinguished Service Cross, Purple Heart, five Silver Stars and five Bronze Stars.

Twenty-eight Native Americans have earned the highest military distinction of all, the Medal of Honor, including Ernest Childers and Jack C. Montgomery, both from tribes in Oklahoma, who were honored for risking their lives above and beyond the call of duty during World War II.

Today, nearly 190,000 American Indians and Alaska Natives are military veterans, according to the Department of Defense.
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Marine Vet to Get Silver Star 60 Years Late

Marine Vet to Get Silver Star 60 Years Late
June 02, 2011
Knight Ridder/Tribune
GREENVILLE, Texas -- His award took 60 years to get here, but Dr. James Nicholson, Greenville physician, was notified last week by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus that he has been awarded the Silver Star medal "for gallantry in action on 22 April 1951."

Nicholson served as a Browning Automatic Rifleman, G Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, during the Korean War.

The citation reads: "During the late evening hours, Corporal (then Private First Class) Nicholson's fire team came under intense enemy fire by a numerically superior enemy force. Despite being surrounded, Corporal Nicholson and his team courageously applied suppressive fire against the enemy, resulting in numerous enemy casualties.

Marine Vet to Get Silver Star 60 Years Late

Supreme Court eases benefit deadline for vets

Supreme Court eases benefit deadline for vets
By Joan Biskupic, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Tuesday that a deadline for military veterans who appeal the federal government's denial of benefits need not be rigidly enforced.

The justices sided with a mentally ill Korean War vet whose appeal was blocked because he missed a 120-day deadline for judicial review by 15 days. The high court reversed a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit that said Veterans Court judges could not make exceptions to the deadline, even when a veteran's illness contributed to his delayed appeal.
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Supreme Court eases benefit deadline for vets

Veterans of Korea and Vietnam get special focus during Veterans Day Parade

Veterans Day Parade in Auburn stirs pride for a soldier mom
Despite the rain, thousands thronged the sidewalks of Auburn's Main Street to watch the 200 military units, more than two dozen high-school marching bands, Army tankers, drill teams and bagpipers pass by. The event is billed by the city as one of the largest in the country honoring veterans.

By Sonia Krishnan

Seattle Times staff reporter

This year, the parade paid special tribute to the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Dozens who fought in Korea and Vietnam received cheers and praise as they walked the one-mile route.


"Welcome home!" shouted Gary Knutson to a tanker filled with Vietnam vets.


"It's a brotherhood," explained Knutson, who served in Vietnam from 1965 to 1966. "Whether you know (the vets) or not," it's like family when you see one another, he said.

It still feels a little surreal.

Sgt. Lyn Kibler can actually hold her 3-year-old son now. And when he wants to hear her voice, he doesn't have to listen to a recording she sent to him from Iraq. He just says "Mom," and there she is.

Kibler, 25, returned to Joint Base Lewis-McChord in March after a yearlong deployment. On Saturday, she wore fatigues and walked with her son, Azrael, in the 45th annual Veterans Day Parade in Auburn.

Despite the rain, thousands thronged the sidewalks of Main Street to watch the 200 military units, more than two dozen high-school marching bands, Army tankers, drill teams and bagpipers pass by. The event is billed by the city as one of the largest in the country honoring veterans.

Some brought children decked out in red, white and blue, while others brought dogs, such as one golden retriever with an American flag around its neck. Everywhere, people beamed with pride.

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Veterans Day Parade in Auburn

Army vet donates $1.5m to VA hospital

Army vet donates $1.5m to VA hospital

By David Mercer - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Oct 6, 2009 20:33:50 EDT

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — After serving in the Korean War, John Wright apparently lived a quiet life in Danville, where he volunteered at the local Veterans Administration hospital but otherwise kept to himself.

As it turns out, Wright was also building a fortune in real estate and other investments worth $1.56 million, all of which he left to the eastern Illinois town’s VA hospital when he died.

The staff and other volunteers he got to know in his 40 years volunteering at the hospital’s recreation therapy section were the closest thing Wright had to family, said Douglas Shouse, a hospital spokesman.

“They were his family,” Shouse said. “On holidays he would go to [meet] the recreation staff for meals.”

His colleagues at the hospital did not know much more about Wright’s life outside the hospital or his military record.

“John was pretty subdued and didn’t really talk about his military service,” Shouse said.
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http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/10/ap_army_va_hospital_will_100609/

Medal of Honor, George E. Wahlen Passes away at age of 84

VA hospital namesake, Medal of Honor recipient dies
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - George E. Wahlen, the man for whom Salt Lake City's VA Hospital was named has passed away at 84.

Wahlen earned the Medal of Honor as a Navy Corpsman at the battle of Iwo Jima where he is credited for saving countless lives. He was injured on three separate occasions but refused to leave the battlefield. Many who witnessed his heroics remain dumbfounded he survived.

President Harry S. Truman presented the Medal of Honor to Mr. Wahlen in 1945.

He later re-enlisted in the United States Army, where he served during the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
He retired with the rank of Major. He then went on to a career with The Department of Veterans Affairs where he continued to serve for fourteen years.go here for more
VA hospital namesake, Medal of Honor recipient dies

Older vets ready to support others in uniform

Older vets ready to support others in uniform

By Kenneth Fine - News-Argus of Goldsboro
Posted : Sunday May 31, 2009 13:42:09 EDT

GOLDSBORO, N.C. — Thomas Marlow hasn't stepped into his military uniform in decades.

Bill Carr no longer carries a government-issued weapon.

And it has been years since the last time Theodore Ivey fixed the radar on a fighter jet.

But within places like the American Legion Post 11 headquarters — an aging construct tucked off U.S. 117 within earshot of the Wayne County Fairgrounds — their rank and experiences still matter.

Mike Burris straightens his back before saluting the men who showed up for a meeting of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

"We've got a long history," he said. "We don't need to let the past die."

The News-Argus of Goldsboro reported that the men in the room bow their heads and say a prayer — for those who graced that building long before; for those who will be left to fill their seats when they, too, are gone.

As veterans of World War II, Vietnam and Korea grow older, many think about the fate of organizations like the VFW.

And they scoff at the notion that when they die, so, too, will veterans' needs for fellowship and a sympathetic ear.

"It helps your mind," Ivey said, looking down the line at the other men who fought in Vietnam. "I won't tell you what I did in Vietnam, what happened in Vietnam, but I'll tell him and him."

And that, he says, is why the young men and women currently fighting in two war theaters will one day fill the ranks of veterans' groups.

Bill Graham agrees.

"I could never talk about (Vietnam) with friends, family or anybody until I got associated with these groups," he said. "Until I found people who were in the same situation I was, I was closed off to everyone."
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/05/ap_vet_support_053109/

Veterans Turn to VA Clinics in Tough Economic Times

Veterans Turn to VA Clinics in Tough Economic Times
KSAX ABC News

Nov 15, 2008
November 13, 2008 - The worsening economy is taking a big toll on veterans.The Anoka County Veterans Services Office says it could see as much as a 25 percent increase in new clients this year.
Many veterans say that in this economy, they wouldn't be able to pay for medical care without their veteran’s benefits."I would probably just take the medicines I thought I could afford, which would be skimping on my health," said Michael Calistro, a veteran. "I would not be able to afford it."Another factor driving the increase in new clients is an aging veteran population, especially in veterans from WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.
Click here to watch this news story.

Leesburg Florida to honor veterans on large scale

Leesburg to honor veterans on large scale
Amy C. Rippel | Special to the Sentinel
October 22, 2008
LEESBURG - It's envisioned as a tribute to Lake County's veterans, the likes of which has never been seen in this area.

At about 7 feet tall and a colossal 2,800 square feet, the Veterans Memorial at Fountain Park is poised to be one of the largest veterans monuments in the Southeast.

They've got the land, the plans and the ambition. Now all organizers need is the money to get it built. But even that, when charitable dollars are hard to come by, isn't worrisome to the war veterans putting this together.

Don Van Beck, a Tavares resident and Korean War veteran, said he knows the local community will quickly donate the estimated $525,000 needed to build the granite structure. Organizers expect it will be completed by November 2009.


"It's really just a monument for all of the people who served," Van Beck said. "This is something that will go on forever."

Plans for the memorial have quietly been in the works for about three months. Van Beck, 80, said he and fellow members of the Lake County Korean War Veterans Association Chapter 169 in Leesburg initially decided to make a memorial for Korean War veterans. After more brainstorming, the group decided the memorial should commemorate all veterans.

Homeless veterans face new battle for survival

Homeless veterans face new battle for survival
Story Highlights
More veterans are facing a new enemy on the nation's streets
Veterans make up almost a quarter of homeless population
Homeless rate among veterans expected to rise
By Mike Mount
CNN

(CNN) -- "I can't find the right words to describe when you are homeless," says Iraq war veteran Joseph Jacobo. "You see the end of your life right there. What am I going to do, what am I going to eat?"

Jacobo is one of an increasing number of veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who come home to life on the street. The Department of Veterans Affairs is fighting to find them homes.

Veterans make up almost a quarter of the homeless population in the United States. The government says there are as many as 200,000 homeless veterans; the majority served in the Vietnam War. Some served in Korea or even World War II. About 2,000 served in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The VA and several nongovernmental organizations have created programs that address the special needs of today's veterans returning from war. In addition to treating physical and mental injuries, there are career centers and counseling programs. But the VA still expects the homeless rate among the nation's newest veterans to rise because of the violent nature of combat seen in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Officials say many more Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffer post-traumatic stress disorder than veterans of previous wars. The government says PTSD is one of the leading causes of homelessness among veterans.

"They come back, and they are having night trauma, they are having difficulty sleeping. They are feeling alienated," says Peter Dougherty, the director of homeless programs for the VA.
go here for more
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/02/homeless.veterans/index.html

Korean War vet Alvin Perry missing, headed to Fort Bragg

8/6/2008 10:26:00 AM


Alvin Perry Turlock man missing; family seeks public's help
BY SABRA STAFFORD
Staff Reporter
The Turlock Police Department is seeking the public's assistance in finding a local man who has been missing for four days and may be suffering from a stress disorder.
Alvin Perry, 79, was last seen on Saturday as he readied himself for a trip to visit friends near Fort Bragg in Mendocino County. He never made it to his intended destination and family members filed a missing person report with the Turlock Police Department.
According to his family, Perry is a Korean War veteran who may suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Perry was driving a white 1998 Toyota Tacoma pickup with a camper shell. The California license plate number is 5U47993. Investigators believe he may have taken Highway 101 on his trip to Fort Bragg.Perry is a white man about 5 feet, 1 inch tall and 120 pounds. He has grayish-brown hair and brown eyes.The police department is actively investigating Perry's disappearance and would like to speak to anyone who had contact with him anytime during the five days prior to his going missing.Anyone with information is asked to contact Community Service Officer Ruth Hoover at 668-5550 ext. 6647 or Crime Stoppers at 521-4636. Callers can leave an anonymous tip and may be eligible for a cash reward.
To contact Sabra Stafford, e-mail sstafford@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2002.

Study: Group therapy helps with combat stress

Study: Group therapy helps with combat stress

By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jul 28, 2008 6:30:09 EDT

Three new studies looking at combat stress have found group exposure therapy seems to work, that troops with traumatic brain injuries are more likely to have post-traumatic stress disorder, and that stress debriefings held after traumatic events don’t appear to prevent PTSD.

The research comes as the Department of Veterans Affairs works to find the best treatment methods for combat veterans. It follows a report by Rand Corp. that showed only one treatment method — exposure therapy — has been proven to help PTSD in studies by objective researchers.

The first study looked at a program that had been in place for four years at the Atlanta VA Medical Center. The center’s Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Clinical Team began researching group-based exposure treatment.

Past studies have shown group therapy to be ineffective on veterans with PTSD, but authors of this study, published in the April issue of the Journal of Traumatic Stress, said the amount of exposure therapy — 60 hours — in this group may be the key to why it works.

First, nine to 11 people get to know each other and talk about their experiences before they joined the military. Then, they spend several weeks talking about their wartime experiences.

Each person gives a 2½-hour presentation to the group about what they witnessed, and then they privately listen to recordings of their own presentation 10 times. Each then gives a second presentation about their traumatic wartime experiences, which they also listen to 10 times. Toward the end of 18 weeks, they work on feelings of grief and guilt.

A total of 93 Vietnam veterans, four Gulf War veterans, one Korean War veteran and two Iraq war veterans took part in the study, with 81 percent showing “clinically significant improvement,” which was still at 81 percent six months later.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/07/army_ptsdstudies_072808w/

Why doesn't the VA reach out to all veterans?

While this is a good step, what they don't want publicized is the fact they are not reaching out to all veterans. Vietnam veterans are still seeing their claims denied when all the evidence and their experiences have proven they suffered even worse treatment since they returned but have been the last ones on the list to receive the care they earned and desperately need.

VA reaches out to veterans

By JARED MILLER
Star-Tribune capital bureau Sunday, July 06, 2008

CHEYENNE -- When Mike Alverson finished his service with the Marine Corps in 1988, military doctors told him he was in great shape and wished him luck in the civilian world, he said.

It wasn’t long before he was feeling the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder and other health issues. The problem was, he didn’t know where to turn for help.

"When I got out of the Corps, I was one of the ones who dropped through the cracks," said Alverson, now 44 and living in Cheyenne.

Alverson, who subsequently served 20 years with the Wyoming National Guard, said he had a completely different experience when he returned home from 11 months of service in the Iraq war.

"The (Department of Veterans Affairs), they stepped it up," said Alverson, who plugged into his health benefits through a VA program for service members who spent time in Iraq or Afghanistan called the OEF/OIF program. "They made me aware of what their services are and what they could do for me."

The 2-year-old OEF/OIF program is so called because it was created specifically for veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan or Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq.

The main objective is outreach. So instead of waiting for veterans to seek help, the VA now sends OEF/OIF program representatives out to meet National Guard soldiers before they set foot in Wyoming.
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Why aren't Senator Akaka and Congressman Finler holding hearings on the fact most of the backlog claims are from older veterans still suffering without getting the help they've been waiting for even longer? How about the Gulf War veterans just about forgotten? The older veterans from Korea and the few survivors of WWII still waiting for help? What is this all about? Is one war more worthy than others? One veteran more worthy than others?

We need to take care of the new veterans as soon as possible but have they ever once looked into the eyes of a Vietnam vet carrying around their wound for over 30 years when no one bothered to take care of them with any kind of effort? Their claims are not only trapped in the backlog piles, they are being denied as well as being pushed back on VA appointments because there is not enough staff to take care of all the veterans. It's about time the advocates started fighting for all our veterans equally. We cannot just fight for the ones coming home now trying to make it look like we're accomplishing something when so many of the older veterans are suffering in silence.

Senator Akaka and Congressman Filner need to acknowledge that as the VA and the DOD have failed to provide the care the new veterans need, they have yet to address the problems the older veterans have had to endure all these years. They are not invited to hearings. Their families are never asked any questions when they have been living with all of this for over 30 years. Do they really want to know what the problems are and find solutions or do they want publicity for doing anything at all?

Senior Chaplain Kathie Costos
Namguardianangel@aol.com
www.Namguardianangel.org
www.Woundedtimes.blogspot.com"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of early wars were treated and appreciated by our nation." - George Washington

Korean Vet gets Combat Infantry Badge after 57 years

Korean War vet to get CIB 57 years late

The Associated Press
Posted : Monday May 12, 2008 10:16:31 EDT

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — A Minnesota Korean War veteran will receive his Combat Infantry Badge on Monday after 57 years of waiting.

Sgt. Ron Gornick already has two Purple Hearts, but because of a paperwork error, he never got the badge acknowledging that he served in combat.

Gornick was assigned as a squad leader in July 1951 as his unit arrived at Inchon, Korea. He was awarded his first Purple Heart on Oct. 7, 1951.

Gornick received a second Purple Heart after his squad was hit by heavy mortar fire. He was one of two soldiers who survived that attack.

With help from the Minnesota Inspector General’s office, Gornick’s Army records were corrected.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/05/ap_koreacib_051208/

Korean War Chaplain Honored For Saving 1,000

Air Force chaplain credited with saving children honored at Gwangju
By Franklin Fisher, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Saturday, May 3, 2008

OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea — The Air Force chaplain whose unflagging efforts saved nearly 1,000 orphans during the Korean War was memorialized Thursday in a ceremony at Gwangju.

Col. Russell L. Blaisdell is credited with getting nearly 1,000 children out of Seoul at a time when a communist ground offensive was expected to soon overtake the city. The rescue became the much-publicized Operation Kiddy Car in late 1950.

The ceremony in Gwangju city’s social welfare hall occurred exactly one year after Blaisdell died at 96.

Among those attending were members of the South Korean national assembly; a representative of the U.S. Embassy in South Korea; local officials; several of the orphans who were saved by Blaisdell’s actions; Blaisdell’s son, himself now a clergyman; and two Air Force chaplains stationed in South Korea.

“A modern-day Moses, Chaplain Blaisdell literally put his life on the line to rescue 950 orphaned Korean children and 80 orphanage workers,” Air Force Lt. Col. Charles R. Cornelisse said in a sermon. Cornelisse is 51st Fighter Wing chaplain at Osan Air Base.
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=54500

Experts say millions more could seek help for PTSD

Posted on Mon, Apr. 28, 2008

The War Within: Experts say millions could seek treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder
BY MIKE FITZGERALD
News-Democrat

Forget what they say about time healing all wounds.

More than 57 years have passed since Phil Heath, 76, of Granite City, served with the Marine Corps in Korea. But he can't shake the image of the first Marine he saw die in combat.

It was April 24, 1951. Heath's company was trapped on a hill, defending it from communist attackers.

Fallen Marines covered the hillside, and stretchers were scarce. So Heath and his comrades used an old tarp to carry away the soldier's body, he said.

"But in order to put him in there, I had to pick his intestines up off the ground and put them on him," said Heath, a retired steel mill supervisor. "So his intestines were just laying open."

Neither can Heath forget the last Marine he saw die five months later.



That was Sept. 15, 1951. Promoted by then to platoon leader, Heath was fighting to survive on an outpost nicknamed "Starvation Hill." He had taken cover in a foxhole when Chinese mortar shells began raining down on his unit.

"And a young 18-year-old boy in my platoon had the left side of his head blown off," Heath said, his voice quavering. "I'll never get over it, you know."

'People who deserve help'

Heath is one of hundreds of thousands of aged veterans seeking help for the nightmares, flashbacks and anxiety they have battled for decades. They are spurred by a growing public awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) wrought by tens of thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans seeking help.

And experts predict millions more World War II, Korea and Vietnam veterans will join them.

go here for more
http://www.bnd.com/homepage/story/321948.html

Master Sgt. Woodrow Keeble Medal of Honor

Medal of Honor going to Native American soldier
By Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Saturday, February 23, 2008


WASHINGTON — A Native American soldier who fought in World War II and the Korean War will be posthumously honored with the Medal of Honor next month, White House officials announced Friday.

Retired Master Sgt. Woodrow Keeble, a South Dakota native who died in 1984, will be recognized for actions in North Korea in October 1951. According to Army records, he ignored life-threatening wounds to take out three mountainside enemy pillboxes which had pinned down a U.S. platoon.

Keeble was initially awarded a Distinguished Service Cross, a Silver Star and a Purple Heart for those actions, but members of his state’s congressional delegation have pushed for Medal of Honor recognition for him for years.

Army records say Keeble displayed “extraordinary heroism and completely selfless devotion to duty” during his assault on enemy troops in Korea.

After seeing an advance platoon was pinned down by gunfire, Keeble rushed from his support unit to the front line. He then crawled ahead to take out three enemy positions with grenades, despite intense fire trained on him as he moved along the mountainside.

go here for the rest
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=52728