Yokota Air Base leaders drug-tested 273 active-duty servicemembers

Yokota conducts massive weekend drug testing
Stars and Stripes
By Seth Robson
Published: May 19, 2014

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — A Friday night out partying ended with an hours-long wait at the gate for hundreds of airmen, who were subjected to a drug test as they re-entered the base.

In a procedure that has earned unofficial nicknames such as “Operation Golden Showers” and “The Lemonade Party,” Yokota Air Base leaders drug-tested 273 active-duty servicemembers as they came home from their night on the town.

“The gate sweep for drug testing was performed in accordance with the commander’s intent to maintain the health and wellness of a ready force as well as a drug-free Air Force community,” 374th Airlift Wing spokesman 2nd Lt. Jacob Bailey said in an email.

The mass drug testing was unrelated to past positive drug tests or evidence of drug use by Yokota-based personnel; it’s a measure that’s used periodically to help assess the military fitness and readiness of a command by identifying drug users, he said.
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Substance abuse numbers higher, but not drug counselors

The military seems to have a habit of making things go from bad to worse. First they don't do enough to get the soldiers to understand what PTSD, then they do, along with people stepping up across the nation, then they don't have enough people to take care of them. Then they want them to stop using drugs to kill off what they don't want to feel, but yet again, not enough people to take care of them. Like I said, it's like they're trying to hold off a tsunami with a beach shovel!

More soldiers seeking drug abuse help

By Gregg Zoroya - USA TODAY
Posted : Friday Nov 21, 2008 6:48:57 EST

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — The number of soldiers seeking help for substance abuse has climbed 25 percent in the past five years, but the Army’s counseling program has remained significantly understaffed and struggling to meet the demand, Army records show.

About 13,500 soldiers sought drug counseling this year and 7,200 soldiers were diagnosed with an abuse or dependency issue and enrolled in counseling, according to Army data. That compares with 11,170 soldiers reporting to drug counseling in 2003, when 5,727 enrolled.

Army records show 2.38 percent of all soldiers had positive results on routine drug urinalysis screening, a 10-year record. In 2004, when combat troops returned from Iraq in large numbers, 1.72 percent had positive results.

The Army requires one drug counselor for every 2,000 soldiers, yet is currently operating with one for 3,100 soldiers, a chronic shortage exacerbated by the increase in substance abuse cases.
go here for more
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/11/gns_drughelp_112108/

What new veterans need to know about old veterans

Alcohol Abuse Rampant Amongst Returning Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans
This week I’ve been seeing a lot of reporting on substance abuse and service members. This is not at all surprising following the highly publicized death of Joseph Dwyer coupled with new studies and a few revelations about Veterans health care in general.

Alarm bells were already sounding last spring when Newsweek investigated a rash of overdoses. These are of course the most extreme examples of war veterans turning to substance dependency for relief. However there is now a far greater and more common problem that is coming to light, alcohol abuse amongst veterans.
As a veteran who has been a member of various veteran’s organizations for several years now (meaning as soon as I was eligible and stateside) I can say that I have seen this first hand. Drinking is a strong institution in most veteran’s organizations. Every VFW and American Legion Post I can think of has a well stocked bar. This is of course the way that most of these organizations gain their operating funds, and has been since they were founded. I’m not blaming these organizations for “enabling” because many veterans (including myself) want to drink, the problem is a few amongst us that are driven to, and feel a need to drink. The real problem here is a lack of resources and education available to returning veterans.

click above for more

My comment

:

Kathie Costos Says:
August 17th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
You are correct, however missing the big picture. New veterans are a lot better off than the ones who began the DAV, VFW, American Legion, Vietnam Veterans, and so on. They came back and had nothing but alcohol and whatever else they could find to self-medicate. They didn’t have veteran’s centers or counseling for PTSD. The only thing they had was courage to fight the government to make sure they were taken care of and all those who would come after them. The media didn’t care and frankly, they still don’t about the older veterans.

They came home suffering the same as the new veterans do and their families suffered, but no one knew about it. By 1986, Vietnam claimed another 117,000 lives because of suicide alone and this does not include the ones no one knew about because so many were abandoned by their families, ended up homeless, endured being called “crazy Nam vet” avoided because they were “just another drunk” or “just another druggie” when they were wounded inside. These men and women fought all these years so that their wounds would be taken care of and all the accomplishments and advancements happened because of them. Sure there is a lot more, too much work to be done, but because of them, the new veteran stand a lot better chance of not only surviving but healing as well.

By the way, I’m married to a Vietnam vet with PTSD. I’ve been doing outreach work for over 25 years now and I can testify that as hard as people fight for the Vietnam veterans, we are fighting just as hard for all the new ones.

I just wanted you to be aware that as bad as it is for the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, it would be a lot worse without them.

I could have said a lot more like the alarm bells were being sounded all across the country before both occupations began but no one listened.

Paul Sullivan on 20/20 last night

It's very hard to not see Paul Rieckhoff of IAVA, Jon Solz of VoteVets on TV whenever the veterans or the troops are being talked about. I think it's wonderful. I really wish people like them were getting so much attention when men and women were coming home from Vietnam. I doubt we would have half the problems we have today if that generation of veterans were taken care of.

Another advocate finally getting more attention is Paul Sullivan of Veterans for Common Sense. He did a fantastic job in the 20/20 report on drug use in the military, especially with those deployed into the combat zones of Iraq and Afghanistan. He's been out there a long time and doing a great job fighting for our veterans.

http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/index.cfm/Page/Article/ID/8863
Paul Sullivan, Executive Director, VCS


Nov 28, 2007

Nov. 29 Update: VCS on ABC's '20/20' This Friday

Dear VCS Friends:

Veterans for Common Sense has two items for you in this week's update.

First, VCS will be featured on the news program '20/20' this Friday, Nov. 30. ABC News investigative reporter Brian Ross interviewed VCS's Paul Sullivan about the growing drug abuse problem in our military and among our veterans, especially our returning Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans.

Second, we are launching our End of Year fundraising drive. Your generous tax deductible donations to VCS make a big difference in the lives of the 1.7 million U.S. service members deployed into combat for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

With your financial support, this year VCS scored several major policy and public relations victories. Here is a partial list of our VCS accomplishments:

On the policy side:

* In May, our VCS expertise helped add $1.8 billion in new funds so VA could hire thousands of more doctors and claims processors that our veterans desperately need.

* VCS helped craft and push for S 1606, the Wounded Warrior bill that will streamline healthcare and benefits for veterans, approved by both the House and Senate. Final passage of a revised bill is expected soon.

* VCS fought hard to remove VA Secretary Jim Nicholson, who eventually quit in July as VA’s funding, planning, and capacity crises became public and America became outraged at the Walter Reed and VA scandals.

* All year, VCS used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain VA documents that were used by Harvard University to estimate the human and financial costs of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars: 700,000 patients with a price tag of $700 billion.

* In July VCS filed a major class action law suit against VA to force VA to provide prompt medical care and benefits, especially for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.

* VCS testified twice before Congress. We called for an end to the illegal military practice of discharging wounded soldiers suffering from traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder on trumped-up claims of a personality disorder. VCS called for the automatic approval of PSTD claims by VA, and for a national anti-stigma campaign so veterans want to seek VA treatment.

On the public relations side, VCS put a human face on the difficulties facing our veterans by working with both local and national reporters:

* In February, in a major cover story, Newsweek magazine and VCS highlighted VA’s failure to plan for the 264,000 new Afghanistan and Iraq War veterans already treated at VA.

* In February, ABC Evening News anchor Bob Woodruff interviewed VCS Executive Director Paul Sullivan about the hundreds of thousands of veterans already being treated at VA - the first time the public knew about the enormous scope of battlefield casualties.

* In March, the Boston Globe profiled our VCS efforts to publicize the growing casualties from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

* In October, the Charlotte Observer, working with VCS, highlighted the endless wait for many veterans to see doctors at some VA hospitals - 93 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans with traumatic brain injury waited longer than 30 days to see a VA doctor.

* Two weeks ago, CBS News interviewed VCS and publicized the growing epidemic of veteran suicides. Working with the University of Georgia, CBS News reported that veterans aged 20 to 24 are four times more likely to commit suicide than non-veterans of the same age group.

* This Friday, ABC News interviews VCS and highlights the growing drug abuse crisis among our veterans. Left without screening and treatment, combat veterans turn to self-medication for the physical and mental pain from war.

Because of your support, the world knows that the alarms are sounding and the lights are flashing red for our veterans. The impact of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars is devastating. Record divorces and broken homes. Unemployment and job discrimination. Rising alcoholism and drug abuse. Homelessness. Suicides.

We are a Nation at war. That means we have a collective duty to care for our service members, our veterans, and our freedoms. VCS asks you to please make a donation so that we can continue our publicity efforts to highlight veterans’ needs and concerns and our policy efforts that bring real change at the national level.

Next year Congress and the press will be focused on elections, and VCS will work hard to make sure that national security, civil liberties, and veterans needs remain front and center in the discussion. Will you help VCS today?

Thank you,

Paul Sullivan
Executive Director
Veterans for Common Sense

If you missed the report last night I'm sure you can catch it somewhere on YouTube. This is not a new problem and this country needs to face what they do and why they do it. This is not about doing drugs just because you want to. In these cases, it is about having to because the government does not take the wounded out of combat and does not treat the wound.

High at the Mountain Post
Fort Carson soldiers were prepared for war, but not their own war with drugs.

I talked to Paul yesterday. I'm sure you saw the silly post I put up. I told him how much I loved him and his group. Up until the last few years, there were very few fighting for our veterans. Oh sure, you can think of the American Legion, VFW and DAV, but these groups are more involved in political bending than they are with fighting for the veterans. Today's groups are not interested in playing political sucking up. They are interested in getting what is needed done.

Veterans For Common Sense is having a fund raiser. They are doing great work and we need to support them. Think of giving a gift this Christmas that will make a difference in our wounded veterans' lives. If you have a family member who was a veteran, like most of our father's were, and they are no longer here, donate in their memory. Let them know you have not forgotten them or the sacrifices they made for this nation.

For those of you who are wondering what to do for the homeless veterans, think of the fact Christ had no place to call home when he was born in a manger in Bethlehem. Then look over to the right side of this blog. Read what Christ had to say about how he wanted us all to care for the needy. Donate to a shelter. You'd be surprised how far even a small donation can go.

If you have a couple of dollars and appreciate the videos I do, I could use a donation myself. I'm already in the hole for the DVDs. I don't mind working as hard as I do for free. That was my decision long ago. What I cannot do is go broke doing sending out the DVD. I don't turn anyone away but it's getting expensive and frankly I don't know how many more I can send out without donations coming in. Use the PayPal button and kick in a few dollars if you can.

I know how hard it is this time of the year to find extra money, but if you have a family member who has everything they could want, think of making donations in their name and then taking the tax write off. You can't write it off on your taxes for donating to me, but the shelters and Veterans for Common Sense are tax deductible.

Kathie Costos

Namguardianangel@aol.com

www.Namguardianangel.org

www.Namguardianangel.blogspot.com

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

'Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs'

Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs

Spc. William Swenson was on his final mission in Iraq when his vehicle drove over a 200-pound improvised explosive device. The blast injured Swenson's spine, and he developed syringomyelia. When a laundry list of prescribed painkillers proved ineffective, Swenson says he turned to marijuana.

Back home, Swenson tested positive for marijuana and cocaine, he told ABC News. The Army court-martialed him and threw him in jail for 20 days.

Spc. Alan Hartmann was a gunner on a Chinook helicopter, flying missions from Kuwait into Iraq and ferrying the dead bodies of U.S. soldiers killed in combat.

After surviving his third crash, Hartmann returned home with chronic neck pain, fatigue and nightmares. He traded his prescribed anti-depressants and painkillers for methamphetamines. Hartmann eventually checked himself into rehab and is now clean.

Spc. Jeffrey Smith worked as a medic in a Baghdad ER, where he witnessed the "complete insanity" that would stay with him long after he retured to the homefront. "We saw everything from gunshot wounds to people missing legs, arms, pieces of their face," he told ABC News.

Smith said to escape from the daily "insanity," if even for a short time, many soldiers working in the hospital began to abuse Ambien, Percocet and Prozac, as well as prescription painkillers available on the black market in Baghdad.

Smith told ABC News he self-medicated himself with alcohol, marjuana, cocaine and ecstasy. Smith even attempted suicide, he said. Although he sought help, Smith said he was kicked out of the Army without benefits after testing positive for cocaine twice and marijuana once.

Spc. Matthew McKane worked as a medic in the Baghdad ER. He says his worst day was when a suicide bomber drove a car into a Baghdad orphanage, injuring dozens of children, some younger than five. Like many of his co-workers, McKane turned to drugs to numb his senses. When those weren't enough, McKane said he and a fellow medic tried propofol, a powerful anesthetic. His comrade overdosed and died.

When McKane returned to Fort Carson, he said he tested positive for cocaine. He is currently in prison awaiting a court-martial on misconduct charges. McKane believes he will soon be dismissed from the Army because of his drug use.

(ABC News)

Hidden Wounds Lead to Drugs
Part Three of the Series: 'Coming Home: Soldiers and Drugs'

By ROBERT LEWIS and KATE MCCARTHY
Nov. 28, 2007

Editor's Note from Brian Ross: In the third year of a joint project with the nonprofit Carnegie Corporation, six leading graduate school journalism students were again selected to spend the summer working with the ABC News investigative unit.
Editor's Note from Brian Ross: In the third year of a joint project with the nonprofit Carnegie Corporation, six leading graduate school journalism students were again selected to spend the summer working with the ABC News investigative unit.

In His Own Words: Spc. Alan Hartmann (go to link for video)

This year's project involved an examination of whether, as happened in the wake of the Vietnam War, Iraqi war veterans were turning to drugs as a result of the trauma and pain of war.

The U.S. military maintains the percentage of soldiers abusing drugs is extremely small and has not increased as a result of Iraq.

The students' assignment was to get the unofficial side of the story from soldiers, young men of their own generation.


Today's report is the third in a series of five reports.

As more U.S. service members return home from Iraq and Afghanistan after witnessing the horrors of war, more will turn to drugs and alcohol to cope.

That's according to mental health experts who say there is a strong correlation between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, and substance abuse. PTSD is an anxiety disorder that afflicts people who have been through a traumatic event.

Photos
Coming Home: Soldiers and DrugsDr. Phillip Ballard, a psychiatrist at Penrose-St. Francis Health Services in Colorado Springs, Colo., said he has seen a significant increase of soldiers from nearby Fort Carson seeking inpatient treatment for substance abuse.

"PTSD has as part of its core diagnosis the use of substances as self-medication for the relief of depression, anxiety, whatever feeling they may have," Ballard said. "Sometimes it's considered to be a weakness or a less than manly thing to ask for assistance or ask for help so they do the best they can do with what they have available...they use the chemicals and drugs they've used in the past to numb feelings up."

go here for the rest
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=3921499&page=1



Tale of Three Medics

High at the Mountain Post

This is a good report.

When my husband's nephew came home from Vietnam, he was already addicted to heroin. It was self-medication that he was hooked on. He didn't want to get high. He wanted to kill off feelings he did not want to ever feel again and if it meant he would kill off any good feelings with them, so be it. To him, not feeling that kind of pain was worth any price.

That price sent him to jail for a long time. When he got out, eventually, he fell in love with a good woman with a sharp mind. A professional woman, independent and wealthy by some standards. She helped him begin to heal enough that he was willing to get clean. She made sure he went to the VA to be treated and he was. Eventually his claim was approved. He had shrapnel still imbedded in his body and a lot of back pain, along with a diagnosis of PTSD. All those years, he never knew what it was. He didn't have much of a sense of it until my husband was diagnosed and began to share with his nephew. Andy, well he was just a few months younger than my husband Jack. Both of them enlisted in the Army the same year.

Back then MRI's were very dangerous for anyone with metal in their body. The VA wanted him to have an MRI. He though they were trying to kill him. The next attack came when he sent for his records from the DOD. The response came back that the unit he served in, never existed. Andy had been living with blaming himself for a couple of his buddies getting blown up. The denial meant that the government was also denying his friends died. If the unit never existed, then neither did they.

All that work, all that time of healing, was over with a few days later when he contacted his ex-dealer. He was back on heroin. Not long after, he bought enough for ten men to die. He checked himself into a motel room. Locked the door. Pushed furniture up against the door so that no one could get in. He used all the heroin. He knew what he was doing.

This country can say it as many times as they want but what all of this boils down to is that no one really looks at the soldiers and Marines as human. If they ever did they wouldn't see them as being any different than themselves. They would have to take a good, long, hard look at what we ask all of them to go through when we send them to war. Logical people would understand that in sending them, we should accept the responsibility for them, since they are necessary for the security of this nation. We are not a logical nation. We are an emotional one. We are a judgmental one. For all the talk of being compassionate, while the majority of the people are, those who lead it are not.

A lot of people want to just blame Bush for all of this, but Andy committed suicide when Clinton was in office and it was not Bush in office when Andy and my husband came home. Bush however is in office right now. He did in fact send the troops into two different nations to risk their lives. Debate the righteousness all you want but what is not and should never be open to debate is taking care of them. Bush didn't cause the problems with the VA, he increased them. He did not cause all the wounded veterans, but he added to them and failed to take care of them. The VA was already backlogged and under-funded as well as under-staffed before Afghanistan was invaded and well before Iraq was even being addressed. No one did anything about it.

Now as Iraq and Afghanistan veterans receive preferential treatment, as abysmal as it is, the older veterans are pushed aside. Will we ever get any of this right? Will we ever live up to what we say? kc