Veterans suffer in silence on a harsh home front

Veterans suffer in silence on a harsh home front
Published: Saturday, August 04, 2012
By Mike Francis
The Oregonian

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press
U.S. Marines fill out research consent forms before taking psychological tests at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif., on Sept. 29, 2009, in a program testing hundreds of Marines and soldiers before they ship out to search for clues that might help predict who is most susceptible to post-traumatic stress.

A Vietnam-era veteran suffering 40 years after he said he was victimized by a sexual predator in the military.

A veteran in jail after being caught with heroin.

A veteran charged with driving under the influence.

A young veteran with a gun in his mouth who, thankfully, put it down.

Families broken up under the stress of living with a veteran who is moody, alcoholic or who lashes out in anger.

These are just a few of the cases in this state that have come to me recently in phone calls, emails or personal conversation. They differ in the details and the degree of tragedy, but they speak to the emotional pain that is pulsing like an exposed nerve in every corner of the state.

How big a problem does it pose, this fragmented community of suffering veterans and current service members? That's maddeningly difficult to say. Even the military, which says it cares deeply about the issue but cultivates a warrior stoicism that discourages self-reporting, can't tell you. The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense have multiple, disconnected programs intended to address post-traumatic stress, depression and other widespread emotional and mental health issues, but nobody seems able to say how well they work.

A report in July from the Institutes of Medicine found that "no single source within the DOD or any of the service branches maintains a complete list of such (treatment) programs, tracks the development of new or emerging programs, or has appropriate resources in place to direct service members to programs that may best meet their individual needs."
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James A. Haley VA reports contradict its claims on covert camera

Haley VA reports contradict its claims on covert camera
By William R. Levesque
Times Staff Writer
In Print: Sunday, August 5, 2012

TAMPA — Officials at the James A. Haley VA Medical Center insist they told the family of a severely brain-damaged veteran about a camera disguised as a smoke detector before installing it in his hospital room.

Hospital officials told the Tampa Bay Times and another media outlet that one of the man's relatives even signed a release acknowledging the unusual camera.

But Haley's own records appear to show the hospital's defense is simply untrue.

An internal "contact report" by an assistant nurse manager involved in Joseph Carnegie's care said angry family members approached hospital staff complaining about the camera after discovering it themselves.

The report by a supervisory nurse shows they were told nothing confirming its installation or use.

Then hospital officials told a Fort Myers television reporter that the Carnegies signed a release acknowledging the camera had been installed.

The Times requested a copy of that document.

Haley released two "contact reports" to the Times with the names of hospital staff redacted. "Yes, the family was aware and attached is the signed release," Haley spokeswoman Carolyn Clark said in an email providing the reports.

But the forms are not signed releases at all. And they clearly contradict the heart of Haley's defense that the family knew about the camera before its installation.

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Hidden camera found in patient's room at James A Haley VA hospital

Deplorable conditions for America's war heroes at Haley VA

UK soldiers sent to guard Olympic games in horrible living conditions

Soldiers complain about conditions
(UKPA)
1 day ago

Soldiers have complained about "horrible" living conditions, boredom and a lack of Olympics tickets as Boris Johnson visited their packed warehouse base in London.

The London mayor walked past soldiers sleeping on camp beds in the open, cramped rooms full of dozens of makeshift beds, people washing in plastic crates, smelly portable toilets and an outdoor kitchen as he visited the armed forces' accommodation in an old tobacco warehouse.

The sound of diggers and cranes filled the air as Mr Johnson visited the recreation area - a small strip of concrete next to the old dock. "What is that there?" he remarked. "Should we go and intervene? It's probably Hare Krishnas or something."

Inside, some troops watched Britain win another rowing gold medal and posed for pictures with Mr Johnson, but others told stories of missing holidays and having nothing to do while on standby or on downtime.
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New study compares health of vets, civilians

New study compares health of vets, civilians
By Patricia Kime
Staff writer
Posted : Friday Aug 3, 2012

Male veterans are more likely than civilians to have two or more chronic health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure or asthma, according to a Centers for Disease Control report released Wednesday.

But male veterans are only slightly more likely to report issues related to psychological stress than those who never served.

In general, veterans aged 25 to 64 reported their health as “poor to fair” at rates higher than their civilian counterparts, 16 percent versus 10 percent. The widest disparity was among the 45 to 64 age group: 17 percent of male veterans described their health as either poor or fair — as opposed to good, very good or excellent — while just 12 percent of civilian males said their health was poor or fair.

Regarding psychological stress, a condition the CDC says could indicate a diagnosable mental condition, fewer than 5 percent of both veterans and nonveterans reported any problems, although the percentages among veterans still were slightly higher across the board for all age groups.
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Kan. Army veteran’s service dog found dead

Kan. Army veteran’s service dog found dead
The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Aug 4, 2012


WICHITA, Kan. — A disabled Army veteran’s service dog is found dead along a Kansas interstate highway about three hours after its owner reported it stolen.

The Wichita Eagle reported Ryan Newell stopped at a car wash in Park City shortly before 7 p.m. Friday to let the dog, a Doberman named Red, stretch its legs.
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