Army study finds that troops suffer concussions in training
Brain specialists: Army’s training may make soldiers more vulnerable to head injuries on battlefield
By JOAQUIN SAPIEN, PROPUBLICA AND DANIEL ZWERDLING
NPR
Published: August 24, 2012
A new military study has found that almost 6 percent of soldiers who took hand-to-hand combat courses at a Texas Army base were struck in the head and suffered symptoms the Pentagon says are consistent with concussions, also called mild traumatic brain injuries.
Over the last decade, hundreds of thousands of soldiers have taken such classes – called “combatives” – at bases nationwide before deploying overseas.
Researchers stress that the study is relatively small, drawing from classes at Ft. Hood with just under 2,000 soldiers. And they haven’t finished the study yet. But the preliminary results have sparked concern among brain specialists inside and outside the military, suggesting that some soldiers went to war in Iraq and Afghanistan having suffered mild traumatic brain injuries in training – and might have been more vulnerable to long-term consequences from additional concussions later.
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Friday, August 24, 2012
Special Operations Chief Adm. Bill McRaven says "Pipe Down"
Special ops chief to troops: Pipe down
Army Times
By Kimberly Dozier
AP Intelligence Writer Posted : Friday Aug 24, 2012
WASHINGTON — Special operations chief Adm. Bill McRaven warned his troops, current and former, that he would take legal action against anyone found to have exposed sensitive information that could cause fellow forces harm.
"We will pursue every option available to hold members accountable, including criminal prosecution where appropriate," the four-star commander wrote, in an open, unclassified letter emailed to the active-duty special operations community Thursday, and obtained by The Associated Press.
The warning came a day after a retired Navy commando revealed he is publishing a first-hand account of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. Pentagon officials say they have not been given a chance to review the book, but Pentagon spokesman George Little said Friday officials expect to receive a copy "very shortly."
Little said the Pentagon will decide whether to take any action against the author once officials review the book's contents to determine whether it includes classified information. He said the Department of Justice would have the lead role if any legal action were to be taken.
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FOX News identified Navy SEAL
Army Times
By Kimberly Dozier
AP Intelligence Writer Posted : Friday Aug 24, 2012
WASHINGTON — Special operations chief Adm. Bill McRaven warned his troops, current and former, that he would take legal action against anyone found to have exposed sensitive information that could cause fellow forces harm.
"We will pursue every option available to hold members accountable, including criminal prosecution where appropriate," the four-star commander wrote, in an open, unclassified letter emailed to the active-duty special operations community Thursday, and obtained by The Associated Press.
The warning came a day after a retired Navy commando revealed he is publishing a first-hand account of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. Pentagon officials say they have not been given a chance to review the book, but Pentagon spokesman George Little said Friday officials expect to receive a copy "very shortly."
Little said the Pentagon will decide whether to take any action against the author once officials review the book's contents to determine whether it includes classified information. He said the Department of Justice would have the lead role if any legal action were to be taken.
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FOX News identified Navy SEAL
Vietnam Vet on hunger strike to spur action on suicides
Vet on hunger strike to spur action on suicides
By Patricia Kime
Staff writer
Marine Corps Times
Posted : Friday Aug 24, 2012
A 65-year-old Army veteran is on his sixth day of a hunger strike in Washington, D.C., to push for White House action to address the rising tide of suicides in the military.
Tom Mahany, a former West Point cadet who served as a specialist second class in Vietnam in 1969, wants the Obama administration to create a federal advisory committee to address troops’ mental and physical health issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury and depression, which can contribute to suicide.
Such a committee, Mahany argues, would pull together the many disparate groups and task forces within the government now working on the subject.
“There are 24 different groups working on this — it’s like 24,000 people all talking at once. But what are they actually doing? They are still compiling information, not doing,” he said from his bench in Lafayette Square, across from the White House.
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By Patricia Kime
Staff writer
Marine Corps Times
Posted : Friday Aug 24, 2012
A 65-year-old Army veteran is on his sixth day of a hunger strike in Washington, D.C., to push for White House action to address the rising tide of suicides in the military.
Tom Mahany, a former West Point cadet who served as a specialist second class in Vietnam in 1969, wants the Obama administration to create a federal advisory committee to address troops’ mental and physical health issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury and depression, which can contribute to suicide.
Such a committee, Mahany argues, would pull together the many disparate groups and task forces within the government now working on the subject.
“There are 24 different groups working on this — it’s like 24,000 people all talking at once. But what are they actually doing? They are still compiling information, not doing,” he said from his bench in Lafayette Square, across from the White House.
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Army Mom, veteran takes care of other veterans
Returning soldiers get healing Homestead from mother of 3 war veterans
By Rick Leventhal
Published August 22, 2012
FoxNews.com
When America launched the war on Iraq in 2003, Adam Morse was a specialist with the U.S. Army, driving a wrecker, towing damaged Humvees and other heavy equipment out of Nazaria and other combat zones.
He was just 17, and still in high school, when he joined the National Guard in 1999.
His dad had to sign the paperwork for him, and Adam says he never expected he'd be in battle.
After he came home, Adam says the weight of his experiences and lack of understanding by the civilians around him led him to abuse alcohol and drugs.
He got married and bought a home, but his addiction grew so bad he wound up losing the house and growing estranged from his wife and three young children. Then he found Veteran Homestead, got sober and turned his life around.
"Yesterday was 11 months for me, and I couldn't get 11 minutes before" Adam said of his newfound sobriety. "It was bad… so this place has, I believe, saved my life and … saved my family."
Veteran Homestead is a community of 20 two-bedroom, one bath homes on 10 wooded acres in central Massachusetts designed to help young men and women having difficulties recovering from their service in Iraq or Afghanistan. The facility has a clubhouse-like rehabilitation center with state-of-the-art equipment, including a gym, wave pool and therapy room. There's even a pool table that provides recreation and also can help improve hand-eye coordination.
The Homestead was built by Leslie Lightfoot, a former Army medic who spent three years at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany during the Vietnam War. Leslie has three children who've all done multiple tours in Iraq or Afghanistan and has dedicated her life to helping service members struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury or war-related substance abuse issues.
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By Rick Leventhal
Published August 22, 2012
FoxNews.com
When America launched the war on Iraq in 2003, Adam Morse was a specialist with the U.S. Army, driving a wrecker, towing damaged Humvees and other heavy equipment out of Nazaria and other combat zones.
He was just 17, and still in high school, when he joined the National Guard in 1999.
His dad had to sign the paperwork for him, and Adam says he never expected he'd be in battle.
After he came home, Adam says the weight of his experiences and lack of understanding by the civilians around him led him to abuse alcohol and drugs.
He got married and bought a home, but his addiction grew so bad he wound up losing the house and growing estranged from his wife and three young children. Then he found Veteran Homestead, got sober and turned his life around.
"Yesterday was 11 months for me, and I couldn't get 11 minutes before" Adam said of his newfound sobriety. "It was bad… so this place has, I believe, saved my life and … saved my family."
Veteran Homestead is a community of 20 two-bedroom, one bath homes on 10 wooded acres in central Massachusetts designed to help young men and women having difficulties recovering from their service in Iraq or Afghanistan. The facility has a clubhouse-like rehabilitation center with state-of-the-art equipment, including a gym, wave pool and therapy room. There's even a pool table that provides recreation and also can help improve hand-eye coordination.
The Homestead was built by Leslie Lightfoot, a former Army medic who spent three years at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany during the Vietnam War. Leslie has three children who've all done multiple tours in Iraq or Afghanistan and has dedicated her life to helping service members struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury or war-related substance abuse issues.
read more here
Military Spouse says resiliency program "too little too late"
This article is about some military spouses protesting during Paul Ryan's visit but when I was reading it, what one of them said about "resiliency" supports what I've been saying since 2008. It is not too late but it is too wrong. Most of the program is fine but when it tells the troops they can "train their brains to be mentally tough" it ends up telling them they are mentally weak if they end up with PTSD. This program needs to either end or get a major readjustment.
A Few Military Spouses Protest Outside During Ryan's Fayetteville Visit
Some spouses feel that the Romney/Ryan ticket offers nothing for the military and their wounded warriors.
Fort Bragg Patch
By Kelly Twedell
The resiliency program in her opinion has not been a huge help to them after ten years at war. "Too little, too late," McCarthy said.
During Thursday's campaign visit to Fayetteville, around 12 protesters gathered at the end of the driveway leading into the PDI lab where Rep. Paul Ryan was greeted for a private gathering. Some protesters were military families from Fort Bragg.
Jillian McCarthy, a military spouse at Fort Bragg for the past four years, says while she does not have to worry about health care, since her family is covered through the military, she has other concerns.
"What's important to me is my children and their education. Romney/Ryan want to cut infrastructure and spending in all areas and I don't agree with that," said McCarthy.
This military spouse feels strongly that the Romney ticket is not offering help that the military needs, particularly more funding for PTSD. McCarthy also mentioned the overstocking of the Veterans Administration hospital is an issue, and the strain the constant deployments have taken on both the families and soldiers.
The McCarthy family has 18.5 years of active duty service, but they might have to stay in in order to send their kids to college, the way the economy looks right now.
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