Fund helps heal the unseen wounds of war PTSD and TBI

Fund helps heal the unseen wounds of war
Published April 09, 2013
FoxNews.com

The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund works with the government to help rehabilitate war veterans with the emotional and psychological wounds of battle. In the past decade, the fund has raised $600 million dollars.

Thousands of wounded U.S. soldiers return from war each year. But for many, their scars come in the form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. And the result is painfully apparent: Every day in the United States, one service member commits suicide.

Senior managing health editor of Foxnews.com, Dr. Manny Alvarez, recently sat down with chief spokesman and former president of the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, Bill White, to find out what’s being done to help members of the U.S. military.

“It’s the obvious things that make a lot of sense to people, but now what we are seeing is these invisible wounds are the signature wounds of these two wars,” White said.
read more here

14 Wounded at Lone Star Community College

Lone Star Stabbing: Suspect Arrested After Texas Community College Attack
(LIVE UPDATES)
Huff Post
By RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI and JUAN A. LOZANO
04/09/13

CYPRESS, Texas -- More than a dozen people were wounded when a suspect went building-to-building in an apparent stabbing attack at a Texas college campus Tuesday, authorities said.

The attack about 11:20 a.m. on the Lone Star Community College System's campus in Cypress sent at least 12 people to area hospitals, including four people taken by helicopter, according to Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department spokesman Robert Rasa. He said several people refused treatment at the scene and all the wounds were consistent with stabbing.

The Harris County Sheriff's Department confirmed at least 14 people were wounded and spokesman Thomas Gilliland said authorities had one suspect in custody.

read more here

NATO Helicopter Crashes In Afghanistan

NATO Helicopter Crashes In Afghanistan
Huff Post
By KIM GAMEL
04/09/13

KABUL, Afghanistan — A NATO helicopter crashed in a field in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, killing two American service members.

The U.S.-led International Security Assistance Force said the cause of the crash is under investigation but initial reporting indicates there was no enemy activity in the area at the time.

It did not immediately identify the nationalities of those killed. But a senior U.S. official confirmed they were Americans. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to release the information ahead of a formal announcement.

The deaths raised to nine the number of Americans, including three civilians, killed in Afghanistan so far this month.
read more here

Military suicides were lower before Resilience Training

Military suicides were lower before Resilience Training
Congress still clueless
by Kathie Costos
Wounded Times Blog
April 9, 2013

The last few days there hasn't been as much posting going on because I am pushing hard to finish THE WARRIOR SAW, SUICIDES AFTER WAR because of things just like this. Congressman André Carson wrote in Politico that there were 349 military suicides. Really? Sure if you do not count National Guards and Reservists.

Military suicide: War’s invisible casualty
Politico
By REP. ANDRÉ CARSON
4/8/13

Three hundred forty-nine members of the United States military committed suicide in 2012 — a total higher than the number of combat casualties in Afghanistan during that same period. This 15 percent increase over the year prior points to a dangerous national epidemic and a failure to address the invisible wounds of war inflicted on members of the proudest military force in the world.

Congress has an immediate role to play and an undeniable responsibility to confront these challenges head-on. That is why this week I am introducing two pieces of legislation that seek to stave off further increases in military suicide and ensure we are addressing the prevalence by which American heroes are taking their own lives.

For too long, we have failed to see our own duplicity in how we deal with wartime injuries. When a member of our military is struck by an enemy bullet or mortar, medics rush to their assistance. We provide immediate treatment and take the necessary precautions to keep our troops healthy and strong. Yet when it comes to their mental health, our soldiers are often abandoned on the battlefield to cope with post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries and depression. These unseen wounds are often just as deep and their consequences just as severe, but they go untreated. Worse yet, we have created an environment in which proactively seeking treatment is considered taboo.
read more here

My comment

Wounded Times • a few seconds ago − End resilience training and you are part way there. This "effort" has been behind the increased number of suicides. How does this country spends billions a year in contracts and end up increasing suicides? Has that entered into any of this? Next week you will be able to read all about it in The Warrior Saw, Suicides After War because families asked me to write it so no other Mom has to bury a war fighter when their war ends but the battle goes on

The truth is Congress, the DOD, the VA and a long list of charities spend billions every year. The suicide numbers were lower before they did. Lower? Yes.
2003 76
2004 67
2005 87
2006 99
2007 115

2008 140
Suicide attempts 570
Of the 140 suicides, 34 (24%) occurred in OIF-OEF. One hundred sixteen suicide attempts (12%) were reported to have occurred in OIF-OEF. Nineteen percent of Soldiers with completed suicides, and 14% of Soldiers with suicide attempts, had a history of multiple deployments to Iraq and/or Afghanistan. Of suicide events reported as occurring in theater, the majority was reported to have occurred in Iraq.

2009 164 Army DoDSERs Submitted for Non-Fatal Events 2,047 Army DoDSERs for non-fatal events were submitted for 2009. Of these, 502 (25%) were submitted for suicide attempts, 347 (17%) for instances of self-harm without intent to die, and 1198 (59%) for suicidal ideation only 2010 160 DoDSERs provide data on suicide attempts for 400 individuals. Two attempts were reported (DoDSERs submitted) for 11 (2.75%) individuals, and three for one individual (0.25%).

2010 suicide attempt DoDSER subsequently died by suicide in 2010 and were also included in the preceding section.

2011 167 440 DoDSERs for 2011 Army suicide attempts. As indicated in Table 5.29, these DoDSERs provide data on suicide attempts for 432 individuals. Two suicide attempt DoDSERs were submitted for 8 (1.85%) individuals
2011 Army suicide attempts 432 individuals with 440 attempts


Those numbers are just for the Army

This tells the best story of all.

For 2011 there were 935 attempted suicides in the military with 915 individuals trying to kill themselves. 896 tried once, 18 tried twice and 1 tried three times.

2012 For 2012, there have been 182 potential active-duty suicides but the reports also tell what has been happening with National Guards and Reservists

For 2012, there have been 143 potential not on active-duty suicides (96 Army National Guard and 47 Army Reserve): 117 have been confirmed as suicides and 26 remain under investigation. Not on active-duty suicide numbers for 2011: 118 (82 Army National Guard and 36 Army Reserve) confirmed as suicides and no cases under investigation.

In 2009 I warned that Comprehensive Soldier Fitness will make it worse
"If you promote this program the way Battlemind was promoted, count on the numbers of suicides and attempted suicides to go up instead of down. It's just one more deadly mistake after another and just as dangerous as sending them into Iraq without the armor needed to protect them." I was right but they still died.

CONGRESS STARTED SPENDING MONEY ON PTSD 40 YEARS AGO!

Combat PTSD, the "psychomoral" wound around the world

The UK has been working on Combat PTSD and suicides. So has Australia and Canada. The truth is, it is a human issue that has been documented throughout the centuries. As long as there have been wars and war fighters, there has been the psychomoral wound. I didn't spell it wrong. I didn't just made it up. It is actually a great way to explain the difference between Combat PTSD and Law Enforcement PTSD. There is a huge difference between what these groups suffer from and what "victim survivors" have to overcome.

This isn't from the USA. It is from India.

Definitions This Conference on “Urban Catharsis: The Psycho-Moral Cleansing Effects of the Literatures in English” has a dual purpose: First of all it is a sincere attempt to encourage research and aesthetic study of literatures in English rediscovering or focusing the elements /situations or characters or incidents that bring out the moral, spiritual or emotional cleansing of the reader resulting into a certain positive change. The equally important second purpose is to appreciate the value of those literary creations that employ this therapeutic modality and to acknowledge and honour their creators for their conscious or unconscious contribution towards the human welfare. For the very purpose, join our venture to dive into the depths of the ocean of Literatures in English to pick up the pearls of humanitarian values of Literature.

This isn't from the USA. It is from Turkey.

The General Staff has launched a training program designed to provide psychological support in a bid to tackle the increasing number of suicide cases within the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK).

Based on a protocol between the Ministry of Defense and the Rector’s Office of Ankara University, the newly commissioned and non-commissioned officers are being trained in areas such as “skills in interpersonal communication and assistance, noticing a soldier with problems and providing the relevant guidance,” Anatolia news agency reported April 8.

The move by the General Staff apparently comes as part of a recently launched campaign in response to growing public awareness of the high number of suicides and controversial deaths occurring among conscripts engaged in compulsory military service.