Hagel: Plan in 30 Days for DoD-VA Records Sharing
Apr 17, 2013
Stars and Stripes
by Chris Carroll and Leo Shane III
WASHINGTON -- Faced with tough questions from legislators, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Tuesday said he would decide on a plan within 30 days to work through the tangled process to seamlessly share medical records between the Department of Defense and the VA.
At a hearing with members of the House Appropriations Committee, Hagel admitted the process has bogged down, and promised quick action.
“I’m going to acknowledge that we’re way behind,” said Hagel, who took over as defense secretary in February, and previously served as an official at the VA in the 1980s. “We will do better.”
In recent weeks, the collaboration between the Pentagon and VA on lifelong electronic medical records has become a sore spot for lawmakers and veterans advocates, who have accused officials of abandoning their goal of seamless records sharing by 2017.
In a letter to Hagel sent Tuesday, members of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs urged him to speed the transfer of servicemembers’ records to VA, and institute electronic transfer capabilities by Dec. 31.
“Veterans’ disability benefits claims must be adjudicated in a timely and accurate manner and veterans must receive the benefits to which they are entitled,” committee members wrote, noting that veterans wait an average of more 250 days for decision on a disability benefits claim.
read more here
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Bernie Sanders on frontline for veterans
Bernie Sanders on frontline for veterans
Washington Post
By Steve Vogel
Published: April 14
As an antiwar activist who never served in the military and the first self-proclaimed socialist in the U.S. Senate, Bernard Sanders is at initial glance an unusual choice to chair the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.
But Sanders, the tousled-haired 71-year-old Vermont independent who took over the committee in January, has embraced the role with a populist gusto that has won him staunch backing from veterans groups.
“That is odd,” said Peter Gaytan, executive director of the American Legion, whose members gave Sanders a warm reception at the organization’s Washington conference in February. “If you look at his leanings, you wouldn’t think he could care so much about veterans, but he does.”
“He’s very passionate about the issues,” said Bob Wallace, executive director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. “I think he’s going to be very good for veterans.”
Angered that the 2014 budget proposed by the Obama adminstration includes changes in how annual cost-of-living adjustments are calculated, potentially reducing future compensation payments for 3.2 million disabled veterans, Sanders joined in a demonstration Tuesday outside the White House and denounced the plan as “nuts.”
read more here
If you want to know that truth about all of this you can read the shocking truth here.
THE WARRIOR SAW, SUICIDES AFTER WAR
Since 2007, Wounded Times has brought you the news from all around the country. This book answers the questions of where we are, how we got here and what can be done to actually live up to what we keep saying we want to do.
Washington Post
By Steve Vogel
Published: April 14
As an antiwar activist who never served in the military and the first self-proclaimed socialist in the U.S. Senate, Bernard Sanders is at initial glance an unusual choice to chair the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.
But Sanders, the tousled-haired 71-year-old Vermont independent who took over the committee in January, has embraced the role with a populist gusto that has won him staunch backing from veterans groups.
“That is odd,” said Peter Gaytan, executive director of the American Legion, whose members gave Sanders a warm reception at the organization’s Washington conference in February. “If you look at his leanings, you wouldn’t think he could care so much about veterans, but he does.”
“He’s very passionate about the issues,” said Bob Wallace, executive director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. “I think he’s going to be very good for veterans.”
Angered that the 2014 budget proposed by the Obama adminstration includes changes in how annual cost-of-living adjustments are calculated, potentially reducing future compensation payments for 3.2 million disabled veterans, Sanders joined in a demonstration Tuesday outside the White House and denounced the plan as “nuts.”
read more here
If you want to know that truth about all of this you can read the shocking truth here.
THE WARRIOR SAW, SUICIDES AFTER WAR
Since 2007, Wounded Times has brought you the news from all around the country. This book answers the questions of where we are, how we got here and what can be done to actually live up to what we keep saying we want to do.
Concerned Veterans for America?
If you have a group stepping up to make sure veterans get the care they need, the first thing you should do is find out exactly what has been happening before demanding change. Too many times the change that comes, isn't the one hoped for.
Concerned Veterans for America issued a press release about "demanding accountability" which is a good thing but when you read the release, it seems as if they have no idea how it got this bad or when.
THE WARRIOR SAW, SUICIDES AFTER WAR lets people know where we are, how we got here and what can be done. There is a history behind what is happening to veterans today and you'll be able to read it, understand it and then fight to have it fixed.
Concerned Veterans for America issued a press release about "demanding accountability" which is a good thing but when you read the release, it seems as if they have no idea how it got this bad or when.
THE WARRIOR SAW, SUICIDES AFTER WAR lets people know where we are, how we got here and what can be done. There is a history behind what is happening to veterans today and you'll be able to read it, understand it and then fight to have it fixed.
"Military and veteran suicides are higher even though billions are spent every year trying to prevent them. After years of research most can be connected to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD has been researched for 40 years yet most of what was known has been forgotten. Families are left blaming themselves for what they were never told. Reporters have failed to research. Congress failed at holding people accountable. The military failed at giving them the help they need. We failed to pay attention."Here is what this group wants to do.
New Website Launched to Demand Accountability from the Department of Veterans Affairs
By Concerned Veterans for America
Published: Monday, Apr. 15, 2013
ARLINGTON, Va.
ARLINGTON, Va., April 15, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the backlog of pending disability claims at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) soars to nearly one million, today Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) is launching a new website (MillionVetBacklog.com) and campaign to mobilize veterans and all Americans to demand accountability at VA. The new push calls on the White House to relieve VA Secretary Eric Shinseki and appoint a new Secretary who will pursue bold, innovative, and overdue reforms to a dysfunctional bureaucracy and calcified culture at VA.
This new MillionVetBacklog campaign includes a call-to-action video and a grassroots petition to keep the pressure on the White House to stop making excuses and start delivering results.
Pete Hegseth, CEO of CVA and Army veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, said the following about the new initiative:
"The dysfunction at VA is deep and wide, growing day-by-day as more facts come out about the length of time veterans are waiting for their pending claims to be resolved. Rather than meeting the needs of veterans in a timely manner, VA's bloated bureaucracy tells them to take a number and wait in line. That line has grown by 2,000% under this administration—a true failure of leadership. "Secretary Shinseki is an honorable man with a sterling record of military service; however, his tenure at VA has not produced the results he—or the White House—promised four years ago. Now is the time for a new leader and bold reforms."
read more here
Montana National Guard couple deploy together for third time
Husband, wife deploy together for the 3rd time with MT Guard
Posted: Apr 15, 2013
KPAX News
HELENA - The Montana National Guard's 1-189 deployed from Helena for Fort Hood, Texas a few weeks ago, with part of the battalion is receiving special training in Fort Bliss, including one married couple who are sharing their third deployment together.
Theirs isn't a typical love story. They're both deployed with the first of the 1-189 General Support Aviation Battalion.
"Circumstances kind of just brought us together and we've been together ever since," said Staff Sergeant Cheyne Unckles, a crew chief with the 1-189.
The Unckles were married in 2011. Cheyne works as a helicopter crew chief and Tova is in quality control.
"I used to see helicopters everywhere I went, so now I'm doing exactly what I wanted to do as a kid," said Cheyne.
Tova has a more practical reason. "For the education benefits, so I could go to school," said Staff Sergeant Tova Unckles.
It's been less than a year since finishing their last deployment and again they've left behind their two boys, Kendrick who is eight, and Kai, who is six.
read more here
Posted: Apr 15, 2013
KPAX News
HELENA - The Montana National Guard's 1-189 deployed from Helena for Fort Hood, Texas a few weeks ago, with part of the battalion is receiving special training in Fort Bliss, including one married couple who are sharing their third deployment together.
Theirs isn't a typical love story. They're both deployed with the first of the 1-189 General Support Aviation Battalion.
"Circumstances kind of just brought us together and we've been together ever since," said Staff Sergeant Cheyne Unckles, a crew chief with the 1-189.
The Unckles were married in 2011. Cheyne works as a helicopter crew chief and Tova is in quality control.
"I used to see helicopters everywhere I went, so now I'm doing exactly what I wanted to do as a kid," said Cheyne.
Tova has a more practical reason. "For the education benefits, so I could go to school," said Staff Sergeant Tova Unckles.
It's been less than a year since finishing their last deployment and again they've left behind their two boys, Kendrick who is eight, and Kai, who is six.
read more here
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Get help for PTSD before your mind changes you
I agree on the thinking about PTSD has to change in the below article, but it has to happen fast.
Vietnam veterans proved it is never too late to get help and live a better life even if you cannot be cured. There is healing going on for them no matter how long they have had it.
That said they are also a great example of what can happen when help does not start soon enough. Their brain scans show changes. Without getting into too much detail, this is the basic on this.
There is a growing group of researchers saying that PTSD changes the brain and that could be behind the fact that if therapy starts early, then most of what PTSD does can be reversed. That is also one of the reasons why when something really traumatic happens to a large group of people, crisis intervention teams rush in. Like what is happening in Boston right now after the bomb blasts.
So if you need help, get it before your mind changes you.
Vietnam veterans proved it is never too late to get help and live a better life even if you cannot be cured. There is healing going on for them no matter how long they have had it.
That said they are also a great example of what can happen when help does not start soon enough. Their brain scans show changes. Without getting into too much detail, this is the basic on this.
Grafman is one of the scientists behind the Vietnam Head Injury Study (VHIS). This study is a 30 year analysis of Vietnam veterans that measures a whole host of outcomes. Among the myriad of unfortunate effects of combat on soliders, two things occur frequently; brain injury and, especially in Vietnam, PTSD. The VHIS analyzed 245 Vietnam combat veterans, of whom 193 had some permanent brain damage. The remaining 52 had experienced combat but not suffered lasting brain damage. As part of the VHIS, the location and extent of brain damage was determined in each subject using brain imaging. Koenigs and colleagues then asked a simple question of each veteran; have you ever experienced PTSD? Around 45% had. They then grouped patients into PTSD+ and PTSD- groups based upon their responses and re-analyzed the results from the brain scans to see if damage to particular parts of the brain correlated with the occurrence of PTSD.
There is a growing group of researchers saying that PTSD changes the brain and that could be behind the fact that if therapy starts early, then most of what PTSD does can be reversed. That is also one of the reasons why when something really traumatic happens to a large group of people, crisis intervention teams rush in. Like what is happening in Boston right now after the bomb blasts.
So if you need help, get it before your mind changes you.
GUEST EDITORIAL: Thinking on PTSD has to change
Apr. 15, 2013
Linda Fletcher thinks it’s time to start thinking differently about post-traumatic stress disorder — how it is defined, diagnosed and treated.
Given the huge numbers of military veterans suffering the horrors of PTSD and the limited success the medical profession has had dealing with its debilitating symptoms, the sooner the better.
Fletcher is uniquely qualified to talk about PTSD. She is a retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. and a 22-year veteran of the Army Nurse Corps. Her father was a career Army officer who, she believes, suffered from PTSD most of his adult life after his combat experiences in Italy in WWII, where he was awarded the Silver Star.
Fletcher’s concerned about the long-term effects PTSD will have on veterans, their families and society.
“What we are doing doesn’t work,” she said. “We’re still treating people from World War II and Vietnam. It’s incredibly expensive and there is a lot of collateral damage — drug and alcohol abuse, inability to hold a job, homelessness, suicide, fractured homes. … It’s a huge problem and it’s just getting bigger.”
read more here
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