What's New
| Congressman Mitchell: Pausing to Consider People Who REALLY Matter |
Chairman Harry Mitchell is a Hero to Veterans Nationwide August 20, 2010 (Arizona Republic) - It's been a month since I spoke to Rep. Harry Mitchell about suicides among military veterans and I'm just getting around to writing something. |
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| What Obama Won't Say Tonight About US Withdrawal from Iraq |
| August 31, 2010 (ConsortiumNews) - President Barack Obama’s aides say his speech this evening marking the end of "combat operations" in Iraq will avoid the vainglorious aspects of President George W. Bush’s infamous "Mission Accomplished" speech in 2003. We’ll see. |
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| Lawsuit Update: Prudential's Half-Billion in Dirty Secret Profits |
Families of Dead Soldiers Sue Insurer Over Its Handling of Survivors’ Benefits August 29, 2010 (New York Times) - Vickie Castro’s only child was killed six years ago just before Christmas, when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside an Army mess tent in Mosul, Iraq, killing more than 20 people. |
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| Op-Ed: Cost of War Must Also Include Caring for Our Veterans |
Overlooked Cost of Iraq / Afghanistan Wars: Our Veterans' Healthcare and Benefits August 15, 2010 (San Francisco Chronicle) - Two years after an Army specialist saw half his platoon torn apart in Iraq, he hanged himself in a California backyard. |
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| VA Secretary Shinseki's Open Message to Gulf War Veterans |
| August 11, 2010, Washington, DC (VA Press Release) - August 2010 marks the 20th anniversary of the beginning of the Gulf War, launched with Operation Desert Shield and followed by Operation Desert Storm. VA honors this milestone with a renewed commitment to improving our responsiveness to the challenges facing Gulf War Veterans. |
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Ind. Guard: Standoff Highlights Need For Soldier Help
Written by The Indy Channel
Wednesday, 30 September 2009 08:56
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September 29, 2009, Indianapolis, IN - A police standoff involving an Iraq war veteran in Indianapolis highlights the need for programs to help soldiers deal with combat stress, Indiana National Guard leaders said Tuesday.
National Guard Sgt. Jason Carrera, 26, who served two tours in Iraq, eventually surrendered peacefully to police after barricading himself in his apartment for seven hours Tuesday. Members of the guard's Crisis Intervention Team, which includes a medical doctor, a psychologist and a chaplain, made contact with Carrera's family as soon as they could, 6News' Renee Jameson reported. "Our gut feeling this morning was we immediately jumped on what are we going to do next after this is resolved?" said Col. Ross Waltemath. "Fortunately, there was a good ending today. Once that soldier is supported and in custody and is safe, we immediately go into what can we do for medical care." The team, which is one of the first in the nation, has handled more than 80 interventions, assisting soldiers with physical and psychological challenges, including post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. "If they are experiencing any kind of depression or stress or post-traumatic stress, (they have) someone to contact for help," said psychologist Sydney Davidson. "You don't want them to be hooked on drugs or alcohol, which is what a lot of people do. They'll try and numb their feelings." Waltemath said the Guard is also trying to send a clear message to soldiers that it's OK to ask for help. "They're not going to have adverse actions taken on them on the military side," he said. "Go get help." Service members and their families who need help or have questions are asked to call the Joint Operations Center at Stout Field at 317-247-3320.
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