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WASHINGTON, June 9, 1999 - President Clinton and DoD announced June 7 two new Defense Department initiatives aimed at improving the mental health of service members. The first, called the "combat stress control" program, seeks to help identify and manage stress during deployments before it adversely impacts service members' coping skills and effectiveness. The second initiative, aimed at suicide prevention, will take the existing Air Force suicide prevention pilot program and expand it throughout DoD by the end of this year. The Air Force program has been particularly successful, achieving a 50 percent reduction in suicides in only three years. The president announced the initiatives in conjunction with the first-ever White House Conference on Mental Health, held June 7 at Washington's Howard University and chaired by Tipper Gore, wife of Vice President Al Gore. The president and Mrs. Clinton also participated in the all-day conference aimed at reducing the stigma associated with mental health disease and treatment and improving care throughout the nation.

"A selection of press clipping on this past week's watershed conference, and, in extended, you can view Gates' and Shinseki's opening statements in full."

The Army chief of staff says a new training program will begin soon to help soldiers become more mentally resilient against the stress of war.\n\nGen. George W. Casey Jr. said Monday at Fort Campbell that the comprehensive soldier fitness program will focus on coping with stress, along with physical training.

The military does not want Iraq veterans to be diagnosed with PTSD, a condition that obligates the military to provide expensive, intensive long-term care, including the possibility of lifetime disability payments.

Last week, another Army general, this time Army Maj. Gen. Mark Graham, entered this category, coming forward to share his personal experience with the stigma of suicide following his son's 2003 suicide. In his efforts, which must be personally and professionally trying, we can see the elements of wisdom at work.

A look at the militarization of neuroscience, giving a brief history as well as a peek at possible future outcomes of the mushrooming relationship

The Defense Department is all a-Twitter about whether to allow service members continued access to highly popular social networking sites on government computers because of network security, bandwidth and privacy concerns, a spokesman said Thursday.