Group items tagged

Duckworth told senators yesterday that: "To become a 21st-century organization, the DVA (Department of Veterans Affairs) will have to change some past methods. It's no longer enough to hand out brochures at demobilization ceremonies. We must develop social networking strategies, use nontraditional outlets such as blogs, and employ the wide variety of new media available to get the message of available benefits to our veterans."

Bennett, who is working to establish veterans' courts, which deal with these behaviors, said the training is open to criminal justice practitioners such as judges, prosecutors, public defenders, probation, and law enforcement through CLEET, and veteran service providers and agencies.

"November ushers in National Military Family Month (read the president's proclamation), with Veterans Day observations around the country beginning in earnest this week and extending into next."

"The number of former servicemen in prison or on probation or parole is now more than double the total British deployment in Afghanistan, according to a new survey. An estimated 20,000 veterans are in the criminal justice system, with 8,500 behind bars, almost one in 10 of the prison population. The proportion of those in prison who are veterans has risen by more than 30% in the last five years."

WITH ARMY and Marine Corps suicide rates climbing dramatically, surpassing even those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan last month, the nation is increasingly disturbed and demanding treatment for veterans. But these suicide reports highlight an important distinction: A significant portion of those returning from war are not yet veterans; they are still active or reserve service members, which means, above all, that they probably will be going back to one of our theaters of operations. And that means that any treatment for post-traumatic stress will be positioned in direct conflict with the mission itself. As a former Marine captain and rifle company commander, I witnessed this conflict firsthand.

tiny http://tinyurl.com/6achspv http://tinyurl.com/5u4lcg9 http://tinyurl.com/6dvdsas http://tinyurl.com/6bf9xpv http://tinyurl.com/3t47oyz http://tinyurl.com/3t944jt http://tinyurl.com/42cub6w http://tinyurl.com/6cey9t2 http://tinyurl.com/64ok3gx

"Ilona Meagher, the author of "Moving a Nation to Care: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and America's Returning Troops," maintains a detailed online list of resources for veterans seeking help with PTSD. In the past, she has featured the warrior poets. "Everybody coping with PTSD needs an outlet, some way to express themselves," she said during a telephone interview from Chicago. "This is one powerful way to not only to help the veterans cope, but to make the public at large aware of this serious problem.""

Dunkin' Donuts, the Canton-based chain of coffee-and-baked-goods shops, announced an Iced Coffee Day on April 21 that aims to benefit injured veterans. On Iced Coffee Day, the price for a small cup of iced coffee will be reduced to 50 cents at participating Dunkin' Donuts shops, the chain said; for every small iced coffee purchased on this day, Dunkin' Donuts said it will donate five cents to benefit Homes for Our Troops, a nonprofit organization that builds specially adapted homes for severely injured veterans. Dunkin' Donuts has created a special website about Iced Coffee Day; to visit it, please click here.

Currently, there are a number of bills before Congress that would benefit veterans with PTSD and their families. Additionally, the military is expanding its effort to increase outreach to soldiers with PTSD.

"Far from a complete compilation, I've drawn together a number of activities and promotions (free food for vets! :o) that are being offered to coincide with Veterans Day, which takes place next Wednesday, November 11."

Chris Tucker received a medical discharge from the Army last year and he now is Officer Chris Tucker of the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department. "You still get to serve your community and your country in other ways," he said. At age 26, he is a veteran of three combat tours. The patrol skills he learned on the streets of Baghdad, Fallujah and Sadr City come in handy as he drives his police cruiser around the neighborhoods of his Savannah precinct.

"Vets Connect program, which the Stanford School of Medicine launched this summer. The program provides free mental health treatment and other services for veterans of the two ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom."

On this day, they are laboring at one of many small wetlands created by developers to compensate for marshland filled in for housing. Most of these spots are overgrown with blackberries and other invasive species, and the restoration work is tough labor that often leaves scratched-up arms. "It's been like a breath of fresh air," said Jeremy Grisham, the leader of the crew. "When I first got back, I couldn't find work and gained so much weight. When I started getting outside, it was the first time I felt good about things." Grisham was a Navy medic who took part in the initial U.S. invasion of Iraq. One of his most harrowing tasks was helping civilians suffering from burns and wounds. As Grisham was medically retired in 2005, he was diagnosed with a disabling case of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Grisham is now in his second year in the conservation corps, taking classes and field work at Green River Community College, which offers a two-year degree in natural-resources management. He is one of about 70 Washington veterans who have been able to attend Green River and four other community colleges around the state with the help of the conservation corps, which pays $1,000 per month in living expenses.

A Washington D.C.-based radio reporter says his audio storage device was inappropriately confiscated Tuesday by Veterans Affairs officials after he interviewed a patient at a VA Medical Center forum.

May 12, 2009: Moving a Nation to Care among Sandy Cook's distinguished reading recommendations at Veterans Today.

Recently I received a heartbreaking email from the wife of a former Iraq veteran bearing a heavy burden and seeking help. Sue's husband, Joseph "Pat" Lamoureux, was arrested last fall after engaging in a shootout with police officers responding to a domestic disturbance call. One officer was injured before Lamoureux was shot and subdued.

"NIU communications major and noted blogger Ilona Meagher, author of "Moving a Nation to Care: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and America's Returning Troops," will moderate the Nov. 5 discussion, which begins at 6 p.m. in Room 405 of the Holmes Student Center. Veterans and members of the community are encouraged to share their thoughts and experiences. Meagher guided a similar conversation earlier this year in Chicago, said Kammes, who also enjoyed a similar experience in an NIU class titled "Education as an Agent for Change.""

Best Blogs and Forums - PTSD Combat\nAuthor Ilona Meagher provides a great forum for veterans returning home."

"Science and Technology Resources on the Internet A Guide to Resources for Severely Wounded Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) Veterans Danielle Carlock Reference and Instruction Librarian Arizona State University at the Polytechnic Campus Mesa, Arizona "

"Ilona became a devoted advocate for military personnel and their families. She is the editor of the online jounral PTSD Combat: Winning the War Within and earliest force behind the ePluribus Media PTSD Timeline, a comprehensive database of press- and independently-reported OEF/OIF PTSD-related incidents. She has received national recognition for her work, everywhere from FOX News to The New York Times to the US House Veterans' Affairs Committee. Her blog is crucial for anyone who has a professional interest in helping soldiers and families, and an excellent resource for news about veterans' issues."