Top Stories Affecting Our Troops This Week

by Jason Forrester Veterans For America, Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 04:31:28 PM EDT

Here are the top stories this week related to our soldiers here and abroad, taken from the Our Troops Newsladder.

2007 saw 115 soldier suicides, more than any year since the military started keeping a record of them in 1980. (boston.com)

Along similar lines, 2007 saw a 50% increase in PTSD diagnoses amid increased violence in Iraq and Afghanistan. Army officials believe that in addition there are many people who have PTSD and are keeping it secret. (marinecorpstimes.com)

Military chaplains, who do not fight in combat but still face much of its danger as they travel around Iraq to visit troops, also struggle with the stress of war. (nytimes.com)

Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Peake suggested that concerns about PTSD and TBI are overblown. This op-ed believes the VA should be encouraging all veterans who may be suffering from either to get checked out, not suggesting they shrug off their symptoms. (adn.com)

One of the hardest-hit Marine reserve units is preparing to redeploy to Iraq. The 3rd Battalion, 25th Regiment, Fourth Marine Division, based near Cleveland, lost 48 members in 7 months of combat.  (marinecorpstimes.com)

Veterans of America is proud to sponsor the Our Troops Newsladder, a new tool to find the top news and articles in the progressive community by, about and for our troops.

Tags: military, PTSD, TBI, troops, veterans (all tags)

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7 Comments

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Re: Top Stories Affecting Our Troops This Week

as always

http://icasualties.org/oif/

http://ivaw.org/

http://www.michaelmoore.com/

by nogo postal 2008-06-02 05:23PM | 0 recs
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Good to see you still doing this

I salute your work at informing us of these issues.

by Student Guy 2008-06-02 05:23PM | 0 recs
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Re: Top Stories Affecting Our Troops This Week

I am sorry that everyone is so in primary mode that these important diaries slip by.

Recc'ed.

by Sychotic1 2008-06-02 05:36PM | 0 recs
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Thank you.

It's a shame this will never make it through the candidate warriors to the Rec List.

by Shem 2008-06-02 05:56PM | 0 recs
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Re: Top Stories Affecting Our Troops This Week

>>>>>Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Peake suggested that concerns about PTSD and TBI are overblown<<<<<<

Jason - could you please provide a link to where Peake says this and in what context? I would appreciate it immensely. This isn't a prove it thing- this is a I would really like to have it thing.
thank you

by Justwords 2008-06-02 11:52PM | 0 recs
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Re: Top Stories Affecting Our Troops This Week

From Anchorage Daily News:
http://www.adn.com/2697/story/417899.htm l

A Vietnam veteran in Bethel, John Guinn, told Stevens and Peake he was worried about what's going to happen to the village soldiers back from the Middle East.

He said everyone is proud of them now. But what happens in a few years when these men, highly trained in combat, can't find jobs, start drinking and going a little crazy, he asked. There aren't people in tiny villages trained to deal with mental health issues, he said.

"It's going to cause a commotion in their village," Guinn said. "I'm scared."

Stevens said there is good job training available for veterans. "The question is whether they are encouraged by their comrades and by their families to take advantage of their opportunities," Stevens said.

VA secretary Peake suggested some of the concern about post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury has been overblown.

Many of the brain injuries are serious but some of them are akin to what anyone who played football in their youth might have suffered, Peake told Guinn.

Guinn wasn't entirely satisfied with the answers. He said it's a real issue for returning soldiers as well as their families, and he doesn't think job training is enough.

by Jason Forrester Veterans For America 2008-06-03 10:01AM | 0 recs
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Re: Top Stories Affecting Our Troops This Week

Thanks. I did read the op-ed. I guess it wasn't the smoking gun I was looking for. (quotes)

I'm sick of every da*n veteran who returns from Combat gets the nothing to worry about, overblown, doesn't exist, meme unless it's painfully obvious to a lay person under the age of 12.

I'm still fuming over the fact that after the dems pushed for Disabled Veterans getting a stimulus payment of $300 for anyone collecting over $3,000 a year in VA disability compensation....that out of the millions and millions of veterans from WWII to the OIF/OEF(both combat and non combat service connected injured) only 250,000 veterans qualify, meaning only 250,000 are collecting 30% or above in disability payments. Sorry- I hate the VA.

Glad Nicholson is gone and had many a conversation with Sen. Craig as Chairman of the veterans committee over his non-qualifications, (Craig his biggest supporter), but Peake. I don't know. He WAS in charge of Walter Reed when all the deplorable conditions were going on.  They all talk out both sides of their mouths and yes, they are hiring more claims workers....but what few people were treating PTSD (at least in my state of CA) are now not treating anyone but taking on the role of C&P examiners....so nobody is getting treated on an individual basis. Just some classes and fewer support groups. And 'readjustment counselors' and psyches in my state were told several years ago 'do not mention the word PTSD' (or risk their jobs). Just saw the email in TX that went out as a 'suggestion' not to dx PTSD, but anxiety disorder, or readjustment disorder...something you get over. Not to mention the 'personality disorders' that have no service connection whatsoever to combat and no thanks for your service and goodbye.

Thanks for advocating.

by Justwords 2008-06-04 01:29AM | 0 recs

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