July 2013
From the
Director
From a personal
perspective I have a
couple of
announcements.
First, if you are reading this newsletter by
printed version, please be aware that the
October edition, which comes out in late
September, will be the last printed version. If
you provide us an email address you will
continue to receive the newsletter via email.
Secondly, I am retiring as the Director in
September. The replacement process has just
begun with advertising the position. If you or
someone you know is interested in applying for
this position, please have them contact the
Alachua County Human Resources Department
immediately to learn more.
Yes, it’s official, America is 237 years young;
Happy Birthday America! Our nation was
founded on a set of ideals that stands as the
beacon for those in the world who desire
freedom. Blood, sweat and tears have been
shed from the initial colonization of this
continent to present day to establish and
maintain a free nation. We have much to
appreciate and even more to defend. It is
through the selfless service of our mothers and
fathers, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters,
sons and daughters and our own neighbors who
have served and continue to serve in her armed
forces to help maintain our free republic. Make
no mistake that our freedom is under attack on
a daily basis. Whether it is from openly hostile
nations and terrorists or from internal
clandestine groups and yes, our own
government; the freedom we cherish is
Inside this issue:
From the Director
1
Interesting facts about July 4th
2
PTSD Awareness Month highlights
3
VA processes nearly all disability
claims pending over 2 years
4
VA starts campaign to raise PTSD
awareness
5
Less drugs, more pain
management
5
Gainesville Fisher House Walk of
Courage and Healing Garden
6
Organizational Meetings Calendar
7
Stolen Valor Update
8
TeleHealth and Vet Centers
9
NF/SG Veterans Health System
hires 45 new mental health
professionals
9
Retiree funeral honors
10
Army initiates collaborative effort
on TBI, PTSD
11
constantly under attack. A little over 100
years ago America had no federal tax and
was the most prosperous nation on the
planet. We currently are taxed by hundreds
of ways from local to state to national level
and have an economic system that is in debt
far above what any country should be and
more than most people can even fathom.
So, while we celebrate this nation’s birth this
year, let’s remember those who have died in
her defense and stand strong to preserve
those freedoms upon which this nation was
founded against “all enemies, foreign or
domestic”.
businesses with paid employees in the
U.S., according to the 2011 County
Business Patterns.
∗
Benjamin Franklin (age 70), who
represented Pennsylvania, was the oldest
of the signers. Franklin County, Pa., had
an estimated population of 151,275 as of
July 1, 2012. Edward Rutledge (age 26), of
South Carolina, was the youngest.
∗
Two future presidents signed, John Adams
(second President) and Thomas Jefferson
(third President). Both died on the 50th
anniversary of signing the Declaration
(July 4, 1826). There are 12 counties
nationwide named Adams and 26 named
Jefferson.
∗
Robert Livingston, who represented New
York, was on the Committee of Five that
drafted the Declaration of Independence
but was recalled by his state before he
could sign it. Livingston County, N.Y., was
home to an estimated 64,810 people as of
July 1, 2012.
∗
Representing Georgia in 1776 were Button
Gwinnett, Lyman Hall and George Walton.
Gwinnett County, Ga. (842,046), Hall
County, Ga. (185,416) and Walton County,
Ga. (84,575) were named for these
signers.
∗
Charles Carroll, who represented
Maryland, was the last surviving member
of the signers of the Declaration. He died
in 1832 at the age of 95. Carroll County,
Md., named for him, had an estimated
population of 167,217 as of July 1, 2012.
∗
Roger Sherman, who worked as a land
surveyor and lawyer, represented
Connecticut. Today, there are an
estimated 30,445 surveyors,
cartographers and photogrammetrists
employed full time, year-round, and
840,813 lawyers employed full time, yearround nationwide, according to the 2011
American Community Survey.
~ Have you helped a veteran today?
Replacing the monthly Military
Trivia this month are
interesting facts about the 4th
of July 2013
Did you know?
There are 316.2 million people living
in the US on this July Fourth.
There were 56 signers to the
Declaration of Independence.
∗
∗
Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas
Jefferson, Roger Sherman and Robert R.
Livingston comprised the Committee of
Five that drafted the Declaration.
Jefferson, regarded as the strongest and
most eloquent writer, wrote most of the
document.
It's also worth noting that:
John Hancock, President of the Second
Continental Congress, was the first
signer. This merchant by trade did so in
an entirely blank space making it the
largest and most famous signature hence the term John Hancock, which is
still used today as a synonym for
signature. There are 7,354,043
Page 2
∗
Nelson County, Va. (14,827) and Wythe
County, Va. (29,251) were named for two of
the six signers who represented the state of
Virginia - Thomas Nelson Jr. and George
Wythe.
There will be 65.9 million of hogs and pigs
on March 1, 2013. Chances are that the pork
hot dogs and sausages consumed on the
Fourth of July originated in Iowa. The Hawkeye
State was home to 20.3 million hogs and pigs.
North Carolina (8.9 million) and Minnesota (7.8
million) were also homes to large numbers of
pigs.
And, lest we forget, our nation is 237 years
old. Happy birthday America!
Source: US Census Bureau, Facts for Features: The
Fourth of July 2013
PTSD Awareness Month
Highlights
The purpose of PTSD Awareness Month is to
raise public awareness of PTSD and its effective
treatments so that everyone can help people
affected by PTSD.
Throughout June explore weekly features
at www.ptsd.va.gov.
“Ten Steps to Raise PTSD Awareness”
provides links to materials that foster greater
understanding of trauma, PTSD and treatment.
It offers practical suggestions for the public to
raise PTSD awareness in their own community.
For continued involvement, please sign up
for the PTSD Monthly Update. Stay up on new
information about PTSD and trauma year
round.
On June 3, VA announced it had hired a
total of 1,607 mental health clinical providers
to meet the goal of 1,600 new mental health
professionals outlined in the President’s Aug.
31, 2012, Executive Order. Additionally, VA had
hired 2,005 mental health clinical providers to
fill existing vacancies, as well as 318 new peer
specialists towards the specific goal of 800 peer
specialists by Dec. 31, 2013 as outlined in the
Executive Order.
Throughout the summer, VA will hold
mental health summits at each of its 152
medical centers across the nation to establish
and enhance positive working relationships
with their community partners. The summits
will help encourage community engagement in
order to better address and understand the
broad mental health care needs of veterans
and their families.
For more information about PTSD,
professionals and the public can go to The
National Center for PTSD Web site at
www.ptsd.va.gov.The site offers resources such
as:
PTSD Coach mobile app, this award-winning
app provides symptom-management strategies
and it’s always with you when you need it.
Continuing education opportunities for
providers, including PTSD 101 courses, on the
best practices in PTSD treatment (CEs/CMEs
offered).
AboutFace: An online video gallery of
Veterans talking about PTSD and how
treatment can turn your life around.
Source: Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, June
24, 2013
Page 3
VA Processes Nearly All Disability Claims Pending Over 2
Years, Moves to Complete
Those Older Than 1 Year
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
announced today that as a result of the initiative launched in April to expedite disability
compensation claims decisions for Veterans
who have a waited a year or longer, more
than 65,000-claims – or 97 percent of all
claims over two years old in the inventory –
have been eliminated from the backlog.
Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)
staff will now focus their efforts on completing the disability claims of Veterans who
have been waiting over one year for a decision, while completing the final batch of oldest claims in progress.
“Over the past two months, VA has been
dedicated to providing earned benefits to the
Veterans who have waited the longest,” said
VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki. “Thanks to our
hard-working VBA employees, we have completed nearly all claims that have been pending two years or longer. We’ve made great
progress, but know much works remains to
be done to eliminate the backlog in 2015.”
“The success of this phase of the effort
was due in part to the implementation of
mandatory overtime for the Veterans Benefits Administration’s (VBA) claims processing
staff, as well as the dedicated support of
physicians from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), who expedited exams to
provide medical evidence needed to rate
these pending claims,” said Under Secretary
for Benefits Allison A. Hickey.
The remaining two-year-old claims will be
finalized in the coming days except for those
that are outstanding due to unique circumstances, such as the unavailability of a
claimant for a needed medical exam, military
service, vacation, or travel overseas.
Page 4
In May, VA announced that it was mandating overtime for claims processors in its
56 regional benefits offices to increase production of compensations claims decisions,
which will continue through the end of FY
2013. Today, VA has the lowest number of
claims in its inventory since August 2011 and
has reduced the number of claims in the VA
backlog – claims pending over 125 days – by
10 percent since the initiative began.
Under this initiative, VA claims raters may
make final or provisional decisions on the
oldest claims in the inventory, which will allow Veterans to begin collecting compensation benefits more quickly, if eligible. Veterans are able to submit additional evidence
for consideration a full year after the provisional rating before VA issues a final decision. If no further evidence is received within
that year, VBA will inform Veterans that their
ratings are final and provide information on
the standard appeals process, which can be
found at www.bva.va.gov/. If a Veteran disagrees with a final decision and chooses to
appeal, the appeal is entered into the appellate processing system, and is not reflected
in the claims inventory.
VA continues to prioritize disability claims
for homeless Veterans, those experiencing
extreme financial hardship, the terminally ill,
former Prisoners of War, Medal of Honor recipients, and Veterans filing Fully Developed
Claims, which is the quickest way for Veterans to receive a decision on their compensation claim ( www.benefits.va.gov/fdc/ ).
Claims for Wounded Warriors separating
from the military for medical reasons will
continue to be handled separately and on a
priority basis with the Department of Defense through the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES). Wounded Warriors
separating through IDES currently receive
VA compensation benefits in an average of
61 days following their separation from service.
VA’s inventory is comprised mostly of
supplemental claims from Veterans already
receiving disability compensation who are
seeking to address worsening conditions or
claim additional disabilities. Regardless of
the status of compensation claims, Veterans
who have served in combat since Nov. 11,
1998, are eligible for five years of free medical care for most conditions from VA. This
eligibility was enacted through the National
Defense Authorization Act of 2008.
Veterans can learn more about disability
benefits on the joint Department of Defense/
VA web portal eBenefits at
www.ebenefits.va.gov.
Source: Posted on June 20, 2013 by Donnie La Curan in
Veteran News
VA Starts Campaign to Raise
PTSD Awareness
In observance of post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) awareness month, the Department of Veterans Affairs National Center
for PTSD invites the public to participate in
its “Take the Step” campaign.
“Every day of the year, we should focus
on assisting those who have served our Nation,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric
K. Shinseki. “In June, during PTSD awareness month, we take special care to help
Veterans with PTSD. va is a leader in
providing state-of-the-art, high-quality mental health care that improves and saves Veterans’ lives. PTSD treatment can help and
there is hope for recovery for Veterans who
need mental health services.”
Throughout the month, online at
www.PTSD.va.gov, the campaign has highlighted different topics so visitors can “Take
the Step” to: know more about PTSD; challenge their beliefs; explore the treatment options available; and reach out to make a dif-
ference.
VA provides effective PTSD treatment for
Veterans and conducts extensive research on
PTSD, including prevention of stress disorders. Veterans are encouraged to use VA’s
PTSD resources so they are able to recognize
symptoms and seek help if the need arises.
VA also encourages Veterans to share what
they learn with someone they know to build
awareness and support systems.
Following exposure to trauma, most people
experience stress reactions but many do not
develop PTSD. Mental health experts are not
sure why some people develop PTSD and others do not. However, if stress reactions do
not improve over time and they disrupt everyday life, VA encourages Veterans to seek help
to determine if PTSD may be a factor.
“Many barriers keep people with PTSD
from seeking the help they need,” said Dr.
Matthew Friedman, Executive Director of VA’s
National Center for PTSD. “Knowledge and
awareness, however, are key to overcoming
these barriers. For those living with PTSD,
knowing there are treatments that work, for
example, can lead them to seek needed care.
Greater public awareness of PTSD can help
reduce the stigma of this mental health problem and overcome negative stereotypes that
may keep many people from pursuing treatment.
Less Drugs, More Pain Management
14,800. That’s the number of people who
die every year from unintentional overdose of
opioids, commonly known as painkillers— it’s
higher than the number of overdose deaths
from cocaine and heroin use combined and
higher than the number of automobile deaths.
That shocking fact was shared with me as I
toured the Minneapolis VA Medical Center to
(continued on page 8)
Page 5
North Florida/South Georgia Fisher House
Walk of Courage and Healing Garden
Done sprucing up your garden for the summertime? Help us with
ours!
The North Florida/South Georgia Fisher
House's living memorials, the Walk of Courage
pathway and the Healing Garden, are in need
of your special touch. Honor a fellow veteran,
active military member or organization with a
personalized brick or paver in our Walk of
Courage, or purchase a beautiful piece of landscaping for the Healing Garden.
The following options are available for
your dedication:
Walk of Courage:
Brick- $250, allows 3 lines of inscription,
14 characters per line
Paver- $1,000, allows 5 lines of inscription,
14 characters per line
Healing Garden:
One fountain feature- $25,000
One pond overlook- $25,000
Gathering space I- $15,000
Page 6
Gathering space II- $10,000
A picnic table/chair set- $5,000
Pathway bench- $2,000
Tree- $1,000
Your tribute will become a permanent part
of the North Florida/South Georgia Fisher
House and will be viewed by thousands of
veterans and their families; it's the perfect
way to ensure your dedicatee's name will live
on forever. Join in on the beautification of
our Walk of Courage and Healing Garden and
take pride in knowing you've made a difference in the lives of many veterans, active
military members and their families.
Organizational Meetings
Date
Organization
Meeting Information
Time
Contact
Phone
7/1/13
40 & 8 Voiture 1388
First Monday of Month at
American Legion Post 16
6:00 PM
Gene Collister
352-367-4630
7/2/13
American Legion Post #149
Post home on Newberry Road in Newberry
7:00 PM
Ed Jarvis
352-472-6125
7/2/13
IWO TRIO
1st Tuesday of the month. Jason's Deli Oaks
Mall Annex(on the hill)
11:30 AM
Bob Gasche
376-0402
7/2/13
Sons of the American Legion
American Legion Post 16
7:00 PM
Paul Salg
352-278-8360
7/3/13
Gen. James A. Van Fleet Chapter
267-Korean War Veterans
American Legion Post 16
7:00 PM
Dick Davis
378-5560
7/3/13
Veterans for Peace
First Wednesday of the Month Call for
directions
7:00 PM
Scott Camil
375-2563
7/6/13
American Legion Post 16
First Saturday of the Month $5.00 breakfast
9-11AM
Scott Campbell
386-853-0194
7/7/13
Fleet Reserve Association
(FRA) Branch 179
First Sunday of the month. Call for Directions
1:30 PM
Dennis
Nickerson
386-454-5444
7/8/13
Alachua County Veterans Advisory
Board
2nd Monday of the month. Freedom
Community Center, Kanapaha Park
5:30 PM
Major Stroupe
264-6740
7/8/13
Sons of Confederate Veterans
Brown's Family Restaurant in Alachua
6:00 PM for dinner
6:30 PM for meeting
Shellie Downs
352-486-3753
7/10/13
American Legion Post 16
and Auxiliary
Complimentary dinner at 6:30
7:00 PM
7/11/13
D-Day Normandy Veterans Group
Conestoga’s Restaurant in Alachua
11:00 AM
Bryan Walker
372-9685
7/11/13
VFW Post 2811
2nd Tuesday of the month. General meeting
and auxiliary will meet at the Post at 1100
NE Waldo Road
6:30 PM
Commander Dick
Lester
386-462-1192
7/15/13
American Legion Post 230 and
Auxiliary
Post home in Hawthorne at (20370 SE
Hawthorne Road)
12 Noon
Frank Womack
352-450-6376
7/15/13
American Legion Post 232
North Hawthorne/Waldo
3rd Monday at post home (9302 Holden Park
Road in Hawthorne)
11:00 AM
Cmdr/Service
Officer
William Sohl
246-7645
7/15/13
Legion Riders
American Legion Post 16
7:00 PM
Steve Gabbard
352-481-2743
7/16/13
Sons of the American Revolution
Brown's Country Buffet in Alachua
5:30 PM
David Cromer at
dccromer@cox
352-375-1257
7/17/13
Rolling Thunder
Chapter 3
American Legion Post 16
7:00 PM
Randy West
386-684-1002 or
386-538-1930
7/23/13
Marine Corps League Gator
Detachment
4th Tuesday of the month at 1st United
Methodist Church in Alachua
7:00 PM
Commandant
Jim Yakubsin
352-222-8837
7/24/13
DAV Chapter 90
DAV HQ - 2015 SW 75th Street
5:30 PM
Commander Pete
Sabo
352-332-4068
7/27/13
Milton Lewis Young Marines
4th Saturday of the month. Full Breakfast $5
at the VFW Post 2811
9:00 AM
Cary Hill
352-495-2710 or
352-514-3915
No
Meeting
Military Support Group
of Alachua County
1st United Methodist Church in Alachua
6:30 PM
Jim Yakubsin
222-8837
Scott Campbell or 386-853-0194 or
352-481-2743
Betsy Gabbard
Page 7
learn more about pain management, and
how our staff in Minneapolis is revolutionizing team-oriented care.
Our nation didn’t arrive at an opioid crisis
overnight, so it’s important to understand
how we got here. Professional associations
in the 1990s besieged medical journals and
health care providers with the idea of untreated pain as a medical crisis. Those
charts you’ve probably seen at the doctor’s
office—faces with pain numbers—went up
across the country, and pharmaceutical
companies pressed doctors to fill more opioid prescriptions.
From 1999 to 2010, prescriptions for opioids increased by 400 percent, according to
the Center for Disease Control. As a result,
overdose deaths also rose 400 percent. Patients sought opioids and gravitated to doctors willing to prescribe them despite side
effects like sedation and decreased testosterone. Widespread addiction and an alarming rise of overdose deaths prompted the
medical community to rethink its approach
to opioids, such as OxyContin, as a silver
bullet to pain management.
The pain management staff at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, led by Dr. Peter
Marshall, transformed mounting medical research into action. In 2011, the team established the Opioid Safety Initiative to bring
down the use of OxyContin and high dose
opioids among chronic pain sufferers—
usually Veterans with issues like chronic
back and neck pain and arthritis. Other formulary medications, along with a greater
emphasis on behavioral chronic pain management like yoga and exercise, were deployed to help Vets deal with their ailments.
The results are drastic. As of May 2013,
OxyContin use at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center has plummeted 94 percent, and
high dose opioid use has fallen 55 percent
since the implementation of the Opioid Safety Initiative. More behavioral pain manage-
Page 8
ment and generic medications have also
been utilized.
The model of care itself has been transformed as well. Dr. Marshall’s staff took
cues from team-centered treatments of issues such as diabetes and applied it to pain
management in a system called stepped
care management. A full spectrum of care
brings medical professionals together to
holistically target and treat chronic pain affected Veterans. It’s a model that shows
promising signs for not only VA’s medical
system, but the private health care system
at large.
There are so many advances in medicine throughout VA’s 152 medical centers
that it’d be impossible to track them all.
This is just another example of great minds
coming together to help solve pressing issues affecting not only Veterans, but society in general, getting them back to living
their lives as easily—and as painless—as
possible.
Source: May 28, 2013 by Tommy Sowers
Stolen Valor Update
If you lie about being awarded military
honors for profit, you can now be subject to
criminal prosecution, according to a new
law signed by President Obama 3 JAN. The
Stolen Valor Act of 2013, introduced in January by Rep. Joe Heck (R-NV), “makes it a
Federal crime for an individual to fraudulently hold oneself out to be a recipient of
any of several specified military decorations
or medals with the intent to obtain money,
property, or other tangible benefit,” the
White House said announcing the signing.
The law was the latest attempt by the government to help protect real military heroes
from phonies. The original iteration of the
bill, the Stolen Valor Act of 2005, had been
in effect for six years before the Supreme
Court ruled it was unconstitutional.
At the time, the law was written to say it
was a crime simply to lie about military service and awards — a broad characterization
the Supreme Court said violated a person’s
First Amendment right to free speech. A
new version of the bill, introduced by Heck
in late 2012, narrowed the act to say the
liar must be attempting to somehow materially profit from the lies, making the wouldbe crime more akin to fraud. A tweaked
version of that bill was reintroduced in
2013. President Obama took a hard stance
against military phonies last year when he
announced a new government website to
track awards for legitimate heroes. “It may
no longer be a crime for con artists to pass
themselves off as heroes, but one thing is
certain – it is contemptible,” he said in reference to the Supreme Court’s ruling in
2012. “…No American hero should ever
have their valor stolen.”
center hubs.
They’re also open later than most other VA
facilities and can accommodate later appointments. To help put Veterans further at ease,
Vet Center staff are typically Vets themselves.
There are 300 across the country, so find one
close to you.
The second resource is the use of telehealth for mental health appointments. Using
video teleconferencing technology, Veterans
can seek individual or group counseling from
home instead of heading to a facility.
Counseling can be a lifelong mode of care,
so this technology helps in those moments
when a Veteran is unable to attend an appointment in a brick and mortar building. If
you’re interested in using telehealth for your
appointments, talk it over with your primary
care physician.
Source: Vantage Point, June 12, 2013 by Alex Horton
[Source: ABC News | Lee Farren | 3 Jun 2013]
Telehealth and Vet Centers:
Two Resources for Mental
Health Support
Earlier today, I read about a Veteran
who regularly sought VA mental health
care, but post-traumatic stress sometimes
prevented him attending appointments. In
some cases, expansive VA hospitals are a
little much for folks seeking care—which
might keep Veterans from going to appointments in the first place.
Fortunately there are a couple solutions
to that issue that can be utilized fairly
quickly.
The first, Vet Centers, are smaller clinics
designed for combat Veterans in need of
readjustment counseling, along with their
families. They’re usually found in places like
strip malls, far from bustling VA medical
North Florida/South Georgia
Veterans Health System Hires 45
New Mental Health Professionals
(GAINESVILLE, Fla.) – The Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that it has
met the goal to hire 1,600 new mental health
professionals outlined in President Obama’s
August 31, 2012, Executive Order to Improve
Access to Mental Health Services for Veterans,
Service Members, and Military Families. The
North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health
System has hired 45 new mental health professionals toward this goal.
“I am proud of the hard work our staff has
completed to bring these new staff members
on board,” said North Florida/South Georgia
Veterans Health System Acting Director Nancy
Reissener. “We are not slowing our efforts
however, and will continue to actively recruit
for any vacant mental health positions for the
Page 9
future so Veterans will get the care they
need.
As of May 31, 2013, VA has hired a total of
1,607 mental health clinical providers to
meet the goal of 1,600 new mental health
professionals outlined in the Executive Order. Additionally, VA has hired 2,005 mental
health clinical providers to fill existing vacancies.
“Meeting this hiring milestone significantly enhances our ability to improve access to
care for those Veterans seeking mental
health services and demonstrates our continued commitment to the health and wellbeing of the men and women who have
served the Nation,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “Meeting this
goal is an important achievement, but we
recognize that we must continue to increase
access to the quality mental health care Veterans have earned and deserve.”
VA provides a full range of comprehensive mental health services across the country. In Fiscal Year 2012, more than 1.3 million Veterans received specialized mental
health care from VA. This number has risen
each year from 927,052 in Fiscal Year 2006.
In addition to hiring more mental health professionals, VA is expanding the use of innovative technology to serve Veterans in rural
or underserved areas. VA expects to increase the number of Veterans receiving
care from tele-mental health services in fiscal year 2013, and has increased the number of Vet Centers, which provide readjustment counseling and referral services from
233 in 2008 to 300 in 2012.
In November 2011, VA launched an
award-winning, national public awareness
campaign called Make the Connection, which
is aimed at reducing the stigma associated
with seeking mental health care and informing Veterans, their families, friends, and
members of their communities about VA resources. More information on Make the Connection can be found at
Page 10
www.maketheconnection.net.
Mental health professionals interested in
seeking employment with the Department
of Veterans Affairs can obtain information
at www.vacareers.va.gov. Veterans and
their families interested in learning more
about the mental health services provided
by VA can go to www.mentalhealth.va.gov.
Source: North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System,
News Release, June 11, 2013
Retiree Funeral Honors
Due to the impact sequestration has on
resources; Air Force Services is adjusting
requirements for military funeral honors of
retirees. Air Force policy will revert to requiring a minimum of two personnel for retiree MFH details, consistent with statute
and DoD policy. The Air Force historically
went a step further by providing a sevenmember detail for all retiree funerals. "We
cherish the service and sacrifice of our retirees," said Brig. Gen. Eden Murrie, Director of Air Force Services. "While we had to
adjust the Air Force requirement as a result
of sequestration, commanders still have latitude to provide seven-member details if
local resources permit." The two-person
team will continue to fold and present the
interment flag and play Taps. If a sevenperson team is able to support, the detail
will also act as pallbearers and the firing
party. Additional support for retiree funeral
honors remain available from authorized
providers such as Veteran Service Organizations or Reserve Officer Training Corps
units, as resources permit. "We remain
dedicated to honoring our current and former Airmen” Murrie said, “to the greatest
extent possible."
[NAUS Weekly Update, 7 Jun 2013]
Army Initiates Collaborative Effort on TBI, PTSD
Over the last 12 years, many soldiers
have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan
with wounds, some visible and some not, a
leader in Army Medicine said here June 22.
"The invisible wounds -- post-traumatic
stress disorder and traumatic brain injury -are just as damaging as the visible ones.
They impact the families as well as the soldiers," said Brig. Gen. (Dr.) John M. Cho,
deputy chief of staff for operations with Army Medical Command.
An Iraq War veteran himself, Cho spoke
outside the U.S. Capitol as part of National
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Day. This
year's theme was "Visible Honor for Invisible
Wounds."
Post-traumatic stress disorder, known as
PTSD, and traumatic brain injury, or TBI, are
not just military-specific issues, Cho said.
"They deserve a national discussion."
A big part of that discussion, he said,
needs to focus on reducing the stigma associated with mental health issues.
Besides a national discussion, Cho said,
agencies both inside and outside the military
need to come together to learn more about
identifying and treating PTSD and TBI, as
well as preventing it in the first place.
Cho said a PTSD diagnosis is particularly
challenging, as "you can't simply get a lab
test or take an X-ray to find it."
As part of its collaborative effort, the Army is participating in a $60 million research
study for TBI, sponsored by the National
Football League, General Electric and athletic
apparel manufacturer Under Armour, he
said.
Also, $700 million has been allocated toward both PTSD and TBI as the result of a
White House executive order for a renewed
effort in collaboration with the Veterans Af-
fairs Department and other organizations.
Additionally, the Army has set up seven
"restorative centers" in Afghanistan, where TBI
can be identified and treated, often allowing
soldiers to stay in theater as they improve, he
said.
The general explained that PTSD often, but
not always, occurs with TBI, and that relationship, too, is being researched. "We're nowhere
near where we want to be, however, when it
comes to researching PTSD and TBI," he
acknowledged. "A lot more needs to be done."
Cho said PTSD affected him personally
when his brother, who also is a U.S. Military
Academy graduate, returned from Afghanistan
suffering from PTSD. He sought treatment and
is better now, he said, adding that his brother
is telling his story to other soldiers in an effort
to get them to seek care.
"We know treatment helps," Cho said. "We
can help them get better, and they can continue to serve in our Army with honor and distinction."
As a result of his brother's experience, Cho
said, he's a big believer in group therapy, particularly cognitive processing psychotherapy.
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno, unable to attend the day's event, wrote in a letter
for the attendees: "PTSD is a combat injury.
Veterans suffering from PTSD deserve the
same dignity and respect as our fellow wounded warriors.
"With the continued support and encouragement of organizations like Honor for ALL,
the Army and this nation have made enormous
strides in treating this injury, removing the
stigma and instilling dignity in our recovering
veterans,” Odierno’s letter continued. “But
more work must be done!"
Honor for ALL, a nonprofit organization
sponsoring the event, is dedicated to eliminating the stigma of PTSD and supports research
into finding the causes and treatment of the
disorder.
Source: Army News Service by David Vergun, June 24, 2013
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