PTSD Combat : Winning the War Within

For Those Lost at Fort Hood

2009-11-05T22:54:00.032-06:00

For condolences, an online guest book and a Prayers for Fort Hood facebook page have been created for today's shooting victims. Wish to help? Consider donating to TAPS. May their grief be comforted.[UPDATE Nov 6, 2009 10:51 a.m.]Today, Friday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates has ordered U.S. military forces across the world to observe a moment of silence at 2:34 p.m. EST for those lost at Fort

Afghanistan, Iraq Veteran Army Suicide Rate Continues to Climb; PTSD Timeline Update

2009-11-04T15:24:00.035-06:00

The problem is clearly complex.The reasons are many-fold, as varied and numerous and hard to pin down as are people themselves. But this much we know: Our veterans are turning to suicide at an alarming rate; and, at least for now, all of the programs and outreach and educational campaigns the military and the VA have been throwing at the problem have failed to staunch the tide.The latest numbers

The Process(ing) of War: Creative Public Spaces for Veteran Storytelling and Reintegration

2009-11-04T13:45:00.000-06:00

I'm spending the day today preparing for my facilitator duties at tomorrow's NIU Veterans Club Community Roundtable. It's always a great honor to listen to the stories and thoughts of our local vets. And there are many, many such initiatives, big and small, gaining ground across the country. Community members -- professionals and lay men and women of every skill set and sort -- are finding ways

Veterans Day 2009 Events and Promotions

2009-11-02T19:06:00.031-06:00

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.I'll be adding to this list throughout the week.Whatever you do from now until then, be sure to find some small or large way to extend yourself to the military families in your

NIU Veterans Club Kicks Off Its Veterans Day Events as National Military Family Month Begins

2009-11-02T10:08:00.037-06:00

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.As I complete my final semester at Northern Illinois University, I'm looking forward to facilitating, attending and photographing a number of events spearheaded by its Veterans Club. Details:----------------

Combat, Trauma and Healing PTSD: A Collection of Educational Videos for Caregivers and Patients

2009-11-01T20:58:00.019-06:00

Some top notch educational combat trauma and PTSD videos are available online, specifically aimed at patients/counselors. Above, from the Hazelden Foundation's "A Guide for Living with PTSD: Perspectives for Professionals and Their Clients:"Through compelling client testimonials and expert guidance from renowned researchers at the Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center and the Department of

Coverage of the First Joint DoD/VA National Mental Health Summit

2009-11-01T00:23:00.002-05:00

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. First up, Thom Shanker, New York Times At War: Notes From the Front Lines:In his most extensive comments on mental health challenges facing American forces fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Monday that many

A Real Fright: The Psychological Scars of Combat

2009-10-31T13:34:00.039-05:00

It's a standard American ritual. Today, you'll probably be booed at by scary tricksters knocking on your door, demanding sugary treats. Perhaps you'll see a chainsaw-wielding demon on the street and laugh. Or maybe you'll dress in scary costumes and get a kick out of reveling in and even poking fun at Halloween's fantasy of fear and death and danger. Of course, some of us don't have to rely on

Combat Clips: A Selection of OEF/OIF Veteran Statistics, October 2009

2009-10-30T06:11:00.010-05:00

Let's jump right into the data.First up, VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki's comments from this week's first-ever joint DoD/VA National Mental Health Summit in Washington, D.C., are well worth noting:Post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury have outcomes as devastating as those from physical injuries, and everyone is vulnerable, Shinseki said, noting that both departments are eager to learn

"Moving a Nation to Care" Subject of Extensive Book Review Essay in VA's Premiere "Veterans Law Review" Journal

2009-10-29T23:07:00.016-05:00

A book review any author would be bowled over by (this one being no exception) appears in the premiere issue of the VA's Veterans Law Review journal.It's much more than a mere review, however.Written by Holly Seesel, Mary Sorisio, and Paul Sorisio -- Associate Counsel with the Board of Veterans’ Appeals at the Department of Veterans Affairs -- the 24-page (!) 'book review essay' provides an

Deliberate Justice: Considering What Society Owes Jailed PTSD-Diagnosed and Medicated Combat Veterans

2009-07-25T13:21:00.032-05:00

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.Like our OEF/OIF forces who turned to war blogging to engage

Joining Forces: A Dialogue on Forging Military and Community Bonds w/Tyler Boudreau

2009-07-24T11:56:00.008-05:00

Very excited to pass on this news!We've secured what I think is a stellar venue for Iraq vet and author Tyler Boudreau's "The Other Side: Cross-Country Cycling Tour Summer 2009" stop in the Rockford area. Great thanks to the board members and Executive Director Kip Kirkland of Poplar Grove Airport Vintage Wings & Wheels Museum for agreeing to host this gathering on Monday, August 10, 2009, at 6:

August 2009 Veterans' Reintegration Events

2009-07-23T19:39:00.010-05:00

I've begun a long overdue updating of the Upcoming Events listings.You'll find the full list by scrolling down and looking in the middle column on this page, just under the Considerable Quotes section. August's veterans' reintegration offerings can also be found in extended.Click on 'Article' link below tags for more...Ilona's events are listed in green and found here.July 27, 2009 in Fargo, ND

Volunteers Sought for Stanford PTSD Emotion Regulation Study

2009-07-23T15:41:00.011-05:00

Received the following from the Department of Psychiatry at theStanford University School of Medicine:Stanford University Anxiety Brain Imaging Study...................................................................................Do you qualify?Have you ever experienced, witnessed or had to deal with an extremely traumatic event?During the past month, have you re-experienced that event in a

Natural Paths to Coming Home: Returning Veterans and the Great Outdoors

2009-07-21T21:45:00.010-05:00

A whole range of programs are springing up across the country, pairing returning troops and veterans with the great outdoors.For some of these efforts, reintegration support and/or PTSD therapy are the main goal; providing jobs or forming social networks is the main catalyst for others. But, no matter what the driving factor or framework, these offerings provide military families a way to

Netroots For the Troops Readying Care Packages for Service Members Overseas

2009-07-19T21:51:00.024-05:00

A real thrill tonight to have a turn as a guest poster for the Netroots For The Troops [on facebook] series over at Daily Kos.NFTT is a collaborative of online bloggers who came together at last years' Netroots Nation Convention, having collected donations and purchased needed care package items in advance, to pack boxes and ship them to soldiers serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. By all accounts,

Update on OEF/OIF Veterans' Mental Health, VA Benefit Issues

2009-07-19T15:43:00.011-05:00

Building upon some of the data-rich news clips shared earlier this week, a few more grafs to consider.Jia-Rui Chong, Los Angeles Times:About 37% of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have mental health problems, a nearly 50% increase from the last time the prevalence was calculated, according to a new study published today analyzing national Department of Veterans Affairs data.The

IAVA Petition Still 10,000+ Short of Making Stephen Colbert Honorary Member

2009-07-17T22:08:00.005-05:00

Last month, the perennially self-important showbiz legend-in-his-own-mind Stephen Colbert went to Iraq at the behest of the USO, setting out to both entertain the troops and the folks back home by taping a week's worth of Colbert Report shows.Dubbing his brief tour "Operation Iraqi Stephen: Going Commando," the Comedy Central comedian gained at least one fan for his efforts. Christina Everett, NY

Neuroscience and the Military: The Push to Unleash the Powers of the Mind

2009-07-17T19:23:00.020-05:00

Nineteen years ago today, on July 17, 1990, as scientists embarked on the mapping of the human genome, Congress and former President George H.W. Bush proclaimed the 1990's to be the 'Decade of the Brain,' stating:The human brain, a 3-pound mass of interwoven nerve cells that controls our activity, is one of the most magnificent--and mysterious--wonders of creation.The seat of human intelligence,

Combat Clips: A Selection of OEF/OIF Veteran Statistics, July 2009

2009-07-15T20:43:00.024-05:00

I'm always on the look-out for veteran-related stats, and I imagine that many of you are, too. In March 2007, I compiled a master list of data culled from news reports and studies; The War List: OEF/OIF Statistics quickly became (and remains) one of the most popular pages on this blog.Unfortunately, I haven't had as much time as I'd like these past couple of years to return to it and overhaul it

Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Holds Hearing on VA Gaps in Female Client Care

2009-07-14T20:58:00.014-05:00

While most in Washington have been busily paying attention to the Sotomayor hearings this week, the Senate Veterans Affairs' Committee met Tuesday morning to consider the quality of VA care provided to our nation's 1.8 million female veterans.Some, but certainly not all, of their concerns regarding access to their health benefits reflect the same frustrations felt by their male counterparts.

OIF Vet, Author and Cross-Country Cyclist Tyler Boudreau's August Midwest Spin

2009-07-14T15:34:00.003-05:00

In the Madison, Wisc., Rockford or Chicago, Ill., area and interested in supporting a returning veteran on an inspiring and, frankly, novel home front mission? Well, your chance arrives in early August in the form of Tyler Boudreau's 'The Other Side' Cross-Country Cycle Tour.Currently Boudreau, a former 12-year Marine captain who served in Iraq and later wrote to tell about it in Packing Inferno:

Will Return to Posting in Late June

2009-06-13T09:27:00.006-05:00

Hello, long-neglected readers.Thanks for your patience as my writing here has stopped the past weeks while I completed my studies last month, tended to home and family responsibilities, and taken some vacation time. In the meantime, you're invited to join me at Facebook, where I often share veterans' issue-related links and other various information. I will return to posting here in late June.My

1st Annual Marine Week Kicks off in Chicago, Runs May 11-17, 2009

2009-05-11T13:18:00.010-05:00

Marine Week will be hosted by different cities each year offering residents and visitors a chance to attend any number of free events. It also offers Marines a chance to give back directly to and interact directly with their own communities.Details:Established to recognize the contributions of local Marine heroes, their families, and the cities from which they came, Marine Week also showcases the

5 Dead After U.S. Soldier in Iraq Opens Fire at Camp Liberty Stress Clinic [UPDATE #2]

2009-05-11T09:28:00.073-05:00

UPDATE #2 May 12, 10:37 pm -- Added official statements to this tragedy by Steve Robinson, a veteran and advocate, Paul Sullivan, Exec Director of Veterans for Common Sense, and IAVA's Paul Rieckhoff.UPDATE #1 May 11, 2009 12:12 pm -- The New York Times is reporting that the shooter is in custody, and was not among those killed in the incident as early news reports suggested.CBS Evening News [