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By Charlene Rubush, September 13, 2010 5:51 pm

Sometimes I shake my head in amazement. It’s still hard for me to believe that after all these years after the Vietnam War, and what we’ve learned from those vets and their families, that there still seems to be a reluctance of today’s vets to seek out help. It seems such a shame and a waste, when there is now so much help available.

I’m glad to share this info from the Real Warriors website. They are trying to affect change and erase the stigma that unfortunately, still is associated with seeking psychological help.

“The Real Warriors Campaign is an initiative launched by the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) to promote the processes of building resilience, facilitating recovery and supporting reintegration of returning service members, veterans and their families.

The Real Warriors Campaign combats the stigma associated with seeking psychological health care and treatment and encourages service members to increase their awareness and use of these resources. To reach the broadest audience possible, the campaign features a variety of strategies including outreach and partnerships, print materials, media outreach, an interactive Web site and social media. The campaign features stories of real service members who have sought treatment and are continuing to maintain successful military or civilian careers.

In addition, DCoE established the DCoE Outreach Center, a 24/7 call center staffed by health resource consultants to provide confidential answers, tools, tips and resources about psychological health and traumatic brain injury. The Outreach Center can be reached toll-free at 866-966-1020 or via e-mail at resources@dcoeoutreach.org.”

Visit http://www.realwarriors.net.

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By Charlene Rubush, May 10, 2010 2:56 pm

Part Two:

“Our freedom is not free. There is a price to pay, and some veterans pay with the remaining parts of their lives.”

–Vietnam War veteran, Altorlee Stokes, Jr.

District Attorney Tim Harris is dedicated to the success of the Veterans Treament Court’ s success. He notes of veterans:

“They literally put their lives on the line for us. Once they come into the criminal justice system, they deserve to be looked at in a different way. We want to bring justice and hope to turn their lives around. We want to show some appreciation for what they’ve done.”

The veterans court was created in December of 2008, after Smith observed a similar court in Buffalo, N.Y. and became convinced of its effectiveness.

Smith said “If you have a veteran, and that person can look to the left and the right and see participants who have been through the same experiences, it makes a difference in how that person feels and progresses in the program.”

Common underlying factors are post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury related to combat. Continue reading 'Court’s Mission- Helping Suffering Veterans'»

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By Charlene Rubush, May 7, 2010 4:09 pm

Part One:

In an article by Ginnie Graham, titled “The War at Home,” we learn that the National Drug Court Institute considers the “Veterans Treatment Court” in Tulsa, to be a model court. Four courts are being considered for the distinction.

Getting the distinction means getting a grant and visitors who will come, and want to start programs in other jurisdictions. At the court, Graham observed that some men stood at parade rest as they appeared before Tulsa Special Judge Sarah Day Smith. Others leaned on their crutches or walkers or stood close to military attention.

The veterans are from six different wars and range widely in age. They also battle addictions leading to problems with their families, housing and brushes with the law. Continue reading 'Veterans Treatment Court Considered Country Model'»

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By Charlene Rubush, May 6, 2010 4:57 pm

We do believe when we stand together as a nation, we can make a difference

and help out troops adjust to their new life at home.-

The Grant Humanitarian Foundation

Corte Madera, California

Elena Grant has received many blessings in her own life. Her grandmother, Lurline Matson Roth and her mother, Berenice Spalding, passed on their family tradition of nurturing, cultivating, and giving back to community and society.

In 1975, Elena’s grandmother set an admirable example when she donated her Filoli family home, complete with furnishings and formal gardens, to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, for the enjoyment and inspiration of future generations.

Lurline Matson Roth’s father, William Matson (1849-1917) was the founder of the Matson Navigation Company. Mrs. Roth also served as the president of the San Francisco Chapter of the Red Cross during World War II. Continue reading 'Elena Grant – Combat Relief for Returning Soldiers'»

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By Charlene Rubush, May 4, 2010 4:42 pm

Part One:

I’m continually amazed by the growing resources for combat veterans and their families.

I’ve recently become aware of “Combat Relief,” which is a mission of “The Grant Humanitarian Foundation” based in San Francisco, California. From the website, we learn:

The Grant Humanitarian Foundation’s mission is to care for America’s military men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Specifically, the Foundation helps nurture back to health American troops suffering Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Continue reading 'PTSD-Affected Returning Combat Vets – Combat Relief'»

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By Charlene Rubush, April 21, 2010 2:28 pm

In an article by William R. Levesque, he writes that a bill in Congress provides a seemingly straightforward answer to a question that has vexed tens of thousands of Americans who served in the U.S. military.

Who is a Vietnam veteran?

The answer is vitally important to Navy personnel who served in Vietnam’s territorial waters. For now, the Dept. of Veterans Affairs definition of a Vietnam veteran does not include these men and women.

Legislation introduced in the House would change that, clearing the way for Navy veterans to get disability payments and free health care for ailments linked to the herbicide Agent Orange, from type II diabetes to a variety of cancers. Continue reading 'Navy Vietnam Veterans Seek Equal Benefits'»

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By Charlene Rubush, April 19, 2010 3:56 pm

In a January 19th, 2010 article by Bart Jansen, we learn that Florida veterans are urging Congress to shorten the backlog for disability claims and to eliminate an overlap in survivors benefits.

Veterans are particularly wary of cuts in Medicare for the elderly and disabled that could ripple through the military health-care system called TRICARE for troops, their dependents and retirees. These are among the top concerns that advocacy groups will raise at a roundtable with the House Veterans Affairs Committee in Wahsington.

Florida is second only to California as a home for veterans with 1.9 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Brevard County has 77,169 veterans, Lee County 66,081, Escambia 38,510 and Leon 20, 561, according to 2008 Census figures. Continue reading 'Florida Veterans Advocacy Group Looks For Help'»

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By Charlene Rubush, April 17, 2010 1:29 pm

There is some hopeful news in an article by Jamie Reno, published in Veterans Today. He writes “They are the invisible wounds of war, the battered minds and bruised spirits we have come to recognize as post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. By one estimate, more than 300,000 of the nearly two million U.S. servicemen and women deployed since 9/11 suffer from the often -debilitating condition, with symptoms that include flashbacks and nightmares, emotional numbness, relationship problems, trouble sleeping, sudden anger and drug and alcohol abuse.”

Reno notes that the number of cases of PTSD is expected to climb as the war in Afghanistan continues, and could ultimately exceed 500,000, according to a new study by researchers at Stanford University. Mental health experts say PTSD is the primary reason suicides in the military are at an all-time high; 256 sodiers took their own lives in 2008, the highest number since that data was first tracked, in 1980. Continue reading 'Changes Underway at the VA May Mean Better Treatment for Thousands of Veterans with PTSD'»

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By Charlene Rubush, March 30, 2010 10:46 pm

Part Two:

Dr. Judith Broder established “The Soldiers Project” in order to help combat veterans and their families. Concerned about the enormous stigma attached to getting psychological help, especially in the military, she wanted to provide an alternative. Of the masses of returning combat vets afflicted with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, she notes, “These people are not mentally ill, they are just reacting to extremely abnormal situations.”

Recent studies underscore the need for these services. In 2008, the RAND Center for Military Health Policy reported that nearly 20 percent of veterans, 300,000 in all, who served in Afghanistan and Iraq since 2001, report symptoms of PTSD or major depression. And a 2009 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) study reports a threefold increase in depression and post-traumatic stress after repeat combat duty.

Volunteers involved with “The Soldiers Project” receive specialized training in depression, PTSD, and traumatic brain injury. They are all licensed in various fields, such as psychiatry, social work, nursing, psychology, marriage and family therapy, and must participate in ongoing training on topics such as deployment, homecoming, re-entry into civilian life, domestic violence and therapeutic approaches, among others.

The project also helps those who aren’t eligible for services through the military or VA, including extended family members as well as gay, lesbian and heterosexual unmarried partners. The Soldiers Project’s services are confidential, eliminating concern that treatment would appear on military records and affect careers. Continue reading 'The Soldiers Project Provides A Safety Net For Those Who Would Rather Not Use VA Mental Health Services'»

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By Charlene Rubush, March 29, 2010 6:01 pm

Part One:

In a recent article by Anita K. Kantrowitz, we learn about psychiatrist Judith Broder, who spent 30 years working in a private psychoanalytic practice, primarily with teens and young adults. As a volunteer, she counseled teenage mothers and taught, trained and supervised analysts at the Los Angeles Institute and Society for Psychoanalytic Studies (LAISPS).

Broder had been cutting back on her practice and looking forward to retirement. But then she saw a play about the Iraq War’s emotional toll on soldiers’ lives. The play that inspired Broder, The Sand Storm: Stories From The Front, was written by Sean Huze, at the time an active-duty Marine. Huze created 10 monologues based on the experiences of soldiers stationed with him in Fallujah, Iraq.

She shelved her retirement plans and embarked on a new mission. She began to create a network of psychological services for those affected by the trauma of combat. The experienced doctor had no prior experience with the psychological effects of combat, and was devastated as she watched the actors, some of who were veterans, describe “horrible things that no one should have to see or participate in.” Continue reading 'Psychiatrist Judith Broder, Founded THE SOLDIERS PROJECT, After Seeing Play About Iraq War Veterans'»