Veterans Blog - 2009
Douglas Karr, Petty Officer Second Class, United States Navy Veteran
Stephen King sends 150 soldiers home for the holidays
Popular horror author Stephen King and his wife made a phenomenal donation to the Maine Army National Guard this holiday season. The King’s generously gave $12,999 to an organization called Operation Community Support to cover the cost of bus fare and rental for 150 soldiers. They were initially asked for $13,000, but King believed the number 13 to be unlucky – so he and his wife, Tabitha, donated the $12,999. His personal assistant, Julie Eugley, donated the extra dollar to round the amount out to an even $13,000.
The members of the 172nd Infantry Unit, 3rd Battalion, traveled on two separate buses from Camp Atterbury in Indiana to their homes in Maine. They left earlier this month, and will be able to visit with their family and friends prior to their deployment to Afghanistan sometime in January.
Skip Chapelle, who maintains Operation Community Support, asked the King’s for the donation. Each bus cost almost $9,000. An additional donation came in from the Family Assistance Center of the Maine Army National Guard.
Utah veteran receives Purple Heart…42 years later
Allen Malo, who was wounded in Vietnam back in 1967, has finally received a Purple Heart. Mr. Malo was driving a fuel truck when he ran over a land mine.
His son, Jeff, who also happens to be a longtime constituent of the Utah National Guard, contacted officials and requested that they rectify their failure to gift Mr. Malo with an award that he most definitely deserved.
Mr. Malo received his medal at the Utah State Capitol rotunda earlier this month. He told the press that he is proud to be honored with a Purple Heart, and is even more proud of his son for reaching out to the appropriate officials so that he could be recognized.
On behalf of Mesothelioma.com, we wish you a safe and peaceful New Year.
Faith, the two-legged dog, lifts veteran’s spirits
Around this time seven years ago, Rueben Stringfellow stumbled across a litter of puppies born to a junkyard dog. Then 17, Rueben rescued the only puppy that survived its mother’s neglect.
What sets this puppy apart from others? It was born with just two legs. Stringfellow, now army E-4 specialist, asked his mother, “Can we fix her?” “No, but maybe we can help her,” his mother responded.
This miracle of a puppy was named Faith; a name that she would surely live up to and fulfill graciously. Reuben turned the lab-chow mix over to his mother Jude. It wasn’t long before the family had trained Faith to stand up-right using just some peanut butter and a whole lot of practice.
March 22, 2002 marked Faith’s first steps. Since that day, Faith has made on all mediums, television, radio, and internet. Faith, on average, receives 200 letters and emails per day.
Jude says the most rewarding part of Faith’s appearances is the time spent with injured soldiers. Visiting veterans hits close to home for Stringfellow, since her son Reuben has been in Iraq since September. He is stationed in Alaska and expects to complete his tour January 1st.
The message she sends to veterans is priceless. She has the ability to bring hope into their lives and reflect the miracle she is, on them. This past weekend Faith visited McChord Air Force Base in Fort Lewis, Washington.
Stringfellow tries to explain the experience of bringing Faith to the base, "There is a lot of crying, pointing and surprise. From those who have lost friends or limbs, there can be silence. Some will shake my hand and thank me, some will pat her on the head. There is a lot of quiet, heartfelt, really deep emotion."
The intense emotion that Jude describes is heartening. Veteran hospitals could not benefit enough from Faith’s appearances. Whether patients are suffering from aggressive service-caused illnesses such as mesothelioma or damaging physical effects from the war, Faith teaches, “that it is not the body you are in but the soul that you have,” explains Jill Salomon of Montreal, Canada, a contributor of Faith’s website.
Most of the soldiers have been dealt a tragedy and loose hope and motivation to overcome their unfortunate circumstance. When they are presented with a case like Faith, the wheels start turning. They start thinking about how they can make the impossible possible just like Faith has done. Whether that means walking again or just lifting spirits, Faith the two-legged dog brings an invaluable gift to veterans.
A warm way to say thanks to our servicemen and women
A group known as QUILTS - Quilters United in Learning Together Schenectady – is giving back to our troops this holiday season. QUILTS is participating in the Quilts for Injured Soldiers project this year, a initiative that provides quilts to troops returning from a deployment.
This year, more than 70 handmade blankets and quilts will be shipped to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Pat Baker of Hughesville, Maryland is the Quilts for Injured Soldiers chairwoman, and says “it’s like Christmas every day when a box comes in.”
Christina Powell, a member of QUILTS, has already completed close to 30 quilts for the project.
“I heard at our quilting guild meeting that somebody wanted to organize this and get it started in our area, and thought ‘I can do that,’” said Powell, who has been quilting for 25 years. “The more I did, the more I wanted to do.”
Powell’s latest quilt is a bed quilt with a patriotic theme. “We have the red, white and the blue, and the stars and the stripes. It’s perfect, don’t you think?”
“Our servicemen need to know that it’s not just their family and friends that are supporting them. There’s a whole country rooting for them, and I’m one,” Powell said.
Powell continues to quilt for the troops because she genuinely worries about our servicemen and women, saying “I don’t like seeing so many young people go away and come back wounded.”
Like Pat Baker, the project’s founder, Powell says she is just trying “to do what I can do” for the members of our military.
Initially, Baker and the members of the Quilters Guild of Southern Maryland were the only individuals quilting for the troops, but when they realized that the number of injured troops was increasing, they decided to place an ad in a popular quilting magazine. The response was overwhelming.
“People from all over the United States, Canada and even Australia have donated quilts,” Baker states.
The quilters who provide blankets to the project typically quilt with a military theme, some even creating quilts for the specific military branches, because, as Baker says, “you don’t necessarily want to give an Army guy a Marine-themed quilt.”
Once Baker receives the quilts, volunteers from the Red Cross deliver the quilts to Andrews Air Force Base. Returning troops receive their quilt, along with a letter that thanks them for the dedication and service.
The quilt created by Christina Powell was gifted to Pfc. Jonathan Winker, a member of the Wisconsin National Guard. He returned from a tour in Iraq with a bruised leg and a crushed foot. Winker similar quilts on the beds of wounded soldiers while in military hospitals and medical centers, and said that “all of them are really beautiful.”
“It’s a great way to say ‘thank you’ to the wounded,” Winker believes. Winker plans to keep his quilt in his bedroom, so that it is near to him at all times. On the back of his quilt, Powell sewed a small patch that reads:
“Thank you for your service to our country. This is a small token of appreciation for all that you have been through. My prayers for you are contained in this quilt.”
[a video pertaining to this story can be viewed by visiting the CNN website]
With Christmas right around the corner, let us remember the men and women who are serving our great country. Let us also remember our veterans, including those who are suffering from illnesses or injuries sustained during their time in the military.
Many, many veterans – especially those who served in the Navy – were exposed to asbestos while serving our country. WWII-era vets are especially at risk, but military asbestos exposure remains a health and safety issue for the men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan. Exposed to asbestos is the only conclusive cause of mesothelioma, a deadly form of cancer that takes the lives of 3,000 Americans annually. Many of these individuals are veterans. While all members of the military are considered to have been at risk of asbestos exposure, the number of mesothelioma navy cases remains the highest.
Donations for the troops
If you are interested in donating to a worthy military-related organization this holiday season, please visit our Twitter page and check out all of the organizations we are following. You can have your pick of some really great veteran-focused groups. Please visit twitter.com/veteransblog.
Coming Home Project hosts 2010 Service Providers Retreat
This year, as a part of the Coming Home Project, the Service Providers Retreat will take place in Burlingame, California, at the Mercy Center. Taking place February 18th-21st, this four day seminar will focus on the importance of recognizing secondary trauma. Here, stories will be shared in a safe environment and skill sets will be provided in order to be most effective as a service provider and care taker.
In working closely with veterans on a daily basis, service providers may already have an understanding of what this form trauma entails, though only on a surface level. This retreat will take a deeper look into the suffering and restlessness that inhibits countless war veterans today.
Here, the individuals will reconnect and renew their sense of self awareness and strengthen their ability to create a positive and supportive environment for the veterans they counsel. The retreat will teach the importance of recognizing symptoms of compassion fatigue and provide ways to intervene early before conflicts grow and worsen.
The compassionate fatigue that service providers experience is inevitable and must be sympathized. It is the feeling of giving your absolute all over and over again, to the point of mental and physical exhaustion. Having a weekend of rest and rejuvenation is vital in maintaining their ability to care and counsel veterans.
These providers come into contact with the darkest of emotions and undeniably difficult situations. They are then expected to comfort, console, and patch up veterans lives, providing ample support and a safe place to share their feelings. Retreats like this are necessary; they have the ability to reinstall emotional stability.
Working with individuals suffering from both mental illnesses to physical illnesses is trying and calls for weekends such as this to reconnect and be with those who share similar experiences. Some of the most difficult situations are counseling those that have developed severe illnesses caused by their time in the service.
Specifically, in the case of caring for a veterans suffering from aggressive illnesses such as mesothelioma cancer, care providers face patients in the later stages of their lives. This type of cancer is often found in war veterans because of its close tie with asbestos contact. Mesothelioma is caused by the inhalation of asbestos, which when breathed in attacks the lining of the body’s vital organs. These patients benefit greatly from the support that care providers have to offer.
Serving as a support system for individuals coming back from the war and/or living as a veteran is a highly admirable job. This service providers retreat is open to those working directly with a caseload of at least 50% OIF and OEF veterans and/or families. Special priority will be given to working full-time with OIF and OEF veterans.
Providers that are included are mental health and other health professionals, counselors, veteran service officers, chaplains, military leaders, veteran service organization staff and others. This retreat is absolutely free of cost.
Visit Service Providers Retreat 2010 for complete information on applying and attending.
A Lieutenant's concerns regarding the troop increase in Afghanistan
As a military man, I am very interested in what’s happening with our troops overseas. I am especially mindful of our soldiers during the holiday season, as I know that thousands of men and women will be celebrating the season away from their families.
An article in the New York Times on December 14th regarding the deployment of additional troops to Afghanistan caught my eye, and I wanted to share the information with you.
Lt. General David Rodriguez, who commands the American and NATO forces over in Afghanistan, believes that there are a number of potential issues with sending more troops, all of which could present problems for the military. Lt. Gen. Rodriguez stated that, among other things, an inadequate ability to ship necessary supplies to troops and the steady number of attacks on the soldiers already serving there are obstacles that our military will have to overcome before additional men and women arrive in Afghanistan.
“There’s a lot of risks,” he said. “There’s a lot of things that have to line up perfectly.”
President Obama made an announcement at the beginning of the month regarding an increase in the number of American/NATO troops in Afghanistan, telling the world that the troops would be arriving within the next six months. The Pentagon even stated that the majority of the new troops would arrive before summer, and the remaining soldiers would trickle in after.
But is that enough time for the military to address the “formidable” hurdles that Lt. Gen. Rodriguez is worried about? He did say that all troops would arrive in the next eleven months, and told the media “We’re going to try to get them in as fast as we can.”
Certain areas of Afghanistan are arguably more dangerous and less secure than parts of Iraq, and are also a breeding ground for terrorism. President Obama believes that additional troops will ultimately lead to the destruction of the Taliban. Additional troops are necessary in order to prevent the Taliban from growing, and are also needed to assist with the training of Afghanistan’s own armed forces. The Afghan Army will, according to President Obama and the military, one day take over security in their country so that American and NATO forces can return home.
In addition to the difficulty associated with shipping supplies and the constant threat of attack on our men and women, bad weather in Afghanistan is also a major issue, according to Lt. Gen. Rodriguez. His concern was illustrated with the delay of Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ arrival in Afghanistan. Secretary Gates was two days late for a visit to the country due to unfavorable flying conditions.
Despite the poor weather and the numerous other potential problems, the first wave of troops will arrive in Afghanistan this week. They have a lot of work ahead of them, and Lt. General William Caldwell IV, who is in charge of training the Afghan security force, stated that he and the rest of the military there are well aware of the many difficulties that lay ahead. One of their priorities is to work on increasing the number of individuals serving with the Afghan Army and police force. Currently, there are about 190,000 members, and Lt. Gen. Caldwell would like to see that number grow by about 90,000 prior to President Obama’s withdrawal goal of July 2011.
So, what does an increase in the number of American and NATO troops in Afghanistan mean for our country?
Unfortunately, it means that more of our husbands, wives, sons, daughters, mothers, fathers and neighbors will be leaving their loved ones and friends, some for the second or third time. These men and women will face the obvious threats while in Afghanistan – attack by enemy forces, for example. Another threat that we may not have ever considered previously is the risk of exposure to asbestos and other contaminants. Exposure to asbestos – which may be found in military aircrafts, marine vessels, automobiles, and in military housing – may lead to the eventual development of mesothelioma cancer, a disease that has led to the suffering and deaths of thousands of veterans.
Military personnel who are exposed to asbestos will more than likely not experience any symptoms of asbestos disease until they are well into their late sixties or seventies, and once diagnosed, they will most likely lose their battle with the illness in less than two years. While mesothelioma navy cases are most frequent, vets who served in all branches of the military are at risk.
As the holiday season fast approaches, let’s keep the men and women who are currently protecting our freedom overseas in our minds, and let us also think of those who have yet to make the long trip to Afghanistan.
Have you made a holiday donation to a veteran organization yet?
If not, here are a few organizations to consider:
The USO: visit their website and also check out our recent blog post highlighting the last 70 years of the USO.
Vets4Vets: check out their site; theirs is a wonderful organization that promotes the healing and wellbeing of veterans who are returning from a deployment. It is staffed by veterans, and I’ve had some great interaction with them. Truly a worthy organization!
Welcome Back Veterans: an initiative supported by donations and organized by Major League Baseball and the McCormick Foundation. They’re in need of funding; visit their donation information page for contacts and instructions for donating.
Luke’s Wings: supports military vets who were wounded in combat. You can donate by visiting their website.
Pillows for Soldiers: a unique group that distributes pillows – what we may consider to be among the most basic of necessities, right? – to our veterans in VA hospitals. In fact, PFS will be making a delivery of 500 pillows to vets at the Hefner Med Center in North Carolina in January. You can donate a pillow, or make a monetary donation.
Check out our Twitter homepage – twitter.com/veteransblog – for more worthy veteran-focused organizations.
USO still entertaining troops almost 70 years later
Since 1941, the USO, or United Services Organizations, has been entertaining our troops overseas. Those who are old enough may recall how Bob Hope kicked off the USO’s tradition of providing music, dancing, and comedic relief to American soldiers.
The fact of the matter is – our men and women overseas need more than just the “obvious” to survive a deployment. In addition to safety equipment, our troops require morale boosters in the form of letters from family and friends, care packages, free time, and last but not least, entertainment.
John Pray, Senior VP of Entertainment for the USO told MSNBC.com that the folks overseas truly look forward to the shows that the USO provides.
“What we hear is, ‘We don’t care who shows up, just as long as somebody comes,” said Pray.
Lucky for our overseas troops, the list of entertainers that make themselves available to the USO – including actors, singers, and dancers – continues to grow. Recently, TV personality Stephen Colbert made a trip overseas, as did comedian and late-night host Jimmy Fallon, NFL personality Don Shula, and the popular band the Foo Fighters.
In the tradition of Bob Hope, the entertainers who visit our men and women overseas are there for one reason: to provide some much-needed laughter and entertainment to the people who work tirelessly to protect our freedoms. In 2009, the USO put on almost 30 shows, and not just in Iraq and Afghanistan. The USO sends entertainers to all corners of the world, wherever U.S. troops are stationed.
Boosting morale in Baghdad
In June of this year, Stephen Colbert traveled to Baghdad, where he filmed his popular “Comedy Central” television show for one week. Colbert had his head shaved, military-style, on air, and even wore a camo business suit [a slideshow of popular entertainers visiting the troops overseas is available here].
“To see the faces of all the troops…oh my gosh,” said Pray of Colbert’s time in Baghdad.
Stephen Colbert agreed: “The gratitude and appreciation from the people there was startling to me,” he said.
In addition to talk show hosts and popular singers, the NFL has been a huge supporter of the USO’s efforts. This past summer the NFL and USO teamed up to form the NFL-USO Coaches Tour, which sent NFL coaches overseas to visit the troops. Don Shula traveled all over the Persian Gulf, visiting our soldiers and taking pictures.
“We wanted to show our troops that the people back home care about them,” said Shula. While Shula felt safe overall and received security detail at all times, he did admit that his overseas tour was a bit “unnerving.”
“We go about our daily lives and forget that there are wars going on.”
Like Shula, rapper and outspoken activist David Banner wanted to support the troops, but was worried about traveling in a war zone. Despite concerns about his safety, Banner went to Iraq in January and later told reporters that it changed his life.
“It helps put your life in perspective,” he said. Of the troops he performed for, Banner said “They were very appreciative. I was humbled.”
And Banner’s opinion regarding the safety of the venue in Iraq changed, too.
“Some of the clubs I’ve performed in were more dangerous than that,” he said.
Of course, with the contracting of such big names comes financial stress for the USO. Pray admits that the organization cannot do as much as it would like in the way of entertaining troops due to financial restrictions.
“We rely on a donor base for our operating resources. I wish I had more dollars to spend,” he said.
Corporations and individuals are the two groups that provide funding to the USO, which requires funding to cover costs ranging from booking entertainers to travel costs.
As a veteran, I cannot stress to you the importance of keeping troop morale high. As the holiday season approaches, consider making a donation to the USO [donations are tax-deductible]. You can do so by visiting the USO Donation webpage.
Today is the 68th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor
On Sunday, December 7, 1941 the Japanese attacked the United States. It was, at the time, the most well-executed surprise attack in history. The Pearl Harbor incident left the American naval forces weak, yet our country had no choice but to enter World War II.
Only 18 months prior had naval forces been relocated to Pearl Harbor per President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The President believed that this would be a deterrent to the Japanese, who were attempting to move south in an effort to obtain much-needed oil and supplies [the Japanese had been engaged in war with China since 1937]. By summer of 1941, the Japanese were no longer able to trade with the West, so their only option was to seize oil-rich land in Southeast Asia and the East Indies.
In November 1941, attempts to make peace with Japan were proving unsuccessful, and the U.S. believed that an enemy attack is imminent - U.S. officials were able to intercept and translate Japanese documents, which led them to believe that an attack on the Indies and even the Philippines was coming. But the U.S. did not anticipate an attack on Pearl Harbor, located on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. 
Around 0500 on December 7th, Japanese reconnaissance aircraft flew over Pearl Harbor and confirmed with Japanese officials that the U.S. naval fleet was docked. At 0600, 190 Japanese attack planes headed towards the harbor with the intent to bomb the naval fleet and American airfields. Almost an hour later, the remaining 170 Japanese attackers took off, aiming for any targets that the previous sweep had missed. A total of 360 aircraft and 25 support vessels made up the Japanese force that day. Because the U.S. was not expecting the Japanese to attack American land, no American military planes were dispatched prior to the attack to monitor the area. And, of course, the military did not have the sophisticated radar technology that we do today, so the Japanese were able to sneak up on the U.S. without warning.
Five minutes before 0800, the Japanese bombed the American airfields. At 0800, they began to hit U.S. naval vessels docked in the harbor. This attack lasted approximately thirty minutes, and within minutes five U.S. battleships were sunk or sinking, the rest badly damaged. Many other ships and several combat planes were destroyed. Not long after, Battleship California, Battleship West Virginia and Battleship Arizona – which remains in Pearl Harbor as a memorial today – were sunk. Two other ships – the Battleship Oklahoma and the Nevada – were nearly destroyed. Almost 100 Army planes and 92 Navy aircraft were ruined, and over 150 additional planes were damaged almost beyond repair.
Due to the fact that the Japanese completely surprised the American forces – who were obviously all still asleep or had just woken up in preparation for the day – only six Army planes and less than 40 Navy aircraft were able to get into the air in an attempt to strike back at the enemy.
The Japanese reportedly lost 64 men and 28 planes during the Pearl Harbor incident. Approximately 2,400 Americans were killed, and almost 2,000 were wounded. Up until the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Pearl Harbor held the record for the most U.S. casualties in one day. It is important to note, however, that the majority of individuals killed during the Pearl Harbor attacks were members of the military, and not civilians – on September 11, 2001, of course, almost all of those killed were civilians.
The Japanese had singlehandedly delivered the worst defeat in U.S. military history. President Roosevelt called it a “Day of Infamy.” Little did the Japanese know, the attack on Pearl Harbor had only “awakened the sleeping giant,” as Japanese Admiral Yamamoto would later say. The following day, the U.S. joined its Allies – France, the USSR, China, Great Britain and 19 other nations – in war against the Axis Powers of Japan, Germany and Italy.
Much happened between 1941 and the end of World War II on August 14, 1945. Twenty million people were killed. As many as 4 million were civilian casualties. Three times the number killed were injured. Over 400,000 Americans were dead, and almost 700,000 were wounded. WWII was undoubtedly a war like the world had never seen before. And to think – it all began with the attack on Pearl Harbor 68 years ago today.
There are not many men alive today who were present at the attack of Pearl Harbor, but the WWII vets who were there and survived to tell their story remember it well. Each year, on December 7th, the U.S. recognizes Pearl Harbor Day. It is a day to remember the lives lost 68 years ago, as well as the lives lost throughout the course of WWII.
It is, like Veterans Day, also a day to consider the many issues faced by surviving WWII veterans. One such issue is the development of mesothelioma, a fatal form of cancer that is diagnosed in many veterans due to asbestos exposures sustained during military service. Asbestos, which was found in naval ships, military aircraft, and in military vehicles and housing, is a known carcinogen, but during the WWII era, the long-term health risks of exposure were unknown. If inhaled, asbestos fibers can lodge in the mesothelium, or lining of the body’s internal organs. Symptoms do not appear for as many as 50 years, and by the time of diagnosis a veteran is in their late seventies or early eighties. The most commonly-diagnosed form of mesothelioma in WWII vets is known as pleural mesothelioma, which is a cancer of the pleural lining of the lungs. Once diagnosed, veterans can receive palliative mesothelioma treatment methods – chemo, radiation, or surgery – but this aggressive and extremely painful form of cancer generally takes the life of veterans in less than 2 years. While less than 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma annually, the number of mesothelioma navy cases continue to rise.
Today, let’s think about the brave men and women who protected our freedoms during World War II, and let us also consider the plights faced by surviving WWII veterans, as well as the issues facing veterans of more recent military conflicts.
For more information on Pearl Harbor and World War II, I recommend the following informational websites:
Naval History & Heritage Command – Pearl Harbor Images
The National WWII Memorial Website
New study will focus on the health of female veterans
Nearly forty years after the end of the Vietnam War, the VA has announced that it will fund a four-year initiative that will examine the overall health of female Vietnam veterans. The study will cost an estimated $5.6 million dollars.
The VA wants to conduct research related to the mental and physical health of female Vietnam vets in an effort to better understand the long-term consequences of war. Because the experience of female veterans is so different from their male counterparts, this study will provide important information to the VA and the military. Over 10,000 female vets served during the Vietnam conflict in Vietnam, Southeast Asia and here at home in the United States.
The VA will begin by studying the medical records of these female veterans, followed by interviews. The VA will focus on the frequency of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and how it relates to the other physical and emotional issues that commonly plague veterans.
Veterans who served during World War II, the Korean and Vietnam conflicts, and also those who served during Desert Storm to the present time are not only faced with the issue of PTSD, but a variety of other physical and mental ailments as well. Those who served during WWII aboard naval ships, for example, were likely exposed to asbestos dust, which is a known carcinogen. Decades later, these veterans may be diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that has no cure and affects less than 3,000 individuals, especially veterans, each year. In addition to mesothelioma cancer, many vets developed brain tumors or other cancers as a result of exposure to Agent Orange during Vietnam.
This study is so important, according to the VA, because women are the fastest-growing division of the military veteran population. Back in 1988, only four percent of veterans were female, but that figure has since doubled. The VA estimates that one in ten vets will be a woman by the year 2020.
It’s no secret that the health of veterans in general is often overlooked by the VA. Iraq vet Kayla Williams told MedPage Today that the issues faced by women veterans are very different to those faced by males, a fact that is often misunderstood by the VA and male military officials.
“They certainly do not understand what it is like,” Williams said. “It is therefore vital that the VA provide times or places where women veterans…can feel safe and comfortable.”
Perhaps the most pressing issue for female vets is military sexual harassment. Williams believes that the VA “may not be aware of” the challenges that women in the military face, especially when it comes to sexual trauma sustained during one’s time in the military.
Senator Daniel Akaka, a Dem from Hawaii, agrees with Williams, stating that there is a lack of understanding of the needs of women veterans on the VA’s part.
“VA doesn’t have a thoroughly gender-focused range of care” for female veterans, Sen. Akaka told his colleagues at July’s Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs meeting.
“For too long, the approach to helping veterans avoid obstacles to VA benefits and services has been predominately focused on men.”
The results of the study will undoubtedly provide the VA with information that will help them improve the care of female veterans. Sen. Akaka agreed, saying that the study is an important step in preparing for an increase in the number of women who are serving in our military.
Poor leadership contributed to naval submarine collision
Investigators from the U.S. Navy believe that “ineffective” leadership aboard the USS Hartford led to a collision between the Hartford and another naval submarine.
The USS Hartford hit the USS New Orleans on March 20th in the Strait of Hormuz, located at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. The crash damaged the New Orleans’ fuel tank and injured fifteen sailors. Overall, the sub sustained $2.3 million in damage. The USS Hartford didn’t fare so well, either, with officials estimating that the damage to the Hartford could exceed $102.6 million.
Navy investigators determined that the crew of the Hartford made a number of mistakes leading up to the submarine crash, and reported that naval leaders on board were “negligent.” A review of crew behavior revealed a lax atmosphere: crew were often found asleep while on duty and listened to music while on post in the sub’s radio room, for example. Not what one would expect on a Navy ship!
The investigation also stated that the Hartford crew had an inadequate plan for crossing the busy Strait of Hormuz, a plan that would ultimately put the sub and other vessels in the area at risk. Over thirty tactical and watchstander errors were found on the sub’s log, according to a Navy commander, and had the crew corrected even one of them, the collision with the USS New Orleans may have been avoided.
“Correction…of errors, or adherence to standard procedures, could have prevented this,” said Admiral John Harvey, Jr., Commander of the United States Fleet Forces Command. Adm. Harvey supported the findings of the investigation.
After the crash, the chief of the USS Hartford was reassigned and many crew members were written up and disciplined for poor performance. Five sailors were notorious for falling asleep while on watch duty, but apparently none were disciplined. Two of these sailors were on duty when the USS Hartford hit the New Orleans, but the investigation did not say whether or not they were asleep.
In the hour prior to the collision, sailors who were supposed to be monitoring sonar activity were holding a conversation, and the supervisor had left the room. The sub’s navigator was reportedly listening to his iPod, and the officer in command failed to check the periscope. While this behavior may be shocking, it was apparently not unusual on board the Hartford.
Leaders on the sub reported “routine informal behavior” but did not take measures to discipline sailors or write incident reports.
It was also reported that the sub’s drivers would often “slouch” and only drive with one hand on the controls, often removing their shoes. Sonar operators and other commanders would often abandon their posts for long periods of time, and speakers were rigged up in several control rooms so that sailors could listen to music while they were supposed to be paying attention to navigation and other important tasks.
Commander Ryan Brookhart was relieved of his duties on the USS Hartford following the incident.
As a Navy man myself, I’m appalled to hear that this sort of behavior is permitted on board a naval submarine. As members of the military, we are conditioned to hold ourselves to a higher standard. This certainly is a poor example of what the Navy and the military in general stands for.
No health insurance leads to over 2K veteran fatalities each year
A new report out of Harvard Medical School last week estimates that approximately 2.266 United States veterans under the age of 65 died in 2008 because they did not have health insurance. Despite the fact that the majority of vets receive medical care through the VA, over a million and a half non-wounded vets aged 65 and under are considered “too poor” to qualify for private insurance coverage but are not poor enough to be covered by Medicaid, according to a Harvard professor.
In general, uninsured individuals are 40% more likely to die than a person who does have health coverage – this according to the research at Harvard. A co-author of the Harvard study reports that at least six preventable deaths occur daily, and that well over 2,000 veterans lost their lives last year due to a “broken health insurance system.”
If you crunch the numbers, the total number of veterans who are estimated to have died as a result of being uninsured last year – 2,266 – is just about twice the number of United States soldiers killed in Afghanistan since the war began there in 2001.
The Harvard study claims that 1.46 million veterans between the ages of 18 (the age an individual must be to enroll in the military in our country) and 65 did not have any type of health insurance in 2008. Most vets are eligible for health coverage through the VA – however, veterans who were not injured during combat and who make a certain amount per year may be denied.
And, in some cases, certain vets are labeled as “low priority,” indicating that they are “too poor” to afford private health insurance on their own, but are just not destitute enough to qualify for Medicaid or what the VA calls “means-tested care.”
When you think about the variety of issues faced by veterans today, including PTSD, combat injuries and even the rare cancer mesothelioma, these statistics are cause for concern. One in five vets suffers from PTSD, and male veterans in general are twice as likely to commit suicide than civilian males here in the United States.
Equally as concerning is the fact that a quarter of all homeless individuals in our country are also vets.
The fact that veterans in America are struggling to receive adequate health care at all should be a red flag for all of us. How can we live with ourselves when we realize that we are failing the men and women who have sacrificed so much to protect us?
The pending health care legislation, unfortunately, will really have a limited effect on Americans in general until at least 2013, and even then it would probably not account for an estimated 20 million people, many who are likely to be veterans.
While vets do have options when it comes to receiving health care – they can contact the Veterans Benefit Network for assistance, for example – far too many of our servicemen and women are slipping through the cracks. What about the Army specialist who could not deploy last week because she did not have anyone to care for her infant son while she was overseas? The question of whether or not the military is doing enough for our veterans – including those who must arrange childcare while they are deployed – is on the minds of many right now. And not just veterans!
Although Veterans Day was last week, I believe that it is still important that we think about our veterans during the month of November (it is Military Families Month, after all). If you are a veteran, or you know someone who is – we probably ALL do – perhaps you will be interested in learning more about the many veteran healing resources available.
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