In a moving round-table discussion hosted by Stand for the Troops (“SFTT”), Maj. Ben Richards provides a devastating overview of why the Department of Veterans Affairs (the “VA”) is failing to provide adequate care to brave Veterans suffering from PTSD. Let Ben explain why in his own words:
SFTT News: Week ending Jul 29, 2016
Found below are a few news items that caught my attention this past week. I am hopeful that the titles and short commentary will encourage our readers to click on the embedded links to read more on subjects that may be of interest to them.
Drop me an email at info@sftt.org if you believe that there are other subjects that are newsworthy.
High-Tech “Robo” Technology Raises Eyebrows
Israeli defense company Elbit Systems is turning some heads with its robot warship, the Seagull. The unmanned ...
Why Veterans with PTSD are Seeking Alternative Therapy
It is becoming increasingly clear that the Department of Veterans Affairs (the VA) is no longer able to provide the care or therapy that Veterans with PTSD demand. Increasingly, Veterans are seeking alternative therapy outside the VA.
According to New England Public Radio, a large percentage of Veterans seek alternative therapies for PTSD despite explicit warnings by the VA that many of these therapies are “untested.”
Continue Reading →The Department ...
Congress Passes Drug Abuse Bill
With broad bipartisan support, the Senate passed a compromise legislative bill aimed at curbing prescription drug abuse.
While this comes as relief to many, one must simply scratch their head and wonder why it has taken so long to curb prescription drug abuse. This horrible addiction problem didn’t emerge yesterday.
Could it have anything to do with lobbyists?
Not surprisingly, one political party blamed the other for a lack of action ...
Continue Reading →SFTT News: Week Ending July 8, 2016
Found below are a few news items that caught my attention this past week. I am hopeful that the titles and short commentary will encourage our readers to click on the embedded links to read more on subjects that may be of interest to them.
Drop me an email at info@sftt.org if you believe that there are other subjects that are newsworthy.
President Obama Says 8400 Troops to Remain in Afghanistan
President Barack Obama gave up Wednesday on ending the war in Afghanistan ...
PTSD: More Drugs on the Way?
In yet another example of how the Department of Veteran Affairs (“VA”) and DoD try to reinvent the wheel in search of a miracle drug to treat PTSD, Fox News reports that “TNX-102 SL, which contains the same chemical property as Flexeril” may soon be used in treating Veterans with PTSD:
Continue Reading →An already-approved muscle relaxant may offer relief for U.S. military veterans and first responders suffering from combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Phase 2 trials of the drug, ...
Latest Developments on Treating PTSD
Much has been written about the terrible long-term consequences of Post Traumatic Stress or “PTSD,” but there appears to be no clear way of treating PTSD. Some argue that PTSD is best treated using “psychological” methods to treat the trauma while others argue that certain war-related events (i.e. IEDs) cause physiological changes in the brain.
This dilemma makes diagnosing and treating PTSD so difficult. Based on SFTT’s experiences, we have ...
Continue Reading →Veteran Charities in Context
Active Duty military personnel that I know generally despise being used as “poster-boys (or girls)” for political campaigns. In fact, anyone who has served in the Armed Forces is well aware of DoD Directive 1344.10 which prohibits members of the Armed Forces from engaging in “partisan political” fundraising or actively campaigning on behalf of a political party, candidate or political cause.
While these regulations do not apply to Veterans, it has been my experience that most Veterans tend to avoid the limelight ...
Continue Reading →Equine-Assisted PTSD Therapy Study Seeks Veteran Volunteers
The New York Presbyterian Military Family Wellness Center at the Columbia Veterans Research Center is currently conducting a Trauma-Focused Equine-Assisted Therapy for Veterans with PTSD study. See details below:
Through the NYP Military Family Wellness Center we offer veterans and family members evidence-based treatments at no cost in the context of a research study. Essentially, patients are periodically assessed during and after treatment so that we can learn more about the needs ...
Continue Reading →Veterans with PTSD: Can We Unite As a Society?
As one who watched a largely unappreciative nation heap scorn on returning Veterans from our war in Vietnam, I am struck by the contrived efforts to celebrate Veterans who have now served in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. In particular, I shed a tear for Veterans with PTSD who have difficulty coping with an unsympathetic society that seems far different from the camaraderie they experienced while serving in a war zone.
While I do not doubt that many Americans genuinely honor ...
Continue Reading →