“Leave no man behind,” is certainly a long-standing military phrase that captures the essence of the pride and valor of men and women serving in our armed forces. The origins of this phrase are not known, but is used by the US Army Rangers, the USMC and special forces units around the world.
Regardless of its origins, the message is clear: Our military takes care of their own and does not leave their wounded and brave heroes behind when they ...
Continue Reading →Make no mistake, the military brass recognize that many veterans of our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (“PTSD”). In fact, it is estimated that 1 in 5 veterans suffers from PTSD.
As such, it is difficult to reconcile a recent news report that US Army Doctors are trying to hold down the number of military service members that are diagnosed with “the Army’s top medical officer this week rejected assertions that commanders are discouraging ...
Continue Reading →Over a week ago, I attended a fascinating lecture and discussion with Dr. Henry Grayson, Chairman of SFTT’s Medical Task Force, on the exploration of new treatments for veterans suffering from PTSD. The meeting was hosted at the headquarters of the Organization for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) in midtown NYC.
The meeting was designed to explore some of the new methods to treat veterans with PTSD. Together with the physicians and clinical psychologists ...
Continue Reading →As indicated earlier, SFTT is thrilled to have Dr. Henry Grayson as Chairman of SFTT’s Medical Task Force to help develop effective programs to treat our brave men and women suffering from PTSD. PTSD for veterans of our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is now reaching epidemic proportions. Government studies suggest that 1 in 5 veterans suffers from PTSD. The symptoms of PTSD manifest themselves differently from person to person – but make no mistake – PTSD ...
Continue Reading →I recently had the opportunity to sit down with SFTT Chairperson, Eilhys England Hackworth the wife, partner, co-author, and muse of Stand For the Troops (“SFTT”) founder, the late Colonel David H. Hackworth—America’s most valor-decorated soldier—from the late 1980s until his death. Since the passing of this great American hero in May 2005, Ms. England Hackworth has kept her deathbed promise to her husband to continue SFTT’s mission to protect America’s frontline troops.
The purpose of the meeting was to hear from SFTT’s ...
Continue Reading →Several news organizations have commented on a new treatment using comforting sights. The world will be one he’s built himself in visits to his clinic, where, using biofeedback to track his response, he has trained himself to relax when he sees these images.”
The program reminds me of Stanly Kubrick’s Clockwork Orange, where “society” tries to rehabilitate the main character Alex DeLarge through a programmed treatment to alter behavior based on stimuli to a series of slides and ...
Continue Reading →As military service members deployed in Iraq begin come home, the alarm bells are beginning to sound as the Veterans Administration (“VA”) now seems over-stretched to deal with alarming number of cases of service members with PTSD.
According to a recently published Rand study, excerpts of which are reported by Health Affairs, “There is a large and growing population of veterans with severe and complex general medical, mental, and substance use disorders including schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder, PTSD, and major ...
Continue Reading →Mental health problems and self-destructive behavior have always been difficult subjects to discuss, let alone diagnose and cure. Since the 2008 Rand Corporation study on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (“PTSD”) entitled Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery, there has been growing preoccupation with the high incidence of psychological disorders affecting military men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to the Rand study, it is estimated that ...
Continue Reading →Editors Terry L. Schell and Terri Tanielian of the Rand Corporation have recently issued a Technical Report for the New York State Health Foundation which chronicles some of the mental health challenges faced by returning veterans in New York State. “The study found substantial elevated rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression among veterans. ” The Technical Report to the New York State Health Foundation from the Rand Corporation may be read online (or ...
Continue Reading →Almost daily, we receive reports of the devastating impact of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) on our men and women in uniform and the terrible side-effects on their families and friends. The US Army is aware of the terrible cost of PTSD as evidenced by the 2010 US Army Report on Health Promotion, Risk Reduction and Suicide Prevention.
Many publications suggest that the origins of PTSD are unknown as evidenced by this recent commentary from a government organization:
“The cause ...
Continue Reading →