SFTT Military News: Highlights for Week Ending Jul 28, 2017

Found below are a few military news items that caught my attention this past week. I am hopeful that the titles and short commentary will encourage SFTT readers to click on the embedded links to read more on subjects that may be of interest to them.

If you have subjects of topical interest, please do not hesitate to reach out. Contact SFTT.

Russia Shows Off Naval Strength in Protest of US Military Exercise with Georgia
US Vice-President Mike Pence will visit this week and is expected to back the plan, which Russia strongly opposes. Georgia and Russia have had fractious relations over two breakaway republics and fought a brief war in 2008. Russia staged its own show of force on Sunday with President Putin joining a naval display in St Petersburg. The US-Georgia military drills, dubbed Noble Partner, involve some 1,600 US and 800 Georgian troops. The US has also deployed M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks and M2 Bradley infantry vehicles for the exercises, which will go on until 12 August. Read more . .

North Korea ICBM

China Bets the House on US Response toward North Korea
China is betting that U.S. President Donald Trump won’t make good on his threats of a military strike against North Korea, with Beijing continuing to provide a lifeline to Kim Jong Un’s regime. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson singled out China and Russia as “economic enablers” of North Korea after Kim on Friday test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile for the second time in a matter of weeks. While Tillerson said the U.S. wants a peaceful resolution to the tensions, the top American general called his South Korean counterpart after the launch to discuss a potential military response. Read more . . .

The “Noise of War Under” Scrutiny by U.S. Military
U.S. military units have long used technology like night vision goggles to enhance their sense of sight. Now they’re trying to get a battlefield edge with their ears, too. The Marine Corps is experimenting with quieted-down weapons and electronic hearing enhancements that could reshape the soundscape of warfare. They want to minimize some sounds and amplify others to get more control over what they and their enemies hear. About 2,000 Marines have been testing carbines fitted with sound suppressors. The devices have long been used by special operations units, and the Marines want to expand their use into the mainstream infantry. Read more . . .

Fresh Ideas Needed in Afghanistan?
President Trump is frustrated about the lack of progress in Afghanistan and seems to be skeptical about his military advisors’ proposal for the deployment of up to another 4,000 U.S. trainers, advisors and counter-terrorism forces to join the 8,500 now stationed there. “We’ve been there for now close to 17 years, and I want to find out why we’ve been there for 17 years, how it’s going, and what we should do in terms of additional ideas,” he told reporters recently. Read more . . .

House of Representatives Votes Unanimously to Support Veteran Choice Program
The House overwhelmingly approved a $3.9 billion emergency spending package to address a budget shortfall at the Department of Veterans Affairs that threatens medical care for thousands of veterans. The bill provides $2.1 billion to continue funding the Veterans Choice program, which allows veterans to receive private medical care at government expense. Another $1.8 billion would go to core VA health programs, including 28 leases for new VA medical facilities. The bill was approved 414-0 Friday and now goes to the Senate. Read more . . .

PTSD Disability Claims Triple in Last Decade
More than one in five veterans receiving federal disability payouts suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, a figure that has spiked in the last decade. Veterans Affairs officials told lawmakers Tuesday that the number of disability cases related to PTSD has nearly tripled in that time, from around 345,000 cases in fiscal 2008 to more than 940,000 cases today. Service-connected PTSD payouts now make up 22 percent of all veterans receiving compensation benefits from the department. That includes all age groups, not just veterans from the recent wars. But lawmakers still worry that current VA rules may still be excluding thousands more veterans eligible for the disability payouts, which are tied to injuries suffered during military service. Read more . . .

Drop me an email at info@sftt.org if you believe that there are other subjects that are newsworthy.

Feel you should do more to help our brave men and women who wear the uniform or our Veterans? Consider donating to Stand For The Troops

30
JUL
2017

Military Rifles, News

Afghanistan, choice, North Korea, PTSD, ptsd and the VA, Putin, russia

Opioid Abuse, Veterans and Mea Culpa

Posted by: Richard May

With 80 people dying each day from overdoses of opioids, it is not surprising that Federal, State and Local authorities are seeking emergency measures and money to treat opioid abuse.

OxyContin - Veteran Addiction

Less surprising is the moral outrage and lynch-mob mentality of those who seek vengeance against those they deem responsible for the epidemic. Just today, I read in the New York Times that the McKesson Corporation, “the nation’s largest drug distributor . . . finds itself at the center of the nation’s opioid epidemic.”

According to New York Times editor Gretchen Morgenson, McKesson shareholders and investors are likely to question the lavish pay packages earned McKesson executives while promoting the sale of lethal opioids to an unsuspecting public.

I do not doubt that corporate greed has played a large role in this terrible epidemic, but let’s not forget their important enablers:

The US Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”);
The American Medical Association (the “AMA”);
The American Pharmacists Association;
The American Hospital Association (the “AHA”);
The Department of Veterans Affairs (“the VA”);
and many other public and private organizations that generously contributed their efforts to create this nationwide opioid epidemic.

I realize it is a lot easier to blame some Colombian or Mexican War Lord for our nationwide drug addiction, but it seems undeniable that the U.S. government and trusted private and public associations have colluded with drug companies to create this “semi-legal” drug epidemic.

The consequences are heart-wrenching for many families who have lost loved-ones to this terrible addiction. Large towns and cities across the country have been devastated. Communities can no longer support themselves due to drug addiction by large segments of their population.

Rather than seek villains from this terrible tragedy, it is an opportunity for all citizens to reflect on the dysfunctional medical and substance control and testing process that enabled privately-owned companies to “legally” hook so many Americans on prescription drugs. The “mea culpa” has plenty of self-serving enablers who would do well not to point fingers.

Sure, Big Pharma may eventually pay the price, but political party operatives have had their hands out at every stage of the addiction process to accept “political contributions” to keep the regulatory process well lubricated.

The Veterans and Opioids

As SFTT has reported on numerous occasions, the VA has regularly resorted to using opioids and other toxic prescription drugs to treat Veterans with PTSD and TBI. The VA and the Department of Defense (the DoD) have long known of the side-effects of opioids, but both have cited the FDA and “clinical trials” as evidence that their treatment procedures have strong support from the medical community.

According to the VA (whose numbers are generally suspect), some 68,000 Veterans are addicted to opioids:

“The Center for Investigative Reporting, using data provided under the Freedom of Information Act, said prescriptions for four opioids (hydrocodone, oxycodone, methadone and morphine) surged by 270 percent between 2000 and 2012, leading to addictions and a fatal overdose rate that was twice the national average.

“In 2014, the VA said it issued 1.7 million prescriptions for opioids to 443,000 vets to be taken at home.

“Citing a VA Office of Inspector General’s report, the Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law (CERL) said: “Between 2010 and 2015, the number of veterans addicted to opioids rose 55 percent to a total of roughly 68,000. This figure represents about 13 percent of all veterans currently prescribed opioids.”

Even by the VA’s own admission, these numbers are staggering. More to the point, the use of these opioids may have helped Veterans cope with their pain, but it has done little if anything to help treat Veterans suffering from PTSD and TBI. In fact, many Veterans will argue that the use of these prescription opioids has led to deeper depression and anxiety and, in some cases, suicidal tendencies.

Frankly, the use of opioids in treating PTSD and TBI has been largely unsuccessful. There are many less invasive treatment alternatives for PTSD and TBI, but the VA seems reluctant to pursue them.

Why? Has the insatiable greed of corporations and their government enablers blocked the pursuit of new treatment alternatives?

I certainly hope not, but I remain sceptical.

23
JUL
2017

About TBI and PTSD, News

hydrocodone, methadone, morphine, opioids, oxycodone, PTSD, TBI, the VA, veterans

Military News Highlights: Week Ending Jul 21, 2017

Posted by: Richard May

If you have subjects of topical interest, please do not hesitate to reach out. Contact SFTT.

Turkey Releases Secret Sites of US Troops in Syria
In the latest display of Turkish anger at U.S. policy in Syria, the state news agency has divulged the locations of 10 U.S. military bases and outposts in northern Syria where the U.S. is leading an operation to destroy the so-called Islamic State in its self-styled capital of Raqqa. The list published by the Anadolu news agency points to a U.S. presence from one end to the other of the Kurdish self-administration region—a distance of more than 200 miles. The Anadolu news agency even listed the number of U.S. troops in several locations and in two instances stipulated the presence of French special forces. Read more . . .

South Korea Proposes Military Talks with the North
South Korea on Monday proposed holding military and humanitarian talks with North Korea, its first visible split with the Trump administration, which has said it will deal with North Korea’s continued missile tests by stepping up sanctions and military pressure on the country. If the talks take place, they will be the first military-to-military dialogue since 2014. It is an attempt to ease tensions along a heavily armed border, and perhaps to arrange the resumption of reunions of families divided decades ago by the Korean War. But North Korea did not immediately respond, and such conversations have a dismal history since military officials on both sides are usually not empowered to negotiate significant agreements. Read more . . .

French Military Chief Resigns Over Defense Cuts
A public fight between President Emmanuel Macron and France’s chief military officer over proposed cuts in military spending led Wednesday to the first high-profile resignation of a public servant since Mr. Macron was elected in May. In an unusual move, the military chief, Gen. Pierre de Villiers, offered his resignation after Mr. Macron said publicly that he would be the one to determine military policy and implicitly criticized General de Villiers for questioning the government’s proposed budget cuts. The president’s seemingly unshakable confidence in his judgment, and his reluctance to brook any dissent, could signal potential difficulties ahead as Mr. Macron tries to shrink government spending. Read more . . .

Major IT Contract at Department of Veterans Affairs in Danger of “Catastrophic Failure”
Internal documents obtained by the American-Statesman show that last year, even as government overseers were taking the VA to task for failures in other high-profile IT projects, VA officials worried that the department’s $543 million contract with Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Services to implement a real-time locating system, or RTLS, was careening off the rails. The system, which consists of tagging and wirelessly tracking everything from catheters to hospital beds, has been hailed as a way to potentially save millions of dollars in lost or misplaced equipment. Read more . . .

PTSD Brain Details

New PTSD Study Points Way to Future Treatment
A study of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)—conducted by the VA National Center for PTSD (NCPTSD), National PTSD Brain Bank, and Yale University—has identified a new potential mechanism contributing to the biology of the disorder that may be targeted by future treatments. The study, led by NCPTSD and Yale psychiatrist Irina Esterlis, is the first to implicate a specific alteration in brain glutamate signaling in PTSD. Glutamate is a chemical messenger of brain signals, and alterations in glutamate levels in PTSD were described previously. The new study reports that positron emission tomography (PET) scans show increased levels of a subtype of glutamate receptor in the brain, metabotropic glutamate receptor-5 (mGluR5), in patients with PTSD. In animals, overstimulation of mGluR5 is associated with fear and stress-related behaviors; drugs that reduce mGluR5 function may reduce these symptoms. Thus, the current study may have implications for the treatment of PTSD, said the researchers. Read more . . .

Welsh Study on Treating PTSD
Funded by the Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) and supported by Health and Care Research Wales, the study is seeking to help veterans who have not responded to current PTSD treatments. The two-year study is investigating the effectiveness of a new therapy known as 3MDR, where patients walk on a treadmill whilst interacting with a series of self-selected images that are related to their trauma, and displayed on a large screen. The aim of this therapy is to help patients learn how to move through their avoidance by, literally, approaching their traumatic memories. Read more . . .

Drop me an email at info@sftt.org if you believe that there are other subjects that are newsworthy.

Feel you should do more to help our brave men and women who wear the uniform or our Veterans? Consider donating to Stand For The Troops

21
JUL
2017

About TBI and PTSD, News, PTSD, TBI and PTSD Treatments

3MDR, Department of Veterans Affairs, mGluR5, North Korean, PTSD, VA

SFTT News: Highlights for Week Ending Jul 7, 2017

Posted by: Richard May

If you have subjects of topical interest, please do not hesitate to reach out. Contact SFTT.

New Russian AK-12 Assault Weapon Passes Field Tests
The AK-12 assault rifle has passed military field tests and meets all of the Russian armed forces’ design and operational standards, gunmaker Kalashnikov Concern says, according to Jane’s 360. The AK-12’s success in military trials sets it up to become the standard weapon for soldiers in Russia’s Ratnik — or Warrior — future weapon system. Work on the AK-12 began in 2011 with the AK-200 as a base model. Kalashnikov Concern presented prototypes in early 2012, and the first generation of the weapon was also successful in military tests. Read more . . .

Russia May Deploy Military in Syria Buffer Zones
Russia may deploy its military to police the borders of planned de-escalation zones in Syria within two to three weeks after finalizing an agreement with Turkey and Iran, Russian negotiator Alexander Lavrentyev said on Tuesday. Moscow hopes to sign the final documents with Ankara and Tehran on Wednesday, he told reporters after a series of meetings in the Kazakh capital, Astana. Read more . . .

DIA Analysis on Russian Military Capabilities
The Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency has released a new assessment of Russian military power—reviving a Cold War-era practice. The agency concludes that the modern Russian military builds upon its Soviet heritage but has modernized its capabilities and doctrine for the present day. “The Russian military has built on the military doctrine, structure, and capabilities of the former Soviet Union, and although still dependent on many of the older Soviet platforms, the Russians have modernized their military strategy, doctrine, and tactics to include use of asymmetric weapons like cyber and indirect action such as was observed in Ukraine,” the DIA report states. Read more . . .

VA “Choice Funding” Requires Congressional Action
When they return from legislative recess next week, lawmakers will have only a few days to address financial problems with the Veterans Affairs Choice program before users start to see significant problems. Last month, in testimony before the Senate, VA Secretary David Shulkin warned lawmakers that money in the Choice program funds was being spent at a faster rate than officials expected, threatening to bankrupt the program before the end of the fiscal year. Available funds dropped from about $2 billion to less than $850 million in three months. Read more . . .

VA “TBI Model” to Determine Long Term Care Policy
“The VA TBI Model System is uniquely positioned to inform policy about the health, mental health, socioeconomic, rehabilitation, and caregiver needs following TBI,” write Guest Editors Risa Nakase-Richardson, PhD, of James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, Tampa, Fla., and Lillian Stevens, PhD, of Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Richmond, Va. The special issue presents initial reports from a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)-specific database of patients representing all traumatic brain injury (TBI) severity levels. The findings will play a critical role in VA’s efforts to meet the long-term needs of veterans with TBI. Read more . . .

5 Common Misconceptions about PTSD
June 27 is National PTSD Awareness Day, an opportunity to bring to light a disorder that affects millions of Americans every day. The distinction of this day was granted by the United States Senate in 2010. In 2014, the Senate upgraded the cause by designating the full month of June toward raising awareness for PTSD. These efforts are critical to providing opportunities to educate the public about PTSD and how it affects those with the disorder. Read more . . .

Electromagnetic Brain Pulse Study Underway for PTSD
A study by the Consortium to Alleviate PTSD will test whether PTSD can be treated with electromagnetic pulses to the brain. The study, beginning this summer, will treat 100 military members and veterans with PTSD at the Laurel Ridge Treatment Center in San Antonio. There, a robot will guide an electromagnet pulse across each subject’s scalp during 20 days of treatment. If it seems like science fiction, the therapy, known as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), has a genealogy going back all the way to Galvani’s frogs, said Peter Fox of UT Health, the study’s primary investigator. Read more . . .

Drop me an email at info@sftt.org if you believe that there are other subjects that are newsworthy.

Feel you should do more to help our brave men and women who wear the uniform or our Veterans? Consider donating to Stand For The Troops

7
JUL
2017

Military Rifles, News, PTSD

AK-12, Choice Program, PTSD, russia, Syria

Veterans Affairs On The Fence for Service Dogs

Posted by: Richard May

Almost every day one hears a moving story of how Veterans with PTSD and other debilitating injuries are provided comfort and support by service dogs.

Photo via Pixabay by Skeeze

Nevertheless, the Department of Veterans Affairs (“the VA”) continues to argue that there is little scientific or clinical evidence to confirm that service dogs benefit Veterans in a meaningful way.

“I would say there are a lot of heartwarming stories that service dogs help, but scientific basis for that claim is lacking,” said Michael Fallon, the VA’s chief veterinary medical officer. “The VA is based on evidence based medicine. We want people to use therapy that has proven value.”

The argument is a brief synopsis of Dr. Fallon’s testimony to the House Subcommittee and Government Reform provided in April, 2016.

In his written testimony, Dr. Fallon goes on to state the following:

The VA/Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guideline recommends trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy [such as Prolonged Exposure (PE), and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)], Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, stress inoculation, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and venlafaxine, a serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, as primary treatments for PTSD. PE and CPT are among the most widely studied types of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. Evidence demonstrating their effectiveness is particularly strong.

As SFTT has reported on numerous occasions, Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) have been largely ineffective in reversing brain damage to Veterans suffering from PTSD and TBI.

Specifically, the VA has very little evidence to show that PE and CPT therapy programs have done much to reduce the incidence of PTSD symptoms among Veterans against the “gold-standard” standardized PCL-M tests currently used by the VA. The chart below illustrates the point (50 is considered base level):

Aside from being very expensive to administer, the “evidence based medicine” supporting the effectiveness of PE and CPT programs currently administered by the VA is SADLY LACKING.

It is not unusual in the scientific community that promotes the effectiveness of the VA to apply fuzzy logic to alternative treatment programs. In fact, there is a propensity among advocates to search for pharmacological solutions rather than embrace alternative therapy programs.

As one who has watched this charade play itself out on the big stage of public opinion, it is difficult for me to accept the argument that new pharmacology alternatives outcomes will be any different than the VA’s embrace of OxyContin to deal with the symptoms of PTSD.

Whether it is dog or equine therapy or hyperbaric oxygen therapy (“HBOT”), Veterans are seeking out alternatives that are largely discredited by the VA. In fact, one NIH researcher suggests argues that

Research also suggests further opportunities for the VA and other health care systems to develop new and innovative ways to overcome barriers to treating veterans with PTSD. With veterans and their families increasingly seeking care outside of the VA system, community providers play a key role in helping to address these challenges. It is critical they receive the education, training, and tools to improve their understanding of and skills for addressing the needs of this unique population.

It is difficult to understand that it should take 10 years to test the efficacy of using service dogs to help Veterans with PTSD. Similarly, I recently learned that suspect test conditions used by the DoD to evaluate HBOT several years ago have prevented the VA from offering Veterans this life-changing service.

The VA continues to be its own worst enemy in helping provide Veterans with a lasting solution to their brain injuries.

2
JUL
2017

News, PTSD, TBI and PTSD Treatments

CPT, dog therapy, Dr. Michael Fallon, PCL_M, PE, PTSD, the VA

What do NFL and Military Helmets Have In Common?: Not Much!

Posted by: Richard May

Like many, I am moved by the tributes paid to military Veterans and active service members at NFL games. Nevertheless, both the NFL and the military have come under sharp criticism regarding the number brain injuries suffered on both the playing field and battlefield.

Both the NFL and military have stonewalled the problem for many years, but it now appears that the NFL is taking action to introduce a “safer” helmet in the hope that they can reduce concussions and permanent brain injuries for professional athletes. Hopefully, better protective gear will work its way through college and high school football programs.

The Vicis Zero1 helmet has now been purchased by 25 NFL teams and will be introduced during the 2017 season. According to initial press releases:

In testing against 33 other helmets to measure which best reduces the severity of impact to the head, the Vicis ZERO1 finished first. Included in the study were helmets from Schutt and Riddell, which currently account for approximately 90 percent of helmet sales.

Vicis was founded by neurosurgeon Sam Browd and Dave Marver, former CEO of the Cardiac Science Corporation, with the goal of reducing the high rate of concussions in football. While it would take years of play and further studies to conclusively prove that they’ve been successful, the studies show that they’re on their way to making an impact.

Found below is a video explaining how this helmet helps provide additional protection to football professionals:

While the safety requirements for battlefield and football helmets differ significantly, it does appear that the NFL has acted a lot quicker than the military to protect its professionals.

Reducing brain injuries at their point of origin is far preferable to treating neurological damage to sensitive brain cells in the aftermath.

The US Army – and other DoD components – have long been aware that current helmets offer battlefield personnel little protection against IED devices typically found in Afghanistan and in the Middle East. Indeed, SFTT has been reporting on various studies by the military embedding sensors into military helmets.

According to my calculation, the US Army has over 10 years of sensor data to draw on. Surely, this is sufficient to draw some conclusions and develop a better-designed helmet capable of providing additional protection against concussive brain injury.

While the military continues to “study” the issue, it is encouraging to see the NFL to take action. Frankly, I don’t buy the NFL sales pitch that the league rushed in to protect the health and safety of its players. If true, they would have done so long ago when the NFL first started studying brain injuries.

As the New York Times reported earlier, the NFL leadership buried extensive “concussion” evidence collected between 1996 and 2001 to deflect potential claims by former NFL players who had suffered brain damage.

As we have seen in the case of body armor, DoD leadership and the NFL have much in common: a strong propensity to hide the facts from their employees and the public at large.

While one can find many faults in the way the NFL leadership has acted “to protect the safety of its players” and the integrity of their franchise, NFL teams are now treating brain injuries far more seriously than the DoD.

In addition to helmets, several NFL teams are now treating players with suspected brain injury with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). Sadly, the Department of Veterans Affairs continues to block the use of HBOT in treating Veterans with PTSD and TBI.

Could it be that DoD personnel charged with evaluating HBOT therapy failed to employ the proper protocols in 2010 clinical testing procedures? If so, why?

SFTT remains hopeful that both the VA and the DoD will act quickly to introduce helmets that afford more protection to battlefield personnel and approve HBOT as an acceptable treatment procedure for PTSD and TBI.

25
JUN
2017

Military Helmets, News, TBI and PTSD Treatments

HBOT, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, Military Helmets, NFL, PTSD, sensors, TBI, vicis, zero1

SFTT News: Highlights for Week Ending June 14, 2017

Posted by: Richard May

If you have subjects of topical interest, please do not hesitate to reach out. Contact SFTT.

Russia Claims to Have Killed ISIS Leader
Russia’s military said on Friday that it was looking into whether one of its airstrikes in the Syrian desert had killed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-declared caliph of the Islamic State.In a statement, the Defense Ministry said that the Russian Air Force struck a meeting of Islamic State leaders on May 28 outside Raqqa, Syria, the group’s de facto capital, possibly killing Mr. Baghdadi. The statement offered no explanation for the two-week delay in publicizing the airstrike. And it was also not clear whether the Russian military had known in advance that Mr. Baghdadi was at the gathering, or had learned of this possibility only after the strike was carried out. Read more . . .

Trump Restrictions on Cuban Trade Said to Hurt Cybersecurity
The prospect of tightened sanctions has many Cubans on edge, concerned about the impact on the economy and overall relations between the countries. For Lt. Col. Rodriguez, it could mean curtailing what the Cubans tout as successful sharing of intelligence, made possible as a result of the diplomatic relations established by President Obama. “The progress that we’ve made could be set back,” Rodriguez said. Read more . . .

Help on the Way for Military Caregivers?
Former Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.) and actor Ryan Phillippe visited Capitol Hill on Wednesday to testify in the first major Senate hearing on veteran caregiver issues in several years. “I’ve heard directly from the military caregivers who are in need,” Phillippe told The Hill. “And those experiences stick with you. They stay with your heart. And I think bringing attention to these issues is huge.” The foundation commissioned a report from the Rand Corporation, also released on Wednesday, which provides a blueprint for necessary research and support for caregivers. “Rand pointed out the number of areas where there were gaps in services, and the current legislation fills those gaps,” Dole told The Hill. “Now we need the research to get ready for the future.” Read more . . .

How Russia Targets the U.S. Military
In recent years, intelligence experts say, Russia has dramatically increased its “active measures” — a form of political warfare that includes disinformation, propaganda and compromising leaders with bribes and blackmail — against the United States. Thus far, congressional committees, law enforcement investigations and press scrutiny have focused on Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin’s successful efforts to disrupt the American political process. But a review of the available evidence and the accounts of Kremlin watchers make clear that the Russian government is using the same playbook against other pillars of American society, foremost among them the military. Experts warn that effort, which has received far less attention, has the potential to hobble the ability of the armed forces to clearly assess Putin’s intentions and effectively counter future Russian aggression. Read more . . .

Congress Passes Veterans Affairs Accountability Act
Congress approved long-sought legislation Tuesday to make firing employees easier for the Department of Veterans Affairs, part of an effort urged by President Trump to fix a struggling agency serving millions of veterans. The bill will make it easier for VA employees, including executives, to be fired by lowering the standard of evidence required to “remove, demote or suspend” someone for poor performance or misconduct. It also gives whistleblowers more protections, including preventing the VA from removing an employee with an open whistleblower case. The House cleared the bill, 368-55, replacing an earlier version that Democrats had criticized as overly unfair to workers. The Senate passed the bipartisan legislation by voice vote last week. It will go to Mr. Trump later this week for his signature. Read more . . .

Alcohol and Substance Abuse May Worsen PTSD Symptoms
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) refers to a disorder wherein a person may fail to recover after experiencing a terrifying event. It can trigger anxiety and dreadful memories of the incident. Veterans or people from the armed forces may be at a higher risk of developing PTSD as they are often exposed to life-threatening experiences and tough combat. Military services and many other local organisations offer help to veterans to overcome this disorder. However, sometimes they may turn to alcohol and substance abuse to numb distress and ease the anxiety. But a new study, published in the journal of Traumatic Stress, indicates that such risky behaviour may worsen the symptoms of PTSD. Read more . . .

Drop me an email at info@sftt.org if you believe that there are other subjects that are newsworthy.

Feel you should do more to help our brave men and women who wear the uniform or our Veterans? Consider donating to Stand For The Troops

16
JUN
2017

News

Cuba, ISIS, PTSD, Putin, russia, the VA, Veterans Affairs Accountability Act

SFTT News: Highlight for Week Ending Jun 7, 2017

Posted by: Richard May

If you have subjects of topical interest, please do not hesitate to reach out. Contact SFTT.

Syrian Military Threatens Coalition Forces on Border
Forces loyal to the Syrian government have threatened to retaliate with force after the U.S. military struck their positions on multiple occasions. A military alliance fighting the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) and other insurgents on behalf of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies in Iran and Russia issued a statement Wednesday containing five points of criticism after U.S. warplanes carried out strikes against their fighters on Tuesday. The U.S. argued that Iran-backed militants had approached too closely a Special Forces base in the Syrian region of al-Tanf near the Iraqi and Jordanian borders, prompting the U.S. to launch its second such attack in three weeks against pro-Assad forces. Read more . . .

Treating PTSD at the Department of Veterans Affairs
The Department of Veterans Affairs has greatly expanded its treatment programs for mental health problems overall, and for post-traumatic stress disorder in particular, said Dr. Harold Kudler, acting assistant deputy under secretary for Patient Care Services at the VA. In fiscal 2016, the VA provided mental health treatment to 1.6 million veterans, up from 900,000 in 2006, Kudler said. Of the overall figure, 583,000 “received state-of-the-art treatment for PTSD,” including 178,000 who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, he added. Read more . . .

European Military Command Center Moves Forward
The European Union approved a new military command center for foreign training missions on Thursday after Britain dropped its opposition, the latest step in EU efforts to integrate its militaries and defense industries. A day after the European Commission offered 1.5 billion euros ($1.68 billion) a year in support of Franco-German plans for greater EU defense cooperation, all 28 EU governments agreed for the command center in Brussels to run training missions in Somalia, the Central African Republic and Mali. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a statement the decision was “a very important operational decision to strengthen European defense”. Read more . . .

Senate Passes VA Reform Bill
The Senate approved bipartisan legislation by voice vote Tuesday to reform civil service protections at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The legislation, dubbed the “Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act” would make it easier to fire federal employees, including executives. The legislation follows numerous scandals at the VA in recent years, most notably the manipulation of waiting lists for veterans, with patients dying while waiting for treatment. Read more . . .

Secretary Shulkin Announces Shift in Electronic Records
In a move that’s been long-discussed and much anticipated, Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin announced his intention to move VA to a commercial, off-the-shelf electronic health record and turn the page on a new chapter toward achieving interoperability with the Defense Department. VA will abandon its own, existing Veterans Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) and adopt MHS Genesis, the same EHR system that DoD is deploying. All patient data will reside in one common Cerner Millennium system. Read more . . .

Crisis in PTSD Drug Development Leads to Other Treatment Alternatives
Only two medications – sertraline (Zoloft, Pfizer) and paroxetine (multiple brands) – are currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of PTSD. Although these drugs and a few others have modest effect sizes, they are not as effective as trauma-focused psychotherapies, as reported in a recent review, which, Dr Davis said, factored largely into the pivotal clinical guidelines shift. Although the results reflect the potentially robust efficacy of psychotherapy, they also underscore the need for better medications, a sentiment that Dr Davis and her colleagues on the working group noted in a consensus statement. Read more . . .

Drop me an email at info@sftt.org if you believe that there are other subjects that are newsworthy.

Feel you should do more to help our brave men and women who wear the uniform or our Veterans? Consider donating to Stand For The Troops

9
JUN
2017

About TBI and PTSD, News, PTSD

Department of Veterans Affairs, ehr, electronic records, PTSD, Syria, VistA

Veterans with PTSD Knew that VA Opioid Prescriptions Were Wrong

Posted by: Richard May

After many lives of many brave Veterans with PTSD have been lost, the State of Ohio has finally taken action against pharmaceutical drug companies for hyping opioids.

According to the New York Times reporter, RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA,

The State of Ohio filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the pharmaceutical industry over the opioid epidemic, accusing several drug companies of conducting marketing campaigns that misled doctors and patients about the danger of addiction and overdose.

Defendants in the case include Purdue Pharma, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Johnson & Johnson, Endo Pharmaceuticals, Allergan and others.

Purdue, the maker of OxyContin, a time-release opioid, released a statement saying, “We share the attorney general’s concerns about the opioid crisis and we are committed to working collaboratively to find solutions,” and calling the company “an industry leader in the development of abuse-deterrent technology.”

As most Veterans treated by the Department of Veterans Affairs (“the VA”) are aware, opioids were the prescription of choice for Veterans suffering from PTSD.

Despite overwhelming evidence available to the VA and the Department of Defense (the DOD) that this was probably not a wise course of action, the VA persisted in treating the symptoms of PTSD with dangerous prescription drugs.

It is only now with opioid and drug addiction ravishing communities across the United States that some local and State governments are beginning to take action. In the interim, thousands of Veterans with PTSD have suffered through over-medication with opioids by doctors at the VA.

More to the point, the VA continues to insist on dated and ineffective treatment programs for Veterans with PTSD and TBI. Under the inept counsel of Dr. David Cifu, these same treatment therapies continue at the VA today.

It is difficult to predict when this tragic saga will end, but clearly there are no indications that the VA plans to make any substantial changes to current programs. As such our brave Veterans will continue to receive the same flawed therapy and, most likely, a healthy supply of prescription drugs to mask the symptoms.

Where are our leaders in Congress and leaders within the VA to put an end to this tragedy? Cynical though I am, I have a difficult time believing that Big Pharma political campaign donations would be the reason.

1
JUN
2017

About TBI and PTSD, News, PTSD, TBI and PTSD Treatments

David Cifu, Department of Veterans Affairs, DOD, drug addiction, opioids, PTSD, TBI, the VA

Saluting our Veterans on Memorial Day

Posted by: Richard May

As we gather together to celebrate Memorial Day, I am struck by the outpouring of love and heartfelt admiration for the men and women in uniform – past and present – who have served our country so valiantly.

Often overlooked as we celebrate Memorial Day are the spouses, family and loved ones who continue to support Veterans and active duty personnel with debilitating injuries.

Stand for The Troops would like to acknowledge these courageous men and women who labor on so courageously in providing daily care to loved ones who are no longer quite the same person they were before combat.

On this Memorial Day, SFTT would like to list several organizations that continue to provide great service to our Veterans, particularly those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (“PTSD”).

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (“HBOT”)

The Department of Veterans Affairs (“the VA”) continues to block the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy or HBOT in treating Veterans with PTSD. Nevertheless, Dr. Paul Harch and many others continue to provide FREE or greatly discounted treatment to Veterans suffering from PTSD.

More to the point, Dr. Harch and many other evangelists go out of their way to promote the benefits of using HBOT to treat PTSD. On this Memorial Day weekend, SFTT remains hopeful that Dr. David Shulkin, Secretary of the VA, will begin providing Veterans with better treatment alternatives, such as HBOT.

It is time to rid the VA of institutional dogma based on self-serving agendas and seek real solutions that help Veterans with PTSD and their loved ones.

Archi’s Acres, Escondido California

Karen and Colin Archipley have dedicated their lives to helping Veterans recover their lives by providing training in “sustainable organic agriculture.” At Archi’s Acres, students receive a six-week course in hydroponics, drip/micro irrigation, environmental control, soil biology, composting and much more.

We tip our hat to both Karen and Colin for having the imagination and perseverance to help provide Veterans with an opportunity to acquire new skills on their road to recovering their lives.

Wives of PTSD Vets and Military

I often come across some inspirational stories of families coping the ravages of PTSD on a Facebook Page entitled “Wives of PTSD Vets and Military.” While depression and a sense of helplessness affects many Veterans (active duty personnel), their caregivers often bear the brunt of their frustration.

There are many similar Facebook Page support groups such as “PTSD: The Wives Side,” but all provide some useful advice in helping loved ones cope under circumstances that are most difficult to comprehend.

This Memorial Day my thoughts and prayers go out to caregivers that do much of the heavy day-to-day lifting,

This is not an easy journey. Frankly, we must move beyond coping and do everything possible within our power to help our brave Veterans recover his or her life. Only by doing so, will we be able to recover our own.

On this Memorial Day, I wish all resilient warriors the strength and courage to continue to support our Veterans.

28
MAY
2017

News, PTSD

Archi's Acres, HBOT, Memorial Day, Paul Harch, PTSD

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