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MONDAY -- 13 OCTOBER 2008 -- COLUMBUS DAY

UNSEEN SCARS -- Debbie Camicia really doesn't talk about her time in Iraq. Debbie has PTSD, and now her family and fellow veterans are trying to help her find structure.

UPDATE: PROTEST BIKERS HALTED AT SALISBURY VA GATE -- "They told us they had been informed it was a protest and it didn't matter if we wanted to visit patients, we were not allowed on the property."

VETERANS REFLECT ON MILITARY SERVICE DURING VIETNAM WAR -- About 100 Vietnam "brothers" gather for first Texas reunion.

FAMILY BLAMES SOLDIER'S SUICIDE ON ANTI-MALARIA DRUG LARIAM -- "I think the military is covering up the effect of Lariam. After a soldier dies, that's it, they don't want to get at the truth."

MARINE CORPS VET AMONG TROOPS SUFFERING MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA -- "I didn't tell anybody," he said. "I didn't know how. How do you tell someone in the Marine Corps you've been raped?"

SHREDDING OUR TRUST IN THE VA -- VA investigators find entire claims and other critical documents in shredding bins at Detroit Regional Office. VA official will only say, "I can't talk about that."

WEEKEND -- 11 & 12 OCTOBER 2008

UPDATE: FEDS VIDEOTAPED FRAUD SUSPECT'S VA COMP-&-PEN EXAM -- Suspect's attorney: "You go to your doctor, he tells you to drop your pants, and there's the government - recording and watching the whole thing."

UPDATE: SALISBURY VA CHIEF BLAMES ILL WILL ON LACK OF COMMUNICATION -- Says her communications plan did not work well when it came to informing members of Congress about upcoming changes in veterans' services.

STUDY ON VIETNAM VETS SHOWS INTELLIGENT MEN HAVE HEALTHIER SPERM -- "The two traits could be linked through a tangled web of biological and environmental interactions that has evolved to help women pick a mate."

VA AWARDS GRANT FOR DISCONTINUITY OF CARE STUDY -- Discontinuity is defined as the degree to which key aspects of a patient's care during a hospitalization are performed by someone other than the physician primarily assigned to them.

MAKING IT HOME -- It is one of the most technologically advanced projects Homes for Our Troops has completed so far, with an array of low- and high-tech features tailored to the veteran's disabilities.

EX-SAILOR GUILTY OF PRETENDING TO BE AN ADMIRAL -- "I think that he very much wanted to be in the officer corps and that despite his best efforts, he was disappointed that he never made it."

UPDATE: EVICTION NOTICE FILED FOR HOMELESS VETERANS -- Legal battle between two agencies may put vets out on the street.

VAOIG REPORT: FORMER VA HOSPITAL HEAD ABUSED TRAVEL AND PURGED FILES -- Dr. Robert W. Ratliff, former chief at Birmingham VA, improperly influenced a hiring decision, overcharged for travel and destroyed his computer hard drive while he was under investigation.

BUSH SIGNS TWO VETERANS' BENEFITS BILLS INTO LAW -- Omnibus bill and mental health bill offer additional benefits to many veterans.

UPDATE: VA FLIP-FLOPS, WILL NOT OUTSOURCE NEW G.I. BILL PROGRAM -- VA officials claim they did not receive enough proposals from qualified private-sector contractors.

PTSD AND OFFICER TRAINING: DID IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? -- Cindy McCain: "The guys who had the trouble were the 18-year-olds who were drafted. He was...a trained United States naval officer, and so he knew what he was doing."

FEDS SETTLE MEDICAL MALPRACTICE SUIT AGAINST SALT LAKE CITY VA -- The U.S. agreed to settle the nearly two-year-old case for 950,000 dollars to cover general damages and future lost income.

SUPERBUG HITS HAMPTON VA MEDICAL CENTER -- Five patients transferred to Portsmouth Naval Medical Center to treat MRSA infection.

FRIDAY -- 10 OCTOBER 2008

UPDATE: WASHINGTON STATE "ROAD RAGE" VETERAN FOUND GUILTY -- Jury didn't buy PTSD defense. Christopher Partridge faces a minimum of 12 years in prison.

UPDATE: REPORT BLASTS RHODE ISLAND VETERANS' HOME -- Controversial commission details widespread problems and calls for a new facility.

COMING TO HBO -- SECTION 60: ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY -- Documentary about "the saddest acre in America" premieres Monday, October 13 at 9pm.

UPDATE: UNION AND VA LEADERS SPAR OVER POTENTIAL JOB CUTS AT SALISBURY FACILITY -- AFL-CIO Chief: "What's happening here is outrageous. It's an insult to the courageous veterans who have done so much for our country."

VAOIG FINDS MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH VA'S DOMICILIARY PROGRAM -- Lack of security, lax inspections and unsecured medications top list of issues at VA domiciliaries.

TAILORED TO FIT WOUNDED VETERANS -- "The goal is to provide each soldier with an individually designed and tailored wardrobe of adaptive clothing in order to provide them comfort and maintain their dignity."

UPDATE: FEDERAL COURT DENIES PETITION FOR RE-HEARING OF "BLUE WATER NAVY" CASE -- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit rules: "The petition for rehearing is denied. Judge Fogel would grant the petition for rehearing and respectfully recommends that the full court grant rehearing en banc."

THURSDAY -- 09 OCTOBER 2008

STEELERS HOST WOUNDED VETERANS AT HEINZ FIELD -- "The main thing is that the veterans are honored, that people actually care that we were over there and we were injured."

CONNECTICUT VETS ENDURING PAPERWORK STORM TO VERIFY DISABILITY -- Veterans fighting to get "disability letter" to qualify for local tax breaks.

GAO DRAFT REPORT: "BENEFITS DELIVERY AT DISCHARGE" WORKS, BUT NEEDS MORE ACCOUNTABILITY -- Rep. Steve Buyer: "With its enormous backlog of pending claims, VA should embrace the BDD program as means of easing the burden at regional offices." (UPDATE:  Full GAO report now available.)

SIGN OF THE TIMES: OHIO COUNTY VETERANS' OFFICE RUNS OUT OF MONEY -- Economic woes: In Harrison County, there is not enough money to pay the workers and keep the office open.

PENTAGON RESEARCHES ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS FOR STRESS DISORDER -- Dr. S. Ward Casscells, the Pentagon's assistant secretary for health affairs: "This new theme is a big departure for our cautious culture."

JIM STRICKLAND'S MAIL BAG: VOLUME #65 FOR 2008 -- Veterans' Advocate Jim Strickland answers questions from VA Watchdog dot Org readers.

WEDNESDAY -- 08 OCTOBER 2008

VETERANS, ALONE TOGETHER, SHARE STORIES THEY CAN'T TELL YOU -- Commentary from Lawrence Downes of The New York Times.

VIETNAMESE AGENT ORANGE PLAINTIFFS TO PETITION U.S. SUPREME COURT -- A petition by Vietnamese victims of agent orange-dioxin has been submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court.

PITTSBURGH VA OFFERS NEW APPROACH FOR VETERANS' REHAB -- "Pittsburgh is the first to adopt a move from an institutional setting to a residential setting."

LAWSUIT BLAMES VA HOSPITAL FOR SUICIDE -- Suit accuses VA staff of medical malpractice for failing to properly diagnose and provide psychiatric help after learning about previous suicide attempts.

IRAQ VETERAN'S ATTORNEY CALLS ROAD-RAGE SHOOTING "REASONABLE" -- "A blackness overtook him and he picked up his gun and fired it...what he did was reasonable because of his history."

UPDATE: FIGHT OVER SALISBURY VA SERVICE CUTS HEATING UP -- Rep. Mel Watt angered he wasn't told of cuts. Joins forces with Sen. Elizabeth Dole to demand answers from VA Sec. Peake.

TUESDAY -- 07 OCTOBER 2008

VIDEO: SERVICE DOGS ARE BEST BUDDY FOR VETERANS WITH PTSD -- From the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, Monday, October 6, 2008.

WOUNDS TOO GREAT TO HEAL -- You don't recover from PTSD. You survive it. Jim Chaousis is one of many veterans who are hoping new drugs and treatment will make him a survivor.

VA STUDY: HOSPITAL BACTERIA SUCH AS MRSA BECOMING RESISTANT TO DISINFECTANTS -- Hospital bacteria which survive attacks by disinfectants and antiseptics are becoming ultra-resistant superbugs which cannot be killed, scientists have warned.

DELAYED CASUALTY: SOLDIER'S FAMILY COPES WITH LOSS -- Fifteen minutes before his death, he and his longtime fiancée were married in his hospital room.

DoD REVISES PURPLE HEART ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA -- Has expanded the Purple Heart eligibility criteria allowing prisoners-of-war who died in captivity to receive the award.

VA NURSE SENTENCED FOR TAKING PATIENTS' MEDICATION -- She took oxycodone and hydromorphone prescribed for patients who suffered from terminal illnesses.

DoD DEVELOPS COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS HANDBOOK -- Covers everything a seriously ill and injured service member will need during his or her recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration.

PENTAGON LAUNCHES WEB SITE ON CHEMICAL-BIOLOGICAL WARFARE EXPOSURES -- "Veterans can really help...give us other clues...They may have papers, which would not have been archived, that may help fill in blanks about what we understand happened."

VETERAN WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY FEELS LOST IN THE FOG OF WAR -- "I think we've had this conversation before. We'll have it again, I'm sure."

JIM STRICKLAND'S MAIL BAG: VOLUME #64 FOR 2008 -- Veterans' Advocate Jim Strickland answers questions from VA Watchdog dot Org readers.

MONDAY -- 06 OCTOBER 2008

RATE OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IN ARMY PROMPTS AN EFFORT AT PREVENTION -- "We've heard all of this talk before, but nothing ever seems to change," said Wanda Story, the national commander of the United Female Veterans of America.

UPDATE: CHICAGO VETERANS' HOME CRACKS DOWN ON DRUGS -- Catholic Charities has begun a crackdown on drug and alcohol use at St. Leo's veterans' home.

WORLD WAR II VET RECALLS MISSING DEATH BY A DAY -- "I have lived a long life. I have loved my wife and I have served my country."

VA NURSE IS FOCUS OF SEXUAL ABUSE INQUIRY -- Three patients and an intern have accused a nurse practitioner at the Miami VA hospital of inappropriate sexual behavior, going back to 1991. He remains employed.

FIRST NEW ZEALAND DEATH ATTRIBUTED TO AGENT ORANGE -- No New Zealand doctor had penned "Agent Orange exposure" as the cause of a Vietnam veteran's death - until last week when Sergeant Rakai-Paka "Pat" Hauwai died of cancer.

UPDATE: MONTROSE VETS TO PROTEST DEVELOPER LAND GRAB -- Local Town Supervisor supports veterans in effort to keep more than 100 acres of VA land from developers.

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SHREDDING OUR TRUST IN THE VA (10-13-08)   VA investigators find entire claims and other critical documents in shredding bins at Detroit Regional Office. VA official will only say, "I can't talk about that."

OFF WITH HER HEAD? (05-19-08)   Norma J. Perez is still employed by the VA, even after writing an email urging subordinates to deliberately misdiagnose PTSD. Her continued employment makes a mockery of the VA's mental health care system.

SECURITY CLEARANCE DECEPTION  -- (05-07-08)   Pentagon's new policy leads troops to believe that mental health issues will have no bearing on getting a security clearance. Nothing could be further from the truth.

OLD AND IN THE WAY (04-28-08)   As the "new vets" from Iraq and Afghanistan, just 2% of the veteran population, are given priority at the VA, the other 98% find themselves pushed to the rear of the line, now the forgotten of previous conflicts.

GUN BILL NOT ANTI-VETERAN (10-01-07)   Let's use some common sense instead of nonsense about H.R. 2640. If you're a veteran or you have been diagnosed with PTSD, don't worry, they aren't coming for your firearms.

WHAT PROMISE TO VETERANS? -- by Larry Scott (07-01-07)   It’s the great American myth; an urban legend of epic proportions. But, there was no promise made, so there’s nothing to keep. Now, it’s time for a new, in-your-face attitude:  WE ARE U.S. MILITARY VETERANS -- YOU OWE US!
         
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