Printer Friendly Page

VA SECRETARY NICHOLSON PROMISES TO TREAT YOUNG

VETS SOONER FOR STRESS -- Says VA will make a "more

affirmative effort" to reach "young combatants"

"to treat them early."

 

 

We have two stories.

First story here... http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/
daily/local/37525.php

Story below:

---------------

VA wants to treat young vets sooner for stress, chief says

SHERYL KORNMAN
Tucson Citizen

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is making a "more affirmative effort" to reach "young combatants" from the war on terror "to treat them early" for post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychological effects of serving in combat, said head of the department said in Tucson today.

Veterans Affairs Secretary R. James Nicholson said he came to Tucson to inspect the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System's Level 2 Polytrauma Unit, which provides multidisciplinary care to severely injured soldiers. It is one of 17 in the nation opened in the past year to take care of young veterans with severe head trauma, loss of limbs and other serious war injuries.

In previous wars, these soldiers would have died on the battlefield, Nicholson said, but "heroic" rescues and more intensive medical care is keeping them alive, though partly or completely disabled for life.

Southern Arizona VA spokesman Pepe Mendoza said the VA will add two more community-based outpatient clinics in the Tucson area in 2007, one northwest of the city and one southeast of Tucson.

Nicholson, 68, a West Point graduate and former chairman of the Republican National Committee and U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, is a combat veteran of the Vietnam War.

He said Veterans Affairs employees at discharge centers are working harder than ever to get the word out to combat veterans that there should be no stigma attached to getting post-deployment treatment for sleeplessness, flashbacks and the irritability that accompany combat trauma.

"War is an uncommon experience for people from civilian life" serving in today's military, he said.

The secretary said the VA wants to avoid any delay in treatment for soldiers because of lack of awareness of the real effects of PTSD. He cited the 20- and 30-year lag in treatment for Vietnam veterans suffering from PTSD who turned to drugs and alcohol to treat post-combat symptoms of depression and anxiety.

The VA has added 50 full-time "Global War on Terrorism" outreach specialists to vet center staffs around the country to increase the effort to talk to veterans about the unique stress they experience under combat conditions.

And the VA announced plans in June to open a second vet center in Phoenix this year to provide outpatient evaluation and counseling. There is one vet center in Tucson, at 3055 N. First Ave., and a total of 207 community-based veteran centers throughout the nation.

Nicholson said if more U.S. troops are deployed to Iraq, he will seek additional medical-care funding for injured veterans. "We will take care of discharged vets as the need arises."

He said he is sure the new Democrat-dominated Congress will be just as receptive to his funding requests as the GOP Congress was under President Bush. "This administration has increased funding on veterans (services) by 70 percent in the last five years," he said.

---------------

Second story here... http://www.kold.com/Global/
story.asp?S=5888605&nav=14RT

Story below:

---------------

Polytrauma a Special VA Feature

by J.D. Wallace, KOLD News 13 Reporter

Technology like better body armor helps save lives in war, but many soldier still suffer life-altering injuries.

"Now push forward. Good job," Erik Castillo's occupational therapist tells him as he holds Erik's left arm in therapy on Wednesday afternoon.

Castillo has come a long way since he was hit with mortar shrapnel in Baghdad more than two years ago.

"When I first was injured I was, the only thing I could do was stare up at the ceiling," Castillo said.

"Funny, it didn't hurt at all," Jeff Schaefer said to describe when he was also hit by a mortar, south of Baghdad.

He also needs a variety of treatment. The Southern Arizona VA Healthcare System is one of 21 places where veterans can get polytrauma attention.

"I needed the whole team. I needed physical therapy to walk, to use my left hand, I needed speech therapy to learn how to think and communicate effectively again. I need orthopedics because my shoulder hurt in the blast, so basically I needed the whole team," Schaefer said.

"They're doing just an outstanding job here," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson about SAVAHCS.

Nicholson paid a visit on Wednesday to check on staffing and stress the need for adequate care.

He urges veterans with any hint of mental health needs to come to the VA.

"Because we can make most of them well if we start treating them early enough," Nicholson said.

Veterans like Schaefer and Castillo say it can be tough to recognize the symptoms.

"The ironic thing is ever since the time, I thought my brain's been fine," Schaefer said.

"They don't even notice it. They'll notice it later on. They can't function at work, or they get mad," Castillo said.

Recognizing the problem is the first step to fixing it. Many veterans are handed several challenges, but are already working on them.

"I spend most of my day here. It's like a job for me," Castillo said.

---------------

Larry Scott

Click here to make VA Watchdog dot Org your homepage