WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "The American Veteran," a monthly half-hour news magazine from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), spends a full third of it's January edition on two of the most talked about health problems of combat veterans -- traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

"We are committed to informing veterans and military personnel about the VA programs and staff dedicated to helping these warriors recover from their physical and mental injuries," said Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs Gordon H. Mansfield. "These stories put a spotlight on the determination, commitment, and discipline of these combat veterans and the support provided by earlier generations."

One feature looks at the state-of-the-art technologies used to assess and treat even the unseen damage done to the brain by the weapons and tactics of the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. A second feature looks at the services available to any combat veteran suffering from the often debilitating effects of PTSD, as well as the benefits of having veterans of previous wars available as a support network for veterans recently returned from combat. A third story examines the benefits of alternative therapies, including the use of horses in helping veterans to re-engage in managing their lives successfully.

The series is designed to inform active duty members, veterans, their families and their communities about the services and benefits they have earned and to recognize and honor them. VA's Office of Public Affairs and the VA Learning University/Employee Education System (VALU/EES) produce the program and broadcast it to VA facilities on the department's own internal network, around the world on The Pentagon Channel and to community cable outlets.

The VA Office of Public Affairs offers the program to local broadcasters and cable outlets and makes it available for viewing on the VA Web site, www.va.gov. Just click on "Public Affairs" and then "Featured Items."

Continue reading the article.

Labels: TBI, traumatic brain injury, V.A., VA, Veterans

From ABC NEWs:

April 11, 2007— "Where do I go to get my brain back?"

That's what a member of the armed services recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center said when Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., asked him how he was doing last week.

Clinton recounted the story Wednesday on a conference call with journalists to announce new legislation aimed at helping victims of traumatic brain injury.

The legislation, sponsored by Clinton and Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., would allow TBI victims to extend their "active duty" status for up to one year from the date that their injury is determined.

Brain Injuries Plague Veterans

"We are not addressing the unique challenges posed by TBI in the way that we need to be," Clinton said.

Under the current system, those recovering from TBI are forced to choose between remaining on active duty and receiving the best state-of-the-art care from the Department of Defense or entering retired status and returning to their hometowns to receive care under the umbrella of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Patient's Advocate for Victims

The bill would also provide that every TBI victim be given a "patient's advocate" to help the patient wade through what can be an enormously complicated and frustrating system.

All of this is very good news, of course, but a "patient's advocate" is a big step forward and a subject dear to Jack's heart. He believes that if he'd been given a "caretaker / advocate / physiatrist / case manager" -- whatever you want to call it -- his care and recovery during those first couple of years would have been much improved. Jack strongly believes this is necessary for all TBI patients.

Read the complete article.

Labels: Hillary Clinton, Iraq veterans, TBI, traumatic brain injury, V.A.

How sad that it's taken someone famous to finally shine a spotlight on traumatic brain injury. It wasn't enough that every year "1.4 million Americans suffer a TBI — more than are struck by heart attacks." It also wasn't enough that more than a year ago TBI "officially" became the signature wound of the Iraq War.

I remember having a somewhat heated conversation with a producer for Larry King Live because she was adamant that they would only do a show on TBI if it was headline news. I questioned just exactly what more they wanted -- newspapers had reported that TBI was the war's signature wound. Hundreds of young Americans were being shipped home from Iraq with this life-altering injury that the general public apparently knew very little about. But that was not newsworthy enough, and very soon, even the few newspapers who'd carried stories were silent.

Now that Bob Woodruff has published a book on his own injury, TBI is all over the media. Television, radio, newspapers, magazines. It's what we've wanted for so long -- for people to recognize both its seriousness and pervasiveness. I'm relieved and grateful that the country's getting this education, but I still wonder what it says about us and our media that it took celebrity status to accomplish what TBI's millions of victims and the war's recent wounded could not -- get someone to listen.

Read a good MSNBC article here.

And go here for a New York Times piece on the problems our newest severely wounded veterans are facing.

Labels: Iraq veterans, TBI, traumatic brain injury, V.A.