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Posts Tagged ‘Operation Iraqi Freedom’
Wednesday, October 13th, 2010
According to some economists, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are going to cost this country an additional trillion dollars over and above original estimates. Last Thursday a full panel meeting was held on Capitol Hill, which was to focus on the cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
The hearing included testimony from the authors of The Three Trillion Dollar War, which provided estimates for the cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars in the long term in 2008. During their testimony, they explained that the original estimates were too conservative. Their original estimate for the cost of veterans’ care was $717 billion. At this most recent hearing their new estimate was $934 billion, just a little shy of $1 trillion.
When asked for an explanation, the authors stated the amount of veterans currently using Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care services is at a level they didn’t expect to see until 2016. Approximately 565,000 veterans used VA health care by March. Current estimates put the amount of veterans currently in the system around 620,000.
Because there are so many more veterans in the VA system and using VA resources than originally estimated, costs all over the place had to be raised. Although not exhaustive:
- Long-term health care estimates jumped from $284 billion to $348 billion;
- Long-term disability estimates were pushed from $388 billion to $534 billion; and
- Social Security disability payment estimates were upped from $43 billion to $52 billion.
A more accurate picture of where the numbers stand will not be published until January. These wars are hardly “self-financing,” which is how they were originally touted.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Afghanistan, costs of war, Department of Veterans Affairs, Iraq, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, VA healthcare system, Veterans disability
Posted in Iraq-Afghanistan War | No Comments »
Friday, September 3rd, 2010
The United States ended one chapter and started another this week, as the U.S. ended all combat missions under Operation Iraqi Freedom. As of 5 PM Tuesday, the US combat mission in Iraq came to an end. The United States will now engage in Operation New Dawn where our role will be one of giving assistance. This new operation will see the United States military training, assisting, and advising the Iraqis. According to U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, the Americans will continue to engage Iraqis within their new operation.
Biden, in stating the “darkest days” are over, acknowledged without the sacrifices of the Iraqi people and the American soldiers, Operation New Dawn would not be possible. Biden spoke to just how complicated the mission in Iraq was and it is now up to the Iraqi people to form their own government.
Approximately 54,000 American troops will be in Iraq at any given time. Differing from their combat role, these soldiers will stay in Iraq until December 2011 to give assistance to Iraqis as they take the lead in establishing their new role in the Middle East.
President Obama addressed the nation that evening and recognized the sacrifices Americans have made in getting where we are today. Over 4,400 soldiers were killed during our time in Iraq but President Obama feels the United States has met its responsibility. He went on to say it is time for the Iraqi people to take responsibility for themselves.
Almost 100,000 soldiers will soon be returning home where a new mission begins. Only time will tell how these soldiers and their families will recover and how their return will affect the United States. For now at least, Operation Iraqi Freedom is over.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Disabled Veterans, end of Iraw combat operations, Iraq, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn
Posted in General, Iraq-Afghanistan War | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has assembled a research team who are working toward identifying certain patterns within symptoms by pouring through millions of VA clinicians’ notes. The hope is that distinguishing patterns will help treat veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars suffering from seemingly unexplainable conditions.
That veterans are returning from war suffering from conditions that modern epidemiological science cannot explain is not a new phenomenon. What is new, however, is that researchers working on these conditions are being given access to all the VA’s medical records as opposed to being limited to only those from their home hospital.
Some of the most common symptoms baffling researchers are:
- Gastrointestinal problems;
- Respiratory illness;
- Blood disease; and
- Skin rashes.
The VA is the single largest health care system in the United States and one of the earliest health care organizations to adopt digital record-keeping technology. The Veterans’ Informatics and Computing Infrastructure (VINCI) allows researchers secure access to VA patient records. Given the VA’s recent history of having seemingly secure information stolen, access on this level is not given lightly.
Researchers are only allowed to work within VINCI’s secure virtual environment behind the firewall so as to prevent theft of the data. The researchers’ first goal is to change all of the physicians’ narratives from the entire VINCI network into data that can be studied and analyzed. This data will generate millions of key words and will then be analyzed to determine if any patterns emerge.
The ultimate goal of this undertaking is to understand how symptoms and causes are linked. Once on that track it may very well be possible to pin point specific origins. The more data researchers are given to analyze the more likely it is an answer can be found.
Learn more about researchers using the VA’s extensive health care records to find a link between causes and symptoms of mysterious conditions plaguing veterans.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Disabled Veterans, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, VA healthcare, veteran illnesses, Veterans disability, Veterans Health Care
Posted in General, VA News | 2 Comments »
Monday, April 19th, 2010
The Soldiers Project is a nonprofit foundation in Ventura County, California. The foundation offers free counseling to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
One of the founding members of the Soldiers Project, Dr. Carol Tanenbaum, recently gave a speech in which she spoke of “secondary infection” resulting from PTSD. This refers to activities and situations soldiers suffering from PTSD commonly find themselves in:
- Engaging in criminal behavior;
- Engaging in domestic violence;
- Self-medicating usually resulting in substance abuse;
- Becoming homeless; and
- Ending up in court.
Many soldiers returning from deployments find themselves unable to fit into the life they left behind; they find they can only relate to the people they were in combat with because those are the only ones that understand what they went through.
The Iraq and Afghanistan wars are different animals from previous wars because soldiers are being deployed multiple times. Therefore, there is not enough time between deployments for soldiers to fully rest and recover from their previous deployment to the detriment of their psychological and nervous systems.
Essentially, the multiple deployments are increasing the chances soldiers will develop PTSD. The Department of Defense (DoD) estimates of the 1.9 million soldiers deployed since 2003, more than 900,000 have been deployed multiple times.
Many soldiers are very resistant to using the Veterans Affairs (VA) system. The Soldiers Project, however, does not operate the same way as the VA and allows veterans and soldiers to be treated away from the VA system. The Soldiers Project is 100% confidential and also treats families of veterans.
The Soldiers Project is supported 100% through grants and private donations, has 300 therapists available in Southern California, and 400 nationwide.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Disabled Veterans, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, PTSD, Soldiers Project, TBI, veterans assistance, Veterans' Resources, Veterans’ Mental Health
Posted in Disabled Veterans, General, Iraq-Afghanistan War, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
In the Yountville, California Veterans Home, not every veteran is on the same path. Three years ago the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) launched the Pathway Home Project (PHP), which houses approximately 30 young veterans from the “war on terror.” All the occupants of the PHP served in Iraq and Afghanistan and all suffer from deep, psychological scars as a result of their time served.
To date, around 150 soldiers have passed through the Pathway Home, with another graduation happening at the end of the month. Every veteran living in the Pathway Home is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The VA mental health care provider for the PHP estimates:
- 4 out of 5 have contemplated suicide; and
- 1 out of 5 has been homeless since returning from their deployment.
Private monies have kept the PHP above water for the last three years. The PHP costs $1.7 million per year to operate and those funds are just about exhausted. Without a federal grant or more outside donors, PHP will most likely close its doors.
The PHP is a very attractive environment for veterans because it is not a structured military environment. Instead, it is just a place where a couple of guys support each other through shared experiences. Additionally, there is a specialized therapy program and the ability to visit family.
Pathway Home is different from other rehabilitation homes. Besides the private funding, the PHP allows a more open mental health approach towards treating PTSD to include non-traditional treatments like involving family directly in therapy. Socialization is a very important part of the program, both for the veterans and their family.
Learn more about the Pathway Home Project and how it is helping young veterans with PTSD.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: mental health treatment, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, pathway home project, PTSD, VA health care, Veterans' Resources, Veterans’ Mental Health
Posted in General, Iraq-Afghanistan War, Veterans' Disability, Veterans' Resources | No Comments »
Thursday, March 25th, 2010
The United States has been forced to redefine and rethink policies that have been in place for years. Indeed, unconventional warfare has forced the U.S. to adapt to new ways of waging war. There has been a long standing ban on women in combat and US military commanders are now rethinking those policies.
The current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have forced women into combat roles. Female soldiers are currently battling an enemy who does not discriminate by sex but has the sole goal of killing American troops. Because of their actions in combat, women have been rewarded with medals for valor and bravery.
One constant reality is in the theatre of war, commanders want the most qualified and capable people in their units. There is no reason combat units in war should be denied the most qualified soldiers because of an outdated and sexist policy against female soldiers.
Despite serious concerns from male superiors, military organization and regulation did not crumble when women began serving along with men. The positive performances from female soldiers in the 1990-1991 Gulf war paved the way for such groundbreaking events as:
- Women serving in combat aircraft;
- Women serving on naval warships; and
- The Navy lifting the ban against females serving on submarines.
To date, more than 120 women, out of the 220,000 that have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, have been killed in combat. If women are good enough to die among men they are good enough to serve among them. It is important the military’s new policies focus on the requirements for specific jobs because the current policies operate under the assumption it is not possible for a woman to meet the standards.
Learn more about women serving in combat roles and the military’s response to the demands of the current wars.
Tags: female combat soldiers, gulf war veterans, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, women veterans
Posted in Iraq-Afghanistan War | No Comments »
Thursday, March 11th, 2010
A new study presented some very interesting findings to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA) last week. The study concluded it was possible to treat veterans suffering from panic disorder over the course of a weekend. This is a very promising idea for the countless veterans that cannot, or do not want to, participate in therapy requiring commitments of months or years.
Many veterans cycling back from deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan return with anxiety disorders. Of the returning veterans suffering from anxiety-related problems, approximately one-third of them suffer from panic disorder.
The study’s subjects were all Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans already in the Houston VA Medical Center’s Trauma Recovery Program. All of the subjects had already refused to participate in a ten-week standard cognitive-behavioral treatment plan but did agree to the study’s weekend program.
On average, the participants were approximately 28-years-old and were currently diagnosed with panic disorder. Veterans also diagnosed with the following were excluded from the study:
- Bipolar disorder;
- Psychosis;
- Suicidal or homicidal ideation or intent;
- Severe depression; and
- Panic attacks only related to specific phobias or medical conditions that mimic anxiety symptoms.
The veterans were broken into small groups of 3 – 4 and the sessions they attended were driven by 2 psychologists. The sessions focused on educating the veterans about the causes of panic disorders and treatments. The veterans were also educated in individual techniques for how to deal with their specific symptoms.
At the end of the weekend, the veterans demonstrated immediate improvements. At the 6-month follow up appointment, the veterans continued to exhibit very positive gains in their symptoms as well as demonstrating lower levels of anxiety and depression levels. The veteran’s reactions to the study were probably just as important as the results. All the participants established were satisfied and felt the weekend program very adequate.
Impressive results coupled with complete program portability make this weekend program a very prospective treatment for veterans suffering from panic disorder.
Learn more about treating veterans suffering from panic disorder with Intensive Weekend Programs.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Anxiety disorder, mental health treatment, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Panic disorder, Veterans disability
Posted in Disabled Veterans, General | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010
In an attempt to curry favor with local Afghan women, female Marines are being sent to Helmand Province next month. Approximately 40 women will convoy with patrols in order to meet local women. One thing most Marines never thought they would hear in their time in the Corps: wear your pony tail out of the back of your helmet. Yet, this is one thing the female soldiers were told during a cultural awareness exercise last month.
These women will be the military’s first “female engagement teams.” The reason for using women in this role is because the Afghan women are off limits to outside men, so there is no contact between the two groups. The women plan on meeting with the Afghan women in their homes for two purposes:
- To evaluate their need for aid; and
- To gather intelligence.
Half of the women have been previously deployed to Iraq so they have an idea of what to expect. After getting permission from the village male elder, the women will move from house to house engaging the women in the homes. Once inside, they will:
- Hand out school supplies;
- Hand out medicine;
- Drink tea;
- Have conversation; and
- Gain information about the village to include local grievances and the Taliban.
Women make up only 6% of the Marine Corps and are still prevented from combat branches of the military. This ban doesn’t always work in the military’s favor though. Therefore, these women will be “attached” to the combat units from which they are otherwise banned.
While female engagement teams have been put together on an as-needed basis in the past, this group of women is the first to be specifically trained for this type of mission. While they will patrol with rifles, once they have been given permission to enter the villages, and with Marines posted on the outside, they will remove their rifles and battle gear.
In the past, the hastily constructed female engagement teams have reported that these rural Afghan women have much more influence than previously believed. The more contact U.S. troops have with them the less likely these villages are going to fear U.S. troops. Furthermore, the rural Afghan women have extreme insight into the social structure inner-activities of the villages.
For right now, nobody knows how this mission will pan out. Even if no critical intelligence is gained, if these rural villages are less intimidated and frightened of the presence of U.S. troops after these meetings, that could be considered a victory and a great first step.
Learn more about the female engagement teams being used in Iraq.
Tags: Female engagement teams, Iraq and Afghanistan, Operation Iraqi Freedom
Posted in General | No Comments »
Friday, March 5th, 2010
Non-combat related physical issues are becoming more prevalent among returning veterans. According to Dr. Drew Helmer, the lead primary care physician at the DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, over half the returning veterans seen at his medical center have been diagnosed with severe pain in their backs, necks, and joints. The cause seems to be overuse or accidents.
Dr. Helmer believes this issue is approaching epidemic levels. A Johns Hopkins study of 34,000 military personnel found the top reasons for evacuation out of Iraq and Afghanistan are not combat injuries but:
- Musculoskeletal disorders; and
- Connective tissue disorders.
Post-traumatic stress and depression can make untreated disorders like the ones above harsher over time. The end result is an overall poor quality of life for the affected veteran and this is why it is so critical to diagnose and treat these problems as early as possible.
The study suggests the reason for the non-combat injuries are numerous tours of duty coupled with carrying more heavy equipment than has ever been required in the past. One very big problem is soldiers refusing to admit they have reached their limit.
It’s the soldier’s mindset: theirs is not to ask why, theirs is to do or die. Given the choice between existing with pain because of the load you carry or not existing because you weren’t adequately protected from IIEDs or enemy fire, every soldier will make the same choice.
Young soldiers in combat environments are very reluctant to admit they have physical or mental limitations. To expect them to leave their men for treatment, then, is not a realistic option. Therefore, their injuries are left untreated and they end up exasperating their ailments. Soldiers are stuck in a proverbial catch-22; they need the heavier equipment to protect their lives, but this same equipment is causing their non-combat injuries.
Learn more about non-combat pain plaguing returning veterans.
Tags: non-combat injuries, Operation Iraqi Freedom, PTSD, Veterans disability
Posted in Disabled Veterans, Iraq-Afghanistan War | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
Many U.S. service members are beginning to show a very disturbing trend: suffering from exotic cancers and rare respiratory complications. Burn pits are coming to the forefront as being responsible for causing these health problems, among others, with U.S. military personnel.
Burn pits are run by private independent contractors. They are large gashes cut into the Earth next to U.S. military installations and used to burn trash. According to many soldiers, however, there is much more than trash being burned in these pits. These pits are apparently being used to burn all types of hazardous and toxic materials:
- Plastics;
- Batteries;
- Old weapons;
- Ruined machinery;
- Rubber; and
- Asbestos.
The burn pits produce large black clouds that would permeate U.S. military installations and cause various symptoms and health issues not only among the troops on base, but the soldiers assigned to work in the burn pits. Symptoms include:
- Constant chronic headaches;
- Fatigue;
- Shortness of Breath;
- Lung problems;
- Memory loss; and
- The “Iraqi crud” (a constant cough producing darkened phlegm and was reported by soldiers in over 100 separate Iraqi and Afghanistan bases).
Many soldiers started to notice strange symptoms and submitted memos and complaints to their superiors focusing on the safety of being around the pits. In 2006, an Air Force bio-engineer filed a report backing up the soldiers’ claims about what had likely been burned in the pit:
- Arsenic;
- Cyanide;
- Freon;
- Formaldehyde;
- Rubber; and
- Benzene (an aircraft fuel known to cause cancer).
Rep. Tim Bishop (D- N.Y.) introduced a bill to create a complete list of burn pits, will register all troops exposed to them, and give those troops specific physical exams. That’s a beginning, but it isn’t enough.
A class action lawsuit was filed in Texas in December of 2008. The plaintiff list includes 300 service members and several contractors alleging the military contractor KBR is the source of their health problems.
While some steps have been taken to deal with the burn pit problem, it remains to be seen how this will end. When these soldiers enlisted in the armed services, it is doubtful this is what they intended when they pledged to give up their life for their country.
Learn more about the Iraqi burn pits and how they’re affecting U.S. troops.
If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, contact LaVan & Neidenberg. You may be entitled to certain programs and benefits so contact our veterans disability rights firm today.
Tags: Burn Pits, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Veterans Health
Posted in Iraq-Afghanistan War | No Comments »
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