By Debbie Gregory. Chrystal Akins has endured a pain that most of us pray we will never experience. She had to bury her child. But Georgia National Guard Spc. Stephen Akins’ death was a tragedy that perhaps could have been avoided. Spc. Akin had a history of seizures, combat blast exposure and suicide attempts. If […]
By Debbie Gregory. The U.S. Navy is investigating a complaint that could result in the evacuation of civilian and military lawyers from parts of Guantanamo Bay base in Cuba. The complaint comes on the heels of reports the war court compound at the remote base was linked to seven cases of cancer. The complaint was […]
By Debbie Gregory. Does the “D” in PTSD cause individuals suffering from it to shy away from treatment? There’s been a subtle shift in the way politicians and advocates talk about veterans struggling with post-war mental illness. It has been called shell shock, battle fatigue, soldier’s heart and, most recently, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Now, there […]
By Debbie Gregory. From 1953 through 1987, people serving or living at the U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, were potentially exposed to water contaminated with industrial solvents, benzene, and other chemicals. This chemical exposure may have led to adverse health conditions. In 2009 the U.S. federal government initiated investigations into the allegations of […]
By Debbie Gregory. VA medical facilities and health clinics have been under scrutiny in recent years, specifically for the lack of administrative efficiency and the failure to provide patients with appointments in a timely manner. While some facilities have addressed these concerns on the local level, but nationally there are still inconsistencies in making forward […]
By Debbie Gregory. It is becoming increasingly more wide spread for veterans battling post-traumatic stress disorder to opt for alternative treatments, including medical marijuana. The Department of Veterans Affairs reports that “PTSD has been found to be a risk factor” for suicidal thoughts, which are often triggered by combat-related guilt that “can often overpower the […]
By Debbie Gregory. Now in its 2nd year, the VA Nursing Academic Partnerships (VANAP) is a collaboration between VA facilities and nursing schools. Currently up and running in 25 locations nationwide, the program offers students a comprehensive clinical experience that focuses on Veteran care. The win-win partnership gives the student nurses intensive clinical training, while […]
By Debbie Gregory. A group of up to 2,100 Air Force personnel and reservists will finally receive service-connected benefits due to their exposure to Agent Orange residue lingering in airplanes. Affected reservists may have served from 1969 to 1986: the 906th and 907th Tactical Air groups or 355th and 356th Tactical Airlift squadrons at Lockbourne/Rickenbacker […]
By Debbie Gregory. The Simulation Learning, Education and Research Network (SimLEARN) is the VHA’s program for simulation in health care training. Serving the largest integrated health care system in the world, SimLEARN provides an ever-growing body of curricula and best practices that improve health care for our nation’s veterans. Soon, the calm water and glistening […]
By Debbie Gregory. U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly has introduced three additional bills to up the quality of mental health care given to those who serve, past and present. Donnelly’s “care package” for service members proposes legislation that would require the Defense Departments and the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide the best care for mental […]
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