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War-torn Troops Soothed
by Horses’ Spirit
(zootoo.com)
MIAMI -- The science of the
human-animal bond is proving very effective in a
new arena: on the home front of a new war.
Returning veterans are finding help, as well as
healing in therapy that involves a saddle and a
set of reins.
"It feels pretty good. I feel
tall," said U.S. Marine Gene Calonge, who
recently returned from his deployment. Learning
to ride again is strengthening the bodies and
minds of young vets here at the South Florida
Veterans Multi-Purpose Center in Davie, Fla.
The last time Calonge mounted
a horse, was his service with the Marine Corps.
This time around it's Sam, a 4-year-old Arabian,
giving him a much-needed boost.
"It's different bonding with
an animal, you feel like you're not going to be
judged so much about anything so ... you and him
just have a good time,” said Calonge.
Veterans Health Administration
July 01, 2009
Here is a similar program to the South Florida
Veterans Multi-Purpose Center’s Equine Assisted
Therapy program. This program is called Project
Odyssey.
Project Odyssey takes a group of
veterans suffering from combat stress to a dude
ranch in the wilds of Texas where vets gather to
help each other with their struggle to
readjust....
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Aug. 24) - Former Air Force
reservist Gale Reid received a letter from the
Veterans Affairs Department that told her she
had Lou Gehrig's disease, and she immediately
put herself through a battery of painful,
expensive tests. Five days later, the VA said
its "diagnosis" was a mistake.
Letters were sent to 1,864 veterans about
disability benefits for those with ALS, also
known as Lou Gehrig's disease, and a "small
number" have contacted the VA indicating they
received the letters in error, VA spokeswoman
Katie Roberts said Monday night.
However, the National Gulf War Resource Center
said Reid was among at least 1,200 veterans who
received the letter, even though they hadn't
been diagnosed with the illness. Veterans were
initially suspicious, but still went through the
pain not knowing whether they had the
degenerative disease, which typically kills
people within five years.
The Resource Center said at least 2,500 letters
informing veterans of disability benefits for
ALS sufferers were sent, with almost half a
mistake. Roberts said the number sent was not
that high and that only less than 10 people had
called to say they had gotten an ALS benefits
letter but didn't have the disease....
Keteyian: Analysis Reveals What Some Are Calling
"Hidden Epidemic"
(CBS) Some of America's 25 million veterans face
their biggest fight when they return home from
the battlefield -- when they take on mental
illness.
And, a CBS News analysis reveals they lose that
battle, and take their own lives, at a clip
described by various experts as "stunning" and
"alarming," according to Chief Investigative
Correspondent Armen Keteyian. One called it a
"hidden epidemic."
He says no one had ever counted just how many
suicides there are nationwide among those who
had served in the military -- until now.
The five-month CBS News probe, based upon a
detailed analysis of data obtained from death
records from 2004 and 2005, found that veterans
were more than twice as likely to commit suicide
in 2005 as non-vets.
A recent Veteran Affairs Department estimate
says some 5,000 ex-servicemen and women will
commit suicide this year, largely as a result of
mental health issues, and Keteyian says, "Our
numbers are much higher than that, overall."
He says the numbers in the CBS News study
shocked everyone from Sen. Patty Murray (D,
Wash.)...
VA DOCTOR WANTS BETTER MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR
VETS
"I think that one of the concerns that people
have said, as I take this job, is that returning
veterans have been neglected."
Dr. Laura Marsh was recently named head of
mental health care at the Michael E. DeBakey VA
Medical Center. She comes to Houston from Johns
Hopkins University, where she was an associate
professor of psychiatry and neurology. Through
clinical work and research, she hopes to improve
the recognition and treatment of psychiatric
problems and neurological illnesses among
veterans. Chronicle reporter Lindsay Wise spoke
with Marsh at the VA hospital.
Q: What's your job?
A: My task is to work to integrate (mental
health care) so that the services we provide are
provided to more veterans. I think that one of
the concerns that people have said, as I take
this job, is that returning veterans have been
neglected. And I can assure you that there are
legions of people here who provide excellent and
dedicated care for veterans of all ages, all
service eras, and across the psycho-social
strata. … For example, we provide a suicide
prevention team that is available 24 hours per
day. They take calls, they intervene, they make
sure patients get to where they need to be.
Q: Rates of depression, post-traumatic stress
and suicide are at record levels among
active-duty troops and also among veterans,
especially among veterans of the wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan. I'm curious from where you sit,
why is this?
