Injured @ MindSay

Two Stories Affecting Veterans Lives

Half a Million U.S. Veterans Homeless in 2006

Aaron Glantz, OneWorld US

LOS ANGELES, Nov 9 (OneWorld) - As Americans prepare to honor their military veterans with parades and patriotism this weekend, a new study shows that 494,500 U.S. war vets lived homeless on the street for at least part of last year. Close to 200,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. The study, by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, found that about half of homeless vets are Vietnam veterans and at least 1,500 are newly returned from Iraq or Afghanistan.

Among them is 23-year-old Jason Kelley. Kelley grew up in Tomahawk, Wisconsin, a small town of just 3,700 in the state's great Northwoods near the Canadian border. A strong man with a sharp face, he spent a year in the army guarding convoys on their 14-hour drive between Kuwait and Camp Anaconda in Balad, north of Baghdad. Kelley's convoys regularly came under attack and after a few months in Iraq he had a mental breakdown. Medically evacuated back to the United States because of severe post traumatic stress disorder, Kelley returned to Tomahawk but didn't fit in. "I was bored," he deadpanned, in a recent conversation with OneWorld. "There's not much to do there." Three months later, Kelley moved to Los Angeles. Almost immediately, he ended up on the streets.

"I got stuck in a little predicament where I couldn't get a job because I didn't have an apartment and I couldn't get an apartment because I didn't have a job," he said. "The money I saved up in Iraq ran down and I was living on the street." After just a few weeks on the street, Kelley brought himself into a residence hall run by U.S. Vets, the largest provider of services for homeless veterans in the country.

Such services are not readily accessible to most veterans, however. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the U.S. government provides only 15,000 shelter beds for homeless vets nationwide. Community-based non-profits provide another 8,000 beds. Collectively, the two systems meet only about 10 percent of the need. An even bigger problem, said John Driscoll of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, is that after finding space in a shelter and stabilizing themselves, many vets still can't afford permanent housing. "The VA programs go a long way in developing transitional assistance programs," he said. "The problem is that most of these programs only help the veteran for up to two years. Most veterans who successfully complete that program are not able to afford fair market rents in virtually any community in the country. Unless there are rental supports, that veteran is still at risk of being homeless after he gets out of that program."

Pentagon statistics show American soldiers are disproportionately recruited from poor, inner city, and rural areas. Many join the military primarily to get out of that environment. "What typically happens to young adults who go into the military at 17 or 18 [is that] when they return home, the same kind of economic conditions that forced them towards the military still exist or have gotten worse," Driscoll said.

The late Ricky Singh of Black Veterans for Social Justice believed veterans should be given special housing dispensation. Singh appears in the documentary film, "When I Came Home," which tells the story of Iraq war veteran Herold Noel, who had to live out of his jeep when he returned to New York with post traumatic stress disorder. "Every person in this country who is incarcerated is given a discharge plan, and part of that discharge plan is a housing plan," Singh said. "It should happen for soldiers too. If a soldier is returning to an unacceptable housing situation, that soldier should have in his hand as part of his discharge a Section 8 (federal housing voucher)."

VA representatives did not return repeated calls for comment on this story.

In September, former VA Secretary Jim Nicholson wrote to prominent senators warning that President Bush would veto key spending bills if Congress increased funding for veterans beyond the relatively modest budget Bush has suggested. The Senate ignored the warning, passing a larger VA budget by a vote of 92-1.

Vets looking for a place to turn can call the National Veterans Foundation's crisis hotline at 888-777-4443.

A major part of the problem with the VA today is the current nature of the present conflicts. In Vietnam, over 50,000 service men and women died partly due to the lack of or availability of immediate medical care. (58,249 Men and women died or missing) In todays conflicts the number of returning injured service men and women is approaching that number due to advanced and more immediate medical care. This fact coupled with the current administrations lack of support for all veterans is placing an extreme financial burden on the VA. The current administration and our representatives in Washington in their 'infinite wisdom' have placed more and more restrictions on eligibility for past veterans to receive benefits. I know, because as a veteran when trying to obtain help and benefits for my present journey and battle with cancer the most I could obtain was a small benefit with prescriptions and nothing else. I told them thanks, but no thanks (but not in those terms). I can get better benefits or discounts through Wal-Mart.

Combat wound affects a life's journey

By JULIET WILLIAMS, Associated Press Writer

STOCKTON, Calif. - The telegram that arrived on Nov. 15, 1969, was not pessimistic: "Private First Class Johnny O Brooks was slightly wounded in action."

It gave 20-year-old Flora Brooks, recently married, no hint of how much her life was about to change.

"Since he is not, repeat not seriously injured, no further reports will be furnished," the telegram concluded.

Today, they are growing old together, but not in the way either had envisioned. There were no children, no exotic vacations, not even any more of the simple fishing trips they had enjoyed before Johnny Brooks was drafted into the Army — three weeks after their wedding _and sent to Vietnam. He returned home without a leg and soon lost the other, along with his ability to speak and the use of his arms.

Today, Flora Brooks continues to serve as nursemaid and constant companion to a husband who is confined to a bed, unable to talk or move on his own. She never imagined any other way: "I'm so thankful that we were married," she said.

Flora Brooks, now 58, is a pillar of compassion and dedication, a model for others coping with spouses returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with missing limbs or damaged minds. Nearly 30,000 U.S. troops have been injured in Iraq alone; about 600 have lost at least one limb. Better armor and field medicine are keeping severely wounded troops alive at far higher rates than in previous wars, but their survival taxes the nation's medical systems and many families' ability to cope.

That has created financial and emotional burdens in families throughout the country, said Jim Weiskotf, a spokesman for Fisher House Foundation, which runs 38 homes where wounded veterans' family members can stay while they get medical treatment. "There's no doubt that that takes a significant toll. In an instant, your life is just changed and can never be changed back, when you get the phone call that your son or daughter's been severely wounded," he said.

Flora Brooks' advice to families of other severely injured veterans is simple: Just get through each day, because thinking about a whole lifetime is too daunting. "My heart goes out to them because they're just starting on this journey," she said. "If they don't have a family, I can't imagine having to go through it yourself." Despite the tone of the 1969 telegram, Johnny Brooks was wounded so severely by a mortar explosion that he lost most of his blood. While being prepared for skin graft surgery on his shredded back, he went into cardiac arrest and suffered serious brain damage. He was not expected to survive. Despite her reliance on family and close friends, Flora Brooks has cared for her husband mostly by herself. She leaves home only for brief outings and appointments.

She sleeps in a small bed in the living room, next to her husband's medical bed. Her days are spent almost entirely on his care: filling syringes with the liquid food she injects into his stomach tube every two hours, suctioning his mouth when he coughs, dispensing a small pharmacy of medications, draining catheters. She says she shares a rich, full life with her husband, who responds mostly through eye contact.

She reads Biblical scriptures to him, buys DVDs for them to watch together and talks to him while she does the intricate stitchwork on the patriotic quilts that adorn their home. Flora Brooks knows that many people in her position would have prayed for an easy death. Instead, she prayed for her high school sweetheart to live, regardless of what that life might hold. Johnny Brooks' mother, Ruth Brooks, still spends a lot of time visiting and helping her son and daughter-in-law. But even she depends on Flora.

"I still am not over it," she said. "She's so strong, and I'm not."

That resiliency has amazed Flora Brooks' family and friends, especially now that she also is caring for her mother, who suffers from dementia. She said she chooses not to dwell on her own twists of fate.

"I'm way thankful," she said. "I'm the one that's still saying 'Please God, please God, don't take him yet.'"

These stories are only two out of hundreds or even thousands affecting the lives of American service veterans. Shouldn't veterans of any war, of any conflict be able to obtain support and benefits from the VA without further hassles or sacrifice ? After all haven't they already sacrificed enough with their lives and their futures ? I know it would be futile to waste your time trying to convince the current administration that veterans deserve so much more. They are too busy spending our tax dollars enhancing and shoring up support for their political parties. You can however contact your states representatives in Congress and the Senate and convince them that if they want to keep their jobs they had better do something now. Isn't the sacrifice of so many men and women worth it to you ?

Thank you for your support.

 

By John J. Kruzel

American Forces Press Service

 

Jan. 3, 2007 – After Army Sgt. Pisey Tan was wounded in Iraq, he depended on others to do wash his clothes and perform his other household tasks. Now, thanks to a member organization of the Defense Department's "America Supports You" program, chores that once were menial duty are now a measure of personal freedom. America Supports You spotlights and facilitates support among private citizens and the nation's corporate sector for the men and women serving in the nation's armed forces.

 

"Homes for Our Troops," teaming with Philadelphia-based homebuilder The McKee Group, designed and donated a handicapped-accessible home to Tan on Dec. 14.

 

"I feel like I've got my independence back," Tan said. "I never thought that I would miss doing my laundry, but it feels great to do my own laundry again."

 

Tan, attached to the 3rd Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment, was patrolling Samarra, Iraq on Aug. 6, 2004, when an improvised explosive device detonated under the Bradley fighting vehicle he was driving. "When I made a U-turn, I thought an IED exploded in front of me," Tan said, "but I didn't realize it had (actually exploded) underneath me.

 

"I tried stepping on the accelerator, and I could feel me moving my legs, but I didn't know that my legs were blown off," Tan said. "I looked down at the floorplate of the Bradley and I saw a puddle of my own blood down there.

 

"The only thing that was holding my legs together was the seams of my pants; that was it," Tan said. "When I woke up at the hospital, I just broke down in tears, thinking, 'My whole entire life is ruined.'"

 

Tan eventually was fitted with computerized prosthetic legs, and underwent rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here.

 

John Gonsalves, founder of the Taunton Mass.-based Homes for Our Troops, and members of The McKee Group, told Tan while he was recuperating at Walter Reed that he would receive a handicapped-accessible home.

 

"He was kind of in disbelief," Gonsalves said. "He never imagined anything like this could happen."

 

Gonsalves was inspired to start Homes for Our Troops when he saw a story like Tan's on the evening news.

 

"I was watching (an) interview with some soldiers who had come back from Iraq, and they were talking about their convoy that was attacked," Gonsalves said. "One of their buddies was driving a Humvee that got hit with (a rocket-propelled grenade), and when they stopped the convoy to get out and check on him, it was an ambush.

 

"All they cared about was if their buddy was OK," Gonsalves continued. "When they got him out, they realized that he had lost both his legs in the attack, and that's really what got me to start thinking, 'How can I help in some way?'"

 

When The McKee Group asked Homes for Our Troops to locate a soldier in the Philadelphia area in need of a handicapped-accessible home, they found Tan, a native of Olney, Pennsylvania.

 

For Tan, who was unaware that programs designed to support wounded U.S. servicemembers existed, the gift was unbelievable.

 

"I thought it was a joke or something," Tan said. "I was very excited; it was an emotional rollercoaster."

 

In fact, it took time to convince Tan.

 

"I don't think he really believed us," Jennifer McKee, The McKee Group's communications director, said. "We had a regular lunch appointment with him every week just to make sure he knew this was really happening."

 

The McKee Group took Tan's needs into account when designing the Ridley Township, Pa., home. In addition to the fully stocked refrigerator and furnished living quarters, the homebuilders made the house's interior completely wheelchair accessible, to increase Tan's mobility when not using his prostheses.

 

"I'm loving it," said Tan, who is now living in his new home. "The main thing is that I'm able to move around with my wheelchair. Plus everything that I need is right here downstairs; I don't even need to go upstairs."

 

The McKee Group raised enough money to reimburse Homes for Our Troops for the $60,000 cost of the lot, plus an extra $10,000 for the organization's future projects.

 

"(The McKee Group) got everything done, and we got $10,000 more than we put into it," Gonsalves said. "I never thought that we would go into any project and raise more money by the builder helping us than what we put into it."

 

The McKee Group is developing a how-to book to help guide other homebuilders who are interested in providing homes to disabled veterans like Tan.

 

"We really believe that the men and women fighting in our armed forces are giving so much for our country and our freedom, and that it's everybody's job to make sure that they're taken care of," McKee said.

 

"As a company, we never could have given what Pisey (Tan) did, but we can at least try to make life a little bit easier for him," McKee said. "We can make sure he knows that this country supports him, and we'll try to be there for him."

 

Tan said the commitment of organizations like Homes for Our Troops and The McKee Group "is truly a blessing."

 

Tan recalled having conversations in Iraq with his gunner, former Sgt. Timothy J. Brophy, about the level of public support for deployed troops.

 

"We would wonder if there are even people out there thinking of us," Tan said.

 

"As time went on, I was introduced to a lot of the programs and to a lot of support," Tan said. "And it basically showed me that life can go on."

 

Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become authors.

My last two posts have been pretty intense, I know that....thank you for all of your responses, etc. They were in no way meant to be depressing or to represent that I was depressed. Hey, when one is inspired to write, I say WRITE! :)  Sometimes at holidays memories and feelings associated with them are just more clearer, arent they?

 

Update on hubz... he is still in alot of discomfort...all week long we have attacked it unmercifully with chiropractic, massage and pain killers. Today we are going to the pool after my last client and going to walk it out a little and then he can use the whirlpool and the steam room... maybe later I will massage it, since I didnt do that yesterday.  I have been trying to do that part every other day. I even had my therapist work on him, cause sometimes it's just better to have someone other than family work on family.

 

So, this morning we are a fine pair, I put tiger balm on his left calf, and then he put some on me, finally doing so without complaining about it getting on his fingers.  Odd that we are both affected on the same side isnt it?

 

He says to me, I dont know how you have dealt with this for so long Dawn... I am a wimp when it comes to pain. I just nodded. ( LOL!)  But I do feel for him. Plus he is our main breadwinner.  His job has offered him to come and work in the office next week if he can per the Dr.. which he is going to see again on Tuesday. He drove out there Friday but they were having a meeting ( probably a christmas party! the devils!). The Xray shows L5/S1 deterioration at the disc level, same as mine was after my accident. 

 

Hoping that conservative treatment and good self care will work for him. I know alot of you suffer with sciatica, so I will post some sciatica information soon.

 

Well, I should go get ready to head over to the office, and earn my keep!!

 

Have a super Saturday!

 

Love and Laughter,

Dawn

By Samantha L. Quigley

 

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 2006 – Severely injured servicemembers and their spouses are seeing doors open to meaningful civilian careers, thanks to a partnership between the Defense Department and the private sector.  The Office of the Secretary of Defense, DoD's Military Severely Injured Center and www.Military.com -- a private organization that provides information and serves as a networking hub for current and former military people, defense workers and their families - are co-sponsors of "Hiring Heroes."

 

Hiring Heroes helps connect servicemembers with DoD and other federal agencies, as well as civilian companies, with significant positions to fill. But it's not just a career fair, Mark Smith, chief of the Recruiting Assistance Division of the Defense Department's Civilian Personnel Management Service, said.  "We don't want them just coming in and getting interviews," Smith said. "We want them to be prepared for an interview, know how to dress for the interview, know how to present a resume, and then basically, hopefully, get a job from that."

 

The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes, another troop-support organization, inspired Smith to create Hiring Heroes. He met Roger Chapin, the coalition's founder, at a luncheon and discovered the coalition, a private entity, was already working to help wounded servicemembers transition into civilian careers.  At that point, he realized the Defense Department needed to step up to the plate. "It's great (that private organizations are) doing it - but DoD has got to do something too," Smith said.

 

He was pleasantly surprised to find that Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld already had budgeted to develop the Military Severely Injured Center, he said.  "Rumsfeld had something going that was really good, and ... now it's a combined effort," Smith said. "We now support the Military Severely Injured Center, and we put our Hiring Heroes directly with them. So it's a partnership."

 

Hiring Heroes held its first job fair at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here in April 2004, he said. Since then, more than 800 injured servicemembers and their spouses have attended events at Brooke Army Medical Center, Texas; Fort Bragg, N.C.; and most recently, at Fort Gordon, Ga.  DoD alone has made more than 70 job offers, and civilian employers may have extended many more offers, he said.

 

"I'll be honest ... I'm biased. I want them in DoD, but I understand that's not always going to happen in all cases," Smith said. "As long as we get them a job, I'm OK with that, but we would love to keep them in the DoD family if we possibly can."

 

The next event will be held at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio Sept. 18 and 19. For more information about this event or other upcoming Hiring Heroes events, contact Karen Hannah, the Hiring Heroes program manager, at 1-888-363-4872 or by e-mailing her at karen.hannah@cpms.osd.mil.