Welcome to the Wounded Warrior Mentor Program 

In 2004 the West Point Class of 1958 initiated a mentoring program for wounded Soldiers and Marines at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. when it became apparent that Wounded Warriors needed more individual attention than the Army could provide.  We found that Wounded Warriors needed additional, one-on-one, assistance to orient them on a new profession and a new life, as well as counseling on benefits, jobs, educational opportunities, and handling of finances as well as navigating the complexities of the military medical system.

Lee Miller '58, Bruce Holmberg '61, Greg Gadston '89, Alton McCallum '02, and John Herren '58

Rules Liberalized for Veterans with Undiagnosed Illnesses

Application Window Extended for Five Years

WASHINGTON - Veterans of the Persian Gulf War with undiagnosed illnesses have an additional five years to qualify for benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

"Not all the wounds of war are fully understood," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "When there is uncertainty about the connection between a medical problem and military service, Veterans are entitled to the benefit of the doubt."

A recent change in VA regulations affects Veterans of the conflict in Southwest Asia. Many have attributed a range of undiagnosed or poorly understood medical problems to their military services. Chemical weapons, environmental hazards and vaccinations are among the possible causes.

Over 3 Million Americans Have Had a Spouse or Parent Deploy Since 9/11

For ten years, these unsung heroes--your neighbors, coworkers and friends--have shouldered the burdens of war with the same strength and resilience as their loved ones fighting overseas. As the last U.S. troops leave Iraq this month, their families especially need our urgent support this holiday season to face the challenges that still lie ahead.

That’s why today IAVA is launching a new program for military families inspired by the findings in our latest issue report Unsung Heroes: Military Families After Ten Years of War. Be the first to read the report online and spread the news to your friends and family.

Military Health-Care Reform Leaves Wounded Warriors Entangled in More Red Tape

By Steve Vogel, Published: November 18

Reforms meant to streamline military health care for severely wounded service members have in many cases worsened the bureaucracy, causing duplication, confusion and turf battles, according to families, congressional overseers and advocates for veterans.

After reports that troops recovering from catastrophic wounds at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and other facilities were getting lost in the military’s system, a high-profile commission recommended in 2007 that every severely wounded service member be assigned a federal recovery coordinator. This “single point of contact” was to cut red tape and shepherd the wounded through recovery and the transition back to military duty or civilian life.

But at least a dozen Defense Department and Department of Veterans Affairs programs have sprung up to coordinate the care.

Legal Assistance for Wounded, Ill, or Injured Warriors

Pro bono (free) or reduced cost legal assistance is available to Wounded Warriors for issues beyond those that can be provided by military legal assistance officers.   These issues may include family law subjects such as divorce, custody and child support as well as legal protections available under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.

WWs at Ft. Belvoir and Ft. Eustis, go to the Virginia Bar Association website:  VBA.org/veterans, complete the application form and send to the designated email address. You will receive a quick email response.  In the event there are questions, contact Bob Barrett at 804-756-7743.

WWs at Ft. Belvoir have another option through the George Mason University Clinic for Legal Assistance to Servicemembers and Veterans (CLASV).  Go to their web site at  http://clas.law.gmu.edu/ and click on “Apply for Services”, then click on “fillable application form” and follow instructions for sending to CLASV.

For issues outside the State of Virginia, WWs should go to the American Bar Association web site provided for military families at www.ABAHomeFront.org.  This site has three components – an information center, a directory of programs and a military pro bono center. 

U.S. Army Commanders Ordered To Help Soldiers Find Civilian Work

Defense News
October 10, 2011
By JIM TICE

FORT KNOX, Ky. ― Commanders throughout the active U.S. Army and Reserve soon will be ordered to help soldiers, family members and civilian employees prepare for life after military service, whether to attend school, get a job or start a business. An execution order launching the initiative will be based on an implementing directive issued August 29 by Army Secretary John McHugh.

The effort to improve the breadth, quality and integration of Army transition services comes at a time when departing soldiers face one of the toughest job markets in years.

“We want to prepare them so they can meet whatever their goal is when they leave the Army. Most importantly, we want them to be able to get a job,” Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Chiarelli told Army Times on October 5.  “We’re working very, very hard to find ways that we can use information technology to provide jobs.” The effort will be important as the Army gets smaller, he said.

DCoE Tweets to Help Warriors and Families
By Sarah Heynen, DCoE Strategic Communications

Social media is changing the way the world communicates. It is also changing the way that service members, veterans and their families search for information. In recognition of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) held its first-ever “twitterview” Sept. 27, 2011. The live interview was conducted on the social networking site Twitter between Dr. Vladimir Nacev, DCoE resilience and prevention subject matter expert, and Sheri Hall, a Real Warriors spouse.

“Although online services could never replace face-to-face conversations, they can be a valuable resource when people are short on time, too far away, or unable to be seen soon,” said Nacev.

The interview highlighted available resources that promote resilience and provide help when needed. Hall kicked off the interview by sharing her personal experience as a military spouse. When her husband, Army Maj. Jeff Hall, returned from his second deployment to Iraq, she immediately noticed a difference. As Hall began to recognize that his change was something more than the regular challenge of homecoming that many warriors and military families faced, she reached out to her husband’s commanding officer. This led the Hall family to receive treatment at the Deployment Health Clinical Center, a DCoE component center.

Military Detects More Brain Injuries: 1,400 Diagnoses Made Under Rule Requiring Time Off After Blast 
By Gregg Zoroya, USA Today

Nearly 1,400 U.S. troops were found to have concussions or mild brain injuries in Afghanistan and Iraq this year under a program that forces servicemembers to take a break from combat when exposed to a blast or other jarring incident.

The military has pulled about 9,000 troops from combat for short periods of time to look for signs of brain injury after blasts that caused no obvious wounds, according to data given to USA TODAY.

Most of the servicemembers were OK; those with symptoms of dizziness, headaches and difficulty processing thoughts were kept out of combat until the problems went away, the Army said.

The mandatory examination is part of a treatment program put in place last year to uncover hidden and subtle damage to the brain caused by exposure to blasts -- injuries that would have likely gone undiagnosed.

"The data we are getting from theater demonstrates how important it is to get to the root of the problem early in order to attack it," said Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who pushed for the policy.

Google Offers Free Calls

Google announced that it is making it free for all active duty uniformed military personnel with a valid U.S. military (.mil) email address to call the United States, right from Gmail. The free calls will be available through at least 2011. For more information and to begin making free calls, visit the Google website.

Air Force Wounded Warrior Child Care

Wounded warriors and the dependents of combat-fallen warriors now have priority placement privileges on childcare waiting lists for Air Force Child Care programs. This includes child development centers, family childcare homes and school-age programs. In order to receive priority placement, airmen must be enrolled in the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program. The base casualty assistance representative can help with eligibility verification. For families unable to access installations, community-based childcare subsidy assistance is available through the National Association of Resource and Referral Agencies website or by phone at 800-424-2246.

One-stop, Online Portal to Access Information and Apply for Benefits

To expand our services and support to all our Veterans and Wounded Warriors, recently, the DOD and VA collaborated to provide a one-stop, online portal to access information and apply for benefits and related services. Called “eBenefits”, this portal is an invaluable resource that, among other things, allows users to apply for benefits, check the status of compensation and pension claims, obtain copies of military personnel records, and get connected to MyHealtheVet. Register for eBenefits at www.eBenefits.va.gov and take full advantage of this resource.

Deal Reached On Veterans' Benefits

Class-action suit leads to better terms for those with condition

By Kimberly Hefling, Associated Press

From Dallas Morning News, July 30, 2011, Pg. 9

WASHINGTON -- More than a thousand Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder would be given lifetime disability retirement benefits such as military health insurance under the terms of a settlement reached between the govern Attorneys for the veterans, the Justice Department and the military jointly filed a motion on Thursday that spelled out the terms. The settlement must be approved by a judge.

It also would affect a thousand more veterans who already had lifetime retirement benefits, who would receive a higher disability rating from the military. All of the veterans affected by the settlement would potentially receive new monthly disability compensation.

Co-occurring Conditions Toolkit Training Video is Now Available

The Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) just released the Co-occurring Conditions Toolkit Training Video, a companion educational tool to help providers learn how to use the Co-occurring Conditions Toolkit: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Psychological Health.

The Co-occurring Conditions Toolkit, released in February 2011, is a comprehensive clinical guidance tool to help primary care providers assess and manage patients with co-occurring mild TBI and psychological health disorders.

DCoE partnered with the U.S. Army to develop the companion video to provide an overview of mild TBI and co-occurring conditions and offer detailed instructions on how to apply the toolkit to clinical practice.

Specific content of the Co-occurring Conditions Toolkit Training Video includes:

·         Characteristics and descriptions of co-occurring conditions

·         Step-by-step instruction on how to use the Co-occurring Conditions Toolkit in clinical practice

·         Patient case vignettes to illustrate the application of the toolkit

To order DVD copies of the Co-occurring Conditions Toolkit Training Video, contact the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC) at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   or call 800-870-9244. 

Study Sheds Light on Brain Injuries Among Troops

BY DAVID BROWN
THE WASHINGON POST          THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2011        

About a third of American troops who have suffered brain injury from bomb blasts show immediate evidence of stretched and damaged nerve fibers at both the front and the back of the brain, according to a new study. Whether that observation will prove useful in identifying people at higher risk for depression, posttraumatic stress and thinking problems after a blast injury is not known.

Nevertheless, experts say the findings; reported Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, shed some light on the unusually murky subject of traumatic brain injury (TBI).  “This is not a pregnancy test for TBI,” said Alicia Crowder, a neuroscientist at the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, who was not involved in the research. “This is a foundation block on which to build a body of knowledge. It is a piece of a puzzle.”

Mobile Applications for Mental Health

Posted by Dr. Julia E. Hoffman, National Center for Telehealth & Technology clinical psychologist on May 17, 2011

As has happened in every era, service members are returning from deployments with combat wounds that affect their mental and physical health. The impact of these problems goes far beyond the service members themselves. Deployment-related mental, behavioral and physical health problems can lead to challenges in military families and communities that last for months or even years. The good news is that there are a variety of treatments that work for post-deployment challenges, and these effective treatments are offered across the Departments of Defense (DoD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) treatment facilities.

However, many service members and families who need treatment will never seek care for a number of reasons like logistical problems getting to treatment because of location, transportation options, work schedules, etc. Others fear the negative perception of seeking help for psychological health concerns as a sign of weakness, and some don’t even realize that treatment would be helpful because they’re trained that reintegration stress is normal.

VA to Take Applications for New Family Caregiver Program

VA Implementing Enhancements to Existing Services for Veterans and Their Caregivers

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published the interim final rule for implementing the Family Caregiver Program of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act 2010. This new rule will provide additional support to eligible post-9/11 Veterans who elect to receive their care in a home setting from a primary Family Caregiver.

“We at VA know that every day is a challenge for our most seriously injured Veterans and their Family Caregivers,” said VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki.   “I know many Veterans and their Family Caregivers have been waiting anxiously for this day and I urge them to get their applications in as soon as possible so they can receive the additional support they have earned.” 

On May 9, staff in VA’s Office of Care Management and Social Work will open the application process for eligible post-9/11 Veterans and Servicemembers to designate their Family Caregivers.

REEVALUATING YOUR IDES (MEB & PEB)

The Fiscal Year 2011 (effective October 1, 2010) National Defense Authorization Act (FY11 NDAA) amended the law to allow Medically Retired, Medically Separated, and Active Duty (Regular Components & Reserve Components) to have their PEB reevaluated. 

“….have their Physical Evaluation Board (PEB) reevaluated if there is reason to believe that a medical condition of the member considered by the Physical Evaluation Board during the evaluation of the member described in that subsection renders the member unsuitable for continued military service based on the medical condition.”

Enhanced VA Health Care Enrollment Opportunity Closing for Certain Combat Veterans

The U.S. Army is Seeking Wounded Warriors for the Army Marksmanship Unit

The USAMU aims to hire select Army Wounded Warriors to showcase the Army as Paraolympians, serve as marksmanship instructors and exhibit the notion of “Army Strong”.  For more information, go to  

http://www.usaac.army.mil/amu/News/2010/ability.html

DOD Establishes Wounded Warrior Task Force

The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness announced today the names of 14 members who will serve on the Department of Defense Task Force for Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured service members.

The four year mission of the congressionally directed task force is to provide independent advice and recommendations to the department, ensuring comprehensive services are provided to wounded service members and their families.

The task force will look at areas including medical and non-medical case management; staffing of wounded warrior units; performance and accountability systems; services for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as well as the effectiveness of the Centers of Excellence. Individual service members, their families, and the public will have the opportunity to provide input to the task force as it develops its recommendations on DoD’s wounded warrior programs.

DOD Appoints New Director of the Defense Center of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury

The Department of Defense announced today the appointment of  Navy Capt. Paul S. Hammer, as the director of the Defense Center of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) in Arlington, Va.   He will take office in January 2011. 

"Capt. Hammer's proven performance demonstrates he will advance the quality and level of care we provide members of the armed forces who have suffered from TBI or psychological illness," said Dr. George Peach Taylor, performing the duties of the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs. 

Feds Roll Out New PTSD Benefits For Veterans

By the CNN Wire Staff
July 12, 2010 12:28 p.m. EDT
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
New VA rule makes it easier for veterans to get PTSD benefits
Veterans are no longer required to documents specific events causing PTSD
VA acknowledging "inherently stressful nature ... of military service"
Over 400,000 veterans now receive PTSD benefits

Washington (CNN) -- The Department of Veterans Affairs unveiled new regulations Monday making it easier for men and women who served in the armed forces to receive benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Current department rules require veterans to document events like firefights or bomb explosions that could have caused the disorder. Such documentation was often time-consuming and difficult, and sometimes was impossible.

Under the new rules a veteran only needs to demonstrate that he or she served in a war and performed a job during which events could have happened that could cause the disorder.

A Corner of Hope: New GI Bill Answers the Changing Needs of the Military Student

Posted by Jim Hardiman on August 25, 2010

Jim Hardiman is a licensed clinical social worker and substance abuse counselor. Prior to joining DCoE, he served as a regional care coordinator for the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center. He has provided mental health services for patients and their families for more than two decades. Hardiman writes a monthly post for the DCoE Blog on various psychological health conditions affecting our service members, veterans and their families—offering encouragement or “A Corner of Hope” for our readers.

Since the original inception of the GI Bill in 1944 (my dad took advantage of this one), the face of the military undergraduate student has changed. According to a 2009 study by the American Council on Education (ACE), during the 2007-08 academic year, military undergraduates were:

Social Security Disability Benefits for Wounded Warriors

Military service members and veterans can receive expedited processing of disability claims from Social Security.  Benefits available through Social Security are different than those from the Department of Veterans Affairs and require a separate application.

For more information, visit the Social Security Administration website. (http://www.ssa.gov/woundedwarriors/ )

GI Bill: Use it or Lose it

The InTransition Program: Maintaining Continuity of Care through Transitions

DoD/VA Offers Resources to Help Guard and Reserve Members

DCoE in Action Vol 3, No 7    July 2010

Approximately 1.1 million members of the Guard and Reserve protect our nation. With ongoing high-operations tempo overseas, guardsmen and re­servists across all services will continue to deploy.

Since September 11, 2001, nearly 775,000 Guard and Reserve members have served or are currently deployed. These deployments bring increased exposure to conditions that may affect psychological health, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In 2009, there were 17,538 hospitalizations for psychological health issues through­out the military compared to 11,156 for physical injuries and battle wounds.

Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act

April 21, 2010, the House of Representatives passed the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act, giving severely wounded warriors and the family members who care for them some much-needed support to ensure the warriors receive the highest quality of care available and remain out of nursing homes, by unanimous approval.

Click on the Read more...  for a complete summary of the legislation.

The TBI Family Caregiver Panel's Results Updated April 14, 2010

Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs have approved the panel’s “Caregiver's Journey” and it has been added to the Panel’s TBI web site: The Journey Home - the CEMM Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Web Site: http://www.traumaticbraininjuryatoz.org/  

This site provides an informative and sensitive exploration of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), including information for patients, family members, and caregivers. Topics include types and symptoms of brain injury, TBI treatment and recovery, and helpful insights about the potential long-term effects of brain injury. Animation is used to help patients clearly understand the brain, and the results of injuries to different parts of the brain. Survivors and their caregivers share courageous stories about their own experiences, providing down-to-earth facts along with inspiration and hope.

Caregivers of family members or friends who have a TBI are encouraged to log-on to this site and go to: Caregiver's Journey for information on the important role caregivers play in TBI recovery and resources for caregiver support and self care strategies.

New DoD/VA Center to Improve Eye Care
April 8, 2010

CAP's Wounded Service Members Initiative would like to share the following information: The new Vision Center of Excellence (VCE) was formed to track eye injuries emanating from the war theater and improve treatment outcomes across the services and VA.

The need for the VCE is evidenced in the variety of injuries that impact soldiers' vision, from traumatic eye injury as a result of explosive devices and projectiles, to vision disorders associated with TBI, and eye injury caused by exposure to chemicals, biohazards, lasers or extreme environmental conditions. VCE is facilitating collaborative efforts that support optimal DoD/VA vision care transition, such as a process developed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for blind rehabilitation care.

Strict Deadlines, Disabled Veterans and Dismissed Cases

Get to Know the National Intrepid Center of Excellence for Psychological Health & Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE)

1. What does NICoE stand for?

NICoE stands for the National Intrepid Center of Excellence.

2. What is NICoE?

The NICoE is a newly established treatment planning and research facility designed to provide cutting edge treatment planning, diagnosis, research and education for military personnel and their families dealing with recurring mild TBI and psychological health conditions.

TRICARE and VA Work Together

Service members who became ill or injured while serving on active duty and are then medically retired have health benefits available to them through both the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs.

Like all retirees, medically-retired veterans can choose TRICARE Prime where it’s available, or TRICARE Standard and Extra if they are not eligible for Medicare. Their family members have the same TRICARE choices. Veterans who are eligible for Medicare because of disability must maintain Medicare Parts A and B to keep their TRICARE coverage.

Tutoring for Active Duty Service Members

CAP's Wounded Service Member Initiative team would like to share the following information:

The Department of Defense is now offering unlimited access to certified, professional tutors 24/7 through partnership with Tutors.com.  The services provided are available to all active duty Service Members and their dependents. Homework help and study guidance are available for all those returning to school or for their spouses/children.  Test preparation courses offer a systematic approach to taking on standardized testing; writing skills can be strengthened through one-on-one proofreading and editing.

Homeowners Assistance Program Expands

The Department of Defense (DOD) is proud to offer the Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP) to eligible service members and federal civilian, including non-appropriated fund, employees. The program is authorized by law, and administered by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to assist eligible homeowners who face financial loss when selling their primary residence homes in areas where real estate values have declined because of a base closure or realignment announcement.

Are You Eligible for Extra Money? Thousands of Reserve and National Guard Soldiers Are

Reserve and National Guard soldiers from every state and territory and the District of Columbia are among those eligible for additional money from the Post Deployment Mobilization Respite Absence (PDMRA) Compensation Program, the Department of Defense has determined.

OCAR and the states and territories now are identifying their soldiers who are entitled to extra cash for serving long deployments overseas.

DoD Wounded Warrior Web Site Upgraded

The federal departments of Labor and Defense have unveiled an improved website for wounded warriors.

The National Resource Directory http://www.nationalresourcedirectory.gov/ is a comprehensive, free, online tool for wounded, ill and injured servicemembers, veterans and their families and caregivers. Visitors to the site can find an extensive range of information about veterans' benefits, including disability and pension benefits, VA health care and educational opportunities. The website also provides a single point of access to a wealth of information from more than 10,000 sites by federal, state and local governments and organizations offering services for wounded warriors.

See more Wounded Warrior http://www.military.com/wounded-warriors news on Military.com.

Vets Help Vets Through Chance Discovery for Improving Sleep

Vietnam veterans who were prescribed a medication for the treatment of blood pressure and prostate problems reported to their providers that the combat nightmares they had been living with for decades had considerably lessened. Researchers today are studying this finding to see if the medication can be beneficial to veterans of the current conflicts.

Researchers from the Deployment Health Clinical Center (DHCC), VA Puget Sound Healthcare System/University of Washington School of Medicine, Madigan Army Medical Center, and Walter Reed Army Medical Center are studying the impact that this medication can have on improving the quality of sleep for Service members and veterans. For the next two years, the DHCC is looking for participants to be a part of a 15-week study to test the benefits of this medication.

American Veterans and Servicemembers Survival Guide

VETERANS RESOURCES NETWORK
http://www.valaw.org   http://38uscode.com

The Veterans For America have published a free ebook to help veterans. Title: the "American Veterans and Servicemembers Survival Guide". The foreword is written by Mr. Robert Muller a founder of the Vietnam Veterans of America. The Guide has information for filing and winning a VA claim. (Click on Read more...  below to see a list of chapters.) You can right click the link and download the entire book to your PC. Or view individual chapters online.

Go to:
http://www.veteransforamerica.org/
http://www.veteransforamerica.org/download-the-survival-guide-for-american-veterans-and-servicemembers/

Studies Find Breakthrough in PTSD Treatment

Marine Corps Times
By Kelly Kennedy
Posted : Sunday Dec 27, 2009

Brain scans, blood tests may help predict condition

Two new studies seem to provide more evidence that post-traumatic stress disorder is a chemical change in the brain caused by trauma — and that it might be possible to diagnose, treat and predict which troops are most susceptible to it using brain scans or blood tests.

In one study, Christine Marx of the Duke University Medical Center and Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center wondered why PTSD, depression and pain often occur together.

Researchers already knew that people with PTSD show changes in their neurosteroids, which are brain chemicals thought to play a role in how the body responds to stress.

Real Warriors Campaign Launches New PSAs to Combat Psychological Health Stigma

DCoE in Action Newsletter for Defense Centers of Excellence VOL 2/NO. 7 | Nov. - Dec. 2009

Army Major Jeff Hall, Real Warriors PSA

Army Reservist Staff Sgt. Megan Krause, Real Warriors PSA

On October 13, 2009, the Real Warriors Campaign launched four new public service announcements (PSAs) to help combat the stigma associated with seeking treatment for psychological health concerns and traumatic brain injury.

In addition to being posted on the Real Warriors Campaign Web site, thePSAs will also air on DoD and civilian media nationwide and overseas.  “Every deployment is unique and impacts our service members in different ways,” said DCoE Director Brig. Gen. Sutton, M.D. “No one returns home the same way they left. These PSAs are an important part of tearing down the stigma that can keep our warriors from seeking the psychological health care they need to maintain resilience.”

Walter Reed Patients Test Next Generation Prosthesis

By Christen N. McCluney Special to American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 2009

Wounded warriors at the Military Advanced Training Center at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here are testing a new microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee. The X2 microprocessor knee by Otto Bock HealthCare is the result of a medical research project funded in support of the Military Amputee Research Program.

This project, administered by the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, had the goal of developing "an electronically controlled prosthetic knee joint that meets the specific demands of military staff in real world activity," said Troy Turner, Advanced Technology Research Program manager at TATRC.

He added that in 2005, officials recognized that even the cutting-edge prosthetic devices weren't good enough.

Army Secretary: New Treatments For PTSD And TBI Must Be Explored

Stripes Central (Stripes.com) December 9, 2009 By Jeff Schogol

Army Secretary John McHugh sat down with Stars and Stripes Tuesday to talk about a broad range of issues, including the Army’s efforts to combat post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.

Where do you feel the Army needs to improve when it comes to treating PTSD and TBI?

Well, I just this morning returned from my my most recent visit to Walter Reed, and it’s clear as you go through those wards that obviously this is an ongoing challenge, and one that while I think we’ve made a lot of progress on, particularly from the diagnostic and treatment side, we have to continue to do better.

DOD and VA Announce Disability Evaluation System Pilot Expansion

The Departments of Defense (DoD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today that beginning in January 2010, the Disability Evaluation System (DES) pilot will expand to an additional six installations across the country.

The new locations will include: Fort Benning, Ga.; Fort Bragg, N.C.; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Lewis, Wash.; Fort Riley, Kan.; and Portsmouth Naval Medical Center, Va. This expansion brings the total number of military facilities using the pilot to 27.

“The decision to expand the pilot was based upon favorable reviews focusing on the program’s ability to meet timeliness, effectiveness, transparency, and customer and stakeholder satisfaction,” said Noel Koch, deputy under secretary of defense, Office of Wounded Warrior Care and Transition Policy.

Monthly GI Bill Payment Rate Increased

As of October 1, 2009 the monthly GI Bill payment rate increased 3.6% to $1,368. This money is not a loan, but a benefit you've earned to help pay for a degree or professional certificate.

The first step in using this money is to Find Military Friendly Schools who value Veterans by offering college credit for service. Military.com works with hundreds of accredited schools that can save you time in the class room and are familiar with the GI Bill. You can also request free information from Schools Who Offer Credit for Service in the Air Force.

For more information, please visit
http://edu.military.com/gibill/?ESRC=091005SOL_airforce_v.se

New DCoE Web Site Offers Specialized Content, New Features for Visitors

New DoD Center Helps with Psychological Health & Traumatic Brain Injury

WARNING-Please Pay Attention

The VA reports that a reprehensible scam is targeting veterans.

Scammers are calling VA beneficiaries under the guise of a phony "Patient Care Group". The caller claims that VA prescriptions are being administered by this company.

The scammers ask for personal information, including credit card information, claiming that this is necessary for the beneficiary to keep receiving prescriptions through the VA.

This is completely bogus.

The VA does not call vets and ask them to disclose personal information over the phone, and the VA hasn't changed any prescription dispensing rules.

Be safe. Never give out personal information to any unsolicited phone caller.

Group Offers Free Psychiatric Care to War Vets

Stars and Stripes | Leo Shane III | May 20, 2008

WASHINGTON -- A coalition of mental health groups announced plans Monday to establish a nationwide network of psychiatrists, psychologists and other experts to provide free counseling to combat veterans and their families.

"Citizen soldiers have had extended, long deployments, and that has created a difficult situation for them and for their families," said Dr. Richard Harding, president of the American Psychiatric Foundation. "Those people need help ... and we have a duty to take care of them."

The groups' goal is to enlist about 40,000 mental health professionals -- about 10 percent of the nationwide force -- to donate time and services to individual veterans, their families, or veterans groups.

Their web site is: http://www.giveanhour.org/skins/gah/home.aspx

New Web Page Guides TRICARE Beneficiaries to Behavioral Health Resources

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – A new Web page for TRICARE beneficiaries takes the brainwork out of seeking help.

May is Mental Health Month, and at http://www.tricare.mil/mentalhealth/ TRICARE is committed to providing beneficiaries with the most up-to-date information about available its behavioral health resources.