Thursday, October 21, 2010

Sentator Bond says Troops with Stress Disorder Not Being Treated, Just Discharged

Full Article at: Troops with combat stress discharged, not treated, senator charges
By DAVID GOLDSTEIN
McClatchy Newspapers


"The military has been discharging troops who are suffering from combat stress, instead of providing treatment, according to Missouri Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond and several veterans advocates.

That would mean that many who could be afflicted with mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, have left the service without official medical diagnoses and no chance for medical benefits.

"If somebody comes back with battle-related stress and invisible injuries, we owe them a tremendous amount," said Bond, a Republican. "We need to determine what their problem is, not kick them out and let them fend for themselves."

The disputed discharges are for "adjustment disorders," which can occur when a person has trouble handling a stressful event. In the military, service members who've seen combat or undergone other types of stress might be discharged as a result of sleepwalking, airsickness or severe nightmares.

The procedure bypasses the lengthier medical discharge process, but critics say that many troops are discharged erroneously and lose out on medical benefits.

"A service member who has a mental health condition is tempted with the carrot of going home to see family, and most service members will leap at the chance," said Paul Sullivan, the executive director of Veterans for Common Sense, an advocacy group. "Without a medical exam and legal advice, they quickly sign the discharge papers so they can go home. Most often they're not told they are sacrificing benefits."

After several attempts to get discharges data from the Pentagon, Bond and three Senate colleagues called on Defense Secretary Robert Gates in a letter last week to pry the information loose."

VAOIG Finds Unsantized Intruments at Jackson-VA

Full Article at: Government says unsanitized instruments found
Oct 21, 2010 2:09pm

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — "The Veterans Administration hospital in Jackson, Miss., improperly cleaned and poorly sanitized instruments that were distributed to clinics and operating rooms, according to a government report.

The report by the Department of Veterans Affairs' inspector general's office confirmed many of the allegations brought by an unidentified whistleblower several months ago. The hospital's chief of staff said no patients were harmed by the situation."

"The IG report was released Thursday by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, which handles federal whistle-blower complaints. The report has been forwarded to the president and congressional oversight committees."

"Among the findings were that dirty and rust-stained instruments — such as scalpels, blade handles, tissue and nail clippers and bone cutters — were issued for use within the facility."

"The report found that prior to 2006, providers at the VA's podiatry clinic often had a shortage of instruments, which led to the reuse of unsterilized items. The OSC said that problem was resolved by the purchase of additional instruments."