Religions > Atheism > Combat brain injuries multiply 20,000 not listed in Pentagon tally
| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"Michelle Malkin" |
| Date: |
23 Nov 2007 03:29:10 PM |
| Object: |
Combat brain injuries multiply 20,000 not listed in Pentagon tally |
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20071123/1a_lede23.art.htm
Combat brain injuries multiply
20,000 not listed in Pentagon tally
By Gregg Zoroya
USA TODAY
At least 20,000 U.S. troops who were not classified as wounded during combat
in Iraq and Afghanistan have been found with signs of brain injuries,
according to military and veterans records compiled by USA TODAY.
The data, provided by the Army, Navy and Department of Veterans Affairs,
show that about five times as many troops sustained brain trauma as the
4,471 officially listed by the Pentagon through Sept. 30. These cases also
are not reflected in the Pentagon's official tally of wounded, which stands
at 30,327.
The number of brain-injury cases were tabulated from records kept by the VA
and four military bases that house units that have served multiple combat
tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
One base released its count of brain injuries at a medical conference. The
others provided their records at the request of USA TODAY, in some cases
only after a Freedom of Information Act filing was submitted.
The data came from:
..Landstuhl Army Regional Medical Center in Germany, where troops evacuated
from Iraq and Afghanistan for injury, illness or wounds are brought before
going home. Since May 2006, more than 2,300 soldiers screened positive for
brain injury, hospital spokeswoman Marie Shaw says.
..Fort Hood, Texas, home of the 4th Infantry Division, which returned from a
second Iraq combat tour late last year. At least 2,700 soldiers suffered a
combat brain injury, Lt. Col. Steve Stover says.
..Fort Carson, Colo., where more than 2,100 soldiers screened were found to
have suffered a brain injury, according to remarks by Army Col. Heidi Terrio
before a brain injury association seminar.
..Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, where 1,737 Marines were found to have
suffered a brain injury, according to Navy Cmdr. Martin Holland, a
neurosurgeon with the Naval Medical Center San Diego.
..VA hospitals, where Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have been screened for
combat brain injuries since April. The VA found about 20% of 61,285
surveyed - or 11,804 veterans - with signs of brain injury, spokeswoman
Alison Aikele says. VA doctors say more evaluation is necessary before a
true diagnosis of brain injury can be confirmed in all these cases, Aikele
says.
Soldiers and Marines whose wounds were discovered after they left Iraq are
not added to the official casualty list, says Army Col. Robert Labutta, a
neurologist and brain injury consultant for the Pentagon.
"We are working to do a better job of reflecting accurate data in the
official casualty table," Labutta says.
Most of the new cases involve mild or moderate brain injuries, commonly from
exposure to blasts.
More than 150,000 troops may have suffered head injuries in combat, says
Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., founder of the Congressional Brain Injury Task
Force.
"I am wary that the number of brain-injured troops far exceeds the total
number reported injured," he says.
About 1.5 million troops have served in Iraq, where traumatic brain injury
can occur despite heavy body armor worn by troops.
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| User: "johac" |
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| Title: Re: Combat brain injuries multiply 20,000 not listed in Pentagon tally |
26 Nov 2007 12:02:48 AM |
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In article <KK6dnV4yNMK529ranZ2dnUVZ_jWdnZ2d@comcast.com>,
"Michelle Malkin" <hypatiab7@comcast.net> wrote:
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20071123/1a_lede23.art.htm
Combat brain injuries multiply
20,000 not listed in Pentagon tally
By Gregg Zoroya
USA TODAY
At least 20,000 U.S. troops who were not classified as wounded during combat
in Iraq and Afghanistan have been found with signs of brain injuries,
according to military and veterans records compiled by USA TODAY.
The data, provided by the Army, Navy and Department of Veterans Affairs,
show that about five times as many troops sustained brain trauma as the
4,471 officially listed by the Pentagon through Sept. 30. These cases also
are not reflected in the Pentagon's official tally of wounded, which stands
at 30,327.
More shame on BushCo. They not only try to hide the casualties, but
they often provide them with inadequate care when they get back:
http://tinyurl.com/3yoz4j
The number of brain-injury cases were tabulated from records kept by the VA
and four military bases that house units that have served multiple combat
tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
One base released its count of brain injuries at a medical conference. The
others provided their records at the request of USA TODAY, in some cases
only after a Freedom of Information Act filing was submitted.
The data came from:
.Landstuhl Army Regional Medical Center in Germany, where troops evacuated
from Iraq and Afghanistan for injury, illness or wounds are brought before
going home. Since May 2006, more than 2,300 soldiers screened positive for
brain injury, hospital spokeswoman Marie Shaw says.
.Fort Hood, Texas, home of the 4th Infantry Division, which returned from a
second Iraq combat tour late last year. At least 2,700 soldiers suffered a
combat brain injury, Lt. Col. Steve Stover says.
.Fort Carson, Colo., where more than 2,100 soldiers screened were found to
have suffered a brain injury, according to remarks by Army Col. Heidi Terrio
before a brain injury association seminar.
.Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, where 1,737 Marines were found to have
suffered a brain injury, according to Navy Cmdr. Martin Holland, a
neurosurgeon with the Naval Medical Center San Diego.
.VA hospitals, where Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have been screened for
combat brain injuries since April. The VA found about 20% of 61,285
surveyed - or 11,804 veterans - with signs of brain injury, spokeswoman
Alison Aikele says. VA doctors say more evaluation is necessary before a
true diagnosis of brain injury can be confirmed in all these cases, Aikele
says.
Soldiers and Marines whose wounds were discovered after they left Iraq are
not added to the official casualty list, says Army Col. Robert Labutta, a
neurologist and brain injury consultant for the Pentagon.
"We are working to do a better job of reflecting accurate data in the
official casualty table," Labutta says.
Most of the new cases involve mild or moderate brain injuries, commonly from
exposure to blasts.
More than 150,000 troops may have suffered head injuries in combat, says
Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., founder of the Congressional Brain Injury Task
Force.
"I am wary that the number of brain-injured troops far exceeds the total
number reported injured," he says.
About 1.5 million troops have served in Iraq, where traumatic brain injury
can occur despite heavy body armor worn by troops.
--
John #1782
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| User: "stoney" |
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| Title: Re: Combat brain injuries multiply 20,000 not listed in Pentagon tally |
04 Dec 2007 11:46:47 PM |
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The Flip Side;
http://www.emaxhealth.com/85/14771.html
Military Brain Injury Rehab Program Returns 70% Of Patients To
Full-Time
Military Brain Injury
A brain injury rehabilitation program for active-duty military
personnel -- many of whom sustained their injuries in Iraq from
improvised explosive devices, or IEDs -- has proved to be a successful
treatment model as it turns one year old this summer.
Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas and Marine Corps Base Camp
Pendleton have teamed to develop an outpatient day treatment program
that meets the recovery needs of combat-injured military patients with
closed brain injuries. The program is geared toward helping troops
rehabilitate so they can achieve their individual goals, whether it's
returning to full-time, active-duty status, or assimilating to the
private sector.
Of the 31 patients who have completed the program to date, 22 have
returned to full-time duty. Other patients who have completed the
program are pursuing an education or career outside of the military.
Housed on the campus of Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas, the
program continues to accept new military patients.
The partnership is believed to be the nation's only "full-service"
outsourced program between the military and a private health care
provider that treats closed-brain injuries of active-duty military
patients on an outpatient basis. Patients in the Scripps program have
access to a wide range of specialists not readily available at other
programs, including physical therapists, speech therapists,
occupational therapists, recreational therapists, neurologists,
psychiatrists and other specialists.
"Blast-related brain injuries have become the signature injury of the
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Michael Lobatz, M.D., chief of
staff at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas. "This program is an
example of how community hospitals can help fill the gaps by providing
specialized care where the military may not have the capacity or
particular expertise."
The Scripps program includes specialized activities such as
military-style calisthenics, martial arts, boxing, jogging, memory
exercises with military terminology and video games. While details
vary, patients generally will attend therapy for six hours a day,
three to four days a week, for three months or longer. U.S. troops are
initially screened by the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center
upon their return from combat overseas and are authorized for
treatment by their military physician.
Lance Cpl. Wilson Otero of Camp Pendleton entered the Scripps program
after suffering a traumatic brain injury from a roadside bomb
explosion while he provided security for convoys in Iraq. As a result
of his injury, he has experienced migraine headaches, sleep
disturbances and partial loss of feeling in his extremities.
After months of intensive occupational, physical and speech therapy
sessions, Otero says he's noticed progress. "The pain is getting under
control," said Otero, who is making plans for life outside the
military. "I'm planning to get out and use my brain to go to school."
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| User: "stoney" |
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| Title: Re: Combat brain injuries multiply 20,000 not listed in Pentagon tally |
04 Dec 2007 11:44:46 PM |
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http://www.emaxhealth.com/85/18427.html
Not All Brain Injuries In Veterans Disclosed By Pentagon
More than 20,000 soldiers who have shown signs of brain injuries were
not classified as wounded during combat in Iraq and Afghanistan,
according to Army, Navy and Department of Veterans Affairs records
compiled by USA Today. According to the USA Today analysis, there are
about five times more servicemembers who sustained brain trauma --
mostly mild or moderate injuries -- than the 4,471 officially listed
by the Department of Defense through Sept. 30. Those 20,000 soldiers
also are not included in the department's official tally of wounded,
which stands at 30,327. The 20,000 figure is based on data from VA
hospitals and four military bases, meaning that it is possible that
additional injuries still have not been counted.
According to Army Col. Robert Labutta, a neurologist and brain injury
consultant for the Pentagon, servicemembers whose injuries were
discovered after leaving combat are not added to the official casualty
list. He said, "We are working to do a better job of reflecting
accurate data in the official casualty table." Rep. Bill Pascrell
(D-N.J.), founder of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, said
more than 150,000 troops might have received head injuries in combat.
He said, "I am wary that the number of brain-injured troops far
exceeds the total number reported injured" (Zoroya, USA Today, 11/23).
Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork.org. You can view the
entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, and
sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork.org/email . The Kaiser
Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free
service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. © 2007 Advisory
Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
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