Democratic calls for Investigation on Brain Injury of Returning Troops

[Monkeyman]

Wasington- Representative Michael Michael (D-ME), the Ranking Deomcratic Member of the Health Subcommittee of the House Veterans'Affairs Committee has asked the GAO ,Congress' investigative arm,to conduct a comprehensive study of the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) efforts to idently and treat veterans with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI).
"Many of our troops who survive the blast from improvised explosive devices are at risk of brain damage. With thousands of our troops in Iraq and Afghistan at risk of TBI,this injury may be the silent signature wound of this war,"said Michaud.
Servicemembers who sustain a closed head injury may have mild TBI,which may not be readily identified by medical professionals, confused thinking,memory loss,and mood changes,may not be evident for months or years after the initial injury.
Michaud's request for the GAO study came after newspaper reports that researchers screening returning troops found that 10 % suffered at least one minor brain injury during combat, which may go undianosed because troops have no visiuble wounds.
In addition,the congressionally created VA Committee on the Care of Severely Chronically Mentally Ill Veterans has identified that the VA needs to develop resources to identify and treat returning veterans who have brain injury.The Committee recommended significant initiatives to address the needs of veterans with TBI.
VA's Inspector General recently issued a report that gave the VA mixed reviews for its treatment of severely and moderately brain-injured veterans. VA's case management of veterans care and support for families dealing with brain-injured veteran were inconsistent.
Michaud request asks GAO to determine how the VA ensure that veterans who have experienced a mild TBI are identified and treated when they seek care at VA medical facilities, how the VA provides the needed education and support for families caring for veterans with TBI ,and the obtacles to identifying veterans with mild TBI.

Again it show that Democrats are the people party. All Replugs do is talk. While Democrats show they do what they say over and over again. TIME FOR CHANGE

[Historic NY]

1. Helmets....have been changed both for Army & Marines

http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/anderson.cooper.360/blog/2006/06/how-i-saved-marine-from-shrapnel.html


http://www.natick.army.mil/about/pao/pubs/warrior/03/julyaug/index.htm

Extra protection, stability and comfort come at a ‘loss’ with the Marine Corps...

Lightweight Helmet
It may not look much different from the current Personnel Armor System, Ground Troops (PASGT) helmet, but the new Marine Corps Lightweight Helmet is improved in almost every way.

<snip>

Fielding of more than 200,000 of the lightweight helmets to Marines will start this summer, replacing the old “Kevlar” as it’s commonly called, which has been around since the early 1980s.

The helmet’s shell is shaped like the PASGT, but new materials bring a 6 percent improvement in fragmentation protection as well as the ability to stop a direct hit from a 9mm round. Lab testing showed a 40 percent improvement in impact protection, which also means better durability. The manufacturer, Gentex Corp. in Carbondale, Penn., warrants the helmet for 15 years.

<snip>

Complaints have been voiced about the PASGT interfering with the Interceptor Body Armor, but the solution was more a matter of improving stability, not just reducing size, he said.


By incorporating a four-point retention strap, similar to the MICH, the lightweight helmet is seven times more stable than the PASGT so it won’t rock back and forth or fall off. Although most Marines won’t be jumping out of airplanes, it’s airborne-certified.

[Monkeyman]

2. Marines now have a recon jump unit

Still in training. Look up in the sky a falling jarhead opps just a x ranger kidding my brother Marines