The blog is    OVER HERE       now.

Did you know that March is Brain Injury Awareness Month? I didn't until I received an e-mail asking me to includ an article on Traumatic Brain Injury on my blog.  I agreed because TBI has touched my life.

Many of you have heard me speak on occasion about the horrific helicopter crash that occured when we were in Italy and claimed six lives. The crew chief on that flight survived but with severe brain trauma. You can read his amazing story of recovery here.

I agreed to include the article in honor of Mark Lalli, a true survivor.

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Traumatic Brain Injuries in the Military

 

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is becoming a common wound of modern warfare. It has even been coined the “signature wound” of the War on Terror. While TBI is becoming more prevalent in wartime activity, many service men and women continue to go undiagnosed. Institutions, like the US Department of Veterans Affairs, are working to make quick and accurate diagnoses in order to prescribe appropriate and effective treatment.

 

TBI is caused by forced trauma to the head, either by being shaken or hit. The severity of a TBI varies from case to case, but symptoms range from mild concussions to a debilitating state. The majority of TBI’s acquired by military personnel are classified as mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI). Initial symptoms of MTBI consist of loss of consciousness, disorientation, loss of memory, headache, and temporary loss of hearing and vision. They are often partnered with anxiety, irritability, difficulties processing information, limited concentration amongst other problems experienced down the road. While MTBI is most common amongst the men and women of the armed forces, more severe cases of TBI are happening much more frequently and often require the victim to attended specialty rehabilitative nursing centers, like CareMeridian.

 

The most common cause of a TBI in the military is due to blasts. There are three degrees of blast injuries where a TBI is common; Primary (due to blast itself), Secondary (due to objects being propelled by a blast) and Tertiary (due to a collision with a third party object). According to the Veterans Health Initiative, active male members of the military from the ages 18-24 are hospitalized with a TBI at a rate of 231 per 100,000 and females 150 per 100,000. Based on military force projections this would mean that 4,141 military personnel are hospitalized on average each year with a TBI, and these numbers often rise during wartimes.

 

The best prevention for veterans to avert the long-term effects of a brain injury is to recognize the symptoms of a TBI. Once the symptoms are identified an individual should take basic precautionary measures in order to begin the healing and recovery process until a more specific diagnosis can be made.

 

Service men and women give so much to protect this country and they deserve to come home to a happy and healthy life. Creating awareness about TBI will help ensure their long term health. By helping our veterans, their friends and their families recognize the early warning signs of a TBI, treatment can be sought as early as possible.

 

 

The blog is    OVER HERE       now.

No, not the entire household. Well, not yet, but that is coming up in late Spring, we just don't know where, yet.

What I do know is that the blog is moving and where.

With the new year, will now go back to blogger, where the blog originally started several years ago.

I am tired of paying for domain, hosting, and especially Quick Blogcast and becoming frustrated everytime I want to make blog post. This site will remain up for quite a while as I slowly save my archives and try to get everything moved over here.

I need less frustration and more structure. At least for me, blogger offers that.

So, the new year will bring a new blog home, a new blog look, and hopefully a new increase in posting.

Still really nothing to say. Just continuing my support.

Copied from Homefront Six because she rocks the wording.

The milblogging world - this blog included - will be "going dark" for a bit in support of fellow milblogger, CJ Grisham. Maggie has the details but the crux of the matter is,

The catalyst has been the treatment of milblogger C.J. Grisham of A Soldier's Perspective. C.J. has earned accolades and respect, from the White House on down for his honest, and sometimes blunt, discussion of issues — particularly PTSD. In the last few months, C.J. has seen an issue with a local school taken to his command who failed to back him, and has even seen his effort to deal with PTSD, and lead his men in same by example, used against him as a part of this. Ultimately, C.J. has had to sell his blog to help raise funds for his defense in this matter.

The Army Times has a great article about the situation that you might want to check out. And feel free to help CJ out as he defends his name, his word, and his Army career. I find it reprehensible that his command not only failed to back him up on this but that they actually threw him under the school bus, so to speak.


And I realize that there has been a dearth of posting lately so my blog "going dark" for a bit really isn't anything remarkable. But blogs like Blackfive, This Ain't Hell, From My Position, and BostonMaggie will be silent as well in support which says a LOT (we all know that it is very tough for Chuck to keep his mouth shut).


Should you feel inclined to help CJ out, here is the info:

You can donate to CJ's Legal Fund by logging into PayPal, go to the send money page, and put in his email: dj_chcknhawk AT yahoo DOT com; or, you can send donations directly to:

Grisham Legal Fund
c/o Redstone Federal Credit Union
220 Wynn Drive
Huntsville, AL 35893

Two years

Rest in Peace Cpt Christian Skoglund, CW2 Davidangelo Alvarez, Cpt Cartize Durham, SrA Kenneth Hauprich, SSgt Robert Rodgers and SSgt Mark Spence.

Really news channels - it's not a freakin' "incident." And while it is a "tradegy" it goes so far beyond that . It seems almost disrespectful to not call it what it really is. It's murder. It's brutal and unexcusable.

Some jackass on msnbc just laid out the case that the shooter having to listen to the soldier's under his care discuss and deal with thier time overseas could have very well led to his having PTSD.*gag*

Once again I am proud to be a part of and associated with some elite groups. Military spouses are already rallying to do whatever they can to support their sister (and possibly brothers). The Red Cross is already totally rocking blood donation and the American Legion is gearing up to pull their weight.

No doubt American citizens will step up and knock one out of the ballpark like they did so recently.

Update on American Legion's efforts.

From This Ain't Hell.

And, an update from the Oh so FABULOUS Tankerbabelc.

Battle participant: “most people back home dont even know, no one gives a shit”

So, what's this soldier, a member of a unit who lost eight of their comrades in arms, a unit whose injured members refused to be MEDEVACED out in remain in the fight with their buddies, a unit whose soldiers, as the battle raged around them, donated blood so it could be transfused into their buddies.

What he is talking about, what most people back home don't know, is that the soldiers lost everything save for the clothes on their backs in the battle when their outpost was dessimated in the attack.

A devoted group of bloggers has done an amazing job to provide the bare necessities.

But, really, in your heart of hearts, do you believe that is nearly enough for these remarkable young men.

No?

I didn't think so.

You can do a little or you can do a lot. Every little bit helps. Send them a thank you card (you'd be surprised at the number of soldiers who rarely receive mail and what a tremendous morale boost a simple letter can be). Send a box of Slim Jims or protein bars (these guys don't exactly receive three hot squares a day) or a warm pair of socks. Send them something to occupy their down time - a book, some magazines (careful of the content), a CD or personal DVD player or an iPod(or other mp3 player).

Not sure exactly what to do or how your contribution can best be served? Would you rather just make a monetary donation and let someone who has "been there done that" figure out the best course? NOT a problem. Click below and The American Legion can give you even more info and help you out.