Iraq veterans

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Manning a 'Wreck' Army Shouldn't Have Sent to Iraq

Soldier underwent psych evaluations regularly, given to outbursts

(Newser) - Bradley Manning never should have been let near Iraq, much less the classified trove he spilled to WikiLeaks, reports the Guardian in a look at the Army private's mental health. "He was harassed so much that he once pissed in his sweatpants," says an anonymous officer from...

Breathing Trouble Dogs Middle East Vets

 Breathing Trouble 
 Dogs Middle East Vets 
study says
May 17, 2011 9:05 AM CDT

Breathing Trouble Dogs Middle East Vets

New study increases concern over respiratory issues

(Newser) - Why do so many young, previously healthy soldiers come back from the Middle East with respiratory problems, some so bad they can no longer pass a physical required for active duty? The question was made more urgent with the results of a new study showing that Iraq and Afghanistan veterans...

For Returning Troops, an Even Worse Job Reality

They're grappling with 10% employment; non-vets at 9.1%

(Newser) - The job market is obviously bleak—but it's even worse when it comes to troops returning from war. The Washington Post takes a look at the 2 million veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, who spent as much as 10 years, on and off, in desolate war zones, racking...

College Bans Vet for 'Addicted to Killing' Essay

Ex-soldier: Essay was 'therapeutic'

(Newser) - An Iraq and Afghanistan veteran who wrote that he was "addicted to killing" in an essay about his war experiences was banned from campus after his essay was published in his college newspaper. The Community College of Baltimore County told Charles Whittington that his writings "raised red flags,...

Marine Will Be Vet's 'Legs' in Marathon

HBO special inspires stranger to help fellow veteran

(Newser) - Two former Marines will demonstrate their solidarity in this weekend's Marine Corps Marathon, where Bryan Purcell will act as the "legs" of Eddie Ryan, an Iraq veteran who was paralyzed in combat, AOL News reports. Ryan, 26 was shot twice in the head in 2005, and while he's recovered...

Obama to Troops: 'Job Well Done'

Says speech tonight won't be a 'victory lap'

(Newser) - Hours before addressing the nation, President Obama told US troops just back from Iraq that his speech outlining the withdrawal of combat forces "is not going to be a victory lap" nor a cause for celebration. "There's still a lot of work that we've got to do."...

Iraq Vet Kills Family, Himself
 Iraq Vet Kills Family, Himself 
Aug 20, 2010 9:54 AM CDT

Iraq Vet Kills Family, Himself

Matthew Magdzas left no note

(Newser) - An Iraq war veteran killed his pregnant wife and young daughter before turning the gun on himself, and police are having a tough time figuring out why. The bodies of Matthew Magdzas, 23, April Oles-Magdzas, 26, and 13-month-old Lila, along with their three dogs, were found Wednesday—the day April...

Obama: 'Solemn' Duty to Help Vets With PTSD

White House plans to make getting benefits easier

(Newser) - With the military fighting two wars, President Obama said today the country has a "solemn responsibility" to ensure that veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder get the help they need. Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki is to announce new regulations Monday intended to make it easier for veterans with PTSD...

Soldiers Blast Hurt Locker
 Soldiers Blast Hurt Locker  
Feb 26, 2010 4:19 AM CST

Soldiers Blast Hurt Locker

Troops, vets object to film's 'cowboy' bomb crew

(Newser) - As the thriller Iraq war movie The Hurt Locker steams to Academy Awards night, soldiers and veterans are blasting the popular film as Hollywood hooey, portraying them as reckless death cowboys. Critics have emerged just days before Best Picture ballots are due for the Oscars. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has...

AP Scribe Debunks HuffPo Blogger's War Tale

Media darling with lovable dog has sketchy lawsuit and criminal past

(Newser) - Huffington Post blogger Luis Carlos Montalván started out as an anti-war liberal's dream: a decorated Iraq vet with a compelling war story, vocally opposed to the war and accompanied by a lovable golden retriever to stave off PTSD-related anxiety. But an AP reporter who's been digging into the self-promoting...

Vets With PTSD May Have Been Denied Benefits

Military is reviewing thousands of records

(Newser) - The military is speeding up a review of the records of thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans discharged with post-traumatic stress disorder to determine whether they were improperly denied benefits. The agreement stems from a class action lawsuit filed by seven combat veterans who alleged the military illegally denied benefits...

Injured Vets Seeking Closure Return to Iraq

Operation Proper Exit reveals war's progress to wounded

(Newser) - The military has been aiding injured veterans to return to Iraq to help them find closure and assure them that their sacrifices were worth it. Operation Proper Exit—believed to be the first such program to facilitate vets' return to a battlefield while a war is still in progress—has...

War Games Help Vets Cope With PTSD

Psychologists say virtual reality allows vets to confront and overcome trauma

(Newser) - Using realistic war games to re-create the sights, sounds, and even smells of combat is helping veterans overcome post-traumatic stress disorder in several clinical trials. Games like Virtual Iraq—modeled on Full Spectrum Warrior—help psychologists bring patients back to traumatic events and break down mental barriers. Researchers say the...

'Stress Camp' Aimed at Bucking Up US Troops

(Newser) - The army has a new plan to fight rampant suicide, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder: a $117 million program to train soldiers in "emotional resiliency."  Beginning in October, all 1.1 million soldiers will receive intensive training aimed at helping them identify and change destructive thinking patterns,...

'Healing Power of Death Metal' Buoys Wounded Vets

(Newser) - A new program is putting some smiles on the many pained faces at Walter Reed Army Medical Center—and perhaps even helping wounded veterans recover, Slate reports. The seed for Musicorps came when musician/producer/tinkerer Arthur Bloom was asked to help an amputee there play drums again. Now, the program teaches...

Dogs Trained to Heal Iraq Vets' Mental Scars

'Psychiatric service' pooches respond to PTSD sufferers' needs

(Newser) - The golden retriever nuzzles his master as though he wants a treat, trots into the kitchen, and waits patiently. His master walks over and, under the pet’s watchful gaze, takes a series of pills. The dog wags his tail with approval. He is a psychiatric-service dog, part of a...

360K US Troops Suffer Brain Injuries

As many as 20% of war vets have had concussions or worse

(Newser) - The number of US troops who have suffered wartime brain injuries may be as high as 360,000, say Defense Department doctors. They estimate that between 10% and 20% of the roughly 1.8 million Americans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan had such injuries—the vast majority of...

Army Charity Hoards Millions as Veterans Suffer

Army Emergency Relief fund's reserve dwarf its giving

(Newser) - A US Army charity is hoarding tens of millions of dollars while military families face record foreclosures and long deployments, the AP reports. Designed to dole out cash to veterans in financial crisis, Army Emergency Relief has padded reserves with $117 million and given or lent only $64 million. "...

Bush Gets Shoulder MRI, Visits Soldiers at Walter Reed

President's pain likely just result of wear and tear, docs say

(Newser) - President Bush underwent an MRI today after complaining of pain in his shoulder, the AP reports. The test was done at Walter Reed Medical Center where Bush was visiting convalescing Iraq war veterans, perhaps for the last time during his presidency. A White House doctor said the injury had not...

Vets' Families Seek Pay as Caregivers

Say disability money doesn't cover needs for injured troops

(Newser) - Wounded soldiers receive disability pensions based on the extent of their injuries, but for many families that money doesn't come close to covering the costs of caregiving. After Matt Keil returned home a quadriplegic, his wife, Tracy, quit her job to care for him, losing a $58,000 per-year income...

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