Following his reelection in 2004, President George W. Bush tried to flaunt his political "capital" (a word he used as if he had just learned what it means) with a failed bid to privatize Social Security. President Obama not only knows what capital means, he hopefully knows what to do with it in the wake of the greatest national security triumph this country has experienced since perhaps V-J Day, the Navy SEALs' stunning execution of Osama bin Laden.
Having laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, Obama can now improve the health care received by our veterans, 18 of whom commit suicide every day and 6,500 of whom commit suicide every year, according to a recent article in the L.A. Times.
That information came to light when the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that delays in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and other mental illnesses attributable to combat violate the constitutional rights of veterans and contribute to their high rates of suicide.
In the ruling, a scathing critique of the Veterans Affairs Department, the circuit court argued that "the political branches have so completely and chronically failed to respect the People's constitutional rights that the courts must be willing to enforce them." The opinion, written by Judge Stephen Reinhardt and joined by Senior Judge Procter Hug, added, "The VA's unchecked incompetence has gone on long enough; no more veterans should be compelled to agonize or perish while the government fails to meet its obligations."
I couldn't agree more with the appeals court, which took nearly two years to rule on this case from the time the lawsuit was brought by two veterans groups. But its mechanism for enforcing reform of the VA, having a federal district court judge in San Francisco overhaul the mental health care system for veterans, seems unwieldy and ineffective.
Only one person can truly spark a widespread change in the way our mentally ill veterans are treated, and that is President Obama, the commander-in-chief, not a San Francisco-based judge.
I am still perplexed as to why President Obama has not used the bully pulpit to speak up on behalf of mentally ill troops. He had an opportunity to do so on Memorial Day and did not.
Yes, the president is dealing with a budget deficit, the Middle East peace process and countless other issues, but he should also be paying attention to the human toll of the two wars being fought by our magnificent troops. Those who have come home with mental illness deserve our support. And there are plenty of them. According to a 2008 Rand Institute study, an estimated 300,000 veterans have been diagnosed with PTSD or major depression, which evidences that this is no mere problem facing the country. This is a crisis.
And it is a crisis that requires presidential leadership.
Last December, I wrote a piece calling for the president to write condolence letters to the families of troops who have committed suicide but otherwise behaved honorably. Recently, I contacted the White House Press Office by e-mail and phone; at press time, the White House had still not answered my question as to why the president does not send such letters in the event of a suicide.
Back in December, I also cited a report by The Huffington Post's Amanda Terkel, who wrote about how Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a Vietnam veteran and a leading voice on military matters, may have blocked legislation to prevent suicides among reservists in the U.S. military. That legislation, sponsored by Rep. Rush Holt (D-N.J.) and named in honor of a reservist who committed suicide, was incorporated by the House last May into the National Defense Authorization Act for 2011.
McCain's camp denied the accusation that he blocked this provision, which would have provided funds for more mental-health counselors for mentally ill troops, from the final bill.
It saddens me that neither Obama nor McCain has demonstrated his clout in helping mentally ill troops, and it speaks to the continuing stigma against the mentally ill in this country.Perhaps the time will come when President Obama and Senator McCain, two patriots, will work together to improve the mental-health care of our veterans. Until then, the stigma persists.
Mr.Jaffee;
You take issue with President Obama, and your concerns are correct about the suicides of our service people and our veterans, but allow me to make a suggestion regarding your article in HP! Do not look to the president for letters of condolence; let’s correct the problem so those letters won’t be needed, although it certainly would be an appropriate gesture. The problem lays with the type of treatment given to the mentally ill who are afflicted with this disorder, please take time to read all my articles in HP on this illness, you will find that 70% of Anxiety/Panic/ PTSD victims also suffer from deep depression which may be part of the cause.
The VA hospitals treat the veterans with caring and do all they can, but the question I raise in my previous articles is, are “treatments” addressing the illnesses? I have been an advocate for those with anxiety and panic disorder for over forty years and I speak from the inside of these disorders, clinical diagnosis tells the patient what it is, but not why. The fact is, the mindset of these patients is not completely understood, and believe me the two are not the same! This information may change your attitude about your severe criticism of the president, I hope so! Feel free to contact me!
For more information:
The Jokes on Us/The Innocent Mind amazon.com
George Christophe
Thejokesonus.b@gmail.com
Mr. Jaffee:
I think the subject you write about is so important that I think a second reply would be especially helpful! First let me say that as strange as it may sound, this disorder can be like looking into the face of some Jekyll and Hyde that you find impossible to recognize, this without understanding why! Without experiencing the trauma it can inflict on the human mind an explanation becomes almost worthless. In the previous article I made mention of what I thought would be an inability of doctors to understand the mindset of those traumatized by the combination of fear, the feeling of being trapped, depression, and the absolute need to escape, not from where they happen to be, but from themselves! This complete breakdown of rational thought makes logic non-existent. The combination of all these factors being present in a normal setting make it possible to survive, always with the knowledge help is nearby, “however” those same symptoms being present in a war zone or battlefield setting make those combined factors deadly. With that mindset still present on returning home those feeling can still be dangerous and perpetuated! Do not make the mistake of considering this a form of being a coward, because its not, it’s a deadly disorder in the wrong place at the wrong time even at home!
For more information:
The jokes on Us/The Innocent Mind amazon.com
George Christophe
Thejokesonus.b@gmail.com
Mentally Ill Veterans:
Our National Dilemma;
Until now Mental Disorders have been on the back burner of the consciousness of the American people, only the stark reality of the suicides in the military has put a face on this exploding illness! The simple fact that anxiety disorder in truth is the easiest to recover from providing the treatment is designed to fit the disorder! Just because a name has a prefix in front or title after it like psychiatrist, or psychologist, does not mean they comprehend the mindset of patients suffering this disorder! It would seem almost impossible to expect doctors to put themselves in the shoes of the patient; however it is important for them to know what works and what does not. What is the answer, good doctors find a way to solve difficult problems and not to continue useless treatment, in VA hospitals where these veterans are bound to be looked after, methods of treatment have to be improved. I would also suggest the answers lay with those who have recovered from this illness and are cognizant of why they did, that information could be invaluable and could be the path to solving the reasons for this disorder.
For more information:
The Jokes on Us/The Innocent Mind
Now available on Amazon print, Kindle, ITunes, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, and most e-reading apps!
George Christophe
Thejokesonus.b@gmail.com
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Regards,
Robert
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