[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Mary Salas
Chair
Assembly Veterans Affairs Committee

This Memorial Day while you are enjoying a backyard BBQ take a moment to ponder this little known fact: on any given night in California over 50,000 veterans are homeless, while other veterans may be suffering from mental health issues or experiencing difficulty transitioning back to work. Among the many needs and challenges we face as a state, appropriate care for our veterans must be a priority.

California is home to more than 2.2 million veterans. While it is correct to note that the care of our veterans is primarily the responsibility of the federal government, the ability of the federal government to honor this obligation has been called into question. Time and again we have seen inefficient delivery of veteran services and benefits and a failure to anticipate and plan for an increase in health care problems associated with veterans, particularly those returning from Iraq.

by DFA Staff [courtesy of Blog for America]

The Associated Press via the San Diego Union-Tribune looks at the Rand Corporation report on the mental health status of veterans of the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan:

Roughly one in every five U.S. troops who have survived the bombs and other dangers of Iraq and Afghanistan now suffers from major depression or post-traumatic stress, an independent study said Thursday. It estimated the toll at 300,000 or more.

Danny
Communications Director

by Elizabeth Cable [courtesy of Blog for America]

Eric Hall hailed from the fine city of Jeffersonville, Indiana. Jeffersonville is a city located on the Ohio River, just north of Louisville, Kentucky. “Jeff”, as its inhabitants have affectionately termed it, is part of Clark County, which was named for General George Rogers Clark (brother of William Clark of the Lewis & Clark expedition). The city of Jeffersonville itself was named for Thomas Jefferson, whose grid design was used as the layout for the city. Some of the localities that Eric Hall grew up with, in Jeffersonville, are Schimpff’s Confectionary (where you can get some of the best chocolate in the country, in my opinion), the Howard Steamboat Museum, and Mick’s Lounge (where the Papa John’s pizza restaurant chain was founded). Eric went to school at Jeffersonville High School, and he graduated from it in 2002. A little while after graduating high school, Eric joined the United States Army, as did many others from small towns where there were few opportunities. He found himself in favor of the goals of the Iraq War and desirous of contributing to the cause. My cousin went to the same school (from first grade through high school) and was friends with Eric, and that is how I first became aquainted with the story of Eric Hall’s Post Traumatic Stress disorder and the events resulting from it.

by Colin Taylor [courtesy of Blog for America]

It's becoming more and more clear that the war in Iraq is taking a much heavier toll on the soldiers than was previously thought. The New York Times reported that there have been 121 cases of Iraq /Afghanistan veterans commiting homicide after there return from the war, a third of the cases involving family members- including a two year old child. The stories of normal men and women committing terrible acts of violence are horrible to read, and proves to us once more that our country is not properly taking care of its warriors. The Armed Forces are failing in their responsibility to ensure that our brave veterans are ready for reintegration into society:

"Few of these 121 war veterans received more than a cursory mental health screening at the end of their deployments, according to interviews with the veterans, lawyers, relatives and prosecutors. Many displayed symptoms of combat trauma after their return, those interviews show, but they were not evaluated for or received a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder until after they were arrested for homicides."

by Sheri Divers [courtesy of Blog for America]

Campaigns Hunt Votes Among `Anxious Xers,' `Angry Independents'

Aug. 1 (Bloomberg) -- ``Anxious Xers'' and ``angry independents'' may replace ``soccer moms'' as the object of desire for presidential candidates in 2008.

It's the time in the campaign season when Washington's legions of pollsters, policy wonks and political consultants go looking for that elusive bloc of swing voters large enough in number and cohesive enough in outlook to make the difference in a close election.

House Passes Four Bills Aimed at Helping Veterans

The House took steps yesterday to improve counseling and care for the tens of thousands of military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The measure, one of four veterans bills the House passed on voice votes, requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide outreach and mental health services to those who served in either campaign. The VA secretary is also directed to contract with community mental health centers in areas his agency does not adequately serve.

The Murdoch Journal Watch