The Media Freedom Foundation » post traumatic stress http://www.mediafreedominternational.org Media Democracy in Action Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:30:06 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 US Vietnam Veterans Threatened with Deportation http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2011/11/07/us-vietnam-veterans-threatened-with-deportation/ http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2011/11/07/us-vietnam-veterans-threatened-with-deportation/#comments Mon, 07 Nov 2011 21:23:58 +0000 admin http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/?p=2418 In 2012, Valente Valenzuela and his younger brother Manuel will find out whether they will be deported from the United States.  Valente, sixty-two years, and Manuel, fifty-eight, were born in Mexico, but moved to the United States in 1955, and have lived here since.  Their mother was a U.S. citizen, and their father became a naturalized citizen.

According to the Valenzuela’s’ attorney, the brothers, who are legal permanent residents, should have been granted citizenship upon moving to the U.S. as children, but were not.  Each brother served in Vietnam:  Valente is a decorated U.S. Army veteran, injured in combat and awarded a bronze star for his bravery, and Manuel is a former Marine.  Both suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, which they say contributed to their respective run-ins with the law-Valente was involved in a misdemeanor domestic violence dispute eleven years ago, and Manuel was charged with misdemeanor resisting arrest twenty-five years ago.

Yet, despite having served their country and paid their dues, the brothers received letters from the Department of Homeland Security (Manuel in 2005 and Valente in 2009) notifying them that they will face deportation hearings.  If deported, the Valenzuela’s will lose their veterans’ benefits, including counseling for their PTSD, and will be forced to leave the country they fought for and have called home for the last fifty –six years.

Obama administration removed more people during each of the last two years than in any year in U.S. history.  (ICE) Immigration And Customs Enforcement Is focusing its efforts on dangerous, violent criminals, both anecdotal and statistical evidence prove otherwise.  In October 2010 ICE released their statistics and removed 392,862 immigrants and more than have were no-criminals.  Since 1892 the total numbers of removals and returns exceeds 52 million.  It is overwhelmingly targeted Mexicans.  More than ½ of these deportations have taken over the last 20 years.

Title:  US veterans Valenzuela brothers facing deportation to meet with president Obama
Source: Dissent Magazine, issued spring, April 1, 2011,  page 64-68
Author: Adam Goodman

URL: http://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/?article=3916
http://carlosqc.wordpress.com/2011/07/15/us-veterans-valenzuela-brothers-facing-deportation-to-meet-with-president-obama/

Faculty Evaluator: Sheila Katz, Ph.D., Department of Sociology, Sonoma State University
Student Researcher: Ron Tureck, Sonoma State UniversitySimilar Posts:

]]> http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2011/11/07/us-vietnam-veterans-threatened-with-deportation/feed/ 0 Returning Soldier’s Internal Battlefields http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2011/04/04/returning-soldier%e2%80%99s-internal-battlefields/ http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2011/04/04/returning-soldier%e2%80%99s-internal-battlefields/#comments Tue, 05 Apr 2011 03:01:07 +0000 admin http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/?p=1811 The internal anguish a soldier experiences after returning from Iraq and Afghanistan can sometimes be far more severe than the live external combat. More than 2 million troops have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001. Those who do return suffer from physical, psychological, and cognitive trauma. The numbers of soldiers who are undergoing post-traumatic stress disorder and suffering from traumatic brain injuries are staggering. The media more than often glorifies our military while portraying the war situation in the Middle East. The corporate media does not, however, represent the side in which soldiers can no longer resume their lives prior to being deployed due to the sheer terror of combat experienced abroad.

 

Iraq veterans such as Brock Savelkoul, undergo such acute post-traumatic stress disorder that suicide is not a far off option. On September 21, 2010, Savelkoul lead a half dozen law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase while he was armed with six weapons including a semiautomatic assault rifle and 9-mm pistol. As the chase ended, Savelkoul emerged from his pickup truck and pleaded with the officers to shoot him. Stories like these rarely make their way to the public’s attention. Savelkoul stated that, “They teach us how to get over there, now they need to teach us how to get back”.

 

 

Title: Aftershock: The Ticking Time Bomb of Soldiers’ Traumatic Brain Injuries

 

Author: T. Christian Miller and Daniel Zwerdling

 

Source: alternet.org, 3/27/11

 

URL: http://www.alternet.org/world/150391/aftershock%3A_the_ticking_time_bomb_of_soldiers%27_traumatic_brain_injuries/?page=1

 

Student Researcher: Karen Kniel, Sonoma State University

 

Faculty Evaluator: Peter Phillips, Sonoma State University

 

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]]> http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2011/04/04/returning-soldier%e2%80%99s-internal-battlefields/feed/ 0 Suicides Taking More Lives Than War http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2011/04/04/suicides-taking-more-lives-than-war-2/ http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2011/04/04/suicides-taking-more-lives-than-war-2/#comments Tue, 05 Apr 2011 02:57:45 +0000 admin http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/?p=1805 More and more American soldiers are continuing to take their lives as a result of the war effort. By November of 2009, the total was up to 334, which are more than the totals killed in Afghanistan. Of every 100,000 army soldiers, the suicide rate is 20.2. The numbers for the suicides are as follows, Navy 47, Air Force 43 and Marines 42, the rest being in the Army. According to the Navy Times, 2  percent of Army,  3 percent Navy and 2.3% of Marine soldiers reported in a survey that they had attempted suicide at one point.  There were a lot of different cases for the suicide attempts including relationships, substance abuse, financial problems or problems with other members of their unit to go along with some others.

 

Another bad statistic has to do with the veterans that have already been in war and suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD can affect their will to live when they come home. A study showed that 47 percent of veterans with PTSD had had thoughts of suicide before they found help. More than 40 per 100,000 men from the ages of 20 to 24 take their lives each year. Some deaths, which are not part of these previous statistics, are due to drinking and driving due to depression drinking by the soldiers. In 2008, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans were 75 percent more likely to die in a car accident and 148 percent more likely to die in a motorcycle accident. One of the reasons for the increase in the number of veterans with PTSD has to do with the advances in body armor and medical treatment for the soldiers. As of  2009 some 360,000 men and women had suffered some sort of brain injury while in Iraq or Afghanistan.

 

Title: Suicide Claims More US Military Lives than Afghan War

Author: James Cogan

Source: World Socialist Web Site

URL: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/jan2010/suic-j06.shtml

 

Student Researcher: Josh Crockett

Faculty Evaluator: Heather Flynn, Sonoma State University

 

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]]> http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2011/04/04/suicides-taking-more-lives-than-war-2/feed/ 0 Suicides Taking More Lives Than War http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2011/03/12/suicides-taking-more-lives-than-war/ http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2011/03/12/suicides-taking-more-lives-than-war/#comments Sat, 12 Mar 2011 22:25:08 +0000 admin http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/?p=1528 More and more American soldiers are continuing to take their lives as a result of the war effort. By November of 2009, the total was up to 334, which are more than the totals killed in Afghanistan and Iraq. Of every 100,000 army soldiers, the suicide rate is 20.2. The numbers for the suicides are as follows, Navy 47, Air Force 43 and Marines 42, the rest being in the Army. According to the Navy Times, 7.3 percent of Army, Navy and Marine soldiers reported in a survey that they had attempted suicide at one point.  There were a lot of different cases for the suicide attempts including relationships, substance abuse, financial problems or problems with other members of their unit to go along with some others.

Another bad statistic has to do with the veterans that have already been in war and suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD can affect their will to live when they come home. A study showed that 47 percent of veterans with PTSD had had thoughts of suicide before they found help. More than 40 per 100,000 men from the ages of 20 to 24 take their lives each year. Some deaths, which are not part of these previous statistics, are due to drinking and driving due to depression drinking by the soldiers. In 2008, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans were 75 percent more likely to die in a car accident and 148 percent more likely to die in a motorcycle accident. One of the reasons for the increase in the number of veterans with PTSD has to do with the advances in body armor and medical treatment for the soldiers. As of  2009 some 360,000 men and women had suffered some sort of brain injury while in Iraq or Afghanistan.

 

Title: Suicide Claims More US Military Lives than Afghan War

Author: James Cogan

Source: World Socialist Web Site

URL: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/jan2010/suic-j06.shtml

Student Researcher: Josh Crockett

Faculty Advisor: Robert McNamara

 

 

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]]> http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2011/03/12/suicides-taking-more-lives-than-war/feed/ 1 Violence and the New Face of Homelessness in America http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2010/12/19/violence-and-the-new-face-of-homelessness-in-america/ http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2010/12/19/violence-and-the-new-face-of-homelessness-in-america/#comments Mon, 20 Dec 2010 01:54:56 +0000 admin http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/?p=1267

In 2009, violence against the homeless was at an all time high, with reports of injuries, vandalism of property, and 43 deaths among homeless persons across the nation. The stressful experiences of becoming homeless and then being victimized create extremely high levels of trauma, leading to elevated rates of mental illness among homeless individuals.

These and other factors have contributed to a significant shift in the profile of homelessness. Homelessness is no longer the unique experience of addicts, the severely mentally ill, or the chronically unemployed. In recent years, homelessness has been on the rise due to soaring unemployment rates, increased levels of poverty, the foreclosure crisis, and a shortage of affordable housing and social services, all of which accompanied the recent economic downturn in the United States. The recent recession has left thousands of formerly hard-working, middle class people without a roof over their heads. Six million Americans have lost their home to foreclosures, leading to the recent surge of tent cities throughout the country. For example, an estimated 1,534 people are living in Los Angeles encampments and 900 in Sacramento, California.

We are currently seeing, for example, an increase in the number of homeless veterans. As of 2007, one in four homeless people were veterans. Veterans often become homeless due to mental illness and/or substance abuse for which they receive inadequate, if any, professional treatment. According to Pete Dougherty, director of homeless veterans’ programs at the VA, forty-five percent of people who use their programs have a mental illness, while three out of four have substance abuse problems.The most common mental illness, and one of the leading causes of homelessness among veterans, is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. However, living on the streets itself leads homeless individuals to experience the kinds of victimization that lead to PTSD. A study published in 2004 inChild Adolescent Psychiatry found that eighty-three percent of youth living on the streets were physically or sexually victimized. Among these homeless youth, eighteen percent showed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Thus the cycle: homelessness leads to PTSD, while PTSD and other mental illnesses make it even more difficult for homeless people to improve their situation.

Unfortunately, violence against the homeless is not always frowned upon; sometimes, it is, instead, celebrated. In recent YouTube videos, young males are showcased physically and verbally abusing homeless men under the name of “BumHunters” or “Bum Fights.” In some jurisdictions, local police play a role in victimizing the homeless. In one reported instance, a homeless man was approached by a police officer who slapped him on the back and called him names like “punk” and “homeless bitch.”
Sources:

Biagotti, L. & Davis, T. (2008). The Changing Face of Homelessness. Oct. 27th 2010 Retrieved from http://www.coping-with-life.com/2008/05/changing-face-of-homelessness.html

Chen, M. (2009, October 16). Homelessness and the Recession: An Unimaginable Crisis. In These Times. Retrieved from http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/5052/homelessness_and_the_recession an_unimaginable_crisis/

Dobnik, V. (2006, July 5). Homelessness a Threat for Iraq Vets. CommonDreams.org. Retrieved from http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0705-04.htm

EducationNews.org. (2010, March 19th). Economic Crisis Devastates Rich & Poor- Tent Cities in America. EducationNew.org. Retrieved from

http://www.educationnews.org/mobile/political/political_releases/76201.html

Student Researchers: Emily Waterman, Jessica Starr, Sara Fitzpatrick, Siena College

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Mo Hannah, Siena College

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]]> http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2010/12/19/violence-and-the-new-face-of-homelessness-in-america/feed/ 2 Increasing Rates of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Associated with The Iraq and Afghanistan Wars http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2010/12/19/increasing-rates-of-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-associated-with-the-iraq-and-afghanistan-wars/ http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2010/12/19/increasing-rates-of-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-associated-with-the-iraq-and-afghanistan-wars/#comments Mon, 20 Dec 2010 01:52:03 +0000 admin http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/?p=1264

Over the past decade, post-traumatic stress disorder has become increasingly among troops who have participated in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A large study from the RAND Institute, a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decision-making through research and analysis, reported that one in five servicemen return home from those wars with PTSD. The year 2009 saw the number of troops hospitalized for PTSD and other mental health problems exceeding the number hospitalized for any other cause, including combat-related injuries.
Despite the growing evidence of a mental health epidemic among American troops, efforts to prevent and alleviate PTSD have met little success. The increased rate of post-traumatic stress disorder is linked several factors unique to the current occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. The factor that is perhaps most responsible is the increased (in comparison with previous wars) length and frequency of deployments to these combat areas. In addition to longer multiple deployments, the “backdoor draft” that is effectively created by the current “Stop Loss” policy has extended the enlistment period of 60,000 troops, thus placing greater demands on the National Guard and military reserves. The increased risk of PTSD is also linked to the use of high-tech urban guerilla-type was tactics in war zones where the “enemy” can be virtually anyone and everyone. For these and other reasons, some troops experiences great difficulty coping with their experiences and adapting to society after they return home.
Due to the high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental illnesses among active military troops and veterans, suicide rates have been skyrocketing. Since 2005, the suicide rate among American soldiers has doubled, with suicides occurring at the highest rate in the past thirty years. PTSD in soldiers may also have disastrous consequences for military families: veterans with PTSD are more likely to commit acts of domestic violence than those without PTSD.
Despite the increase in post-traumatic stress disorder and the growing suicide epidemic among American soldiers, interventions on the part of health providers for traumatized veterans remains inadequate. For example, it has been reported that, at the Army’s top hospital, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, soldiers flown in with physical injuries received excellent care while those who are mentally wounded with post-traumatic stress disorder receive mediocre care.
It is clear that the post-traumatic stress disorder epidemic is not being taken seriously enough by our military or our policy makers. Unfortunately, there still is no sign that the rate of PTSD among soldiers and veterans is leveling off; apparently, many more American soldiers are destined to develop this often-debilitating psychological illness.
Sources:

Astore, W. (2009, December 15). The price of pushing our troops too far. Retrieved 
 December 13, 2010, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-astore/the-
 price-of-pushing-our_b_393226.html
Chen, M. (2010, November 12). The war comes home. Retrieved December 11, 2010, 
 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michelle-chen/the-wars-come-
 home_b_782566.html
Chretien, J. (2010, September 16). The invisible wounds of war: Let’s hear from the 
 generals. Retrieved December 11, 2010, from 
 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeanpaul-chretien/the-invisible-wounds-of-
 w_b_719501.html
Mitchell, G. (2008, June 10). Scandal of suicides, soldiers-on-meds and PTSD explodes. 
 Retrieved December 13, 2010, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/greg-
 mitchell/scandal-of-suicides-soldi_b_106295.html
Sederer, L. I. (2010, November 11). How the stress of combat affects family and work at 
 home. Retrieved December 11, 2010, from 
 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lloyd-i-sederer-md/military-service-and-
 beyo_b_781874.html
Tick, E. (2005). War and the soul: Healing our nation’s veterans from post-traumatic 
 stress disorder. Wheaton, IL: Quest Books

(2005, March 15). The invisible wounded: Injured U.S. soldiers arrive home under cover 
 of darkness. Retrieved December 13, 2010, from 
 http://www.democracynow.org/2005/3/15/the_invisible_wounded_injured_u_s
(2010, April 21). US military wages war on PTSD. Retrieved December 14, 2010, from 
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8634277.stm
(2010, October 07). “Operation recovery”: On 9th anniversary of Afghan war, veteran-
 led campaign seeks to end deployment of traumatized soldiers. Retrieved 
 December 13, 2010, from http://www.democracynow.org/2010/10/7/operation_
 recovery_on_9th_anniversary_of

Researchers: Jacquelyn Casey, Melanie Macri, Tricia Davidson, Siena College
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Mo Hannah, Siena College

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]]> http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2010/12/19/increasing-rates-of-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-associated-with-the-iraq-and-afghanistan-wars/feed/ 0 The Hell of War Comes Home http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2010/01/23/the-hell-of-war-comes-home/ http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/2010/01/23/the-hell-of-war-comes-home/#comments Sun, 24 Jan 2010 00:22:24 +0000 admin http://www.mediafreedominternational.org/?p=468 Ten soldiers from Fort Carson’s 4th Infantry Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team have been arrested on charges of murder, attempted murder or manslaughter in Colorado Springs since 2006. These soldiers have fought in some of the bloodiest places in Iraq, and when they came home toColorado Springs suffering the emotional wounds of combat, some kept killing. Kenneth Eastridge, one of the infantry soldiers, says, “The Army pounds in into your head until it is instinct: Kill everybody, kill everybody.” Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is like a roadside bomb.

The symptoms can remain hidden for months, then explode. Davida Hoffman, a counselor of a private clinic that treats Carson soldiers, says, “The more combat soldiers see, the more problems they will have. The more problems soldiers have, the more problems Colorado Springs has.”

Title: Casualties of War, Part I: The hell of war comes home

Author: Dave Philipps,Source: The Gazette, 7/24/2009http://www.gazette.com/articles/iframe-59065-eastridge-audio.html

Title: Casualties of War, Part II: Warning SignsAuthor: Dave Philipps,

Source:  The Gazette, 7/24/2009http://www.gazette.com/articles/html-59091-http-gazette.html

Student Researcher: Jenni Schumann

Faculty Evaluator: Andrew RothSonoma State UniversitySimilar Posts:

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