Our Budget and Our Failed Obligations

Since the election, one of the things I have particularly tried to do is move away from the politically-driven kinds of posts that seeped into my writing during the election season. Even when I have shared some politically related material since November, very little of it has been editorial in nature. However, this post is both political and editorial implications. An issue has come to my attention in a very personal way that convinces me that I can no longer be silent.

No matter what your beliefs about war and peace, or whether or not you support the current millitary incursions in Iraq and Afganistan,I believe that we all should believe in appropriate support and care for those that are serving in the millitary. And right now, the Pentegon and our Federal government is not doing a good job in taking care of our veterans returning from conflict.

From 2003-2008, I lived in Colorado Springs, CO. With a number of military outposts in the area, I was able to observe and discuss several of these issues regarding the well-being of soldiers from a noticable but detached distance. That changed when the husband of one of my wife's good friends, who is stationed at Fort Carson, returned to Colorado Springs after being hit by an IED as he was slipping back down into his tank.

Soldier Dan lost part of his hand. His hand was above his body as he was entering the tank. At that point, an IED exploded. He lost the side or his hand, and most of his fingers at the top of the first knuckle as he was climbing into the tank. When we first heard this from his wife, we were somewhat thankful. It seemed he had avoided death by mere seconds. In fact he had narrowly escaped death.

What we learned from his wife, who was our wedding's matron of honor, is that he also returned home from Iraq with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). To give the military the benefit of the doubt, we know very little about TBIs at this time. Most wars before this one lacked the technology we have now, and so many more soldiers were being killed. Today, due in part to improved body armour, our soldiers are returning home with TBIs in greater numbers than we ever anticipated.

Soldier Dan's TBI symptoms have clear physiologial effects. His prefrontal cortex has atrophied. This has severely affected his ability to function normally. In many ways, it creates symptoms similar to early onset Alzheimer's disease. Lack of impulse control. Inappropriate social skills and control that come across as very adolescent. Loss of short term memory. A "blanking out" in such a way that the person with TBI just goes into a transe-like state for long periods of time. And then moments of clarity and awareness of what was missed that grieve the TBI patient about what they are doing, and what they are becoming due to their injury.

You would think our military would being doing everything they could to support these soldiers,and to help them get well, wouldn't you? The truth is the Pentagon is not doing nearly enough. First of all, they are only providing limited counseling for these men with brain injury and their families that they return to. Soldier Dan has a six session counseling maximum to adapt to both his traumatic brain injury and the PTSD that he suffers from, and one of those sessions is used just to fill out paperwork. His spouse also is allowed counseling, but they are not allowed any family counseling as part of their care.

A TBI needs rest in order for the soldier not to have permanent brain damage. Yet the military leaders on Fort Carson have soldiers with TBIs working 24 hour shifts.

Despite the loss of part of a limb, and the brain injury, Soldier Dan is already planning on being redeployed next March. His commitment will end later that year, while he is serving in Afganistan. This means right now he and his family are faced with a difficult decision. If Dan reinlists, it means he will be in the military at least another 2 and possible 3 years, and facing another tour. It also means being in combat while disabled. If he does not reinlist, they send him out with another unit 3 months after returning from Iraq with the hand injury and the TBI. If he does not reinlist, he has to serve with new people, and with a mental and physical disability that are not completely healed. And, it also means that he increases the possibilty that he will never heal from his brain injury.

Why doesn't the government offer discharges to people who are permanently disabled? Why doesn't the military care enough about its soldiers to make a stronger effort to help them heal from their TBIs? Why does every military branch of military play this stoploss games with people who have served 3 and 4 tours in the Middle East? Doesn't the military offer anyone disability anymore? How do they expect recruitment to be sucessful if they do not treat current soldiers and respect?

All of this poor care for our veterans makes me very angry. We need to do better.