tagged w/ Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
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Alex Simmons is the producer of Vanguard's "War Crimes."
From the front page of The New York Times today:
The government is preparing to issue new rules that will make it substantially easier for veterans who have been found to have post-traumatic stress disorder to receive disability benefits, a change that could affect hundreds of thousands of veterans from the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam...
Under the new rule, which applies to veterans of all wars, the department will grant compensation to those with P.T.S.D. if they can simply show that they served in a war zone and in a job consistent with the events that they say caused their conditions. They would not have to prove, for instance, that they came under fire, served in a front-line unit or saw a friend killed.
The new rule would also allow compensation for service members who had good reason to fear traumatic events, known as stressors, even if they did not actually experience them.
The move reflects a greater understanding of PTSD, that one doesn't have to serve on the front-line or come under direct fire to return with the disorder. [Watch an outtake from "War Crimes" about a Los Angeles treatment clinic for veterans with PTSD.]
Of the vets we spoke to with PTSD during the making of Vanguard's "War Crimes," some experienced what are considered classic causes of combat trauma, seeing a good friend die or having their Humvee hit with an IED, like Jesse Bratcher.
But others, like Clark Fish, returned from the war zone traumatized not by fighting on a battlefield, but from working in an emergency room and seeing soldiers, and Iraqi children, die on a daily basis. [Meet Clark Fish in this scene from "War Crimes."]
In the past, it has been much harder for those like Clark to prove they had PTSD after never coming under fire from the enemy. These new rules are attempting to change that.
Watch Vanguard correspondent Kaj Larsen talk about his experiences as a Navy SEAL returning from combat below.
Alex Simmons is the producer of Vanguard's "War Crimes."
From the... more
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In this episode of Vanguard, correspondent Kaj Larsen investigates the alarming rise in the number of soldiers who have been traumatized by war and are now accused of bringing the violence home. Of the more than 2 million men and women who have served in the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as many as a third of them may now have post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. A growing number of these vets are being charged with violent crimes, and Kaj travels to prisons and mental health facilities in Arizona, Colorado and Oregon to hear their stories.
"Vanguard" is a no-limits documentary series whose award-winning correspondents put themselves in extraordinary situations to immerse viewers in global issues that have a large social significance. Unlike sound-bite driven reporting, the show's correspondents, Adam Yamaguchi, Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel and Mariana van Zeller, serve as trusted guides who take viewers on in-depth real life adventures in pursuit of some of the world's most important stories.
For more, go to http://current.com/vanguard.In this episode of Vanguard, correspondent Kaj Larsen investigates the alarming rise... more
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Correspondent Kaj Larsen and producer Alex Simmons both live Tweeted during the premiere of "War Crimes."
a_simmons This is Clark Fish...accused of murder. [Watch an introduction to Inmate Fish.]
a_simmons This was the first time I've ever filmed in a maximum security jail.
a_simmons No joke, DMX was in the same "pod" as Clark Fish [Watch Kaj talk about meeting DMX.]
a_simmons A lot of these scenes were filmed with a Canon 7D, using a steadicam.
kajlarsen Clark's father, Rickman Fish, is a vietnam veteran.
a_simmons Clark's dad was also a vet, who had PTSD and who got in trouble with the law. An scary coincidence @kajlarsen and I thought.
a_simmons This is the only article ever written about Clark. It's not long. http://bit.ly/9TRAi2
kajlarsen Breathe tattooed on Clark's arm. Ironic?
a_simmons @kajlarsen 1 of 5 ironic tattoos he has
a_simmons An excellent article about all the murders in Co. Springs by local reporter Dave Philipps. http://bit.ly/pRLXZ
a_simmons The Co. Springs Sgt. wanted nothing to do with us until he found out @kajlarsen was also a vet [Watch Kaj talk about going from Navy SEAL to reporter.]
a_simmons Dave Philipps went to Journalism School with @marianavz and @darrenfoster. Found out after intv.
kajlarsen Dave was extraordinary. Small town ski and snow reporter who stumbled on to an incredible story in his backyard [Watch Dave explain the lack of statistics about soldiers with PTSD who commit crimes.]
a_simmons + a Pulizter nom RT @kajlarsen: Dave was extraordinary. Small town ski and snow reporter who stumbled on to an incredible story
kajlarsen Gotta love the WARCAT. An acronym for everything.
a_simmons How good was Jack in this movie. http://youtu.be/DCUmINGae44
kajlarsen One of the greatest movies of all time! [One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was shot at the same mental health institution where Kaj and Alex shot.]
a_simmons My girlfriend actually found this article about Jesse Bratcher and suggested I read it. Led us to Salem, OR. http://bit.ly/9ymUyv
a_simmons Also, I went to Willamette University...in Salem, OR
a_simmons The very talented @justinmitchell helped us film many of these scenes in John Day. See his doc, it's incredible. www.riobreaks.com
kajlarsen Markku was awesome. A really interesting character.
kajlarsen Markku's father was a professor working with Einstein. Smart family.
a_simmons Markku Sario also runs the local community theater, hence his love of Shakespeare.
kajlarsen This murder is still a very touchy subject in John Day.
kajlarsen Quick push-up break, try and get 50 in.
kajlarsen Done, lets get back to Vanguard.
a_simmons Jesse and Celena got married one month after the murder.
a_simmons Neither the DA or the Defense team wanted to talk about Clark's PTSD in the trial. Elephant in the room?
a_simmons Nic Gray now runs his own business, helping other vets start their own businesses. http://bit.ly/9DX8Z3
kajlarsen Vets courts have a dramatically lower recidivism rate than traditional criminal courts.
a_simmons The judge of this Vet Court is a former Army General.
kajlarsen Next commercial break, 50 Burpees! Might take me a minute to recover. Thats a real set.
kajlarsen 2.5 years is an unbelievably long time to await trial. Its the nature of death penalty cases, but a very questionable system...
kajlarsen as mentioned by our latest retiring supreme court justice. http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/judicial/2010-05-05-stevens_N.htm?csp=34
kajlarsen Bud is a vet himself.
a_simmons The last report on veterans incarcerated in America used 2004 data. The next one will be out in 2012.
a_simmons We teamed up with @GOOD and they made an amazing graphic using this data. http://bit.ly/cWLBUK
a_simmons One of my best friends actually played a soldier on Grey's Anatomy. Random... [Watch Kaj talk about Rambo and other stories about soldiers with PTSD.]
kajlarsen Bud brown telling it straight.
a_simmons half of Vietnam vets with PTSD have been arrested or incarcerated at least once. insane stat I thought.
kajlarsen At first I thought Clark was joking, he wasnt.
Watch Kaj talk more about "War Crimes" in the behind the scenes commentary below.
Correspondent Kaj Larsen and producer Alex Simmons both live Tweeted during the... more
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shana
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In this candid commentary, correspondent Kaj Larsen goes behind the scenes of Vanguard's episode "War Crimes." Kaj talks about the empathetic bond he forged with Inmate Clark Fish, an Army medic who suffers from PTSD and is now waiting to find out if he'll be sentenced to death for the murder of his girlfriend. Plus, hear Kaj talk about readjusting after his own service as a Navy SEAL, the challenges of reporting a story that no authorities want to track statistics for, and how PTSD is one of the oldest stories known to man.
Watch a trailer for "War Crimes" here: http://current.com/shows/vanguard/92518362_war-crimes-vanguard-trailer.htm
"Vanguard," airing weekly on Current TV Wednesdays at 10/9c, is a no-limits documentary series whose award-winning correspondents put themselves in extraordinary situations to immerse viewers in global issues that have a large social significance. Unlike sound-bite driven reporting, the show's correspondents, Adam Yamaguchi, Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel and Mariana van Zeller, serve as trusted guides who take viewers on in-depth real life adventures in pursuit of some of the world's most important stories.
For more, go to http://current.com/vanguard.In this candid commentary, correspondent Kaj Larsen goes behind the scenes of... more
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Kaj
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In this scene from Vanguard's "War Crimes," correspondent Kaj Larsen investigates why Colorado Springs has become ground zero in what may be a coming tsunami: the alarming rise in the number of soldiers who have been traumatized by war and are now accused of bringing the violence home. Since the start of the Iraq War, 17 soldiers from nearby Fort Carson have been charged with murder or attempted murder.
Of the more than 2 million men and women who have served in the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as many as a third of them may now have post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. A growing number of these vets are being charged with violent crimes, and Kaj travels to prisons and mental health facilities in Arizona, Colorado and Oregon to hear their stories.
"War Crimes" premieres Wednesday, July 7 at 10/9c on Current TV.
"Vanguard," airing weekly on Current TV Wednesdays at 10/9c, is a no-limits documentary series whose award-winning correspondents put themselves in extraordinary situations to immerse viewers in global issues that have a large social significance. Unlike sound-bite driven reporting, the show's correspondents, Adam Yamaguchi, Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel and Mariana van Zeller, serve as trusted guides who take viewers on in-depth real life adventures in pursuit of some of the world's most important stories.
For more, go to http://current.com/vanguard.In this scene from Vanguard's "War Crimes," correspondent Kaj Larsen... more
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Kaj
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In this scene from Vanguard's "War Crimes," Clark Fish, an inmate at Maricopa County Jail in Arizona, tells correspondent Kaj Larsen about his time in Iraq as an Army medic. Fish, who has been convicted of murdering his girlfriend but still awaits sentencing, has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Kaj investigates the alarming rise in the number of soldiers who have been traumatized by war and are now accused of bringing the violence home. Of the more than 2 million men and women who have served in the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as many as a third of them may now have PTSD. A growing number of these vets are being charged with violent crimes, and Kaj travels to prisons and mental health facilities in Arizona, Colorado and Oregon to hear their stories.
"War Crimes" premieres Wednesday, July 7 at 10/9c on Current TV.
"Vanguard," airing weekly on Current TV Wednesdays at 10/9c, is a no-limits documentary series whose award-winning correspondents put themselves in extraordinary situations to immerse viewers in global issues that have a large social significance. Unlike sound-bite driven reporting, the show's correspondents, Adam Yamaguchi, Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel and Mariana van Zeller, serve as trusted guides who take viewers on in-depth real life adventures in pursuit of some of the world's most important stories.
For more, go to http://current.com/vanguard.In this scene from Vanguard's "War Crimes," Clark Fish, an inmate at... more
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It's about time...
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It was 1968, and Frank Rochelle was 20 years old and fresh out of Army boot camp when he saw notices posted around his base in Virginia asking for volunteers to test uniforms and equipment.
That might be a good break after the harsh weeks of boot camp, he thought, and signed up.
Instead of equipment testing, though, the Onslow county, North Carolina, native found himself in a bizarre, CIA-funded drug testing and mind-control programme, according to a lawsuit that he and five other veterans and Vietnam Veterans of America filed last week. The suit was filed in federal court in San Francisco against the US department of defence and the CIA.
The plaintiffs seek to force the government to contact all the subjects of the experiments and give them proper healthcare.
The experiments have been the subject of congressional hearings, and in 2003 the US department of veterans affairs released a pamphlet that said nearly 7,000 soldiers had been involved and more than 250 chemicals used on them, including hallucinogens such as LSD and PCP as well as biological and chemical agents.
Lasting from 1950 to 1975, the experiments took place at Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland. According to the lawsuit, some of the volunteers were even implanted with electrical devices in an effort to control their behaviour.
Rochelle, 60, who has come back to live in Onslow county, said in an interview that there were about two dozen volunteers when he was taken to Edgewood. Once there, they were asked to volunteer a second time, for drug testing. They were told that the experiments were harmless and that their health would be carefully monitored, not just during the tests but afterward, too.
The doctors running the experiments, though, couldn't have known the drugs were safe, because safety was one of the things they were trying to find out, Rochelle said.
"We volunteered, yes, but we were not fully aware of the dangers," he said. "None of us knew the kind of drugs they gave us, or the after-effects they'd have."
Rochelle said he was given just one breath of a chemical in aerosol form that kept him drugged for two and a half days, struggling with visions. He said he saw animals coming out of the walls and his freckles moving like bugs under his skin. At one point, he tried to cut the freckles out with a razor.
Not all the men in his group tested drugs. But he said even those who just tested equipment were mistreated.
"Their idea of testing a gas mask was to give you a faulty one and put you in a gas chamber," he said. "It was just diabolical."
The tests lasted about two months. Later, Rochelle was sent to Vietnam.
Now he's rated 60% disabled by the veterans affairs department, he said, and has struggled to keep his civilian job working on US marine bases. He has breathing problems, and his short-term memory is so bad that he once left his son at a gas station.
Among other problems, he said, his doctor diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder and said it came from the drug experiment. He has trouble sleeping and still sometimes has visions from the drug, he said.
A big goal of the lawsuit, Rochelle said, is to get the word out to the thousands of soldiers who were tested. Some may have forgotten all about the tests and not know that's why they now have health problems.
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Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, writing in 1987 on a similar case:
" 'voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential ... to satisfy moral, ethical, and legal concepts.' If this principle is violated, the very least that society can do is to see that the victims are compensated, as best they can be, by the perpetrators."It's about time...
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It was 1968, and Frank Rochelle was 20 years old and... more
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Since everyone is at least a bit familiar with John McCain’s record when it comes to strolling through a market in Baghdad with hundreds of his closest guards, or how he wants to stay in Iraq for 100 years (except when he flip flops on that).
But not that many really, truly know just how horrific his voting record is when it comes to the troops. And it is pretty consistent – whether it is for armor and equipment, for veteran’s health care, for adequate troop rest or anything that actually, you know, supports our troops.
Since everyone is at least a bit familiar with John McCain’s record when it... more
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Kris Goldsmith enlisted in the army after finishing high school, and was subsequently sent to Iraq. After four years of active duty, Goldsmith is just one example of an Iraqi veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress. "You get used to scanning what everybody's doing. Your brain just starts working so fast and it's purely instinctual because you want to know what everyone's intent is around you," said Goldsmith.
Post-traumatic stress disorder can develop after a life-threatening event, or a period of extreme stress. PTSD can cause people to become depressed, agressive, and emotionally deatched. Goldsmith began suffering from PTSD in 2005, upon returning from Iraq. "With PTSD comes anxiety problems, depression problems ... I get flashes of rage, which goes hand in hand with alcoholism I've been fighting since I got back from Iraq," Goldsmith said.
The last Pentagon study, published in 2004, stated one of six veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars suffers from PTSD, anxiety, or depression. A more recent study raised that estimate to one in five.
Kris Goldsmith enlisted in the army after finishing high school, and was subsequently... more
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"You get used to scanning what everybody's doing. Your brain just starts working so fast and it's purely instinctual because you want to know what everyone's intent is around you," said Goldsmith, who served four years in active duty.
"You want to know if anyone has the intent to harm you or the capabilities to harm you."
That hyper-vigilance is one common symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD, an anxiety disorder, can develop after a terrifying or life-threatening event, or a series of events causing extreme stress.
It's a complex disorder that displays myriad symptoms. People may become more depressed, aggressive, or emotionally detached. For Goldsmith, the chest-tightening anxiety attacks and trouble sleeping he experienced after returning from Iraq in 2005 indicated he was suffering from PTSD.
"With PTSD comes anxiety problems, depression problems ... I get flashes of rage, which goes hand in hand with alcoholism I've been fighting since I got back from Iraq," Goldsmith said.
As more troops return from the battlefield, the U.S. military faces a burgeoning dilemma of diagnosing and treating PTSD.
According to the latest Pentagon study, published in 2004, about one in six veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan suffers from PTSD, depression or anxiety. Learn more about PTSD
A more recent RAND Corp. study, released in April this year, found that nearly 20 percent -- or one in five returning war veterans -- reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression. But, only slightly more than half of them sought treatment, the study found.
"The night before I was supposed to deploy to Iraq on Memorial Day of 2007, I tried to take my fate into my own hands. What I wanted to do was make the issue of stop-loss something that people talk about and give people reason to fight against it because I had felt like my entire life had just been raped of every ounce of freedom and liberty that I had thought I was joining the Army to protect," Goldsmith said.
"So I took a black Sharpie magic marker and I wrote across my arms 'Stop-loss killed me. End stop-loss now.' I took my half bottle of Percocet and ... a liter and half a bottle of vodka and downed the Percocet and I chased it with the vodka and drank until I couldn't drink anymore."
To his surprise, Goldsmith survived the suicide attempt. His unit deployed to Iraq without him and he was discharged months later. Now 23, he lives with his parents in Long Island, New York.
His post-traumatic stress disorder was diagnosed months after his homecoming at a Veterans Affairs Hospital. He receives $700 in disability every month.
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These days, Goldsmith spends much of his time working with veterans' rights groups and in the peace and anti-war movement. Earlier this year, he testified before Congress' Out of Iraq Caucus as a member of the organization "Iraq Veterans Against the War." "You get used to scanning what everybody's doing. Your brain just starts... more
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A Merseyside police sergeant who was caught with a prostitute in a squad car has been given a suspended prison sentence.
For more than three weeks Karl Cliff was watched trawling the red light district of Liverpool and Wallasey while he was supposed to be on mobile patrol.
Undercover officers watched as the 42-year-old, who had more than 17 years in the police deserted his patrol and was seen visiting known sex workers.
Audio and video recording devices were even place in force vehicles to record conversations with known prostitutes.
Cliff, of Windsor Drive, Flint, was eventually arrested at 2.25am on August 7, 2007, with a prostitute in a deserted car park.
When officers pounced Cliff said: “I’m ***ed, aren’t I? Talk is quick on the grapevine.”
He admitted the charge of misconduct in public office.
Liverpool Crown Court heard he was suffering from depression and post traumatic disorder.
His barrister Donal Maguire said Cliff had been traumatised by the “harrowing events” he had seen while serving in the Royal Ulster Constabulary in northern Ireland between 1996 and 2001.
He added that the sergeant had an exemplary record during his 17 years service after joining the police cadets when he was just 16.
The Recorder of Liverpool, Judge Henry Globe, QC, decided to suspend an eight-month prison sentence for two years ordering him to do 175 hours of unpaid work.
He said: “The commission of misconduct in public office is a serious offence. It inevitably involves a dereliction of duty and a breach of trust. The police service and the public have the right to expect the highest standards of conduct from police officers.
“Your actions have brought the police service into disrepute and ridicule.”
Judge Globe said Cliff had fallen under suspicion within days of joining Merseyside Police from Greater Manchester Police on March 28, 2007.
Soon after his arrival a known Birkenhead sex worker complained he was pestering her.
His colleagues also raised questions about his behaviour after he frequently headed to notorious red light districts.
Formal complaints were made and the police professional standards team decided to mount an operation. A Merseyside police sergeant who was caught with a prostitute in a squad car has been... more
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Amidst military build-up in Iraq, not to mention escalating violence in the Middle East and Afghanistan, roughly 50% more cases of post-traumatic stress disorder were reported in 2007.
Since 2003 pproximately 40,000 troops have been diagnosed with Post traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Almost 14,000 cases were diagnosed in 2007 compared with approximately 9,500 new cases in 2006 and 1,632 in 2003.Amidst military build-up in Iraq, not to mention escalating violence in the Middle... more
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