OPINION: BEYOND YELLOW RIBBONS AND PARADES

by Bradley S. Barton, DAV National Commander

We've all seen those "Support Our Troops" signs and yellow ribbon car magnets, and soon there will be patriotic parades and celebrations marking our nation's independence. Those are great ways to show appreciation for our brave men and women in uniform---those in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as veterans who served before them.

But what about when they come home? Many of them have life-long disabilities, lives forever changed by their service to our country. We need to make sure their service and sacrifice are not forgotten.

The types of injuries, most notably from improvised explosive devices, and the high survival rate among the casualties in Iraq are unprecedented. For every soldier or Marine killed there, 15 survive injury or illness.

According to a recent Associated Press article, as many as 53,000 Americans have been wounded or injured in Iraq, including more than 800 who have lost an arm, a leg, fingers or toes. More than 100 have been blinded, many more have been disfigured by burns and thousands have brain injuries or suffer other psychological wounds.

Both the military and the veterans health care systems are struggling to cope with the influx of casualties. But despite the Walter Reed Army Medical Center scandal and some reported lapses elsewhere, for the most part the injured are getting very good care. The most seriously wounded---complicated cases with multiple injuries---often are assigned to one of the polytrauma centers run by the Department of Veterans Affairs. There they are swarmed over by a team of specialists unlike anywhere else. This holistic approach to treatment and rehabilitation is one of the great success stories of modern medicine.

However, the less visible wounds of war, often go untreated. An estimated 2,000 cases of traumatic brain injury have been treated, but doctors think thousands more have gone undetected. The Defense Department's Mental Health Task Force report released in June and a Washington Post series on post-traumatic stress disorder among soldiers at Walter Reed exposed many problems in the current response to veterans with mental health needs. Without proper intervention, these psychologically wounded veterans and their loved ones can be sent into a downward spiral that often leads to substance abuse, violent behavior or suicidal urges, ultimately ending in tragedy.

Political pressure brought on by the ongoing war has forced the military, the VA and Congress to address these weaknesses, at least in the short run. A number of commissions have been set up to assess the current state of medical and mental health care and make recommendations to the administration and Congress. Of course, Capitol Hill is awash with legislative proposals accompanied by self-congratulations and press releases about supporting the troops.

But our policy makers must do more than just talk about supporting American service-members and veterans. Both the Defense Department and the VA must implement a comprehensive, coordinated system of medical and mental health care to meet not only the immediate but the long-term needs of returning veterans.

More than one-third of the half-million eligible veterans of Iraq or Afghanistan have gone to the VA for health care. They and those who follow will join the more than seven million veterans already enrolled in the VA health care system. While the current fiscal outlook for veterans health care is promising, it is absolutely vital to ensure guaranteed full funding for the VA to care for the men and women who have served and sacrificed for our nation well into the future.

VA SECRETARY ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION

VA Press Release

WASHINGTON (July 17, 2007) - Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson announced today he has tendered his resignation to President George W. Bush, effective no later than October 1, 2007. Under Nicholson's leadership, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) continued its evolution as a leader in health care innovations, medical research, education services, home loan and other benefits to veterans. He transformed the VA health care system to meet the unique medical requirements of the returning combatants from Iraq and Afghanistan.

In his letter of resignation, Nicholson praised and thanked the President for the honor of serving him and our Nation's veterans in this key post at such a "critical time in our nation's global war on terror."

"The VA is a dynamic organization dedicated to serving our nation's finest citizens - our veterans," Nicholson said. "It has been an honor and privilege to lead the VA during this historic time for our men andwomen who have worn the uniform. We have accomplished so much and the VA is always striving to improve our services to veterans."

Nicholson said he wants to return to the private sector. "This coming February, I turn 70 years old, and I feel it is time for me to get back into business, while I still can." He said he has no de

finite plans at this time. He also addressed an assembled group of Washington VA employees and those watching around the country on VA's closed-circuit television. In his message to employees, Nicholson told them how privileged he felt to have worked with them in fulfilling our nation's promises andobligations to its veterans.

"VA has come a long way in meeting the growing needs and expectations of our veterans and you deserve the credit", Nicholson said.

Nicholson, a Vietnam Veteran, was sworn in as Secretary of Veterans Affairs on February 1, 2005. During Secretary Nicholson's tenure at the Department of Veterans Affairs, he...

* Directed each of our veterans of the global war on terror who come to the VA for any kind of care to be carefully screened for brain damage (TBI) and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

* Hired 100 new Outreach Coordinators to provide services to returning OIF/OEF veterans. The new coordinators are located in Vet Centers throughout the country especially near our military processing stations.

* Created a new Advisory Committee on OIF/OEF Veterans and their families to advise him on ways to improve programs serving OIF/OEF veterans.

* Directed the Veterans Benefits Administration to give priority to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) veterans in its compensation and pension claim system.

* Launched a major information technology transformation in the VA with the way it uses and safeguards personal and health information of veterans.

* Created a new Office of Operations, Security, and Preparedness to deal with emergency planning and security. Initiated the overhaul of the VA's vast contracting and acquisitionssystems.

* Created a blue ribbon Genomic Research Advisory Committee to use the VA's expansive medical data holdings to advance the science of predictive medicine.

* Commenced a major campaign to reduce the high rate of diabetes in veterans.

* Launched a national effort in the Veterans Health Administration to eradicate staph infections in VA hospitals.

* Approved 82 new Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) to bring VA top notch care closer to the veterans who have earned it.

* Created a new multi-campus Nursing Academy through partnership with the nursing schools throughout the country to help address a shortage of nurses within the VA and nationwide.

* Directed the hiring of suicide prevention counselors at each of VA's 153 facilities to strengthen one of the nation's largest mentalhealth programs. He also established a 24-hour national suicide prevention hotline that will be operational by the end of July 2007.

* Hired 100 new Patient Care Advocates to help severely injured veterans and their families manage VA's system for health care and financial benefits.

* Led the President's recent Task Force on Returning Global War on Terror Heroes to improve the delivery of federal services and benefits to Global War on Terror service members and veterans.

"This is a very big Government agency that, among many other things, sees over 1 million patients a week in its health care system, and is doing a world class job," Nicholson said. "The American people can feel proud about the way we are treating our veterans. The President and the Congress have been very supportive and for that I am grateful as well."

Nicholson thanked the President, "he has given me terrific opportunities to serve my country and under his strong and supportive leadership, it has been a real privilege."

Nicholson left the private business world over 10 years, where he ran a successful residential development and construction company. He was elected Chairman of the Republican National Committee in January 1997. Immediately prior to becoming Secretary, he served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See.

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