November 28, 2011 – USA Today

Ten thousand combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder flooded into VA hospitals every three months this year, pushing the number of patients ill with the disorder above 200,000 and straining resources, Department of Veterans Affairs data to be released today show.

The increase is more than 5% per quarter, according to data obtained by USA TODAY, and it occurs as the VA struggles to move veterans quickly into therapy. New mental health patients at about a third of VA hospitals wait longer than the department’s goal of 14 days or less, according to a USA TODAY analysis published this month.

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December 1, 2011 – National Resource Directory

The TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) Prime option is available for purchase on December 1, 2011, with coverage beginning January 1, 2012. TYA Prime will offer young adult beneficiaries TRICARE Prime coverage for monthly premiums of $201. To purchase TYA Prime, dependents must be under age 26, unmarried and not eligible for their own employer-sponsored health care coverage.

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December 1, 2011 – Fortbragg.patch.com

Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 6 p.m. around 60 soldiers from headquarters, 20th Engineer Brigade landed at Green Ramp on Pope Field. Returning from Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn, the servicemembers had been deployed since last January.

Hayden Robicheau, age 6, said he looked forward to playing with his dad this week as he anxiously awaited greeting him.

“I’ll be working this week,” said spouse Sgt. 1st Class April Robicheau of Second Brigade. “Hopefully he will be able to spend time with the kids, so I can get a break.”

Following a brief official welcome home and traditional songs and fanfare, the soldiers anxiously reunited with their families. Members of the USO and the American Red Cross were on hand to greet the single soldiers. Servicemembers standing around without families received hugs and handshakes from Saint Nick himself.

Check the site tomorrow for more photos and video from the homecoming ceremony.

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December 1, 2011 – Fortbragg.patch.com

During this past Tuesday’s video teleconference, LT. Gen. Frank Helmick conducted a round table with members of the local media reporting on facts and figures, victories and the question on everyone’s mind – when will all the troops be home?

As the drawdown wraps up, there are two locations in Kuwait that U.S. personnel are operating from: Camp Buehring and Camp Virginia. South of the Iraqi border, Camp Buehring is where the command and control elements operate from. Camp Virginia serves as a final stop for troops where they turn in their equipment, clear customs and board the planes back to their home stations in Europe or the U.S.

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November 24, 2011 – Ashbury Park Press

Family members of veterans and active military in New Jersey and parts of New York can get free online training in dealing with issues such as Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome affecting their loved ones.

The VA NY/NJ Healthcare Network and a New York City-based technology company have launched “Family of Heroes,” an interactive training program in which participants role play three common scenarios involving military members and their families.

The one-hour training session is designed to help participants “manage the challenges of adjusting to post-deployment life,” according to a press release about the program.

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