Rivera apologizes to Operation Just One and Pogany for "anti Army" slander, but not to peace groups
City council address Tuesday, November 8 at 1 pm after Mayor Rivera shuns community healthcare outreach to soldiers, vets, and families.
Address to Mayor from Terry Leichner read into the record Nov 8, 2005.
Please
join us to show that we are the constitutional patriots and the PEACE movement
supports healing of the wounds of violence.
Letter writing campaign all week.
Please write all papers and council members.
Gazette
Independent
Rocky Mountain News
Denver Post
City Council emails:
Mayor Rivera
Larry Small
Scott Hente
Darryl Glenn
Jerry Heimlicher
Margaret Radford
Tom Gallagher
Randy Purvis
Richard Skorman
Background:
Mayor Lionel Rivera first endorsed, then flip flopped on a proclamation
of Combat Operational Stress/PTSD Awareness Day and in the process politicized
what should have been a lauded community outreach of mental health professionals
providing pro bono services to soldiers and vets returning from battle.
Another address to city council will be held at City Hall, Tuesday,
November 8, at 1 PM. You can address City Council for up to 3 minutes
each during the public comments segment of the council meeting, but must
sign up in chambers, at the clerk's desk, starting at 1:00 PM.
TALKING POINTS:
1. Rivera first endorsed the program, Operation Just One, created by a returning
veteran of the Iraq war, Andy Pogany.
2. Then he reversed himself and refuses to work with the program at all.
3. His retraction is consistent with the military's insistence that its
mental health programs are adequate, and their propaganda to hide incidents
of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder).
4. Local vets and soldiers feel that the Army's program of 6 free counseling
sessions is not adequate.
5. Many soldiers and vets with psychological problems do not seek treatment
within the military because of the stigma. Community outreach programs are
a good alternative (as Rivera initially agreed).
6. Rivera took issue with some of the proclamations language, but that language
is based on the Veterans Administrations own publications on PTSD.
7. In attempting to minimize PTSD and the benefit of this free community
outreach, Rivera discourages participation in the program by health providers
who would offer pro bono services.
8. He is also discourage soldiers from seeking treatment because implied
in the message that PTSD is not a problem, is that the soldier's psychological
distress is not valid.
9. Rather than supporting the troop's healthcare needs, Rivera has failed
the troops.
10. JAMA study that 17% of returning soldiers admit PTSD symptoms; 9% for
Gulf War.
11. VA projects $1.65 Billion shortfall in mental health programs by 2007.
12. 2003: 134% increase in PTSD but ONLY 44% increase in VA budget;
13. 2004: 42% increase in severe PTSD but ONLY 22% increase in funds.
14. Slower increase in 2004 PTSD compared to 2003 makes no sense at all.
15. 2003 PTSD victims waiting average of 47 days to get into treatment.
16. Of 5,000 soldiers on "medical hold" ONLY 860 are regular Army; other
reserves, Guard.
17. One Springs Psychologist has 60-70% of clients from military.
18. Army assessment: 2003 suicide rate was 18 of 100,000, compared to 10.8
for US.
19. Army assessment: 60% with mental health problems got NO therapy in 2004.
20. Army assessment: 59% NOT trained adequately to handle combat stress.
21. Army claims 19% PTSD in transport and support, but ONLY 11% in combat
squads.
22. 2004 GAO report: VA has not fully met ANY of 1985's 24 recommendations.
23. 2004 GAO report: VA does not plan to meet 23 of 24 recommendations until
2007.
24. 2004 GAO report: 6 of 7 VA hospitals have not been able to meet PTSD
demand.
25. Aug 2005 VA tries to "review" 72,000 cases in "witch hunt" to limit
disability payments.
26.
September
7, 2005 study on PTSD, released by Dr. Joseph Boscarino
27. Suicide,
PTSD, healthcare rates from Vietnam Veterans of America
28. 110 self inflicted wounds by Iraq Veterans as of October, 2003
29. February, 2004 Army admits suicide rate is up 20% in Iraq Veterans
30. CDC
study found 9,000 Vietnam Veterans committed suicide within 5 years
of leaving military
31. 60-90% of Veterans with PTSD have chemical dependency problems after
release
32.
Army Mental Health Advisory Team report: average of 2 suicides per month
in Army
33. 67 suicides among Iraq Veterans after getting home
34. National Center for Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder
35.
Chief of Psychiatry at Walter Reed, Hoge: 30% of Vietnam Vets had PTSD
36.
VA report: number of PTSD cases grew by 100,000 from 1999 to 2004 to
215,871
37. Sexual assaults up 19% from 1999 to 2002 in report
from Wash Post under FOIA lawsuit
38. The full report
on sexual assaults the Army tried to hide (PDF format)
39.
1,700 sexual assaults in 2004, 1,275 against other troops
40. 17,000 cases
of spousal abuse in military families in 2003 as reported to the Miles
Foundation
41. JAMA
report (Hoge) on PTSD from July 1, 2004; 15.6-17.1% victims, but only
23-40% seeking help
Research:
VA publications:
http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/publications/cq/v2/n1/harkness.html
http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/facts/veterans/fs_iraq_afghanistan_lay_audience.htm
Mayor Rivera in the news:
http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_3070751
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3073440
http://gazette.com/display.php?id=1310872
http://www.csindy.com/csindy/2005-10-06/personalspace.html
KRCC's
Western Skies addresses Mayor Rivera and PTSD (part 1 transcript);
Western Skies on Mayor flip-flop and PTSD (Part
2 transcript)
Both Western Skies shows MP3 audio
of broadcast
PTSD, Fort
Carson, reports, organizations:
Mike
Lemke and Donald Dills interview on PBS on Fort Carson and PTSD
Walter
Padilla and Joshua Petersen interview on Fort Carson and PTSD treatment
Another report and
interview with Mike Lemke at Fort Carson
Save Our Vets.com collection
of government reports
Report
on legislation to review 72,000 cases of PTSD
Report on Springs' psychologist
with 75 PTSD clients
Operation Just One
National Gulf War Resource Center
Iraq Veterans Against the War
Veterans for Peace
CONTACT:
Mark Lewis
719-471-9400
CSAction.org