Last year was one of the busiest seasons on record for first responders battling forest fires. Blazes burned more than 9.3 million acres of public and private land in 2012, and experts are anticipating that this year might be even worse, USA Today reports.
The dire warnings have sprung up for a number of reasons. Chiefly, many of the regions that were hardest hit by forest fires last year are still in the midst of especially dry conditions. Not only that, but budget cuts caused by sequestration have reduced the number of firefighters the U.S. Forest Service can employ to combat the expected blazes. While officials can take steps to reduce the impact of the cuts, they still pose a challenge.
"There isn't anyone that can do it alone, and when we see further cuts in the federal end, that is a partner that is not going to be able to come to the table as strong as in the past," James Karels, director of the Florida Forest Service, told the publication. "And that is a concern."
First responders will be impacted in other ways by sequestration as well. Specifically, the Federal Emergency Management Agency may reduce the amount of grant programs given to fire stations around the country.
The elevated suicide level is one of the most pressing concerns facing the military community and in an effort to help improve treatment, the Department of Defense (DOD) recently launched an extensive review of the 900 suicide prevention initiatives currently underway at the DOD and service levels. The hope is that streamlining the process can ensure the most effective programs are kept while the less helpful ones are eliminated, Military Times reports.
A growing concern
The review comes after a bad year for suicides in the military community. In 2012, 349 troops took their own lives, which was not only a record number but was also higher than the number of soldiers who were killed in action. All branches of the Armed Forces operate their own suicide prevention initiatives, many of which are geared toward strengthening mental resilience and improving transition assistance. The DOD hopes that by investigating these efforts it will be better able to offer prevention techniques in the future.
"DOD fervently believes that every one life lost to suicide is one too many, and prevention is everybody's responsibility," Jacqueline Garrick, acting director of the Defense Suicide Prevention Office, told Congress recently. "This fight will take enormous collective action and the implementation of proven and effective initiatives."
The latest effort
While the DOD's extensive review is the just the latest effort from the department to curb the suicide rate, it has been a significant focus of top military officials during the last several years. In her testimony before Congress, Garrick noted that a DOD-led task force provided 76 recommendations to address the problem. They include the creation of a Suicide Prevention Office to consolidate all efforts related to the cause.
Soldiers find unique ways to overcome invisible wounds
An estimated 20 percent of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan experience symptoms related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and many of them have managed the side effects in a wide variety of ways. Among them is Joel Booth, who lost his leg serving in Afghanistan. The 24-year-old teamed up with production company Strategic Operations, which provides real-life training videos, to serve as an actor in hyper-realistic war scenarios, according to The Associated Press. Despite putting him back in stressful situations, the process has helped him manage PTSD symptoms.
It's been months since Hurricane Sandy pummeled the Northeast, but the cleanup is still ongoing. Much of the effort has been led by the Army Corps of Engineers, which recently received around $5.35 billion from the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 to help those most in need, Army News Service reports.
The funding has been spread out in a variety of ways, including rebuilding projects and clearing of debris. While the Corps has been hard at work – members say around 734,000 cubic yards of debris have been removed – there is still about 40 percent of the wreckage waiting to be removed. Still, the Corps has completed a number of impressive missions including a delivery of more than 500 truckloads of water, at least 110 refurbished housing units and installation of more than 200 generators. It has also begun work on how to best equip the coast for future storms.
"The Corps will undertake a broad, conceptual examination of the best ideas and approaches to reducing the vulnerability to major storms over time, in a way that is sustainable over the long-term, both for the natural coastal ecosystem and for communities," Jo-Ellen Darcy, the assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works, told the website.
Given the size of Hurricane Sandy, it's no wonder the recovery process has lasted well into the new year. The October 29 storm caused an estimated $75 billion in damage.
Military families are not unfamiliar with financial challenges. Having to frequently move can make it difficult for spouses to find steady work, but as the cuts from sequestration begin to take effect, they may face new obstacles. Holly Petraeus, the assistant director of servicemember affairs for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, says furloughed salaries and other cuts may make troops and their loved ones prime targets for unscrupulous lenders, The Associated Press reports.
Salaries exempt from cuts, but challenges remain
The Department of Defense (DOD) has to make billions of dollars in cuts over the next several months, but the salaries of military personnel can't be touched. Still, sequestration could significantly delay the pay to civilian employees, many of whom are spouses of active duty soldiers. Furloughs could mean that military families have to reach out to lenders, making them susceptible to fraudsters who may be looking to take advantage of people in vulnerable positions. Petraeus recently spoke to attorneys general in the South to warn them of the impending crisis.
"I think a lot of folks have some concern that if the sequester does hit hard, that they may seek loans and they may seek loans in places where they are going to get really bad rates," Petraeus told the crowd, according to the AP.
A popular target
Even before sequestration, military families were already a common target for scammers. Petraeus said that because they are young – usually 25 and under – servicemembers are seen by unscrupulous lenders as easy to manipulate into bad deals with high interest rates. The startling trend has not gone unnoticed by the Department of Justice, which recently penned a blog to offer advice to soldiers looking for loans.
The department said that one of the most important things to remember is to be aware of up-front fees and to always ask what the total price of the loan is. It's also important for servicemembers to be sure of who they're dealing with, the DOJ says.
Preparation becomes more important
It may become even more crucial for military families to be wary of scammers in the coming months and years as thousands of soldiers return home from Afghanistan. Around 34,000 troops will return to the United States by the end of 2013, with the remaining forces expected home by the end of 2014.
There's no denying that soldiers are among the most physically fit individuals in the country. After all, they have to be, given that they're often tasked with carrying heavy gear all while performing a physically demanding job. In an effort to better understand how carrying all that weight affects their bodies, researchers in Massachusetts have applied a novel approach to studying servicemembers, the Army's official website reports.
Scientists at the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center are leading this trial. While previous research has been conducted on what toll the heavy gear is taking on the bodies of soldiers, those studies traditionally relied on asking subjects to simply walk in a straight line, which does not accurately mimic their activity in the field. To change this, Brown had participants – who were carrying anywhere from seven to 88 pounds – run, jump and cut like they would during battle.
"This is just another data point that shows how much load is affecting our soldiers," said team leader Dr. Jeffrey Schiffman. "Now we're starting to get more into react-to-contact type moments."
Studying soldiers more like athletes could offer solutions that ensure heavy gear doesn't take a toll on their health, which is a significant issue. A 2008 report found musculoskeletal injuries are common in active duty soldiers.
First lady Michelle Obama has been one of the most ardent supporters of military families over the last several years, and she recently furthered her commitment when she made a visit to both the Fisher House and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. She stopped in not only to talk to the loved ones of wounded servicemembers, but also to offer tickets to the upcoming Easter Egg Roll at the White House, USA Today reports.
The visit gave Obama the opportunity to discuss the challenges faced by military families, which are often especially prevalent among those who have a family member currently in the hospital. However, she discussed more than just the obstacles they have to overcome. She also praised the Fisher House, which offers families the chance to stay close to their loved ones while they are recovering.
"I mean, the Fisher Houses, as you all know, are just so important to families who are recuperating," she told those in attendance. "They're doing some great stuff. As you can see, the houses are beautiful. And all around the country, they are as beautiful and as welcoming and as comforting as you guys are experiencing here."
Obama's visit is evidence of her commitment to the Joining Forces initiative, which she launched with Dr. Jill Biden to support military families across the country.
Most veteran advocates agree that addressing unemployment is a significant issue, but a new report found that there was progress made in the last year. Findings from the Department of Labor reveal that unemployment among soldiers who have served after the September 11 attacks fell from 12.1 percent in 2011 to 9.9 percent at the end of 2012, The Associated Press reports.
While the findings are certainly encouraging, the DOL still stresses that there is work to be done, especially in the face of looming budget cuts. Federal, state and local governments will likely feel the effects of sequestration, which could result in reductions to their workforce, and given that an estimated one-third of veterans work in the public sector, this could have a significant impact.
Still, with Congress passing a host of laws, including one that offers tax credits to businesses that hire veterans, there are reasons to be optimistic. Furthermore, the military is now required to provide transition assistance training to troops leaving the service so that they are better equipped to find job once they enter civilian life, the AP reports.
The findings, which were culled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, also included a number of other encouraging facts. For instance, among veterans of all generations, unemployment dropped to 6.9 percent in 2012, which is lower than the general population.
The tuition assistance program has been at the center of much debate in Washington over the last several weeks. First, the popular benefit was suspended until at least October and then an amendment attached to the upcoming budget bill was defeated. However, there was some good news on Thursday when Congress passed a bill that restored the program to every branch of the military except the Coast Guard, The Associated Press reports.
Initial efforts fall flat
Soon after it was announced that the program would be suspended, thousands of complains came flooding in. Veterans' advocates in Congress, led by Senators James Inhofe and Kay Hagan, worked to propose an amendment that would restore funding for the program attached to the upcoming government spending bill. However, the plan was initially shot down because lawmakers wanted to move forward as quickly as possible on the law to avoid the potential for a government shutdown.
Change of course
Despite the setback, Inhofe and Hagan kept pushing for the amendment and eventually got it attached under one condition: the military would have to make cuts to other areas to save the estimated $250 to $350 million that suspending the tuition assistance program would have done. Inhofe applauded the decision of Congress to change its actions and accept the amendment to the government funding bill.
"What this does is reverse the decision from the Department of Defense that took away some of the abilities of our troops, when they are brought into the service, have in terms of subsidizing their tuition," said Inhofe, a senator from Oklahoma.
What it means for military families
While the amendment is certainly a victory for servicemembers and their loved ones, the addition of the amendment is not a permanent solution. Specifically, it only extends the benefit through the end of the fiscal year 2013 – which is through September 30. Still, it could have a significant impact on the financial future of military families. The program pays up to $250 per semester hour for active duty personnel, which adds up to as much as $4,500 per year. The program has been a big help to many soldiers looking to pick up a degree or earn a new license, which could help lower the unemployment rate among post-9/11 veterans.
Though the financial future of the military has attracted a great deal of attention in recent months, the growing mental health crisis plaguing veterans and active duty servicemembers is causing a much greater strain on the Armed Forces. The Department of Defense (DOD) has placed a heavy emphasis on suicide prevention over the last several years, but despite the significant efforts, the issue is still one of the most pervasive in the military community, The Arizona Republic reports.
Congress, White House have taken action
Over the last several years, suicide prevention has been a priority for lawmakers in Washington, D.C. For instance, in 2007 Congress passed the Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention Act, which was designed to reduce the stigma sometimes attached to seeking out mental health counseling. Around the same time, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), created a hotline dedicated to helping out veterans in crisis. In fact, last year President Barack Obama ordered the staffing at the hotline to increase by 50 percent. During the last five-plus years it has handled an estimated 740,000 calls.
Wounds often not visible
Experts say that one of the biggest reasons veterans may be hesitant to seek help for their mental wounds is because tens of thousands of soldiers have come home with visible injuries, so they feel as though they are not entitled to seek treatment for matters of the mind. However, with an estimated 20 percent of veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms (PTSD) it's important they start to view non-visible wounds as valid, experts say.
"A lot of them view that because they didn't come back with an amputation, they don't think they deserve help," Danny Guckenburg, a counselor at the Phoenix Vet Center, told the newspaper. "There is a need to validate that their wounds are just as important. This is the place they can open up about the pain they are experiencing. They can get a sense of hope that is missing."
New resources available
Earlier this month, the Army officially launched its website for the Ready and Resilient Campaign, which provides soldiers with many helpful resources, especially when it comes to mental health and suicide prevention. In particular, it offers a long list of numbers – including the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – as well as links to the military health system's website and the Army's suicide prevention literature.
It's been more than three months since the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School killed 20 children and six adults, and as a clearer picture emerges of the day's events, it's becoming evident the first responders suffered significant emotional trauma when they arrived on the scene. In an effort to help them overcome these challenges, Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy recently approved a fund to pay for their psychological treatment, reports CBS New York.
The fund was the idea of several Connecticut legislators, including House Minority Speaker Larry Cafero, and will be comprised of donations raised by corporations and the public. Offering the fund is important, Malloy says, because psychological treatment is often not covered by health plans, leaving first responders to have to choose between skipping treatment and paying hefty out of pocket expenses.
"The trauma is being felt and will be experienced for a period of time. So there may be people- the volunteer firemen or state troopers or police officers – who may experience, a year from now or two years from now difficulties in their lives," Malloy told CBS. "Some of them are in situations where they might not get the help they need relying on traditional methods or policies, and so we're setting up this fund."
The effects of responding to the shooting have already been evident. During a recent meeting with New Orleans police officials, Connecticut State Police Colonel Danny Stebbins said many first responders have quit their jobs due to the trauma, according to NBC Connecticut.