Military Officer - November 2008 - (Page 40)

washingtonscene is producing a national directory of beneﬁts, health care, education/training, and other support, searchable by geographic area, military service, and diagnosis. PTSD/TBI/depression panel highlights: More Medications Could Cost $22 ■ DoD has proposed rais- ing copayments for: Blood glucose test strips — 24 brand names, including One Touch, True Track, and many private label strips. Bladder medications — Detrol and Trospium IR. Antidepressants — Pristiq. Hypertension medications — Sular Geomatrix. Moderator Col. Jack Jacobs, USA-Ret., Medal of Honor recipient and NBC/ MSNBC analyst, said “people who have nothing wrong today are going to show up needing treatment years from now, and we need to be ready to care for them.” Terri Tanielian of RAND Corp. said key barriers include fear that revealing these conditions will affect military careers and a shortage of health care providers. “We need to incentivize and reimburse providers to show we value quality care. … If we don’t provide speciﬁc care now to all who need it, it will cost the country billions more in the future.” Dr. Steven Scott of the VA’s Tampa (Fla.) Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center said TRICARE isn’t set up to deal with people with multiple injuries, and multiple tours in a long war dramatically increase exposure to trauma. He observed that even the severely wounded have high expectations and “want to stand, walk, think, and serve.” Brig. Gen. Chaplain Wayne Hoffman, AUSRet., emphasized availability of military and civilian community faith leaders to help. Jackie McMichael, spouse of a soldier with TBI, reinforced the need for immediate and intensive involvement of families in the treatment process, as they’re the only ones who see them around the clock. She said TBI patients often are in denial with medical and other personnel because of their fears and desire to be as they were. VA Secretary James Peake said the VA has added 4,000 mental health providers and will spend $4 billion on mental health in FY 2009, but “the VA needs to do a better job of communicating. We need to be ‘veteran-centric’ … 38 percent of veterans live in rural areas and we have a 1945 disability system. We need to get to a paperless system and use technology.” NOVEMBER 2008 Army Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Eric Schoomaker said the Army is working to ensure the wounded and their families get the same high level of care and support anywhere in the country. “We want soldiers who aspire to serve, and we want them to know they will get the very best care when they serve. Our commitment to this allvolunteer force is that if you’re wounded in combat, we’ll take care of you.” He said the Army has retained 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan amputees on active duty. Recurring themes MOAA took from the day’s discussions include ■ the overriding need for a permanent, joint DoD/VA ofﬁce, fully staffed by members of both departments with responsibility for oversight, implementation, and evolution of joint cooperation efforts by the services, DoD, the VA, and civilian agencies; ■ the urgency of continuing personal involvement and attention by the most senior leaders in the two departments. That’s what it took to begin serious cooperation, and that’s what it will take to ensure it continues after the current leaders who got the ball rolling depart — as many will in a few months; and ■ the vital requirement for immediate and full involvement and education of family members in every aspect of the treatment, rehabilitation, and transition process. ■ Despite the continuing coordination problems inherent in changing the way these massive bureaucracies do business, thousands of leaders, administrators, and support staff at all levels are doing their best to provide the wounded and their families with the care and treatment they deserve. But it can be an overwhelming task, and continued oversight, reassessment, and constructive criticism are essential. MO — Contributors are Col. Steve Strobridge, USAFRet., director; Col. Mike Hayden, USAF-Ret.; Col. Bob Norton, USA-Ret.; Cmdr. René Campos, USNRet.; Cmdr. John Class, USN-Ret.; Col. Phil Odom, USAF-Ret.; Joy Dunlap; Cass Vreeland; and Bret Shea, MOAA’s Government Relations Department. 40 MILITARY OFFICER

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Military Officer - November 2008

Military Officer - November 2008 Contents From the Editor From the President Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Chapters in Action Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Financial Guidebook Out of the Red 7 Year-End Tax Strategies Cover Story: Memory Survives Something to Say MOAA Scholarship Recipients Pages of History Faces of MOAA Information Exchange Member Books Advertising Index MOAA Member Services MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps Encore

Military Officer - November 2008

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