Traumatic injury benefits now payable for genitourinary injuries

WASHINGTON – Servicemembers who suffer severe injuries to the genitourinary organs will now be eligible for Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Protection, or TSGLI.

"We recognize that these types of injuries are devastating and can have a long-lasting impact on the Servicemember's quality of life," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "It is for this reason that it is appropriate to include genitourinary injuries in the list of payable losses specified in the TSGLI program."

Military doctors reported seeing an increase in these types of injuries, many of which are the result of the nature of current warfare and the use of improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, by enemy combatants.

TSGLI provides a one-time payment to Servicemembers sustaining certain severe traumatic injuries resulting in a range of losses, including amputations; limb salvage; paralysis; burns; loss of sight, and other traumatic losses. Genitourinary injuries for male and female Servicemembers, are being added to the TSGLI schedule of covered losses.

VA also provides health care for genitourinary problems, along with disability compensation for cases of service-related injuries or illnesses involving genitourinary organs.

The first payments for genitourinary losses will be made to eligible Servicemembers and Veterans on Dec.2, eligibility for these new losses will be retroactive to injuries incurred on or after Oct. 7, 2001, the beginning of the Global War On Terror.

For more information on all of the TSGLI eligibility requirements, or to apply for a TSGLI payment, Servicemembers and Veterans should go to www.insurance.va.gov/sgliSite/TSGLI/TSGLI.htm or contact their branch of service TSGLI Office (contact information available at above link).

RISK FACTORS FOR IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN VETS SIMILAR TO VIETNAM VETERANS

Korean war veterans render honors during the playing of taps during a ceremony commemorating the 58th anniversary of the signing of the Korean War Armistice at the New Jersey Korean War Memorial in Atlantic City, N.J. on July 27, 2011. During the ceremony, eight Korean war veterans were awarded the New Jersey Korean Service Medal. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Andrew J. Moseley, 177th Fighter Wing Public Affairs)

---

WASHINGTON – Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) researchers from Boston report in the November issue of the Journal of Abnormal Psychology that risk factors for post-traumatic stress symptomatology (PTSS, short of full-blown posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD) in Afghanistan and Iraq Veterans were found to be similar to those observed in Vietnam Veterans.

This suggests that there may be generalized mechanisms and pathways, common to different Veteran populations, through which risk factors contribute to PTSS.

"This research underscores the vital importance of VA's outreach to Veterans, and their families, in helping them cope with posttraumatic stress," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.

The study subjects were a national sample of 579 (333 female and 246 male) Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans exposed to combat operations who had returned from deployment in the 12 months preceding the study. Using data from mailed surveys, the researchers assessed, as predictors of posttraumatic stress symptomatology, several risk factors which were previously documented among Vietnam Veterans. Examples include exposure to combat, pre-deployment stress exposure, dysfunctional family during childhood, lack of post-deployment emotional support from family and friends, and post-deployment stress exposure.

An interesting finding was that the women Veterans surveyed had new risk factors that were not seen in Vietnam- era women, such as exposure to combat and perceived threat. The authors ascribed that finding to the significantly different experiences of female Vietnam War and Afghanistan and Iraq war Veterans. Women Vietnam Veterans were primarily nurses or clerical staff. In contrast, women Veterans' roles in Afghanistan and Iraq have substantially expanded, with much higher levels of exposure to combat. Thus, women Veterans in these more recent conflicts may have more in common with their male contemporaries, in relation to PTSS risk, than with their female counterparts from the Vietnam era. However, in terms of post-deployment readjustment, family relationships during deployment appeared to play a more prominent role in female compared to male Veterans.

"Our findings highlight the impact and role of family disruptions in increasing the risk for posttraumatic stress symptomatology, particularly for female servicemembers," said Dr. Dawne Vogt, the paper's lead author, from the VA Boston Healthcare System. "It is particularly noteworthy that women who experienced relationship problems during deployment, also reported less post-deployment social support."

Veterans who believe they are experiencing symptoms of PTSS or PTSD may call the crisis hotline number at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and then push 1 on their telephone keypad to reach a trained VA mental health professional who can assist the Veteran 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

VA SUPPORT PROGRAM EXPANDING TO MORE VETERANS, SPOUSES

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs is implementing a telephone support program to help the spouses of returning Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans, after a pilot telephone support program showed significant reduction in stress for spouses.

cant reduction in stress for spouses. "Returning to civilian life after living in constant combat readiness can be a shocking transition, and it is the immediate family, the spouses and children, who bear that brunt of that transition with those who served," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "The more support we can provide to the family, the better the outcome will be for our Veterans."

The spouse telephone support program, which is part of VA's Caregiver Support Program, builds spouses' ability to cope with the challenges that reintegration to civilian society can bring, helps them serve as a pillar of support for returning Veterans, and eases the transition for families after deployments. Spouses in the pilot program reported decreased symptoms of depression and anxiety, with an increase in social support.

The Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery was the site for the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs' annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Nov. 11, 2011. Third District Congressman Jon Runyan was the keynote speaker joining senior military and veterans' leaders at the ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Mark C. Olsen, 177th Fighter Wing Public Affairs)

---

Spouses participate in 12 telephone support groups over six months. The focus is on problem-solving and communication, relationships, mental health and resilience. A trained, nationwide team of VA medical center staff members, including many caregiver support coordinators, will lead the support groups.

Typical issues spouses and Veterans face after deployment include communication difficulties, the need to renegotiate family roles and responsibilities and the added stress of combat related injury. Spouses of Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have reported feeling overwhelmed, depressed, anxious and frustrated.

"Providing support to family caregivers is the right thing for VA to do," said Dr. Robert Petzel, VA's under secretary for health. "A simple series of phone calls can do so much good. Certainly, those who fought for our nation and the spouses who allowed them to make that sacrifice deserve this support."

The program is based on research by VA researchers Dr. Linda Nichols and Dr. Jennifer Martindale-Adams, of the Memphis VA Medical Center and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Both researchers developed and studied interventions for family members of Veterans and military personnel. Their work with spouses of post-deployed and deployed military personnel is funded through the Defense Health Program, managed by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command.

Local caregiver support coordinators are available to assist Veterans and their caregivers in understanding and applying for VA's many caregiver benefits. VA also has a Web page, www.caregiver.va.gov, with general information on spouse telephone support and other caregiver support programs available through VA and the community.