/PRNewswire/ -- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which now has nearly 8 million Veterans enrolled in its award-winning health care system, is poised to welcome nearly 266,000 more Veterans into its medical centers and clinics across the country by expanding access to health care enrollment for certain Veterans who had been excluded due to their income.
"This incremental approach to expanding enrollment ensures that access to VA health care for a greater number of beneficiaries does not sacrifice timely access or quality medical care for those Veterans already enrolled in VA's health care system," Dr. Gerald Cross, VA's Acting Under Secretary for Health, said. "Over the next four years, we hope to provide enrollment to more than 500,000 Veterans."
Under a new regulation effective June 15, VA will enroll Veterans whose income exceeds current means-tested thresholds by up to 10 percent. These Veterans were excluded from VA health care enrollment when income limits were imposed in 2003 on Veterans with no service-connected disabilities or other special eligibility for care. There is no income limit for Veterans with compensable service-connected disabilities or for Veterans being seen for their service-connected disabilities.
Veterans who have applied for VA health care but were rejected due to income at any point in 2009 will have their applications reconsidered under the new income threshold formula. Those who applied before 2009, but were rejected due to income, must reapply. VA will contact these Veterans through a direct-mail campaign, Veterans service organizations, and a national and regional marketing campaign.
Information about enrollment and an income and assets calculator are available at www.va.gov/healtheligibility. The calculator provides a format in which Veterans enter their household income, number of dependents, and zip codes to see if they may qualify for VA health care enrollment.
In addition to applying online, Veterans may also contact VA's Health Benefits Service Center at 1-877-222 VETS (1-877-222-8387). Each VA medical center across the country has an enrollment coordinator available to provide Veterans with enrollment and eligibility information.
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18 June 2009
Columbus Lion’s Host “Sledgehammer Night”
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The Columbus Lions arena football team, sponsored “Sledgehammer Night” for the Soldiers of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, at the Civic Center, in Columbus, Ga., June 13.Before the game, 3rd HBCT Soldiers tailgated in the Civic Center parking lot, enjoyed a free concert, and interacted with the Lion’s players and cheerleaders.
“I enjoyed it,” said 1st Sgt. Dobby Anderson, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Brigade Special Troops Battalion. “I really like how the whole brigade came out and supported this. That was a big-time tailgate party. We had people grilling and throwing the football. The music was going. It set the tone for the whole evening.”
Many Soldiers took the opportunity to branch out and spend time with other Soldiers outside of their units.
“It was good to get the opportunity to mess around with the other battalions and talk with some of the other sergeants major in the brigade,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Dan Huell, 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment. “That event went along way in building team cohesion and espri de corps in the unit.”
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During the game, 3rd HBCT Soldiers and their families supported the Lions as they defeated the Fayetteville Guard, from North Carolina. Before the game, John Hargrove, the managing partner of the Lions, presented Col. Pete Jones, brigade commander, with a banner commemorating the evening. Hargrove also offered words of support to the brigade Soldiers.Various Soldiers of the 3rd HBCT participated in events throughout the game, including singing the national anthem, playing exhibition games during game breaks, and a reenlistment ceremony during half time, various videos highlighting the brigade’s last deployment. Four Sledgehammer Soldiers also reenlisted during halftime before eight Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, repelled from the rafters down to the field.
After each event, the people of Columbus showed their support to the participating Soldiers by giving them round after round of applause.
“The event was a great team building event, not just for us, but for the brigade and the populace of Columbus,” said Huell. “The support we and our families received was tremendous.”
Photo 1: The color guard composed of 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Soldiers, present the colors during the National Anthem during “Sledgehammer Night” at the Civic Center in Columbus, Ga., June 13.
Photo 2: During halftime of the Columbus Lion’s game against the Fayetteville Guard , June 13, at the at the Civic Center in Columbus, Ga., Col. Pete Jones, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division commander, displays a guitar autographed by the rock legends Queensryche. The guitar was given away as a part of Sledgehammer Night.
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08 June 2009
FRC Comments on Supreme Court's Rejection of Challenge to Military's Homosexual Ban
Family Research Council President Tony Perkins praised today's Supreme Court decision to turn away a legal challenge to the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy:
"Today's decision is the triumph of solid evidence and simple common sense over politically-driven extremism," said Perkins. "As Congress recognized in the early 1990s, homosexuality is incompatible with military service. Nothing has changed since then.
"The courts have consistently upheld the military's 1993 homosexual ban and affirmed convincingly that the law is constitutional. Congress and the courts have long acknowledged that the military has the responsibility to focus on creating and preserving readiness. Military service is a privilege, not a right, and anything that detracts from the ability of our service personnel to fulfill their mission should be prohibited. The sexual tension that would be introduced by forced cohabitation with homosexuals indisputably fits into that category.
"We urge President Obama and Congress to also reject any administrative or legislative efforts that would overturn the existing law. The military should not be used as a testing vehicle with which to implement liberal social policies.
"President Obama should also consider a recent letter from a coalition of over 1,000 retired flag and general officers -- including a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, several Service Chiefs, a Medal of Honor winner, and a total of 47 with four-star rank -- that was sent to him and to Congress, with an accompanying issue overview, in support of the current law declaring homosexuality to be incompatible with military service. The letter warns that overturning the ban would undermine recruiting and retention, and adversely impact the willingness of parents who lend their sons and daughters to military service.
"Indeed, a 2008 Military Times poll found that 58% of active-duty military respondents object to overturning the ban. In addition, almost a quarter of poll respondents said they would not re-enlist or consider not re-enlisting if the ban is overturned.
"Not taking these realities seriously shows not only contempt for those who serve but also a troubling willingness to put the insistent demands of a vocal minority ahead of the security of our nation. The Commander in Chief should never make a decision based on that kind of highly politicized pressure," Perkins concluded.
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"Today's decision is the triumph of solid evidence and simple common sense over politically-driven extremism," said Perkins. "As Congress recognized in the early 1990s, homosexuality is incompatible with military service. Nothing has changed since then.
"The courts have consistently upheld the military's 1993 homosexual ban and affirmed convincingly that the law is constitutional. Congress and the courts have long acknowledged that the military has the responsibility to focus on creating and preserving readiness. Military service is a privilege, not a right, and anything that detracts from the ability of our service personnel to fulfill their mission should be prohibited. The sexual tension that would be introduced by forced cohabitation with homosexuals indisputably fits into that category.
"We urge President Obama and Congress to also reject any administrative or legislative efforts that would overturn the existing law. The military should not be used as a testing vehicle with which to implement liberal social policies.
"President Obama should also consider a recent letter from a coalition of over 1,000 retired flag and general officers -- including a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, several Service Chiefs, a Medal of Honor winner, and a total of 47 with four-star rank -- that was sent to him and to Congress, with an accompanying issue overview, in support of the current law declaring homosexuality to be incompatible with military service. The letter warns that overturning the ban would undermine recruiting and retention, and adversely impact the willingness of parents who lend their sons and daughters to military service.
"Indeed, a 2008 Military Times poll found that 58% of active-duty military respondents object to overturning the ban. In addition, almost a quarter of poll respondents said they would not re-enlist or consider not re-enlisting if the ban is overturned.
"Not taking these realities seriously shows not only contempt for those who serve but also a troubling willingness to put the insistent demands of a vocal minority ahead of the security of our nation. The Commander in Chief should never make a decision based on that kind of highly politicized pressure," Perkins concluded.
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06 June 2009
Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience
FREE writing workshops at the Atlanta VA Medical Center 6-8pm on Monday evenings, June 8-29
Active duty troops, veterans, and their families are invited to participate in a unique literary program that encourages American military personnel who have served our nation in both current and past conflicts to record their stories and reflections.
These free weekly writing workshops will be led by Atlanta author and journalist Jedwin Smith and will provide the opportunity for participants to improve their writing skills.
To register, email MEisenhart@atlantahistorycenter.com or call 404.814.2063.
More information: www.OperationHomecoming.gov.
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Active duty troops, veterans, and their families are invited to participate in a unique literary program that encourages American military personnel who have served our nation in both current and past conflicts to record their stories and reflections.
These free weekly writing workshops will be led by Atlanta author and journalist Jedwin Smith and will provide the opportunity for participants to improve their writing skills.
To register, email MEisenhart@atlantahistorycenter.com or call 404.814.2063.
More information: www.OperationHomecoming.gov.
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05 June 2009
Over 700 Schools Partner With VA to Help Veterans Pay for Education
/PRNewswire / -- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today that it has entered into more than 700 agreements with institutions of higher learning across the nation to participate in the Post-9/11 GI Bill's "Yellow Ribbon Program."
Many schools signed agreements for participation in not only undergraduate programs, but graduate and doctoral programs as well. Some schools entered into one agreement that covered all their campuses throughout the United States.
"VA is very pleased with the wide-spread interest in the program," said Under Secretary for Benefits Patrick W. Dunne. "We strongly encourage any interested universities to formally sign-up with the agency before the June 15 deadline to ensure participation in the 2009-2010 academic year."
The Yellow Ribbon Program is a provision of the Post-9/11 GI Bill that allows degree-granting institutions to voluntarily enter into a formal agreement with VA to fund tuition and fee expenses that exceed the highest public, in-state undergraduate rates.
The institution can contribute up to 50 percent of those expenses and VA will match this additional funding for eligible students. This may enable qualified students to potentially attend school tuition-free.
This program is reserved for participants at the 100 percent benefit level, specifically those who have served at least 36 months on active duty or served at least 30 continuous days and were discharged due to a service-related injury.
Congress intended the Yellow Ribbon Program to be utilized by universities to make up the difference in the costs for out-of-state, private or graduate tuition, although some institutions may choose not to participate.
Some universities have announced their desire to participate in the program but have not signed a formal agreement with VA, which is required under federal law. VA suggests schools interested in the program contact the Department or visit our Web site for more information.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill, passed by Congress last year, is the most extensive educational assistance program authorized since the original GI Bill was signed into law in 1944.
The maximum benefit allows every eligible Veteran, servicemember, reservist, and National Guard member an opportunity to receive an in-state, undergraduate education at a public institution at no cost. Provisions of the program include payments for tuition and fees, housing, and a books and supplies stipend.
Benefits are payable for training pursued on or after August 1, 2009. The tuition and fee benefit is paid directly to the school and is not meant to exceed the established (or actual) in-state charges at a public institution.
With the large numbers of Veterans and servicemembers expected to sign-up for the new Post-9/11 GI Bill program, VA projects a 20 to 25 percent increase in the total number of participants in VA's education programs.
VA has received more than 60,000 claims for education benefits during the first five weeks since Veterans and servicemembers could apply online. Up to 460,000 students are expected to participate in the program during the first year.
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Many schools signed agreements for participation in not only undergraduate programs, but graduate and doctoral programs as well. Some schools entered into one agreement that covered all their campuses throughout the United States.
"VA is very pleased with the wide-spread interest in the program," said Under Secretary for Benefits Patrick W. Dunne. "We strongly encourage any interested universities to formally sign-up with the agency before the June 15 deadline to ensure participation in the 2009-2010 academic year."
The Yellow Ribbon Program is a provision of the Post-9/11 GI Bill that allows degree-granting institutions to voluntarily enter into a formal agreement with VA to fund tuition and fee expenses that exceed the highest public, in-state undergraduate rates.
The institution can contribute up to 50 percent of those expenses and VA will match this additional funding for eligible students. This may enable qualified students to potentially attend school tuition-free.
This program is reserved for participants at the 100 percent benefit level, specifically those who have served at least 36 months on active duty or served at least 30 continuous days and were discharged due to a service-related injury.
Congress intended the Yellow Ribbon Program to be utilized by universities to make up the difference in the costs for out-of-state, private or graduate tuition, although some institutions may choose not to participate.
Some universities have announced their desire to participate in the program but have not signed a formal agreement with VA, which is required under federal law. VA suggests schools interested in the program contact the Department or visit our Web site for more information.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill, passed by Congress last year, is the most extensive educational assistance program authorized since the original GI Bill was signed into law in 1944.
The maximum benefit allows every eligible Veteran, servicemember, reservist, and National Guard member an opportunity to receive an in-state, undergraduate education at a public institution at no cost. Provisions of the program include payments for tuition and fees, housing, and a books and supplies stipend.
Benefits are payable for training pursued on or after August 1, 2009. The tuition and fee benefit is paid directly to the school and is not meant to exceed the established (or actual) in-state charges at a public institution.
With the large numbers of Veterans and servicemembers expected to sign-up for the new Post-9/11 GI Bill program, VA projects a 20 to 25 percent increase in the total number of participants in VA's education programs.
VA has received more than 60,000 claims for education benefits during the first five weeks since Veterans and servicemembers could apply online. Up to 460,000 students are expected to participate in the program during the first year.
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04 June 2009
Army Begins Mustard Blister Agent Disposal Campaign
/PRNewswire / -- Umatilla Chemical Depot (UMCD) storage workers began delivering HD mustard-filled bulk containers or "ton containers" to the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (UMCDF) at 10 a.m. this morning. This marks the official start of the last individual chemical munitions disposal campaign at the depot.
"Our experienced crews are dedicated to safe and secure munitions movement and delivery to the disposal plant," said Lt. Col. Bob Stein, depot commander. "Deliveries have gone very well during the 12 previous munitions campaigns, but risk remains until the last ton container is gone."
The HD mustard disposal campaign is expected to take between one and two years to complete.
"We begin this final campaign with the same dedication to safe disposal of chemical munitions that we've had since the first disposal campaign that began in 2004," said Mike Strong, the Army's site project manager at UMCDF. "Safety of workers, community and environment has always been and remains our highest priority."
"As always, we'll focus on environmental compliance and safety during the mustard campaign," said Bob Dikeman, project general manager for Washington Defense Group of URS Corporation's EG&G Division. Washington Defense Group built and operates the disposal plant for the Army. "We expect to continue to meet the high standards of state oversight officials."
A safe, slow and deliberate startup of mustard agent processing is planned, similar to past campaigns. The mustard ton containers hold bulk agent only and don't have any explosive components. Destruction of the last munitions in the Umatilla stockpile that contained explosives -- VX nerve agent land mines -- was completed on Nov. 5, 2008.
Disposal of HD mustard containers is the 13th individual chemical munitions disposal campaign for the depot and disposal plant. Previously, the Army successfully destroyed six different types of GB or sarin-filled munitions plus six types of VX-filled munitions. Most of those munitions contained explosive components. A total of 217,969 GB and VX munitions have been safely destroyed to date. The U.S. and other nations are destroying chemical weapons stockpiles in compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) international treaty.
The first chemical munitions disposal campaign in Oregon began on Sept. 7, 2004, with the first movement of GB-filled M55 rockets to the disposal plant. Since that time, the following 12 chemical munitions disposal campaigns have been safely completed:
-- 4 GB (sarin-filled) bulk containers or "ton containers" completed Jan.
5, 2006. This was a Non-Stockpile Chemical Materiel Project (NSCMP)
mission.
-- 27 GB 500-pound bombs completed May 18, 2006.
-- 2,418 GB 750-pound bombs completed June 9, 2006.
-- 91,442 GB rockets and warheads completed Aug. 9, 2006.
-- 14,246 GB 8-inch diameter artillery projectiles completed Jan. 3,
2007.
-- 47,406 GB 155mm diameter artillery projectiles completed July 8, 2007.
-- One VX bulk container or "ton container" completed Nov. 26, 2007. This
was a Non-Stockpile Chemical Materiel Project (NSCMP) mission.
-- 156 VX aircraft-mounted spray tanks completed Dec. 24, 2007.
-- 14,519 VX rockets and warheads completed Jan. 23, 2008.
-- 32,313 VX 155mm projectiles completed June 27, 2008.
-- 3,752 VX 8-inch projectiles completed August 6, 2008.
-- 11,685 VX land mines completed Nov. 5, 2008.
Some of the disposal campaigns ran simultaneously. The disposal plant has multiple processing lines and is capable of safely disposing of different types of munitions at the same time.
When the Umatilla chemical munitions destruction mission is complete, toxic areas in the disposal plant will be thoroughly cleaned and disassembled according to environmental permits. The Umatilla Chemical Depot is slated for closure per the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) law. Chemical munitions have been safely and securely stored at the depot since the 1960s. The depot first opened in 1941.
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"Our experienced crews are dedicated to safe and secure munitions movement and delivery to the disposal plant," said Lt. Col. Bob Stein, depot commander. "Deliveries have gone very well during the 12 previous munitions campaigns, but risk remains until the last ton container is gone."
The HD mustard disposal campaign is expected to take between one and two years to complete.
"We begin this final campaign with the same dedication to safe disposal of chemical munitions that we've had since the first disposal campaign that began in 2004," said Mike Strong, the Army's site project manager at UMCDF. "Safety of workers, community and environment has always been and remains our highest priority."
"As always, we'll focus on environmental compliance and safety during the mustard campaign," said Bob Dikeman, project general manager for Washington Defense Group of URS Corporation's EG&G Division. Washington Defense Group built and operates the disposal plant for the Army. "We expect to continue to meet the high standards of state oversight officials."
A safe, slow and deliberate startup of mustard agent processing is planned, similar to past campaigns. The mustard ton containers hold bulk agent only and don't have any explosive components. Destruction of the last munitions in the Umatilla stockpile that contained explosives -- VX nerve agent land mines -- was completed on Nov. 5, 2008.
Disposal of HD mustard containers is the 13th individual chemical munitions disposal campaign for the depot and disposal plant. Previously, the Army successfully destroyed six different types of GB or sarin-filled munitions plus six types of VX-filled munitions. Most of those munitions contained explosive components. A total of 217,969 GB and VX munitions have been safely destroyed to date. The U.S. and other nations are destroying chemical weapons stockpiles in compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) international treaty.
The first chemical munitions disposal campaign in Oregon began on Sept. 7, 2004, with the first movement of GB-filled M55 rockets to the disposal plant. Since that time, the following 12 chemical munitions disposal campaigns have been safely completed:
-- 4 GB (sarin-filled) bulk containers or "ton containers" completed Jan.
5, 2006. This was a Non-Stockpile Chemical Materiel Project (NSCMP)
mission.
-- 27 GB 500-pound bombs completed May 18, 2006.
-- 2,418 GB 750-pound bombs completed June 9, 2006.
-- 91,442 GB rockets and warheads completed Aug. 9, 2006.
-- 14,246 GB 8-inch diameter artillery projectiles completed Jan. 3,
2007.
-- 47,406 GB 155mm diameter artillery projectiles completed July 8, 2007.
-- One VX bulk container or "ton container" completed Nov. 26, 2007. This
was a Non-Stockpile Chemical Materiel Project (NSCMP) mission.
-- 156 VX aircraft-mounted spray tanks completed Dec. 24, 2007.
-- 14,519 VX rockets and warheads completed Jan. 23, 2008.
-- 32,313 VX 155mm projectiles completed June 27, 2008.
-- 3,752 VX 8-inch projectiles completed August 6, 2008.
-- 11,685 VX land mines completed Nov. 5, 2008.
Some of the disposal campaigns ran simultaneously. The disposal plant has multiple processing lines and is capable of safely disposing of different types of munitions at the same time.
When the Umatilla chemical munitions destruction mission is complete, toxic areas in the disposal plant will be thoroughly cleaned and disassembled according to environmental permits. The Umatilla Chemical Depot is slated for closure per the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) law. Chemical munitions have been safely and securely stored at the depot since the 1960s. The depot first opened in 1941.
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HHS and VA to Develop a Nationwide Program to Help Older Americans and Veterans with Disabilities Remain Independent in the Community
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Eric Shinseki today announced a landmark collaboration to help the families of older Americans and Veterans with disabilities of all ages care for their loved ones in the community. This partnership builds on the similar missions of HHS and the VA with regard to caring for the populations they serve and has as its ultimate goal a nationwide home and community-based long-term-care support program to serve older
Americans and veterans of all ages.
"This HHS-VA initiative combines the hands-on experience and skills of HHS' national network of aging and community-based organizations with the commitment and resources of VA's Veterans Health Administration to provide more people, including our nation's veterans with additional opportunities to remain independent," said HHS Secretary Sebelius. "Through this collaboration, many adults and veterans who would have previously been placed in nursing homes will be able to remain with their loved ones. This is another significant way America can recognize and care for the individuals who have cared for us."
HHS and VA are making $10 million in funding available to bring this initiative to 20 states. This partnership will implement the Veteran Directed Home & Community Based Service (VDHCBS) program through HHS' aging and human services network, in coordination with the
Administration on Aging's (AoA) Community Living Program (CLP) which helps the family caregivers of individuals with ongoing need to keep their loved ones at home. Both programs allow participants to direct their own care, including having control over the types of services they receive and the manner in which they are provided. This includes the option of hiring their neighbors, friends and even some family members, to provide needed services.
"This collaboration provides an opportunity to serve our nation's veterans by offering more long-term care, more choices and control over decisions, and by helping veterans to remain in their homes, supported by family and community," said VA Secretary Eric Shinseki.
HHS' national network of aging and community based organizations will work in close collaboration with the VA Medical Centers across the country to continue to develop and expand VDHCBS for veterans. The CLP, led by AoA, will help states and communities to assist individuals who are at risk of nursing home placement but who are not Medicaid eligible
to remain at home.
Eligible applicants are State Units on Aging. The closing date for the CLP application is Monday, Aug. 3, 2009. The deadline for submission of a letter of intent is Wednesday, July 1, 2009. Letters should be submitted to Joseph Lugo, by e-mail: joseph.lugo@aoa.hhs.gov or call
(202) 357-3417.
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Americans and veterans of all ages.
"This HHS-VA initiative combines the hands-on experience and skills of HHS' national network of aging and community-based organizations with the commitment and resources of VA's Veterans Health Administration to provide more people, including our nation's veterans with additional opportunities to remain independent," said HHS Secretary Sebelius. "Through this collaboration, many adults and veterans who would have previously been placed in nursing homes will be able to remain with their loved ones. This is another significant way America can recognize and care for the individuals who have cared for us."
HHS and VA are making $10 million in funding available to bring this initiative to 20 states. This partnership will implement the Veteran Directed Home & Community Based Service (VDHCBS) program through HHS' aging and human services network, in coordination with the
Administration on Aging's (AoA) Community Living Program (CLP) which helps the family caregivers of individuals with ongoing need to keep their loved ones at home. Both programs allow participants to direct their own care, including having control over the types of services they receive and the manner in which they are provided. This includes the option of hiring their neighbors, friends and even some family members, to provide needed services.
"This collaboration provides an opportunity to serve our nation's veterans by offering more long-term care, more choices and control over decisions, and by helping veterans to remain in their homes, supported by family and community," said VA Secretary Eric Shinseki.
HHS' national network of aging and community based organizations will work in close collaboration with the VA Medical Centers across the country to continue to develop and expand VDHCBS for veterans. The CLP, led by AoA, will help states and communities to assist individuals who are at risk of nursing home placement but who are not Medicaid eligible
to remain at home.
Eligible applicants are State Units on Aging. The closing date for the CLP application is Monday, Aug. 3, 2009. The deadline for submission of a letter of intent is Wednesday, July 1, 2009. Letters should be submitted to Joseph Lugo, by e-mail: joseph.lugo@aoa.hhs.gov or call
(202) 357-3417.
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29 May 2009
Fort Benning Unit Sees More Media as Deployment Draws Near
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27 May 2009
Georgia Tech: New Center Aims to Improve Recovery of Soldiers with Severe Injuries
When a soldier is wounded during combat, surgeons must focus on reducing infection and reconstructing damaged bone and tissues. Technologies that could improve the repair and regeneration processes are being developed in research laboratories across the country, but they are not being moved quickly enough into military trauma centers.
Organizers of the recently established Georgia Tech Center for Advanced Bioengineering for Soldier Survivability want to change that.
“The goal of the center is to rapidly move new technologies from the laboratory to patients so that we can improve the quality of life for our veterans as they return from the wars the United States is fighting,” said center director Barbara Boyan, the Price Gilbert, Jr. Chair in Tissue Engineering at the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University.
The center will leverage the expertise of Georgia Tech researchers in musculoskeletal biology and regenerative medicine to quickly move tools that are clinically valuable, safe and effective from laboratories to use in trauma centers. To reduce the amount of time from invention to clinical use, engineers and scientists in the center work in teams that include a clinician with experience in combat medical care and a medical device industry partner.
Support for the center is provided by the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine, the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research’s Orthopedic Trauma Research Program, the U.S. Department of Defense and industry.
Researchers in the center will initially focus on ways to improve the healing of wounds, segmental bone defects and massive soft tissue defects. Traumatic injuries that affect the arms, legs, head and neck require technologies for treatment at the time of injury and in the ensuing days and months.
“These combat injuries are complicated to treat because they are large and typically infected, so even determining when a soldier should be treated for optimal recovery is a challenge,” said Boyan, who is also the associate dean for research in Georgia Tech’s College of Engineering. “It is not known whether a regenerative therapy will be most effective if used immediately following injury or at some later time after scar tissue has been established at the wound site.”
By developing models that accurately reflect the complex aspects of injuries sustained by soldiers in combat, the researchers will be able to test assumptions about when to employ specific strategies and how to ensure their effectiveness. The models must also allow them to examine the use of technologies on both male and female patients, and on complex tissues that consist of nerves, a blood supply and multiple cell types.
“Since the processes of bone, vascular and neural formation are naturally linked during normal tissue development, growth and repair, our approach is to harness this knowledge by developing delivery strategies that present the right biologic cues in the right place at the right time to promote functional regeneration of multiple integrated tissues,” said associate director of the center Robert Guldberg, a professor in Georgia Tech’s Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering.
To enhance tissue repair and regeneration following a traumatic injury, the researchers are focusing their efforts on stem cells. Even though stem cells have tremendous potential for repairing such defects, effective methods do not yet exist for delivering them to an injury site and of ensuring that they survive and remain at that site long enough to impact the regeneration process.
“Clinicians currently inject stem cells into a vein and hope that the cells will migrate to sites of injury and remain at those sites long enough to participate in the repair process. While some cells certainly do migrate to injury sites, the actual percentage is very small and those that arrive at the site do not remain to engraft with the host tissue,” explained Boyan.
This limited effect may be the result of the injection process, according to Boyan, so researchers in the center are developing ways to protect the cells from damaging forces they might encounter when inserted into the body.
“Studies in our laboratory have shown that when stem cells are encapsulated in microbeads, they can be injected by needle without loss of cell viability and they remain at the injury site for at least two months,” said Boyan.
Protecting the cells during insertion is just the first step toward improved tissue repair. The researchers must also examine whether the stem cells will turn into cells typical of the implanted tissue and if they produce or should be paired with molecules that can enhance the healing of the implanted tissues.
Center researchers are also investigating whether bone marrow-derived stem cells can be used in the body to heal large defects in bone and cartilage if they are inserted in fiber mesh scaffolds and silk sponges during a surgical procedure.
Additional projects in the center include assessing tissue viability, preventing the growth of bone in the soft tissues of the body and improving pre-hospital care of orthopedic injuries. Since effective treatment of traumatic injuries is an important goal for the general public as well as the military population, the researchers also hope to adapt their technologies for use in hospitals.
Other researchers in the center include Ravi Bellamkonda, a professor in the Coulter Department; Andres Garcia, the Woodruff Faculty Fellow in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering; Robert Taylor, a professor in the Coulter Department and Emory’s Division of Cardiology; Zvi Schwartz, a visiting professor in the Coulter Department; and U.S. Army surgical medicine consultants Michael Yaszemski and David Cohen.
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Organizers of the recently established Georgia Tech Center for Advanced Bioengineering for Soldier Survivability want to change that.
“The goal of the center is to rapidly move new technologies from the laboratory to patients so that we can improve the quality of life for our veterans as they return from the wars the United States is fighting,” said center director Barbara Boyan, the Price Gilbert, Jr. Chair in Tissue Engineering at the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University.
The center will leverage the expertise of Georgia Tech researchers in musculoskeletal biology and regenerative medicine to quickly move tools that are clinically valuable, safe and effective from laboratories to use in trauma centers. To reduce the amount of time from invention to clinical use, engineers and scientists in the center work in teams that include a clinician with experience in combat medical care and a medical device industry partner.
Support for the center is provided by the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine, the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research’s Orthopedic Trauma Research Program, the U.S. Department of Defense and industry.
Researchers in the center will initially focus on ways to improve the healing of wounds, segmental bone defects and massive soft tissue defects. Traumatic injuries that affect the arms, legs, head and neck require technologies for treatment at the time of injury and in the ensuing days and months.
“These combat injuries are complicated to treat because they are large and typically infected, so even determining when a soldier should be treated for optimal recovery is a challenge,” said Boyan, who is also the associate dean for research in Georgia Tech’s College of Engineering. “It is not known whether a regenerative therapy will be most effective if used immediately following injury or at some later time after scar tissue has been established at the wound site.”
By developing models that accurately reflect the complex aspects of injuries sustained by soldiers in combat, the researchers will be able to test assumptions about when to employ specific strategies and how to ensure their effectiveness. The models must also allow them to examine the use of technologies on both male and female patients, and on complex tissues that consist of nerves, a blood supply and multiple cell types.
“Since the processes of bone, vascular and neural formation are naturally linked during normal tissue development, growth and repair, our approach is to harness this knowledge by developing delivery strategies that present the right biologic cues in the right place at the right time to promote functional regeneration of multiple integrated tissues,” said associate director of the center Robert Guldberg, a professor in Georgia Tech’s Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering.
To enhance tissue repair and regeneration following a traumatic injury, the researchers are focusing their efforts on stem cells. Even though stem cells have tremendous potential for repairing such defects, effective methods do not yet exist for delivering them to an injury site and of ensuring that they survive and remain at that site long enough to impact the regeneration process.
“Clinicians currently inject stem cells into a vein and hope that the cells will migrate to sites of injury and remain at those sites long enough to participate in the repair process. While some cells certainly do migrate to injury sites, the actual percentage is very small and those that arrive at the site do not remain to engraft with the host tissue,” explained Boyan.
This limited effect may be the result of the injection process, according to Boyan, so researchers in the center are developing ways to protect the cells from damaging forces they might encounter when inserted into the body.
“Studies in our laboratory have shown that when stem cells are encapsulated in microbeads, they can be injected by needle without loss of cell viability and they remain at the injury site for at least two months,” said Boyan.
Protecting the cells during insertion is just the first step toward improved tissue repair. The researchers must also examine whether the stem cells will turn into cells typical of the implanted tissue and if they produce or should be paired with molecules that can enhance the healing of the implanted tissues.
Center researchers are also investigating whether bone marrow-derived stem cells can be used in the body to heal large defects in bone and cartilage if they are inserted in fiber mesh scaffolds and silk sponges during a surgical procedure.
Additional projects in the center include assessing tissue viability, preventing the growth of bone in the soft tissues of the body and improving pre-hospital care of orthopedic injuries. Since effective treatment of traumatic injuries is an important goal for the general public as well as the military population, the researchers also hope to adapt their technologies for use in hospitals.
Other researchers in the center include Ravi Bellamkonda, a professor in the Coulter Department; Andres Garcia, the Woodruff Faculty Fellow in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering; Robert Taylor, a professor in the Coulter Department and Emory’s Division of Cardiology; Zvi Schwartz, a visiting professor in the Coulter Department; and U.S. Army surgical medicine consultants Michael Yaszemski and David Cohen.
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Arts Across Georgia
26 May 2009
'Her War' Podcast Aims to Help Military Wives
When Melissa Seligman's husband left for his second deployment to Iraq, she knew all too well what was expected of her.
"I was expected to be the nice, caring, understanding military wife and mom," Seligman said. "No military wife wants to admit that she is hurt -- and sometimes angry and very fearful -- of being alone when her husband is deployed, ... sometimes for the second or third time. It's very hard. The guilt we feel from these natural emotions often keeps us silent."
Seligman said she hopes her new weekly podcast, "Her War," will help to provide a platform for military wives to openly discuss such anxieties and uncertainties about their husbands' deployments. The podcast, she said, is dedicated to providing military wives with the tools and resources they need to better equip themselves to deal with separation issues.
Weekly discussions will focus not only on hope, understanding and acceptance, but also on denial, anger, bargaining and depression -- feelings that she said often are hidden.
"'Her War' is about honesty," Seligman said. "Military wives can join our discussions and be fully honest about their inner fears and not worry about being judged. The absolute focus of this podcast is to uplift them. I truly believe giving these wives a chance to speak, hear and take charge will empower them. In doing so, we strengthen our soldiers, our marriages and our abilities to mother."
Seligman, with the help of another military wife, Chris Piper, launched the "Her War" podcast last week. The first discussion, which included eight military wives, centered on hope and denial.
"The podcast went really well," said Lucy Brassard, whose husband just returned from Afghanistan. "I was really pleased with the format. I could relate. This is a support group of women who have been there. You can trust them.
"I also liked the anonymity," she continued. "We military wives are often so closed-lipped. We just don't discuss these issues out in the open. When you join the podcast, the only name people know is your screen name. It just makes you feel more comfortable and more relaxed."
This is the type of atmosphere she'd hoped to capture, Piper said.
"I believe military spouses don't feel they have a right to feel a certain way, especially with their spouse in harm's way," she said. "With this podcast, they can learn that they are normal and not alone. We sit here in our homes thinking that we are the only ones that are grieving for our husbands while they are gone. Just knowing that we are having normal feelings and thoughts helps. We can learn to rely on ourselves and each other. We can also learn about other resources that the military provides for dealing with deployments."
Seligman, the author of "The Day After He Left for Iraq," said her inspiration for this podcast came from a military wife who drove three hours to her first book signing.
"She walked into the store carrying the weight of her burden and told me simply, 'I'm a military spouse, too,'" Seligman said. "She fell into my arms and cried. I told her she was not alone. Right then, I knew I wanted to create a tool that would uplift spouses and give them a sense of support and normalcy."
The "Her War" podcast is hosted by Courage Community, a California-based online support group consisting of mental health professionals and volunteers.
"We provide an online network and a lifeline of hope for those looking for peer support, professional help, reconnection to the community or just an understanding friend," Carlana Stone, founder of Courage Community, said. "Melissa is on a passion-driven pursuit, from her own military experiences in life, to empower and uplift military wives. We wanted to be a part of this. Courage Community wants to be an ally for these women."
By Sharon Foster
American Forces Press Service
"I was expected to be the nice, caring, understanding military wife and mom," Seligman said. "No military wife wants to admit that she is hurt -- and sometimes angry and very fearful -- of being alone when her husband is deployed, ... sometimes for the second or third time. It's very hard. The guilt we feel from these natural emotions often keeps us silent."
Seligman said she hopes her new weekly podcast, "Her War," will help to provide a platform for military wives to openly discuss such anxieties and uncertainties about their husbands' deployments. The podcast, she said, is dedicated to providing military wives with the tools and resources they need to better equip themselves to deal with separation issues.
Weekly discussions will focus not only on hope, understanding and acceptance, but also on denial, anger, bargaining and depression -- feelings that she said often are hidden.
"'Her War' is about honesty," Seligman said. "Military wives can join our discussions and be fully honest about their inner fears and not worry about being judged. The absolute focus of this podcast is to uplift them. I truly believe giving these wives a chance to speak, hear and take charge will empower them. In doing so, we strengthen our soldiers, our marriages and our abilities to mother."
Seligman, with the help of another military wife, Chris Piper, launched the "Her War" podcast last week. The first discussion, which included eight military wives, centered on hope and denial.
"The podcast went really well," said Lucy Brassard, whose husband just returned from Afghanistan. "I was really pleased with the format. I could relate. This is a support group of women who have been there. You can trust them.
"I also liked the anonymity," she continued. "We military wives are often so closed-lipped. We just don't discuss these issues out in the open. When you join the podcast, the only name people know is your screen name. It just makes you feel more comfortable and more relaxed."
This is the type of atmosphere she'd hoped to capture, Piper said.
"I believe military spouses don't feel they have a right to feel a certain way, especially with their spouse in harm's way," she said. "With this podcast, they can learn that they are normal and not alone. We sit here in our homes thinking that we are the only ones that are grieving for our husbands while they are gone. Just knowing that we are having normal feelings and thoughts helps. We can learn to rely on ourselves and each other. We can also learn about other resources that the military provides for dealing with deployments."
Seligman, the author of "The Day After He Left for Iraq," said her inspiration for this podcast came from a military wife who drove three hours to her first book signing.
"She walked into the store carrying the weight of her burden and told me simply, 'I'm a military spouse, too,'" Seligman said. "She fell into my arms and cried. I told her she was not alone. Right then, I knew I wanted to create a tool that would uplift spouses and give them a sense of support and normalcy."
The "Her War" podcast is hosted by Courage Community, a California-based online support group consisting of mental health professionals and volunteers.
"We provide an online network and a lifeline of hope for those looking for peer support, professional help, reconnection to the community or just an understanding friend," Carlana Stone, founder of Courage Community, said. "Melissa is on a passion-driven pursuit, from her own military experiences in life, to empower and uplift military wives. We wanted to be a part of this. Courage Community wants to be an ally for these women."
By Sharon Foster
American Forces Press Service
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