Don't Vote for Her...

[840high]

Between Iraq and Afghanistan, there are up to 400,000 Americans who’ve suffered traumatic brain injuries from battling IED’s and other aspects of American counterinsurgency wars. In addition to the untold human suffering from these traumatic brain injuries, RAND states “Estimates of the total one-year societal cost of the roughly 2,700 cases of traumatic brain injury identified to date range from $591 million to $910 million.” Do the math for 400,000 Americans who’ve suffered TBI, and be sure to calculate the emotional and psychological toll as well.

from Salon

[giftedgirl77]

1. I am a veteran who is 100% disabled due to neurological issues

that stem from a blast & exposure issues. This is bullshit 100%.

[MariaThinks]

5. my prayers are with you.

thank you for keeping the rest of us safe.

[Jefferson23]

7. How Many Troops Are Affected by TBI?

Just how many troops are affected is hard to know. Sections of the government have released numbers ranging from 50,000 (Department of Defense) to 115,000 (the Pentagon), while the Brain Injury Association of America estimates the number at 360,000 and RAND corporation has suggested it could be as high as 400,000.

Contributing to the uncertainty are the facts that TBI is difficult to diagnose, and that some soldiers may be reluctant to be diagnosed. The Pentagon found that 60 percent of the soldiers who suffered from TBI symptoms refused help because they worried unit leaders would treat them differently, or that the condition would prevent them from getting jobs as police officers and firefighters after they got out of the service.
Diagnosing TBI

The military uses two in-the-field methods to discern damage: the Military Acute Concussion Evaluation, or MACE (a brief clinical exam taken immediately after an incident), and the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics, or ANAM. Many soldiers have learned how to “trick” the first by memorizing the words they’re supposed to recite back to the medics, in order to avoid the stigma of being injured or being separated from their platoons; reliability of results from the ANAM is no better than a “coin flip,” according to recent Congressional testimony by Lieutenant General Eric Schoomaker, the U.S. Army’s top medical official. ANAM is a computer-based tool designed to detect speed and accuracy of attention, memory, and thinking ability.

PET image of the brain

Researchers are using tools such as positron emission tomography (PET) to study the consequences of TBI. (Photo: Robert W. Van Boven and others, Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development 46(6) pp.717-756, Department of Veteran Affairs)

Even sophisticated CAT and MRI scans rarely show damage, though a new study at Washington University in St. Louis that used a new scanning technique did show that about one third of American troops who have suffered brain injuries from bomb blasts show immediate evidence of stretched and damaged nerve fibers at both the front and the back of the brain. Brain scans show that for days and even weeks after a traumatic brain injury, the brain’s metabolism slows down, leaving some cells starved for energy.

David Hovda, who directs the Brain Injury Research Center at the University of California, Los Angeles says, “During the time when this metabolism is altered, the brain not only is dysfunctional, but it’s also extremely vulnerable, so that if it’s exposed to another mild injury, which normally you’d be able to tolerate really well, now there can be long-term devastating consequences.” Bodi suffered repeated concussions, about 10 in all, before he was kept from going on missions.

http://www.pbs.org/pov/wheresoldierscomefrom/traumatic-brain-injury/

[giftedgirl77]

8. Yeah they are a bitch but to equate it to Clinton is nonsense.

Shit comes across a lot better when it doesn't include hyperbolic drivel.

[Jefferson23]

9. Ok, fair enough..I misunderstood the meaning of your post. I had thought

you were disputing the facts as they relate to injuries.

Thank you for the clarification.

[giftedgirl77]

17. Oh no, not at all.

Exposure is even a bigger issue than TBIs & most of it came from our own contractors.

[Jefferson23]

20. wow. Are you receiving appropriate support and assistance for your needs as a

result of your injuries? If not I hope either candidate will change that for the better.

[giftedgirl77]

23. I get all of my medical & dental through the VA.

So far it seems ok, I have tumors in my intestines & thyroid that have to be biopsied once a year & my neurological disorder is degenerative so not real sure how long the damage will take or to what extent. But so far everything is as good as can be expected.

I will take either one of our candidates over any of the thugs any day of the week.

[Jefferson23]

24. I certainly agree with you on that. My goodness, you've been through so much, I do hope

only the very best for you.

[giftedgirl77]

26. Aww thanks.

I'm a 38 yr old single mom of 2 teenage boys. I'm going to fight with everything I have to stay healthy.

[Jefferson23]

34. No doubt they're proud of you too...a fighter for yourself and for them. n/t

[giftedgirl77]

36. ......

[Jefferson23]

44. back at ya giftedgirl77 and that you are. n/t

[MohRokTah]

2. Too late.

I'm with her.

[brooklynite]

3. What does Afghanistan have to do with Hillary Clinton?

Bernie Sanders Supports Keeping Troops In Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Sunday that he supports President Barack Obama’s decision to keep troops in Afghanistan, prolonging the war beyond 2016.

Obama announced last week that he would keep 5,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan after he leaves office in 2017, breaking his promise to end the war during his tenure. He originally planned to maintain only a small military presence based at the U.S. embassy there.

During an interview on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday morning, host George Stephanopoulos asked Sanders, a Democratic presidential candidate, whether he backs keeping U.S. troops in the country.

“Well, yeah, I won’t give you the exact number. Clearly, we do not want to see the Taliban gain more power, and I think we need a certain nucleus of American troops present in Afghanistan to try to provide the training and support the Afghan army needs,” he said.

Maybe we should divide the injuries between them?

[MariaThinks]

6. absolutely nothing - voting for Nader

allowed the bushes to steal the white house. that let to 911 and the Iraq war. the people to blame are the republicans. but if we want to keep going in the hierarchy, the next ones are the enablers who allowed the evil republicans creeps to steal the office.

Hillary is very after the fact, and her vote as a senator changed nothing.

[JoePhilly]

11. "Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor???"

[cosmicone]

4. HA Goodman without the link again? n/t

[geek tragedy]

10. as of June 7, the HA Goodmanites will have to find somewhere else to

post this kind of nonsense.

[JoePhilly]

13. + 100

[artislife]

14. Death and injury are collateral damage to building a career.

She has great hair, though

[geek tragedy]

16. very revealing comment thanks nt

[artislife]

18. Yes, it is.

She loves war. She loves it because what it does for her career.

[geek tragedy]

19. cool story nt

[JaneyVee]

25. Yet Bernie voted for more wars than anyone running

Thanks for playing.

[LexVegas]

12. Death throes of a dying campaign. nt

[artislife]

15. Kind of like the civilians in other lands under her stewardship. nt

[LexVegas]

22. Kinda like Americans getting killed in schools and theaters by Bernies beloved guns. nt

[Jackie Wilson Said]

21. Dont worry, I wont, not until she is running against a republican, then you wont be able to stop me

[JaneyVee]

27. OPs like this should be banned at this point.

No link no nothing.

[840high]

37. You don't know how to link to Salon?

[Bobbie Jo]

39. It's your OP.

It's customary to provide a link if YOU'RE quoting a source.

[JaneyVee]

40. Apparently you dont.

[peacebird]

28. Trust me. I never will.

[Cali_Democrat]

29. Where's your link? nt

[840high]

38. www.Salon.com

[Cali_Democrat]

41. The link to the article?

Why are you being so coy?

Hmmmm..............

[Lil Missy]

30. She must be really powerful to have single-handedly caused all that. And I thought it was dubya.

[djean111]

32. Same for me, just add 1 for your reply.

And I echo your sentiments.

[WheelWalker]

33. Horseshit. Non sequitur.

[PowerToThePeople]

35. Sounds like a plan.

I'm on board.

[EndElectoral]

42. Lest we forget. Thanks much for the meaningful post.