BETHESDA, MD—It was two years ago that Ira Katz, MD, PhD, then chief of VA’s mental health services, told researchers at the VISN 20 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC) in Portland, OR, that they should begin focusing some of their research on TBI.

WASHINGTON, DC—When seeking psychological support for mental health issues after deployment, servicemembers and veterans most often turn to their minister.

BETHESDA, MD—For a handful of military mental health providers on the front lines, treating combat stress and trauma is an everyday occurrence. The military has begun to realize that the advice and care they furnish can often prevent acute battlefield trauma from becoming a chronic stateside problem.

BETHESDA, MD—Women comprise nearly 20-percent of the military. Many women, like their male counterparts, return from combat traumatized by the events they experienced.

BETHESDA, MD—There is a pressing need to understand what the rehabilitation trajectories are going to be for those servicemembers returning with mild and moderate TBI, according to Kris Siddharthan, PhD, a health services researcher at the James A Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, FL.

WASHINGTON, DC—A holistic approach to care makes the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) unique in how it treats servicemembers with psychological issues.

WASHINGTON, DC—The development of a new strategy is in the works to support Native Americans who find themselves in the hospital emergency department for alcohol related injuries.

WASHINGTON, DC—DoD health officials will increase the number of servicemembers and their families it helps quit smoking.

Opinion poll:
Should the DoD set a date for a tobacco-free military? Please read the article about DoD expanding smoking cessation efforts and participate in the online poll.

WASHINGTON, DC—While the overall negative health effects of smoking have been common knowledge for many years, a newly-released Surgeon General’s report goes into unprecedented detail on how tobacco causes disease at a biological and behavioral level.

WASHINGTON, DC—No one has ever said that quitting smoking was easy. For servicemembers and veterans, who may already be under considerable stress, giving up something they perceive as relieving their stress can be especially tough.