How should we define Combat?

In the past, going to 'battle' was cut n' dry. If you held a gun and fired at the enemy and return fire was all around you, well, you were in battle. The truck driver who delivered goods may have never seen the first hint of action.

The war on terrorism, as commonly known, is a bit different. Roadside bombs, mortar attacks and so on have changed the way we can look at who was truly 'involved' in combat. In a sense, every American soldier in Iraq or Afghanistan is under a constant threat.

Because of his, post-traumatic stress syndrome and other mental and physical ailments have plagued veterans who were never involved in direct battlefield experience.

Thankfully, the VA is recognizing this and lawmakers are going to meet on how to define certain benefits that were previously only available to those who were involved in direct combat. These rules were outlined during World War II. Obviously, a lot has changed since then.

Ohio to Vote on Cash Benefits for Iraq/Afghanistan Veterans

On November 3rd, Ohio voters will head to the polls to decide whether or not Iraq and Afghanistan veterans should receive cash bonuses from the state. The ballot addition passed the Senate in February, but was added to the ballot after a 92-3 vote in the House. However, despite the overwhelming support for the ballot initiative, there was much disagreement as to what would be the most fiscally responsible way to implement the plan.

If the vote goes in favor of the plan, it would provide $100 a month – up to $1,000 – for veterans who served in the conflicts and bonuses of $50 a month — up to $500 — for veterans who served elsewhere during the conflicts. Families of those killed in action would receive $5,000. In order to pay for the bonuses, the state would borrow money by issuing up to $200 million in bonds. This is the same approach that has been used in previous wars.

Rep. Gerald Stebelton (R-Lancaster) was one of the few that voted "no" on the issue. Stebelton sees it as a "dishonor" to the veterans if they borrow the bonus money and thinks it would be like "asking them to pay for their own bonuses."

However, Rep. Robert Hagan (D-Youngstown) said he was "flabbergasted" by talk of fiscal responsibility after the federal government had sent American troops to a war that was "perhaps ... based on fictional information."

Regardless, American citizens and especially veterans need all the help they can get. Many provisions are being taken to help everyone out, including loan modifications and much more, but the main thing is that no matter the state of the economy, our veterans are treated well.

Head Injuries and Headaches common among Iraq Veterans

Below is a recap on this article I found on Science Daily. As it turns out, problems for Iraq and Afghanistan are bigger than many realize.

Returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, several soldiers have reported headaches as a result of mild head trauma or a blast exposure. This, according to a study that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 61st Annual Meeting in Seattle.

The study was conducted at Fort Lewis, Washington and involved nearly 1000 U.S. Army soldiers returning from Iraq or Afghanistan in 2008. All of these Army veterans experience a head injury or blast exposure while deployed.

The headaches typically started within one week of the injury for 37 percent of the soldiers and within a month for 20 percent. The majority of the soldiers with headaches within one week had migraine-like symptoms and 40 percent reported that the headaches interfered with their ability to do daily activities.

"Mild traumatic brain injury is occurring in 15 to 25 percent of soldiers deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan," said study author Brett J. Theeler, MD, of Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, WA, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. "The associated headaches can be a source of impaired occupational functioning. These findings should alert health care providers, especially those affiliated with the military or veteran health care systems, to the need to identify and properly treat headache among soldiers."

This is just another major issue that our Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have to deal with. As a society and culture, we must remain cognizant of the sacrifices our veterans have made and do what we can to help out.