Brain Injury Report

A new military study on traumatic brain injury offers hope at the same time it creates controversy. U.S. military doctors have concluded tht many cases of post-traumatic stress and depression could be the cause for the symptoms thousands of soldiers are experiencing.

The Associated Press reports the study was led by Dr. Charles Hoge, psychiatry chief at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. It says outside experts are calling the conclusions of the research convincing. The results are considered good news by doctors who are optimistic about their abilities to treat the symptoms that include memory loss, irritability and sleep problems.

I wonder if some of the men and women diagnosed with traumatic brain injury will agree with the conclusions of the study. The research certainly reinforces the evidence that thousands of Americans who serve in Iraq or Afghanistan return with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. What do you think of the new study?

When I returned from a story in Leesburg, I found out another 9NEWS NOW reporter was doing a story on another soldier killed in Iraq. When our news station first received the notification about Major Alan G. Rogers, it indicated that he was from Hampton, Florida.

Thankfully, some of his friends at the Pentagon called us to explain that there are many people in this area who came to admire and care about Major Rogers . I personally appreciate their efforts because now we can share his story with our viewers.

Did you happen to read the Washington Post article about the birthday celebration for Pfc. Justin Davis? It was such a moving and beautiful story about the soldier who gave his life in Afghanistan. His mother, Paula Davis, organized the tribute along with other relatives and friends. It was held at Section 60 in Arlington National Cemetery where the 19-year-old was buried. We did air an interview with Justin's mother in July of 2006, the month after he was killed. I wish we could have been there for his birthday party at Arlington.

On another subject, you might find this AP article encouraging. It is comforting to know people who are deployed do not have to worry about child custody issues until they are back home. Do you know anyone in our area who had to go through a situation like this? If so, let me hear from you.

Fighting on 2 fronts: New law protects deployed troops from battling for custody of children
By PAULINE ARRILLAGA
AP National Writer
It had become an unintended and heart-wrenching side effect of war: Some deployed military parents left battling on two fronts, for the country they are sworn to defend and the children they were losing in custody disputes because of that duty.
Now family advocates are hopeful that a change to a federal law will help protect these men and women in uniform from having to fight for their kids while serving their country.
The change to the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act was part of a defense bill President Bush signed into law this week.
The act has always partially shielded service members by staying civil court actions and administrative proceedings during military activation. They can't be evicted. Creditors can't seize their property. Civilian health benefits, if suspended during deployment, must be reinstated.
However, before the change, some parent-soldiers were losing something even more precious after being called up.
Previously, child custody arrangements were not specifically addressed in the act -- and some family court judges had refused to postpone custody decisions until the soldier could appear.
Under the change, the act clearly states that deployed service members who seek a stay in custody disputes shall be granted at least a 90-day delay. The act also now protects service members against default judgments in custody proceedings while they're away.
"It spells it out," said Kathleen Moakler, director of government relations of the National Military Family Association. "It really should've been assumed to be covered already, but because family court judges were choosing to disregard that section of (the act), Congress had to pass something and kind of underline it."
The change was pushed by Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, who read an Associated Press story last May that revealed the custody fights facing an unknown number of the 140,000-plus single parents in uniform.
"Service members were protected if a bank foreclosed on their house or went after their car ... but we had failed to protect their children," Turner said Wednesday. "It's unthinkable that our men and women in uniform, when they're deployed, would have the added stress of worrying about the custody of their children."
Turner said he is hopeful the amended act will make judges think twice before using a military parent's deployment as the primary reason for permanent custody changes. Still, some military lawyers and advocates worry that custody problems will continue for these service members unless similar protections are written into state laws, which generally govern family courts.
Consider the case of Lt. Eva Slusher (formerly Eva Crouch) of the Kentucky National Guard. Slusher had raised her daughter, Sara, for six years following her divorce. Then she was mobilized, and Sara went to stay with Slusher's ex-husband under what all agreed was to be a temporary arrangement. When Slusher came home a year and a half later, however, her husband refused to return Sara to her and a judge made the temporary arrangement permanent.
Slusher spent two years and some $25,000 pushing her case through the Kentucky courts, until the state Supreme Court held in 2006 that Sara should be returned to her.
The change to the federal law, Slusher said, "will give soldiers peace of mind."
Deployment, she said, "could happen at any time, and to have your kids taken away from you because of that is insane."

Father Blogs About Sons

Back in June, I met the father of two soldiers at the deployment ceremony for Virginia Army National Guard troops. Ed Lovell's twin sons, Eli and Seth, were headed for Iraq with the 3rd Battalion, 116th Brigade, 29th Infantry Division.

Eli is a medic and was previously deployed in Afghanistan. Seth and Eli are together in Iraq. Their father has been blogging about American Soldiers since October of 2004. There are wonderful photos worth seeing and updates on his sons worth reading.



Did any of you happen to see The Army Times reports about the restitching of some Army uniforms? It seems the Army Combat Uniforms (ACU) are leaving some soldiers hanging out in the battlefield. The troops have reported problems with the pants splitting in the crotch. The Army is rushing to fix the problem in 1 million pairs of trousers.



Some good news was reported this month on CNN about a double amputee who is walking again. It is inspiring to read stories about people such as Marine Lance Corporal Joshua Bleill. It is hard to imagine going through what many of our wounded men and women have experience. It is impressive to read how they not only cope, but face the future with determination and courage.

Great to Hear From You!

As you might have noticed, blogging is a new experience for me. A week or more goes by and I suddenly realize it's been too long since my last posting. I owe a thank you to my co-workers Emily Cyr and Stephanie Wilson for being on the look out for stories related to our patriots and their loved ones. They keep the e-mails coming while I am out covering news reports on other subjects.

Of course, if the zero comments on most of the postings are any indication, I'm not sure many people know about Phyllis' Patriots. I hope more of you will let me know what you think or share information about deployed troops and their families.

Still, sacrafices are made every day by our military personnel and their families. We lost five more Americans soldiers from a roadside bomb attack in Mosul, Iraq. A CBS News report tonight had exclusive video of a fire fight in the Mosul area and what U.S. soldiers are doing to try to defeat the insurgents.

That is why getting an e-mail like the following one matters to me. It is an example that people are thinking about the men and women far from home. I received this from Carolyn Dillon earlier this month:

Hi Phyllis...

I was just reading your blog about the military troops. My name is Carolyn Dillon, and I live in Lusby, Md down in good 'ole Calvert County. My daughter Taylor is in seventh grade and back in the fall she was very pre-occupied with the wars going on and the safety of our soldiers. She came to me and asked if there was anything she could do to help the troops. I thought about it, and borrowing the idea from another organization, I talked to my local Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) chapter. I filled out the necessary paperwork from Adopt A Platoon, passed the screening process, and our H.O.G. chapter hooked up with the Adopt A Platoon organization. I was given the option of a small (20) or large (up to 50) platoon. Of course being that the H.O.G. chapter is large and has many military (Pax. River Naval Air Station) and patriotic members, I chose a large platoon! I gather goodies and donations at our monthly meetings. The outpouring has been tremendous. It has been a wonderful experience for everyone who has helped me out. Our platoon has 40 men and they are deployed in Iraq until May 2008. We have sent them numerous packages which have included chocolate (after November), Little Debbie snacks, candy, heat & eat meals, mac & cheese, socks, toiletries, t-shirts, Christmas decorations, signed cards, letters, pictures from elementary and middle school children, and also blank Christmas cards that the troops could fill out and send home. My platoon contact periodically emails to say hello or thanks for the goodies. I am so glad my daughter came to me, this has been the most rewarding thing I think I have ever done! She still thinks a lot about the soldiers and their safety, but sending packages on a regular basis has given her some piece in knowing that a gift from home is something that boosts morale and lets the troops know that there are people at home who think about them everyday!
Your efforts in keeping us informed through the news and your blog are a wonderful thing. I will be a loyal reader from now on!
Thank you again!
Sincerely,
Carolyn Dillon



Did any of you check out the "Grace Is Gone" link from my posting about Nicholas Kirven? I received a beautiful note from his parents, Michael and Beth Belle. It really means a lot to know they appreciated the story we aired about Nicholas and the special screening of the movie.

It would be great to hear from someone who attended the event at the National Press Club on January 9th. I would like to know what you thought of the movie.

Virginia Soldier Makes Ultimate Sacrifice

I made one of those phone calls today that most journalists dread. Word had come through a 9NEWS NOW co-worker that another local soldier had died in Iraq.

The mother of Pfc. David Sharrett II answered the phone in Oakton, Va. I suddenly felt myself at a loss for words. Knowing that the official Department of Defense press release had not yet come out, I was reluctant to ask about her son.

I told Vicki Sharrett that we were contacting military families and she said, "We just lost our son." I knew then I could go on with our request for more information about the soldier. She called her husband, David, to the phone and after a short conversation, he agreed to call me back.

People often wonder why reporters call families when they know they are grieving. It is not an easy task, but I believe it is the right thing to do for those who have given their lives for our country. Pfc. Sharrett should be more than a name and a number to our local viewers. He deserves more than a couple of lines mentioning another local soldier has died.

When Sharrett's father graciously returned my call, I found out David joined the Army in 2006 because he felt the need to serve. I learned that he was a 1999 graduate of Oakton High School.
He left behind a wife, Heather, in Fort Campbell Kentucky. He has two younger brothers at home, 18-year-old Chris and 12-year-old Brooks.

I heard the pride in his father's voice when he said, "He was the toughest guy I knew."

If you have thoughts or memories about Pfc. Sharrett that you would like to share , please post your comments. You can read more about other warriors who have made the ultimate sacrafice this month at Military City .

Nicholas Is Gone

The moment I saw the Belle's home, I knew the loss of their son was an enormous rip in the fabric of their lives. The presence of Nicholas Kirven goes straight to your heart as you approach J. Michael and Beth Belle's front door.

Photographs of Nicholas greet you near the entrance. American flags wave in the wind on the lawn and above the garage. His beloved BMW sits in the driveway. A Gold Star Banner hangs in a window.

Inside their lovely brick home, Nicholas is everywhere. His Purple Heart and Bronze Star for Valor are on the wall in the foyer. The piano he played still has his favorite sheet of music. The family room is adorned with pictures of their son and mementos from his service in Afghanistan with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines.

I tell you this because so many of us go through our busy lives without coming close to seeing the pride and pain of military families who have lost loved ones in Iraq or Afghanistan.

J. Michael and Beth opened their hearts to tell me about their wonderful son and what he gave to his country. As I sat and listened to their story, I could not help feeling the sense of a great soul gone.

Marine Lance Corporal Nicholas Kirven died in Afghanistan on May 8, 2005. Mother's Day will never be the same for Beth Belle. Yet, she and J. Michael could not be more proud of their son's sacrafice. You see the way they honor him in their home and in their stories, like the one about the Marines who carried Nicholas and his fallen buddy down a mountain for 6 and a half hours.

The pictures of Nicholas with his sister, Pride, and brother, Joseph, say so much about their love. You don't even want to imagine how much they must miss him. I wish I could share every photo and every story his parents told me.

That is why the special screening that military families attended at the National Press Club is something we wanted viewers to see. The Belles and other survivors were invited to see, "Grace Is Gone." John Cusack stars in the feature film about a father struggling to tell his young daughters that their mother was killed in Iraq. TAPS, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, sponsored the event.

The movie is the first, as far as I know, that really gives the American public a glimpse of what many families have experienced first hand. "Grace Is Gone" is not on the screens in the Washington area yet, but I urge you to see the film when it arrives.

For now, click here to hear more about Nicholas Kirven's decision to join the Marines and how it changed his life.


Go here for the full interview of his parents story about learning they had lost Nicholas and their comments on the importance of the movie.


Click here to listen to the moving things the Belles say about the lonely journey they share with other military family survivors and the importance of keeping the memories of fallen warriors alive.

Quantico Deployment

Another unit of Marine Reservists from our are is heading for Iraq. This article from January 4th is a moving story about the Marines saying goodbye to loved ones. It appeared in the Fredericksburg News

My co-worker, Emily Cyr, also passed on this article about a Stafford County soldier's memories of his first combat mission in Afghanistan and the wounds that sidelined him. Click here for the Stafford Soldier's Story

Recognition For Their Service

Recognition of the service given by men and women in America's military often comes after they have sacraficed their lives. Medals are important, but they are not enough to show our appreciation for those who serve and sacrafice.

Some people are trying to do more to recognize the Fallen from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Maryland Army National Guard plans to build a Fallen Soldiers Memorial in Reisterstown in 2008. So far, seven National Guard soldiers from Maryland have lost their lives in operations related to the war on terrorism.

The Maryland Board of Public Works has already approved the use of state land at Camp Fretterd Reservation. The Fallen Warrior Memorial will honor all National Guard soldiers and airmen from Maryland who have died since September 11, 2001. Their names will be carved in two vertical granite monuments. The front of the granite monuments will feature a bronze sculpure of boots and a soldier's gun. The memorial is expected to cost about $40,000.

On another front, Governor Martin O'Malley recently unveiled a special license plate that will honor Maryland servicemen and servicewomen who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Maryland's Gold Star families (families of men and women killed while serving their country) will be able to get the special license plate. The idea came from Gary Swanson. His son was killed in Iraq last year. Go here to read more about the Gold Star License Plate .

Have you heard about the new film, "Grace is Gone." It is a critically-acclaimed movie about a father struggling with the task of telling his daughters their mother was killed in Iraq. John Cusack stars in the film and it has received two Golden Globe nominations. TAPS, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors is sponsoring a special screening for military families on January 9th. It sounds like a movie worth seeing and supporting. Click here to check out clips of "Grace Is Gone" .

Happy New Year!

I'm back in the work world after a long Christmas break. I hope you had a chance to do something for our troops during the holidays.

Although we are turning our attention to other things as the New Year begins, we should make the effort to keep America's military men and women in our thoughts. Some organizations you might want to check out are listed in previous posts.

Another group you might want to check out is America Supports You. It has an online calendar that offers ideas for supporting the troops. The website is America Supports You .

Before you send donations to organizations that are supposed to be helping military families or veterans, you might want to take a look at a recent study done by the American Institute of Philanthropy. Many people were shocked to see the Institute's recent report on veterans charities and how few of the dollars donated to some organizations actually reach those who need assistance. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform heard testimony from this watchdog group on December 13th. The ratings the Institute gave some organizations and the report can be viewed at CharityWatch.