Military PTSD Online Support Group

There was an article in the Air Force times concerning a drug dosen't work for ptsd. Later in the article it talks about the mixture of seoquil with certain narcotics and accidental over dosing. I was on seoquilmixed with fentyl patch and morphine. I almost went in respitory arrest. The pharmasit told me that one day I would not wake up. This reaction happened to me twice. My son stayed up to make sure I was breathing. I am now off any narcotics. The surgery on my neck is helping. This is the 4th surgery on my neck. Doctors need to check out what meds one is taking before prescribing something that could have drug interactions. If I had taken the amount of morphine that this pain doctor wanted me to take, I would not be alive. As a consumer, we need be aware of possible interactions, be are own advocate.

Terri

Here is an article on stars and stripes trying to protect victims of military sexual trauma, where swan is working to get this bill that gives victims better care.

HereLawmakers propose new protections for military

assault victims

By Leo Shane III

Stars and Stripes

Published: April 13, 2011

WASHINGTON — New military sexual assault legislation introduced Wednesday would give all victims access to legal services, a chance to transfer jobs away from their attacker, and a promise that their private counseling sessions won’t be used against them in court.

Victim advocacy groups say it’s ridiculous that they don’t already have those protections.

“[Sexual assault victims] are given few privileges, and barely any freedom of movement to flee their perpetrators,” said Anu Bhagwati, executive director of the Service Women’s Action Network. “In a system that is entirely built on rank and intimidation, it is no wonder that survivors do not come forward more often about the most brutal and horrifying experience of their lives.”

Advertisement

The legislation, sponsored by Reps. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, and Niki Tsongas, D-Mass., mirrors previous unsuccessful measures introduced in the House in recent years and copies some initiatives already recommended internally by a Pentagon sexual assault task force.

Under the bill, all troops who report being sexually assaulted would be given access to military legal services, to better understand their rights and options. Currently, only those who file unrestricted reports — cases in which the victim publicly accuses an attacker of a crime — are given confidential access to military lawyers.

Victims are not given an immediate opportunity to transfer out of their unit when their attacker serves alongside them, a situation Turner described as dangerous and absurd. His measure would change that.

And the legislation would make more reporting and counseling sessions confidential, and inadmissible in court. Other provisions would make it easier to share sexual assault records with Veterans Affairs medical services, and provide more comprehensive training for military victim advocates.

“These are not radical proposals,” Turner said. “These are common sense policies that most people already think should be in place. This is how you protect a victim.”

More than 3,150 military sexual assaults were reported in 2010, down about 2 percent from 2009 figures, according to Department of Defense statistics.

But Pentagon officials estimate that less than 14 percent of sexual crimes against military personnel are reported. In 2010, VA medical staff treated more than 68,000 veterans who reported some sexual trauma during their military service. Nearly 40 percent were men.

In past years, similar initiatives to reform the Defense Department sexual assault rules have run into opposition in the Senate and the Pentagon. Tsongas said her office has reached out to several senators to move the issue along this year, and received support from Defense Secretary Robert Gates in principal on some of the provisions.

In addition on Wednesday, Rep. Bruce Braley, R-Iowa, introduced separate legislation to strengthen the punishment for military sex crimes, and strengthen training within the military to prevent such assaults from taking place.

shanel@stripes.osd.mil

Women who suffer this in any capacity (civ or mil) should feel it's there duty to report and prosecute. If for nothing else but to prevent the Perp from claiming another victim. (which many do...)

AND IT TYPE THIS AS SOMEONE WHO'S "GOT THE T-SHIRT". If you know what I mean.

It's amazing how dogs have more rights the those with ptsd.

it would be an ideal situation if we were able to report the assaults and were heard, but this not the ideal sitution the normal outcome is that the victim is treated as if she were the perp. I reported my boss, I was treated with disdane,the perp, my boss recieved no punishment, and I continued to work under him, even during the investigated. So, we can report it, but nothing happens. If you are interested in reading stories, true from women and our plight with no justice, there is a sight called My Duty To Speak, many of us have come out of the closet and are speaking loudly.

Thank you for that info wicket. Very informative indeed,,,,,,here is the site :

http://mydutytospeak.com/

thanks so so so so much wicket, that is so important, even doing it on my facebook page.

wolf

Hey everyone,

Been a while since I have posted.

It is amazing how easily a trigger can open up a can of worms. Anger spins me back into childhood and my military experience. I had a recent experience. Intimidation runs rampent in the service. This puts me in a mind set of a flight mode. I had a experience where anger and intimadation, and fear. I have a dentist who owns numerous clinics. From day one he has used intimidation against me. It started off with making a mold of my lower area for dentures. He kept raising his voice that I wasnt biting down the way he wanted me to do. This went on for a few visits. Then he let me know that I would have to work with whatever dentures he made. I felt so small, I did what was ingrained on a daily basis while in the service, which was to keep my mouth shut. The current experience that spirled me down causing my ptsd symtoms to flare up. He accused me of adjusting my top dentures, when I told him that his staff did this, he said they would have never left it this way, he then accused the va doing it. It didnt matter that I kept telling him that neither of us adjusted them, he used intimadation and anger towards me. I left that office in tears, which I usually do not let others see me crying, but this time I couldnt hold back the tears. When I was assaulted many times in the service with two chaplains, in timation was used to keep my mouth shut. Well this situation brought back memories of these events. I have nightmares and flashbacks and panic when I think of going back to see him. Tis has become a nightmare. This dentist is also the owners of these clinics.

You should seek a different dentist if you can and file a complaint with the local Medical Board.

Off topic but... A V.A. in Texas has a special in-patient program which deals with female sexual assult PTSD cases. I only know of this second hand (Being a male!) but I know someone on the list and will keep you updated on it as I hear how it works out.

Post edited by: cptblack, at: 04/19/2012 07:22 AM

HI...I have to say ...the Texas VA is light yrs ahead of all the other VA's......

I'd move to Texas but I don't own a cowboy hat, a pick-up truck or a hound dog. LOL!