[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 9 (Wednesday, February 2, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S877-S878]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HELPING TO PREPARE PROVIDERS TO CARE

  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, so many of VA health care providers are 
truly dedicated to treating all of the ailments veterans face, 
including psychological ones. In an attempt to help VA providers 
understand the special needs of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation 
Enduring Freedom veterans, one particular VA health care region has 
made special efforts.
  The Brockton Division of the VA Boston Healthcare System Continuing 
Education Committee hosted a conference, entitled ``Preparing for the 
acute and long-term needs of Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans.'' 
Several experts in their respective fields served as speakers and made 
presentations to attendees. Brett Litz, Ph.D., of the National Center 
for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, discussed ``Promoting 
Continuity of Care and Understanding: Putting the Long-Term lmpact of 
the War in Afghanistan and Iraq in Context.'' Dr. Litz helped the crowd 
to appreciate the active-duty military mental health culture; 
understand the early intervention and the variety of interventions for 
acute trauma; and appreciate high probability themes to war-zone 
traumas in Afghanistan and Iraq veterans.
  Lieutenant Colonel Chuck Engel, MD, MPH, of Walter Reed Medical 
Center, addressed ``Quality of Post-Deployment Health Care in the 
Defense Health System--Steady Progress or Unified Promises?'' Lt. Col. 
Engel informed attendees of the strengths and limitations of Deployment 
health initiatives in the Department of Defense; ways to improve the 
continuity of care from postdeployment to discharge and beyond; and the 
role of primary care in identifying and treating mental health problems 
caused by exposure to war.
  Lieutenant Colonel Carl Castro, Ph.D., of Walter Reed Army Institute 
of Research, spoke about the ``Impact of Combat on the Mental Health of 
Soldiers,'' focusing on the findings of the Mental Health Assessment 
Team's evaluation of Iraq War veterans mental health and well-being in 
the warzone; the findings of the psychological screening program in the 
U.S. Army; and the risk and resilience factors that

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predict deployment and post-deployment mental health in active duty 
military personnel.
  The final featured speaker was Yuval Neria, Ph.D., of the New York 
Psychiatric Institute. Dr. Neria educated the audience about ``Israeli 
War Veterans and POW's Two Decades After the War: Findings from the Yom 
Kippur 1973 War.'' She concentrated her discussion on understanding the 
phenomenology of war-trauma; understanding the nature of combat stress 
reactions; and understanding the impact of war-trauma across the 
lifespan.
  These medical professionals provided just a snapshot of the strides 
VA has made and hopefully will continue to make in the field of war-
trauma. I applaud these VA health care providers. As ranking member of 
the Committee on Veterans Affairs, I will be working to ensure that DoD 
and VA cooperate to make sure that there is a seamless transition from 
active military status to veteran status. VA providers are quite 
obviously incredibly important as we seek to make this seamless 
transition.

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