U.S. Senator-Kahikina Hurts Veterans

To:
Senator Daniel Kahikina www.akaka.senate.gov/
Chairman Veterans’ Affairs http://veterans.senate.gov/public/
Prince Kuhio Federal Building
300 Ala Moana Blvd., Rm. 3-106
Box 50144
Honolulu, HI 96850

Dear Senator Kahikina:

Subject: Your 9-11-08 Speech on the Congressional floor. http://akaka.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Home&month=9&year=2008&release_id=2362

You say that there is a growing rate of Veterans committing suicide. I say, there is an epidemic rate of Veterans committing suicide and you being the Chairman of Veterans Affairs must recognize that fact. Stop deliberately downplaying the Veteran suicide numbers by separating current Iraq and Afghanistan Veteran suicides from Vietnam Veteran suicides. When using all Veterans who are committing suicide the numbers show Veteran suicides are at an epidemic stage right now. Senator Kahikina step down as Chairman of Veterans Affairs. You and your staff are doing us Veterans a disservice.

The reason for the Veteran epidemic suicide rate is because the VA hospitals don’t want to spend the money to treat Veterans for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD. It’s less expensive to treat Veterans suffering from self-inflicted alcohol or drugs. The VA does NOT admit that PTSD caused the Veterans to drink or use drugs, because if the Veteran’s PTSD caused the Veteran to drink or use drugs then the VA must pay the Veteran $2,500.00 per month.

How the VA stops PTSD Veterans from getting their benefits:
The VA first sends the Veterans through an Addition Treat Program ATP. Then, as in my case, during the first group meeting we where told that upon completion of the ATP(s) we might qualify for PTSD benefits. The pressure of ATP forces the truly mentally sick Veterans to drop out or get kicked out of the ATP. When you’re kicked out or voted out by other Veterans you leave instantly with all your stuff and it’s very very insulting, abusive and depressing. Kicked out Veterans are not given any advice or written handout of alternative VA programs. Sometimes like in my case the dismissal is for a week and you can return providing a bed is available and you can afford it. Some dropouts try again at a latter date. Others like me have become to disappointed, distrustful or hateful to try again. In 7 weeks I saw over 15 likely PTSD veterans leave ATP.

Personal experiences:
I say all this based on my personal experiences at the Loma Linda, CA, VA hospital in the summer of 2007. I was in Loma Linda’s VA psychiatric Lockdown unit for 2 weeks, then their ATP for 7 weeks, and then I was kicked out of ATP. I couldn’t deal with the group living arrangements, which were about 30% younger Veteran jailbirds. The jailbirds are motivated by freedom to deal with the pressure of the ATP and play their jailbird tricks to have the older Vietnam Veterans and or the real mentally sick Veterans dropout. Your always aware of the over amount of applicants thus the back-stabbing by your fellow Veteran, mostly the jailbird Veterans.

VA Legally combines drug programs with mentally ill programs.
The VA can legally treat a possible PTSD Veteran by first having the Veteran go through the ATP because Congress and or the VA system have constructed the appropriate laws.
The VA and or Congress have made laws and or rules that combine PTSD and Drug Addiction Treatment Programs and therefore the VA hospitals can legally misdiagnose PTSD as a self-induced drug or alcohol problem.

VERIFICATION: Congress allows misdiagnosis of PTSD by mixing PTSD care with Alcohol and drug care.
I have copied and listed below only three very brief examples of such laws that blend together PTSD and Drug Addiction Treatment Programs. Examples found at:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:SN02162:@@@L&summ2=m&

(Sec. 304) Directs the Secretary to establish at least six national centers of excellence on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders for the provision of comprehensive inpatient or residential treatment and recovery services for veterans diagnosed with both PTSD and a substance use disorder.

(Sec. 306) Enacts this title in tribute to Justin Bailey, who, after returning to the United States from service in Operation Iraqi Freedom, died in a VA domiciliary facility while receiving care for PTSD and a substance use disorder.

Title V: Mental Health Research - (Sec. 501) Directs the Secretary to carry out a program of research into comorbid PTSD and substance use disorder through the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Authorizes appropriations.
Note: In my opinion the above-misspelled word (comorbid) in the official writing of Title V: Mental Health Research, just shows a lack for detail in very important business. Then again the spelling mistake does allow for greater flexibility with the interpretation.

Please call your politicians to requesting they get a better understanding of the suicide epidemic by going to: http://ptsdcombat.blogspot.com/ mail@ptsdcombat.com and subscribing to their PTSD News letter:

I have written all the members of the Administration Board and my US Congressman Jerry Lewis. I posted blogs about my personal experience and how I witnessed the misdiagnosis and forced removal and pressurized voluntary removal of PTSD patients. You can see my blog index of recent letters of complaints about my personal Aug 25, 2008 experiences at CA’s Loma Linda VA hospital while I was seeking information about benefits.
http://www.blogger.com/profile/16980400864745792157

Below is my attempt at my first explanation of my suicide misdiagnosis at Loma Linda VA hospital during the summer of 2007. Sorry I’m not a very good writer.
http://www.blogger.com/profile/12877379209901347346


Sincerely,
Carl G. Mueller, Nam 68

Oregon troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan are more likely to die of suicide than in combat.
http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=121926671416052100

Those listed below have received my letters in the past and gave me no written or even a phone call in response. All the *Senate Committee Members of Veterans’ Affairs, http://veterans.senate.gov/public/

*Senator Daniel Kahikina akaka.senate.gov/
Chairman Veterans’ Affairs
Prince Kuhio Federal Building
300 Ala Moana Blvd., Rm. 3-106
Box 50144
Honolulu, HI 96850

*Senator Burr, Suite 508
2000 West First Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27104

*Office of John D. Rockefeller IV
531 Hart, Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

*Senator Patty Murray
2988 Jackson Federal Bldg.
915 2nd Ave.
Seattle, Washington 98174

*Office of Senator Sherrod Brown
455 Russell, Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510

*Office of Senator Jon Tester
204 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-2604


*Office of Senator Jim Webb
144 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

US Representative Jerry Lewis
1150 Brookside Ave., Suite J-5
Redlands, CA 92373

Veterans for Common Sense, @ EPIC
611 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, No. 132
Washington, DC 20003

Los Angeles Times, City Desk
202 W. 1st St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Senator Barbara Boxer, Suite 210
201 N. E Street
San Bernardino, CA 92401