Governor’s Working Group on Veterans, Service Members, and their Families

Governor's Working Group on Veterans Service Members, and their Families

North Carolina News

TRICARE Changes

Changes to the TRICARE Prime military health insurance plan policy aimed to control medical costs will result in increased fees for beneficiaries who do not live near military hospitals. Those affected will automatically be enrolled in TRICARE Standard, a plan with higher out-of-pocket expenses. According to data from the Department of Defense (DoD), these changes will affect some 170,000 service members and their families, including 14,000 in North Carolina. Read more…

Research Advances MH Practices

Testimony from Lt. Gen. Patricia D. Horoho, Army Surgeon General, highlights the advances made in military mental health practices that have improved behavioral healthcare services to troops. Research, supported by Congressional funding, has resulted in programs such as those that embed combat stress teams in Afghanistan, which have “demonstrated significant reductions in key behavioral health measures while knocking down access barriers and stigma.” Research has also led to improvements in identifying and treating traumatic brain injury and increased access to […]

Veterans Upward Bound Project

Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) Veterans Upward Bound project supports veterans with getting and staying on track while pursuing a college education. This program, a first in North Carolina, was made possible by a five-year, $1.23 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education. College president Dr. Bud Marchant stated that many of the veterans who could benefit from this program are “potential first-generation college attendees, low-income, or academically at-risk students.” The college plans to partner with Wake and […]

‘Best Warrior’ Competition

Between March 26th and 28th, North Carolina National Guard soldiers gathered at the 2013 Best Warrior Competition at Camp Butner National Guard Training Center. Thirteen participants were chosen to compete from the more than 10,000 North Carolina National Guard soldiers. The competition included a physical fitness test, land navigation, and soldier skills testing. After three days of competition, Army Maj. Gen. Greg Lusk, the Adjutant General of North Carolina, recognized the accomplishments of all the contestants and named the winners, […]

April Military Child Month

Since 1983, the Department of Defense (DoD) has recognized military children for the contributions and sacrifices they make to support their parents’ military service. Barbara Thompson, director of DoD’s Office of Family Policy/Children and Youth states that “Military children, youth, and teens are an integral part of their military parent because they stand by them, they’re proud of them, they recognize their sacrifices, and they take on additional responsibilities to meet the needs of their families.” It is important for […]

Changes to Questionnaire

The Director of National Security James Clapper has agreed to change the National Security Questionnaire to protect victims of sexual assault. This questionnaire contained a question that asked about an applicant’s counseling history. Prior to this announcement, applicants who had received counseling for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) were able to answer “no” to this question, but those who had received counseling for military sexual assault still were required to answer yes. This announcement came just one day after a panel […]

Homelessness Issues

After leaving the service, many female veterans find themselves facing a number of challenges leading to homelessness. These challenges include unemployment, underemployment, lack of affordable family housing, poverty, and lack of programs to meet their specific needs. Experts who work with these female veterans state that these challenges can be greater for women who have experienced the trauma of military sexual abuse (the Service Women’s Action Network or SWAN has a legal and social service helpline at 1-888-729-2089 or [email protected]). […]

New University Program

The Fayetteville State University’s Collaborative Institute for Interprofessional Education and Practice opened on March 13, 2013. Through collaboration with the FSU Department of Nursing, Departments of social work and psychology, and the FSU/ Fort Bragg Veteran’s Center, this program will focus on the biopsychosocial health of military personnel, veterans, and their families. Sheila Cannon, Ph.D., Clinical Director for the Institute, will be presenting more information about this program at the North Carolina Focus on Veterans, Servicemembers, and Their Families meeting […]

Behavioral Health Services Affected by Sequestration

Civilian furloughs due to budget cuts required by sequestration will affect the availability and access to Army behavioral health care states Colonel Rebecca Porter, Chief of Army Behavioral Healthcare. Currently, civilians make up about 60% of Army medical providers, which includes more than half of the 4,500 behavioral health providers. Colonel Porter stated that the Army is looking at a variety of ways to address this problem, including requesting exemptions for some civilian providers, and utilizing active duty medical providers […]

Ft. Bragg Chosen

The Department of Defense (DoD) has chosen Fort Bragg as one of thirteen sites for the Healthy Base Initiative pilot. This one-year pilot project aims to increase the health and wellness of servicemembers, civilians, and their family members, targeting a number of health issues including nutrition, weight, and tobacco use. Starting in April, each installation will be assessed on a number of factors, including healthy commissary offerings, ease of exercising, and choices for healthy meals. Outcome information from the pilot […]

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Governor’s Working Group on Veterans, Service Members, and their Families

North Carolina News

Harnett County Veterans Treatment Court

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), US Department of Health and Human Services and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), US Department of Justice have awarded three-year grants to the Harnett County Veterans Treatment Court, beginning on September 30, 2016. The purpose of both grants is to provide crisis response and stabilization services; evidence-based treatment for substance use and mental health disorders; and peer support services for at least 135 Veterans over the three-year period.

SAMHSA Website for Veterans and Military Families

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the US Department of Health and Human Services has contracted with PRA Associates to offer technical assistance services to service members, veterans, and their families and to the treatment providers who offer clinical services. The website offers behavioral health services and resources as well as statistics about the men and women who have served since 2001. For example, an estimated 18.5% of service members returning from Iraq or Afghanistan have post-traumatic […]

NC Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Expands

The NC Department of Military and Veterans Affairs recently welcomed two new Assistant Secretaries. Jim Prosser, the new Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs, was previously the Director, Veterans Services Division, Community Support Services Department, Mecklenburg County and was responsible for the largest Veterans Service Office in the state. He served in the United States Air Force for 27 years and retired as a First Sergeant. Most of his career involved helping others as a Mental Health Technician, Radiology Technician, and […]

Cheryl Rawls Receives the Order of the Long Leaf Pine

At the July 28 meeting of the Governor’s Working Group on Veterans, Service Members, and their Families, Secretary Cornell Wilson presented Ms. Rawls with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, one of the most prestigious awards given by the Governor of the State. She was provided with this award for her service and commitment assisting Veterans obtain the benefits that they deserve through the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA). Ms. Rawls has been promoted to serve as Director of Pension […]

Veteran Homelessness Declines by 19% from 2015 to 2016 in NC

Sponsored by the NC Department of Health and Human Services in partnership with the NC Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the NC Coalition to End Homelessness, the six teams comprising the Rapid Results Veteran Boot Camp Initiative met to discuss accoomplishments and recommendations at its June 22-23 meeting. In addition, the NC Department of Military and Veterans Affairs released a report, which indicated that the number of North Carolina homeless veterans fell from 1,092 in 2015 to 888 […]

Successful NC STRIVE Conference for Higher Education

On June 15, the Planning Committee for the NC STRIVE 2016! Conference hosted a daylong meeting at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center in Sanford. Interagency collaboration was exemplified by the participation of the Chair and four Vice Chairs of the Governor’s Working Group on Veterans, Service Members, and their Families—Secretary Cornell Wilson, NC Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, kicked off the conference, followed by Flo Stein, Deputy Director, NC Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse […]

2016 Women Veterans Summit & Expo

On May 25, the NC Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the NC Veteran’s Business Association, SAS, and multiple partners hosted the 2016 Women Veterans Summit & Expo at the McKimmon Conference and Training Center, North Carolina State University, in Raleigh. While the goal of the Summit is Empower. Educate. Enrich., this year’s theme is Sharing Stories, Making History. The conference featured keynote speaker and award-winning author Tracy Crow, who provided copies of her book, On Point: A Guide to […]

All Army Team Highlights PTSD in their Mount Everest Climb

The ALL ARMY Everest Team of LT Elyse Ping Medvigy , 2nd LT Harold Earls, and SSG Chad Jukes will be summiting Everest within the next several days to bring attention to the issues of PTSD and Suicide among Active Duty and Veterans. This will be the first expedition where an Active Duty Army Team and Disable Army Veteran will have reached “THE TOP OF THE WORLD”. Read more

NC Announces New Strategic Plan

North Carolina Announces New Strategic Plan on Military Preparedness The North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the North Carolina Military Affairs Commission have unveiled the state’s new Strategic Plan for Supporting and Enhancing North Carolina Military Missions and Installations. The purpose of the Strategic Plan is to ensure North Carolina is in an advantageous position as the Department of Defense adjusts to budget constraints. The report outlines a four-pronged strategy to maximize the value of North Carolina’s […]

Fort Bragg Intrepid Spirit Center

Although the Fort Bragg Intrepid Spirit Center opened its doors to service members in January 2016, the official dedication occurred on March 31. Funded by the nonprofit Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund (IFHF), the Center provides treatment and support services for service members with traumatic brain injury or psychological health conditions. It is the fifth of nine Intrepid Spirit Centers. North Carolina also has a Center in Jacksonville. Read more

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Governor’s Working Group on Veterans, Service Members, and their Families

Upcoming Events

North Carolina News

Changes to Questionnaire

Homelessness Issues

New University Program

Behavioral Health Services Affected by Sequestration

Ft. Bragg Chosen

Mild TBI, PTSD, and Suicide

New research from the Pentagon’s brain repository research center finds that mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) may be linked to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide. Dan Perl, M.D., neuropathologist and lead investigator states, “What these papers say to me is that there is something to TBI, and particularly military TBI, producing specific abnormalities in the brain that lead to more vulnerability to PTSD and to suicide.” This research is consistent with research by the National Center for Veterans Studies, […]

“Culture of Seeking Help” Attributed to Reduction in Suicides

A series of programs and initiatives designed to reduce suicides is showing success at Fort Bliss, and may provide a promising model to initiate across military branches. Army Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pittard, Fort Bliss commander, attributes a 30% drop in suicides to a comprehensive approach that focuses on suicide prevention, risk reduction, and resilience, creating what he calls a “culture of seeking help.” This approach began in 2010 with the launch of the “No Preventable Soldier Deaths” campaign, an […]

License Plate Benefits NC

On March 1, 2013, the North Carolina Guard’s Joint Force Headquarters released a new specialty license plate titled, “In God We Trust.” Two-thirds of the sales proceeds from the new plate will go to The Soldiers and Airmen Assistance Fund, a non-profit that provides financial assistance to Army and Air Guard families coping with unusual or unpreventable hardships. Read more…

Mild TBI and Brain Abnormalities

In a recent study of U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with mild traumatic brain injury found measureable abnormalities in the white matter of their brains. Researcher, and senior study author Ricardo Jorge, M.D., University of Iowa professor of psychiatry, states, “In the military population we studied, patients with TBI have more alterations, sometimes called ‘potholes,’ in the white matter of their brains than patients without a history of TBI,” and that “The more severe the injury, the more […]

PTSD and TBI Biomarkers

A new five-year study at New York University’s medical school has researchers looking for biological signals, known as biomarkers, that could provide reliable, objective evidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Researchers hope to recruit 1500 participants, with the ultimate goal developing inexpensive tests for PTSD and TBI. A similar study, which is seeking to identify PTSD biomarkers, is underway at Fort Bragg. Experts state that the lack of reliable markers for PTSD and mild TBI […]

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Governor’s Working Group on Veterans, Service Members, and their Families

North Carolina News

Asheville VA MH Summit

On Friday, August 9, the Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville hosted a community mental health summit. Close to 100 health care providers attended. VA officials discussed steps they were taking to meet the increasing need for mental health treatment at their facility. The topics at the summit ranged from homelessness and suicide prevention to the addition of peer programs. This summit was one of 152 summits being held across the nation, and one of the four to be […]

NC Community Colleges Survey

Earlier this year, a survey was administered to community colleges regarding the types of behavioral health and other support services that are provided to student veterans. Of the 58 community colleges, a total of 38 community colleges responded, with 9 additional schools completing the survey but not self-identifying. The most commonly provided services were a Veterans Coordinator (38 schools), counseling center (31), and office of student veteran services (20). Fourteen of the responding schools offered veteran-specific individual counseling services. For […]

NC Veteran Survey Results

Results of Survey Administered to NC Community Colleges regarding Behavioral Health and Other Support Services for Student Veterans Earlier this year, a survey was administered to community colleges regarding the types of behavioral health and other support services that are provided to student veterans. Of the 58 community colleges, a total of 38 community colleges responded, with 9 additional schools completing the survey but not self-identifying. The most commonly provided services were a Veterans Coordinator (38 schools), counseling center (31), […]

Helping Marriages Heal

For some servicemembers, the return home to their spouse and family is a difficult journey complicated by mental health conditions, disabilities, or financial problems. This was the case for Staff Sgt. Joe Payne, an Army combat engineer and his wife Mary of North Carolina. The Paynes share their story of post-deployment marital problems and how they began rebuilding their marriage and relationship with the help of the Wounded Warrior Program’s marriage retreats. Read more…

Military Consumer Protection Day

On July 17, Attorney General Roy Cooper visited Seymour Johnson Air Force Base to mark the first Military Consumer Protection Day. This new joint initiative provides free resources and education to protect active duty and retired servicemembers, military families, veterans, and civilians in the military community from fraudulent financial schemes. While at the event, Cooper provided tips and resources to help the military community in North Carolina. Read more…

New Fort Bragg Family Center

The new Fort Bragg Family Readiness Group Center, housed in the former Pope Officers’ Club, opened its doors on July 25, 2013. Resources at the Center include public computers, a large conference hall, classrooms, and a childcare room. The childcare room, a welcome addition, will offer free babysitting for children age six weeks to 12 years old while their parents are in meetings or classes. Read more…

Veteran Receives New Home

U.S. Army Cpl. Cody Stanton, an Afghanistan veteran and double amputee received a new specially adapted home built by Operation Coming Home volunteers in Holly Springs. The Operation Coming Home project conducts fundraising events, coordinates building projects, and presents adapted living homes to some of the most physically challenged military veterans at no cost to the servicemember or their family. Stanton received keys to his new home on June 27, as part of a ceremony attended by soldiers, community leaders, […]

Homeless Vet Program Awards

Private nonprofit organizations and consumer cooperatives that provide services to very low-income veteran families living in or transitioning to permanent housing have received nearly $6 million in Veterans Administration homeless prevention grants as part of the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program. This funding will help programs in fifty-four of North Carolina’s counties to serve approximately 2,400 homeless and at-risk veteran families who need temporary financial assistance. To read more, click here.

Furloughs at Lejeune

Government officials this week furloughed behavioral and mental health workers, striking a blow to a military already trying to clear a backlog of mental health claims. These furloughs are affecting behavioral health programs at Camp Lejeune resulting in fewer available behavioral and mental health appointments for marines, sailors, and their families and longer waits for these services. Despite the furloughs, the director of mental health for Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune, Navy Capt. Sawsan Ghurani, said the quality of care will […]

New TBI Tissue Bank

Pentagon officials announce the establishment of the world’s first brain tissue repository established by the Defense Department. This repository will aid researchers to understand the underlying mechanisms of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in service members with the goal of providing a better understanding of how to prevent, diagnose, and treat traumatic brain injuries and to ensure that servicemembers have productive and long, quality lives. Dr. Daniel Perl, a neuropathologist and the director of the repository states, “Little is known about […]

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Governor’s Working Group on Veterans, Service Members, and their Families

North Carolina News

New Research Findings

UNC, Duke, and VAMC researchers recently released findings that publicizing the substantial rate of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans seeking help for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression could motivate other veterans to seek care. This research also suggests that the stigma associated with mental health care may need to be addressed on the initial visit with a provider to increase the chances that a veteran will return for additional care, as veterans who receive mental health care are more likely […]

Invisible Casualties

Invisible Casualties: The Struggle Against Military Suicides In 2012, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) named September National Suicide Prevention Month, in an effort to demonstrate “support for Veterans in crisis and help raise awareness of the VA mental health services Veterans have earned.” To keep the momentum going, this September, The Huffington Post is dedicating a special series to the subject. Invisible Casualties is shining a spotlight on suicide prevention within the military and Veteran communities, focusing on […]

Prescription with Four Legs

Specially trained service dogs are proving to be invaluable to the veterans they assist. The dogs, once trained, can help veterans with physical disabilities and mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Retired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Justin Madore, a North Carolina resident, describes the effects his service dog Cody has had on his life, sharing that his PTSD kept him housebound for five years. Now, “I can go to the store on my own, I can go […]

Female Vets Unemployment

For the last two years, unemployment among female veterans in North Carolina has been at 14.8%, more than twice the rate of male veterans. While there are many reasons unemployment is higher among female veterans, Dr. Irene Trowell-Harris, Director of the U.S. Department for Veterans Affairs Center for Women Veterans, states that issues such as childcare, underemployment, and transportation seem to be more pronounced among women. Contributing to the higher unemployment rates is the fact that many female veterans do […]

NC Community Colleges Survey

Community College Services and Supports for Student Veterans Based on a survey that was administered to community colleges earlier this year, we have compiled a list of behavioral health and other support services that are provided to student veterans by community college. These services are only listed for those community colleges that responded to the survey. For a copy of the results, click here.

A Call for Consolidation

In a recent op-ed, Retired Army Col. David Sutherland, chairman of the Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Community Services in Chicago, writes, “When it comes to addressing the needs of returning veterans, bigger isn’t better,” stating that although it might sound counterintuitive, there simply are too many disparate organizations ineffectively trying to address the needs of veterans. In military parlance, it is termed” groundswell without focus.” Col. Sutherland shares his concern that the large numbers of groups providing services […]

VA Promotes E-Benefits

The Winston-Salem Regional Veterans Affairs (VA) Office processes nearly all of the claims for the more than 773,000 veterans living in North Carolina. It has been able to clear most of the cases that had been waiting two years or more, and now is working on cases that have waited 12 months or more. To achieve this reduction in backlog, the regional office hired 25 more employees, reached out for assistance from offices in other parts of the country, and […]

New JCC Program

A new grant-funded program at Johnston Community College is offering Fort Bragg soldiers and spouses access to reduced-fee truck driver training courses on base. Participants who complete the course can apply for their commercial driving license, a path to a post-military career. To read more, click here.

Housing for Homeless Vets

Ten veterans in Raleigh have moved into new apartments built specifically for them by the CASA program. Program participants will help support their housing needs by paying 30% of their income; the rest of the funding to run the program comes from a combination of funds from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development, the city of Raleigh, and Wake County. CASA has plans to build one more facility in Wake County and another facility in Durham County. To read more, […]

Vet Services Office Moves

The Cumberland County Veterans Services offices moved to a new location at 301 Russell Street in Fayetteville. The new location has been renovated to include more office space allowing veterans more privacy when they meet to discuss their cases. Additional changes in the physical layout of the office will accommodate wheelchairs and scooters, increasing accessibility for those who need it. To read more, click here.

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Governor’s Working Group on Veterans, Service Members, and their Families

North Carolina News

New TBI Study

Preliminary research completed at Saint Louis University on military veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI) showed that changes in brain tissue due to blast injury are apparent in brain images years after the blast. The study looked at data from diffusion tensor imaging, a type of highly sensitive magnetic resonance image (MRI), which was used to examine the way water moves throughout the brain’s white matter. Researchers noted that in the civilian population, cognitive issues related to mild TBI caused […]

Surry Community College Program

Surry Community College has announced a new program to help the long-term unemployed, veterans, and National Guard members. Funded by a North Carolina Back to Work grant, the program assists eligible North Carolina residents by offering free short-term trainings and providing the opportunity to earn industry-recognized credentials. Trainings are available in a number of fields related to manufacturing, healthcare, law enforcement, and more. To read more or obtain contact information for the program, click here.

Community Blueprint Event

Community leaders who assist military families gathered at Fayetteville Technical Community College for a town hall event entitled A Community Conversation: Supporting Our Military, Veterans, and Their Families to discuss issues affecting servicemembers, veterans, and their families living in Fayetteville and the surrounding area. The event celebrated two years of collaborative efforts by partners from private corporations, local government, churches, and other nonprofit groups. Panelists shared success stories and identified areas for improvement, noting that there was a need to […]

Veterans Writing Groups

Established in January 2013, the Veterans Writing Collective at Methodist University provides veterans a safe and supportive forum to express themselves and share their experiences in writing. The group is focused on the mechanics of writing; however, many members describe their participation as therapeutic. Membership is free to all active duty and retired military personnel, as well as their families. A similar group has been started at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Information on the UNC Pembroke program […]

Job Program a Success

Since opening in June 2013, the North Carolina National Guard’s Employment and Education Center (EEC) has successfully assisted nearly 200 soldiers, airmen, and eligible North Carolina Guard dependents find work. The EEC teaches Guard and their families how to get the most out of their education benefits and connects them to potential employers. The Center links employers and servicemembers, offers workshops on building resumes, and provides interviewing skills. Services are open to all North Carolina National Guard members and qualified […]

PTSD Therapy

In the recent CBS 60 Minutes segment, The War Within: Treating PTSD, therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are featured. These therapies aim to help the nearly one in five veterans who suffer from PTSD. Clips from the program include the personal experiences of veterans who share their stories about the effects PTSD has had on their lives, and how participating in therapy has helped them. To access this story, click here.

Wake Tech Retraining Program

Wake Technical Community College has been awarded a grant to develop a retraining program that focuses on older veterans and female veterans, two populations experiencing higher than average unemployment. The program, which expects to begin next year, has a goal to match the skills of veterans with certification programs to see if they can aid the veteran through the educational process quickly. Wake Tech has seen a surge in student veterans on their campuses in the past four years, with […]

On Becoming a Veteran

Marine Jason Bunce of Jacksonville shares his personal experience transitioning from being on active duty status to becoming veteran. Bunce, a medically retired Marine staff sergeant who served six combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last eleven years, acknowledges that the transition can be challenging, noting that it takes time to adjust to the slower, less regimented pace of civilian life. Grant Beck, commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart in Jacksonville reinforces this sentiment stating, […]

Advocating for MH

Two Marine Medal of Honor recipients visited Camp Lejeune to advocate for mental health treatment. Retired Maj. Gen. James E. Livingston and retired Col. Barney Barnum, both living Medal of Honor recipients, spent Tuesday and Wednesday touring Camp Lejeune and talking to Marines and sailors about combat stress and post-traumatic stress disorder. During an evening dinner, the two took time to encourage spouses, as well as their husbands, to seek treatment if they need it. Both the general and colonel […]

Transitional Residence Program

The W.G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center in Salisbury opened a new transitional living residence for veterans on the Brenner Avenue Campus. The residence will serve as a stable living environment for veterans who are in need of dual work and mental therapy. Veterans enrolled in the program will spend six to eight months in the house learning budgeting skills, how to grocery shop, and how to prepare their own meals. The program is structured to transition veterans from an […]

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Governor’s Working Group on Veterans, Service Members, and their Families

North Carolina News

Voices from the Homefront

The Cape Fear Regional Theatre has received a grant to create a documentary theatre piece based upon the voices of the military community as told through the stories of families with deployed service members. The theatre is in the planning phases of the “Voices from the Homefront” project, this will lead to community engagement workshops where spouses and children of deployed service members can share their experiences and contribute to the final product. To read more, click here.

New TBI Clinical Recommendations

The Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center has released new clinical recommendations to help service members who have sustained a mild traumatic brain injury, otherwise known as concussion, to progressively return to their normal activities following their injury. The guidelines are available here. The recommendations developed with input by academic experts, sports concussion clinicians and military TBI experts are for use by military and civilian health care professionals. To read more, click here.

Red, White, and Blue NC

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina has launched the Red, White, & Blue North Carolina website, a new resource for current and former military service members, their families, and their providers. The new site is comprised of two micro sites, one for members and another for the providers who treat them. BCBSNC collaborated with the North Carolina Focus on Service Members, Veterans and Their Families to create and provide training, as well as include useful third-party links and toolkits […]

Ft. Bragg Intrepid Spirit Center

Construction is underway on the Fort Bragg Intrepid Spirit Center in Fayetteville. The new center is the second for North Carolina; the first opened late last year at Camp Lejeune. The Fayetteville location will have 25,000 square feet, with 50-60 staff providing interdisciplinary care to as many as 1400 soldiers diagnosed with traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress disorder. Services will include behavioral health, neurology, pain management, and physical therapy. The program will work closely with the Womack Medical Center, […]

TBI Benefits Expanded

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has approved new regulations that will make it easier for veterans to receive additional disability pay for conditions related to traumatic brain injury. The change in regulations is the result of findings in the Institute of Medicine report, Gulf War and Health, Volume 7: Long-Term Consequences of Traumatic Brain Injury. The new regulations will take effect in January 2014 and are expected to affect some Veterans living with TBI who also have Parkinson’s disease, […]

Companion Dogs for Veterans

The North Carolina non-profit Wags4Tags is working hard to achieve its mission of providing trained companion and emotional support dogs to veterans who need them. The program highlighted by the University of North Carolina in this video trains the dogs that have been rescued from kill shelters across the state. Once trained the dog is matched with a veteran who has completed the program’s application process and been approved. Wags4Tags requires the veteran attend hands on sessions with their new […]

Training and Coordination Needed

In a recent statement to the House Veterans Affairs Committee, the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) CEO and Medical Director, Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A., called for better coordination of opioid and benzodiazepine prescribing inside and outside the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Dr. Lewin also expressed concerns that better training is needed for VA staff that provides medication management to veterans with multiple medical conditions and veterans being treated for opioid dependence who also have co-occurring diagnoses such as post-traumatic stress disorder […]

Veterans Internship Program

The city of Jacksonville has developed a new internship program that will provide members of the Marine Wounded Warrior Battalion an opportunity to receive civilian job training. The interns will be provided between three to eight months of on-the-job training in a field they are interested in with the hopes of gaining employment once they complete the program. It is expected that five internships within various city departments will be available in 2014. To read more, click here.

New VA PTSD Study

In early 2014, the VA plans to conduct a four-year study to compare the effectiveness of two types of psychotherapy—Prolonged Exposure and Cognitive Processing Therapy—for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite solid evidence that both treatments are effective in Veterans and non-Veterans, there is a lack of evidence about the effectiveness of these treatments compared with one another and if the treatments work better in different population groups. The study sample includes 900 male and female Veterans diagnosed with PTSD […]

ECU Operation Re-Entry Van

Eastern Carolina University (ECU) has received a grant from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to help equip a van with satellite communication and other technology to bring medical, psychiatric, and behavioral health services to veterans and their families where they live. The program plans to be operational in eastern North Carolina communities early next year. The van will allow one-on-one interventions via telehealth and web-based and application-based systems including motivational interviewing, biofeedback, telepsychiatry consultation, and […]

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Governor’s Working Group on Veterans, Service Members, and their Families

North Carolina News

COACH Program Expands

The Durham VA Medical Center program “Caring for Older Adults and Caregivers at Home” (COACH) began as a pilot in 2010 and is now a fully funded program in Durham and is expanding to two more locations, Greenville and Morehead City. The COACH program is open to Veterans aged 65 or older living within a 50-mile radius of either the Durham VA Medical Center, Greenville VA Health Care Center, or Morehead City VA Community-Based Outreach Clinic with a caregiver at […]

Suicide in the Military

The Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS) is the largest study of mental health risk and resilience ever conducted among U.S. military personnel. The findings related to suicide attempts and deaths have been released in a series of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Psychiatry articles. Study findings include: the rise in suicide deaths from 2004 to 2009 occurred not only in currently and previously deployed soldiers, but also among soldiers never deployed; […]

A Call for Service

In the article, “Our Opportunity to Serve Veterans,” Kathryn Power, M.Ed., Regional Administrator and Lead, Strategic Priority for Military Service Members, Veterans and their Families, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) calls on community providers to become educated about the needs of our Veterans and their families. Ms. Power writes, “There is a misconception that Veterans are only served through closed systems, and that the civilian community does not have the opportunity to interact with the Veteran population,” […]

UNC Team Helps Vets

Dr. Eric Elbogen, a forensic psychologist at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, heads a team that developed tools that mental health clinicians can use to assess and reduce risk for violent behavior in Veterans. The research identified risk factors associated with risk of violence in Veterans and provided information to aid in the construction and development of clinical checklists used by doctors in the Veterans Administration (VA) hospital system and non-VA medical facilities treating military Veterans. The […]

NCNG Tax Preparation

The North Carolina National Guard (NCNG) is providing free tax preparation to service members, Veteran retirees, and their families throughout the state of North Carolina. Certified staff travels across the state to make the service available to soldiers who may not have the ability to get to the JFHQ location in Raleigh. The tax center also provides times on the weekend so that service members do not have to take time off from their civilian jobs. Since opening three years […]

Soldier 360 Program

The Soldier 360 leadership-training program is experiencing success at Fort Bragg and earning high praise from Fort Bragg leaders. This five-day training program includes non-traditional therapies and aims to increase resiliency among noncommissioned officers. Mary Lopez, a retired colonel and director of Soldier 360, says that the program provides enlisted leaders with tools, techniques, and programs that could help a soldier in need. Participants in the course describe how the training has helped them both mentally and physically. To read […]

Kernersville VA Clinic

A groundbreaking ceremony for the 280,000 square foot Kernersville Veterans Affairs clinic was held in January. The new clinic, expected to serve about 34,000 veterans a year, will cut down on the travel time for veterans who currently seek care at the VA. The services offered at the clinic will include primary care and general and specialized mental health services among others. Similar clinics are being built in Charlotte and Fayetteville to help meet the growing health care needs of […]

PTSD, TBI, and Pain

Researchers at the Virginia Commonwealth University have found that for veterans treated for traumatic brain injury (TBI) that the majority had a clinician-diagnosed mental health disorder and approximately half had both post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and pain. Additional findings indicated that six percent of the veterans treated during the study period suffered from TBI, PTSD, and pain, referred to as the “polytrauma triad.” The principal investigators of the study believe that their findings will lead to better understanding and treatment […]

Veterans Courts

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) estimates that there are about 140,000 veterans in American jails today. More than half of these veterans have substance abuse problems, and a quarter were inebriated at the time of the violation that landed them in prison. Experts say many are “self-medicating,” countering the strains of their service, PTSD, emotional stress, mental fatigue, survivor guilt, and/or family disruption with drugs or alcohol. Recognizing that many veterans are in need of treatment, not incarceration, many […]

Stand Down a Success

The Veteran Stand Down and Outreach Event hosted by the Onslow County Career Center offered hot showers, meals, toiletries, clothing, and a variety of resources to more than 100 veterans. Fifty organizations representing the Department of Veterans Affairs, schools, nonprofits, and crisis response services were available to help the veterans who attended. Veterans received assistance with applying for and checking on the status of benefits, enrolling for care, and becoming members for the many veteran service organizations present. To read […]

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Governor’s Working Group on Veterans, Service Members, and their Families

North Carolina News

NAMI Homefront Featured

WRAL-TV in Raleigh recently featured the program during their evening newscast. NAMI Homefront will be aimed at helping the large military population living with mental illness and is designed to provide as much education and support to veterans’ families as military members themselves, said executive director of NAMI N.C. Deby Dihoff. Click here to read the full article and view the video, which also includes an interview with Focus member and contributor 1st Lt. Mike McMichael. More about NAMI and […]

Foreclosure Prevention Effort

Foreclosure Prevention Effort Expanded to Recent Veterans, Furloughed Workers The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency announces the expansion of the N.C. Foreclosure Prevention Fund to help veterans recently separated from service and military or civilian workers who are currently furloughed or facing an impending furlough. The state-designed foreclosure prevention program makes mortgage payments for qualified unemployed workers as well as homeowners who have suffered certain other hardships, such as divorce, illness or death of a co-signor, while they look for […]

NC Employers Nominated

Two North Carolina Employers, PPD Inc. in Morrisville, and UNC Health Care in Chapel Hill are finalists for the 2014 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. The award is the DOD’s highest recognition given to employers for exceptional support of National Guard and Reserve employees. To read more, click here.

Inpatient MH Care Improved

For close to 30 years, the inpatient psychiatric ward at Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune lacked security and an environment conducive to healing. That all changed Monday. Hospital officials took part in a ribbon cutting just hours before their first 11 patients moved into the new, state-of-the-art facility. To read more, click here.

Military Children Honored

Growing up in a family where one or both parents could be asked to leave, in service to their country, at a moment’s notice, can be hard. However, this is the predicament that military children find themselves in every day. “Military children deal with a lot of pressures,” said Jasmine Carroll, 4th Force Support Squadron youth program director. “Parents deploy, get different assignments and go overseas. Sometimes it is easy to overlook the sacrifices our youth make for their military […]

2014 Environmental Award

Since 1962, the Department of Defense has honored individuals, teams and installations for their outstanding achievements in environmental performance. Of the 33 nominees, 9 received awards. The Marine Corps Installation East-Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune received an award for Environmental Restoration, as they demonstrated cost-effective sustainable efforts to protect human health and the environment in cleaning up contamination from past activities. For more information, click here.

Women’s Vet Expo

The first inaugural Women’s Veteran Expo was held in Raleigh at the North Carolina National Guard Headquarters. Over four hundred participants attended the event that included presentations about the history of women in the military, benefits available from the VA, and a panel discussion on the benefits and challenges women serving in the military face. The Governor of North Carolina attended the event and signed a proclamation declaring April 17, 2014, Women Veterans Day in North Carolina and put forth […]

Military Caregivers Study

A recently released RAND Corporation study of more than 28,000 military caregivers finds that there is a need for increased support for the 1.1 million-plus spouses, parents, and friends caring for veterans injured and disabled since September 11, 2001. The Hidden Heroes: America’s Military Caregivers study found that caregivers provide an estimated $3 billion in care annually, but despite those contributions, there are few public or private programs that directly support their needs. Researchers identified more than 100 programs that […]

YMCA Wounded Warrior Center

The Fayetteville YMCA plans to build a $20 million wellness center geared to injured soldiers. The Wounded Warrior Center: A Living Monument, will be part museum and part recreation and rehabilitation center. The 110,000 square-foot facility will have three indoor pools, including a 10-lane competition-style pool with seating for 500 people. Membership to the new center will be free to injured soldiers and open to the public through the YMCA. To read more, click here.

Post 9/11 Veterans Survey

A poll of Iraq or Afghanistan veterans conducted by The Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation explores the views and experiences of adults who served in the wars as members of the U.S. military in the period after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The findings show a majority of veterans of these conflicts say that Americans appreciate their service and that gestures of support are genuine, but many report a number of challenges, including economic struggles, worse […]

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How to Memorize an Essay?

The Best Way to Memorizing the Essay

How to Memorize an Essay? Essay memorization is a great way to pass exams and presentations and improve your general knowledge. If you want to memorize an essay verbatim, take your time by studying the short parts one at a time. Memory techniques such as visualization and physical cues can help you remember this information on demand. Of course, sometimes you don’t have to remember things exactly. You may find it more useful to memorize key ideas or important quotes, whether that is your own essay or a piece of paper written by the best essay writing service. You can register on the site using your email address or Facebook account. You fill out a form about what type of essay you need, topic, number of pages, and deadline. You can attach cited material for mention in the dissertation. The platform then suggests suitable authors. There is an opportunity to chat with the writers before starting work.

How to Learn Each Piece of Essay?

The work of the human brain has not yet been 100% studied; we only know that we use a small part of the abilities of the brain. The psychological processes that take place in the human mind are amenable to daily training. Memory and other mechanisms of consciousness can be developed to unprecedented heights. A strong memory will make it possible to achieve success in any area of human life, it will be needed in “everyday” life, and study, and it will easily increase intellectual abilities. The ability to memorize an essay will be useful in exams and presentations, as well as increase the overall level of knowledge:

If you need to memorize an essay word for word, then take your time and learn the text in small fragments.
Use memory techniques such as mental images and material cues to help you remember the information you need when needed. It is not always necessary to memorize the text by heart.
Sometimes it is much more useful to memorize key ideas and important quotes.

How to Quickly Learn the Essay: Effective Memorization Techniques

For effective memorization of the essay, it is better to use several channels of perception and adhere to the following algorithm:

Read the whole text several times, and delve into its meaning.
Use associations (memorize a picture drawn by the imagination while reading or listening).
Divide the material into logical parts and make a plan.
Write down keywords or quotes for the paragraphs.
Retell each part separately, then connect the story.
And read until begins to be deposited in your memory. Memorize separate parts, and blocks of information. Remember the first – you can move on to the second.
Try to sing the piece. Pick a familiar tune and sing along! Many prefer rhythmic music. Repeatedly singing an essay is perfectly remembered by the brain for a long time. How to sing – quietly or loudly – you decide.

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