Clinical Coordinator of the PTSD Clinic at the West Haven VA Hospital
Social worker and clinical coordinator of the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Clinic at the Veterans' Administration Hospital in West Haven, Connecticut, part of the National Center for PTSD
Iraq and PTSD Pentagon policy calls for equal time on and off duty, but troops in Iraq spend 15 months in combat with just 12 months on leave. If President Bush decides to maintain the current build-up, tours may be extended. A military report says the constant threat of death and exposure to atrocities leads to depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress syndrome. Mental health issues may be more severe than they were during Vietnam or World War II. Senior commanders, veterans and their doctors agree that civilians don't understand the mental health consequences of combat and its aftermath. We hear about flashbacks, panic attacks, fearful wives and frightened children. Are Marines and soldiers getting the help they need when they have to return to combat or when they finally come home to adjust to civilian life?
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?
Replacing Obamacare: Now you see it… now you don’t As the Senate deliberates replacing Obmacare, health coverage for millions of people is at stake. There've been no public hearings, and a draft measure won't be made public. Is the House version so unpopular that that Senate is hiding a version that looks much the same?
Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.