WASHINGTON - First Lady Michelle Obama on Wednesday announced a
commitment from the nation's medical colleges to better train civilian
health-care providers in caring for war veterans and their families and to
push for more research in the wounds of war.
Obama's announcement at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond marked
the latest endeavor of her "Joining Forces" campaign with Jill Biden, wife of
Vice President Joe Biden, to rally nationwide support for military families.
On Wednesday, the first lady announced that the Association of American
Medical Colleges and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic
Medicine, with 105 and 25 schools, respectively, have committed to leveraging
their missions in education, research and clinical care "to meet the unique
health-care needs" of the military and veterans communities.
"Today the nation's medical colleges are committing to create a new
generation of doctors, medical schools and research facilities to make sure
our heroes receive the care worthy of their military service," she said.
As part of the initiative, the associations pledged to:
* Train their medical students as well as their current physicians, faculty
and staff to better diagnose and treat veterans and military families.
* Develop new research and clinical trials on traumatic brain injuries and
post-traumatic stress disorder.
* Share their information and best practices with each other through a
collaborative Web forum.
* Coordinate with the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.
Many of the medical colleges already are making strides, Obama said,
including VCU's project to ease veterans' transition from war to home, the
University of South Florida's first-of-its-kind Center for Veterans
Reintegration and the University of Pittsburgh's creation of an imaging tool
to see the wiring of the brain in vivid high-definition.
The idea behind Joining Forces is very simple, Obama said.
"In a time of war, when our troops and their families are sacrificing so
much, we all should be doing everything we can to serve them as well as they
are serving this country," she added. "It's an obligation that extends to
every single American. And, it's an obligation that does not end when a war
ends and troops return home. In many ways, that's when it begins."
The first lady said she became aware of this when she and President Barack
Obama welcomed home the final troops from Iraq last month.
"I couldn't shake the feeling that even though we were marking the end of the
war, this was not an ending for them. For our troops, the end of war marks
the beginning of a very long period of transition," she said.
Sometimes the transitions from war to home "bring the hardest moments our
troops and their families will ever face," she added.
Obama said she wanted to emphasize that most war veterans return home with no
mental health issues at all. But for many, she added, "the emotional wounds
come flooding back," leading to sleepless nights, rage, substance abuse and
subsequent family problems.
An estimated one in six Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans return home with
post-traumatic stress or depression, and at least 4,000 have had at least a
moderate-grade brain injury, the first lady said, noting that many don't seek
help because of a perceived stigma.
"I want to be very clear today: these mental health challenges are not a sign
of weakness," she said. "They should never again be a source of shame. They
are a natural reaction to the challenges of war, and it has been that way
throughout the ages."
Half of post-9/11 veterans seek help outside DOD and VA, and many of them are
not connected to a base, Obama said. "We have to meet our veterans where they
live," she added.
"I want to emphasize the power of your chosen profession," the first lady
told medical students in the audience. "You will be there for some of your
patients' most powerful life moments. It is the essence of true service. You
will have a unique opportunity and responsibility to make an impact on their
lives. You will single handedly be able show these heroes that their country
is there for them, no matter what they are going through.
"You will make a world of difference on these issues," she continued. "You
will change these heroes' lives for the better, forever. You will uphold our
nation's sacred trust to its heroes and their families."
Obama also had a message for service members.
"No matter where you are, no matter what you are going through, please know
America will be there for you and your family," she said.
Asking for support is a sign of strength that will help not just those in the
military, but for all Americans struggling with mental health problems, the
first lady said.
Jerome Strauss, dean of the VCU School of Medicine, recalled being in medical
school during the Vietnam War 40 years ago and getting no formal training in
how to treat returning veterans.
"I remember the uncertainty and anxiety of caring for these patients whose
lives were changed by their war experiences," he said.
"Now, we have a far better understanding of [traumatic brain injury]," he
added, as well as a basis for curriculum and research in areas such as pain
management and spinal cord injuries.
John Prescott, director of academic affairs for the Association of American
Medical Colleges, said medical schools are "uniquely positioned to have a
tremendous impact on service members and their families," and contain the
best in research, clinical practices and education.
The association's collaboration with Joining Forces, he said, shows "There is
no time like the present to make sure those who have sacrificed so much get
the care they need now and into the future."
Prescott, a former Army officer whose son is in the military, said he has
high hopes for the effort.
"We want to let all the troops and veterans here know that our nation's
medical schools are proud of your service and we only hope we can live up to
the high standards you set," he said.