Other threats highlighted as the sulfur fire near Mosul, Iraq in June 2003. This fire was located at the largest sulfur mine in the world and released somewhere along the order of 42 million pounds of sulfur dioxide each day for around 3 weeks. Those firefighters putting out the fire were said to suffer from skin burns, blood tinged mucous, and constrictive bronchiolitis. This last diagnosis was seen in at least 40 of the firefighters and is said to be quite uncommon. The aftereffects can be seen by lesions and inflammation of the bronchioles of the lungs. More well documented is the water contamination that was a long time problem at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Over one million people and children were potentially exposed between the 1950s and 1985 when the wells were finally shut down. The main chemical of concern is trichloroethylene or TCE. Scientific proof of exposure and causation is quite limited and its unlikely that further study will be able to reveal health problems from exposure.

Despite Obama’s initial support for this bill, and bipartisan support, there has not been much if any movement on this bill. The study that was ordered under the Bush Administration has stated that military doctors have not abused this diagnosis and that they are “competent medical professionals” making presumably legitimate diagnoses. When the study’s author is pressed as to if soldier’s families have been interviewed or what the basis for the conclusion is there is no evidence forthcoming. No soldiers that allegedly have PD or their doctors were interviewed as a part of the study.

You qualify for a higher social security payment because of your Military  service, for active duty any time from 1957 through 2001 (the program was done away with 1 January 2002). Up to $1200 per year of earnings credit credited at time of application – which can make a substantial difference in social security monthly payments upon your retirement. You must bring your DD-214 to the Social Security Office and you must ask for this benefit to receive it! Soc Sec website:

This is something to put in your files for when you apply for Social Security down the road. It is NOT just for retirees, BUT anyone who has served on active duty between January 1957 to December 31, 2001.

FYI – this benefit is not automatic, you must ask for it! We’ve all been on active duty between 1957 and 2001 or know someone who has.  Passing on good information for all your military folks when you apply for social security. I know this may be too early for some of you to think about social security but, keep living and you will get there…

Special Extra Earnings for Military Service

Since 1957, if you had military service earnings for active duty (including active duty for training), you paid Social Security taxes on those earnings. Since 1988, inactive duty service in the Armed Forces reserves (such as weekend drills) has also been covered by Social Security.

Under certain circumstances, special extra earnings for your military service from 1957 through 2001 can be credited to your record for Social Security purposes. These extra earnings credits may help you qualify for Social Security or increase the amount of your Social Security benefit.

Special extra earnings credits are granted for periods of active duty or active duty for training. Special extra earnings credits are not granted for inactive duty training.

If your active military service occurred:
From 1957 through 1967, we will add the extra credits to your record when you apply for Social Security benefits.
From 1968 through 2001, you do not need to do anything to receive these extra credits. The credits were automatically added to your record.
After 2001, there are no special extra earnings credits for military service.

How You Get Credit For Special Extra Earnings
The information that follows applies only to active duty military service earnings from 1957 through 2001. Here’s how the special extra earnings are credited on your record:
Service in 1957 Through 1977
You are credited with $300 in additional earnings for each calendar quarter in which you received active duty basic pay.
Service in 1978 through 2001
For every $300 in active duty basic pay, you are credited with an additional $100 in earnings up to a maximum of $1,200 a year. If you enlisted after September 7, 1980, and didn’t complete at least 24 months of active duty or your full tour, you may not be able to receive the additional earnings. Check with Social Security for details.

Rarely are there objective and medically acceptable testing methods that can scientifically verify the presence of a mental illness. That may have changed based on new research out of the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota VA Medical Center. Hundreds of thousands of new cases of PTSD are being diagnosed as a result of current military conflicts in the middle east, but now, magnetoencephalography (MEG), a brain imaging method, could be used to verify PTSD. They scanned the brains of 74 U.S. veterans with PTSD, and 250 civilians without the disorder, and say that by spotting specific brain biomarkers, they managed to accurately diagnose PTSD sufferers with 90 percent accuracy. The MEG can accurately measure electrical activity in the brain and at least preliminarily there seems to be reason to believe that it could be relied upon to accurately diagnose PTSD. MEGs can record brain signals very quickly compared to a CT scan or MRI. The VA has been desperate to get a handle on the number of new PTSD cases since the disease has quickly inundated the disability system with appeals, and in certain cases significant compensation to Veterans.

Post script: Based on further review it would seem that these recent studies may not be the best tool for PTSD diagnosis, but rather could be useful for finding differences between people with PTSD and those that don’t. A blog post describes the difference and chalks up the media reports to inaccuracies in reporting on mental illnesses which is quite common. Check it out on mindhacks.

The Associated Press did a great story on the problems women veterans face in lieu of their increasing numbers and society’s failure to acknowledge their sacrifices. The numbers are quite high since over 230,000 women have fought in recent military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The problems they face are the same as their male veteran colleagues although they seem to face added sexual discrimination. Like their male cohorts they struggle with PTSD but such an illness may be discounted in their disability rating if they are pregnant. Although military law prohibits women from being in artillery front lines the likelihood they will be in a combat situation is high due to the nature of recent conflicts. Even as a police officer there is a strong possibility of being situated in the middle of a violent conflict. One hundred and twenty women have been killed in action and 650 have been wounded. One area that women veterans seem to be struggling with at higher rates then men are sexual assault, but often the most common complaint is the stigma they receive when they get back home. Women veterans do not seem to receive the same level of respect as males when they return such as the free beers that many veterans receive. That disrespect is compounded by the military establishment and VA since the woman’s role in service is frequently viewed as a subservient or lesser role then the male veteran’s.