Here are the top stories this week related to our soldiers here and abroad, taken from the Our Troops Newsladder.
21 House members are co-sponsoring the Stop Loss Compensation Act of 2008, which would provide $1,500 per month of special pay to soldiers serving under stop-loss orders. The bill was introduced by Rep. Betty Sutton, Democrat of Ohio. (marinecorpstimes.com)
The rise of long, repeated combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan has given rise to an epidemic of soldiers harming themselves in order to not be sent back. This trend has occurred in past wars, but Army Reserve psychologist Elspeth Ritchie thinks the current problem may be worse than it was during Vietnam or Korea. One soldier swallowed pens, another jumped off his roof with tools strapped to his body, and a New York man paid a hit man to shoot him in the kneecap. (newsweek.com)
A new internal report by the VA suggests that women receive lesser care at some VA facilities than male soldiers, even as record numbers of women serve on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan. The review stated a need for physicians trained in women's care and more equipment to meet women's health needs. (armytimes.com)
12% of troops serving in Iraq and 17% in Afghanistan are taking anti-depressants or prescription sleeping pills. While the military cites the medications as being very successful in helping troops cope with life in theater, critics argue that they are being used to keep an insufficient fighting force deployable. (alternet.org)
Veterans of America is proud to sponsor the Our Troops Newsladder, a new tool to find the top news and articles in the progressive community by, about and for our troops.
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