Here are the top stories this week related to our soldiers here and abroad, taken from the Our Troops Newsladder.

The latest Army mental health survey brought back more bad news, with only 20% of troops describing their morale as high. Obviously, they are seeing things in Iraq differently than John McCain is. VoteVets.org's Jon Soltz makes the case that someone should ask them why they see it so differently and how he can insist that they should stay the course. (vetvoice.com)

The same survey also suggested that civilian psychiatrists be sent to Iraq and Afghanistan to assist the uniformed mental health corps. (military.com)

On top of all of all the mental health problems that soldiers are facing as they return from the combat zone is the No. 1 disability in the war on terror: hearing loss. 70,000 troops who have served are on disability for tinnitus (a constant ringing in the ears) and another 58,000 for hearing loss. (AP)

A new study found that among people suffering from alcoholism and drug addiction, those who also suffer from PTSD face worse outcomes and consequences from their chemical dependency problems. (Medical News Today)

The weekly newspaper at Fort Drum (already the subject of a damning report about its failure to treat troops from the most deployed unit in America for mental health problems) responded to a recent spate of DWIs by printing the mug shots of servicemembers on the front page. Maj. Gen. Michael L. Oates defends his decision to print the pictures to discourage other troops from drinking and driving, while Adrienne Willis, a spokesperson for Veterans For America said it seemed to unduly burden soldiers who are reeling from the stresses of multiple deployments in Iraq. (NY Times)

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.

Here are the top stories this week related to our soldiers here and abroad, taken from the Our Troops Newsladder.

VoteVets.org founder Jon Soltz, in a short debate with HumanEvents.com's Ericka Anderson on MSNBC, provided a blueprint for dismantling right wing talking points on Iraq from someone who's been there. Click here to watch the clip and read analysis at DailyKos.

Alternet expanded on Veterans For America's report on the crisis at Fort Drum. Click to read Military Doctors Withholding Treatment from Soldiers with Mental Health Problems.

Brig. Gen. Belinda Pinckney, the Army's new Diversity Task Force Director called the issue of decreasing minority graduates, which decreases the number of minority youth who can join the Army a "silent epidemic." Click here to read.

Admiral William J. Fallon, the leader of the military's Central Command, announced that he would endorse a pause in troop reductions in Iraq this summer, but then seek to resume withdrawals to reduce stress on the military.

This announcement of a pause in reductions comes as Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey told a Senate panel that the Army is under serious strain from years of war-fighting and must reduce the length of combat tours as soon as possible, citing spikes in desertions, divorce rates and suicides.

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.

Veterans For America (VFA) was originally founded by Vietnam War veteran Bobby Muller as the Vietnam Veterans of American Foundation (VVAF). VFA is described as the following:

"Veterans for America is an advocacy and humanitarian organization.  The primary mission of VFA is to ensure that our country meets the needs of servicemembers and veterans who have served in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). VFA focuses specifically on the signature wounds these conflicts: psychological traumas and traumatic brain injuries. VFA concentrates much of its attention on the needs of those who are currently serving in the military since the majority of those who have seen combat in Iraq and Afghanistan are still in the military and under the care of the Department of Defense."

VFA has authored The American Veterans and Servicemembers Survival Guide. But recently, it was a report VFA authored regarding Fort Drum which has garnered the most attention.

Last week, the VFA released its report on the mental health issues facing soldiers at Fort Drum. Following the report, Sen. Hillary Clinton issued a press release regarding the findings and Rep. Jack Murtha will be visiting Fort Drum today.

I reached out to VFA's Jason Forrester to discuss the report and what these findings mean, not only for Fort Drum, but the whole military. Forrester is the Director of Policy for VFA and is VFA's chief legislative liaison. Below the fold is the interview I conducted Thursday with Forrester.

What happens when you deploy troops who have seen high intensity combat time and time again with inadequate dwell time between tours? You see skyrocketing mental health issues.  

After months of investigative work, talking to our troops and veterans, we released a report on the situation at Fort Drum in Watertown, New York. Since 9/11, the 2nd Brigade Combat Team has been deployed for more than forty months, more than any other brigade in the Army, and we are seeing what is nothing short of a cry for help from the men and women on the base; a cry we will answer.

A cry for help that is also coming from the leadership on the base. In a New York Times article today about our report, Major General Michael Oates, commander of the 10th Mountain Division, says: "We recognize that there is stress on our force and their families from this conflict, but until recently, we have not fully appreciated the extent of some of the mental stresses and injuries or how to best identify them." Please read the rest of the article here.

What is happening at Fort Drum -- with Soldiers still on active duty suffering from PTSD, with Soldiers and their families in need of counseling, with Soldiers literally dying while still on duty -- is going to happen all around America unless we begin to address some of the basic issues of this war.  As our report explains, DoD itself has stated that the likelihood of troops having mental health problems increases by 60% with every tour of duty. So, in short, through ourdeployment policies, we are consciously compounding the wounds of war.

This is unacceptable to us. Veterans for America's Wounded Warrior Outreach Program will continue to address these problems from the bottom up.  

We are going to go to as many bases as we can afford to go to, see what is happening on those bases and see how we can help. If you can help us, we would greatly appreciate it.

We are going to continue our Wounded Warrior Registry Outreach -- if you or someone you know needs help getting help with PTSD or TBI, please click here.

And above all, we are going to continue to serve and help those that serve and have served us with the same level of dedication and courage they have shown. Click here to learn more about what we are doing.