Private military contractors returning from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder at up to twice the rate of regular military personnel, according to a RAND Corporation study. Moreover, many of these individuals are not getting the treatment they need and deserve. The study, which was conducted in 2012, also found that the number of deployed military contractors often …
Continuing Dangers: Overseas Contractors Kidnapped in Iraq
Four foreign contractors – three Americans and an Iraqi translator – were kidnapped on the south side of Baghdad, according to Iraqi security sources. The U.S. State Department confirmed the abduction of “several” contractors and insisted that in-country officials were “working with the full co-operation of the Iraqi authorities to locate and recover the individuals.” Until recently, the Iraqi capital …
Burn Pit Dangers Continue in Iraq
Even though such operations often expose workers to toxic smoke and fumes and cause serious illness, the DoD still uses burn pits for most waste disposal. In the early 2000s, when operations began in Afghanistan and Iraq, unregulated burn pits dotted the area and worker complaints about health conditions were summarily dismissed. The landscape changed in 2009, when in response …
February 2016 Newsletter
Welcome to the DBA Newsletter, prepared by Barnett, Lerner, Karsen & Frankel, P.A. We hope this will help you learn more about the Defense Base Act and your legal rights. Community Involvement The firm continues to invest in the local and legal community. Liza E. Lima, Esq. recently joined the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (“WISTA”). WISTA is an …
Are Biodegradable Devices the Future of Brain Injury Monitoring?
Head injuries are notoriously difficult to detect and treat, but a new diagnostic tactic is now being tested in laboratory animals by researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Washington University in St. Louis. Current brain injury monitoring techniques rely on cumbersome electrodes and wires that can only be used in controlled conditions, or on risky implants that …
New Technology May Help in Memory Return for TBI Victims
New innovative technological tools are being developed to help those who are having trouble recalling, forming and retrieving memories due to traumatic brain injury. Many of these tools are being developed specifically with military veterans and contractors in mind to help build understanding of the unique brain injuries that can arise from overseas work. Recent reports suggest that those suffering …
Advanced Neuroimaging Proving Significant for Civilian Contractors Injured Overseas
Military contractors suffering from traumatic brain injuries (TBI) face a significant uphill battle in their recovery. Obviously, those affected and their families closely watch for medical advances in TBI diagnosis and treatment. One recent advance involves new and innovative neuroimaging that is proving to be effective for military veterans and defense contractors who have suffered traumatic brain injuries while working …
Renewed Push to Research, Evaluate, and Understand TBI in Military Zones
There is increasing attention being focused on the long-term impact of traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Many specialized organizations are sprouting up to advocate for continued research and development involving TBI. One of the most notable organizations focusing on overseas injuries is the Veteran’s Health Initiative (VHI) which has the primary goal of furthering traumatic brain injury awareness advocacy, research, and …
Support Tools for Civilian Contractors Returning from Overseas
A recent article highlights how civilian military employees, despite experiencing some of the same combat-related injuries as our soldiers, tend to receive a significantly lower standard of health care, treatment, and other resources upon return to the U.S. As the article describes, “throughout our nation’s history many civilians have served the US government in war zones [and] during this service civilians …
The National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) is Highlighting New Medical Advancements in Treating TBI in Military Veterans and Civilians
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal highlights a number of significant treatment centers that are specifically focused on providing the most advanced, comprehensive, up-to-date, and current treatment technology and procedures to assist military veterans and civilian contractors suffering from traumatic brain injuries (TBI). For decades, TBI has been a challenging and often misunderstood medical condition to effectively treat, …
Working Overseas in 2016 — Where the Money Is Going
Every year military civilians, in particular those who are involved in military contracting overseas, pay special attention to the anticipated budgetary allocations with respect to the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) fund, commonly referred to as the “war fund.” The OCO is important for a number of reasons. It provides a source of emergency funding for military-based operations throughout the world. …
Setting the Record Straight — The Role of Military Contractors
A recent article is highlighting the significant role that private and defense contractors have with respect to the global national security efforts of the U.S. military. As the U.S. military continues to expand to various parts of the world, that there is a secondary, yet equally important set of civilian employees that tend to follow, the thousands of U.S. military …