A recent message indicated that 2009 had the highest number of suicides for any given year in the Army. I’d like to know what you think are the causes of this sad reality. Tell me what you think!... Read more here

Life at Bagram

Air Force Nurse Kirsten V., a family friend, recently sent this reflection on her recent deployment to the Bagram Air Field Base Hospital…

Now that you know where I am, you are bound to hear about Bagram and Kabul on the news. I’ll pass on one word of caution that was passed on to each of us. Please do not focus day and night about the local news, the tragedy, the injuries, the lives lost. Freedom is not free, but worry day and night is not healthy. We are each here by free will, to serve an inner calling, to provide the skill we each bring to this war of injustice and peace-building.  BAF itself is very safe, but of course not entirely protected from harm’s way. We are reminded daily of the reality of our environment, but overall we are all happy to be here, be contributing to a higher calling, and of course looking forward to the day we are reunited with our families.... Read more here

Air Force Nurse Kirsten V., a family friend, recently sent this reflection on her recent deployment to the Bagram Air Field Base Hospital…

A Nurse in Afghanistan

I’m keeping busy at work, obtaining great nursing experience on our Intensive Care Ward. It is a step down from the Intensive Care Unit, but a huge step up from most hospital inpatient units in the States. I care for patients with tracheostomies (artificial airways in their neck), amputations, fractures with and without external fixators (metal rods sticking out from their bones), burns, including airway inhalation, head injuries, eye injuries. We also get medical conditions such as cysts, appendectomies, seizures, combat stress-related issues etc.... Read more here

An innovative restoration program in Afghanistan is giving troops the tools they need to “stay in the fight” by helping them overcome the stresses and challenges of being deployed, the director of the Freedom Restoration Center at Bagram Airfield there said.

Army Capt. Donald Hawkins and his five-person staff have been reaching out to U.S. military units and service members throughout the country since the center’s doors opened in February. The program offers a variety of classes to keep troops resilient and give them the confidence and competence to return to duty, he said.... Read more here