News

US TV Correspondent Crusades for Brain-Injured Veterans

November 26, 2009: In 2006, ABC News correspondent and television anchorman Bob Woodruff was wounded while covering the war in Iraq. He suffered a traumatic brain injury and was not expected to survive. But Woodruff recovered, determined to help other Americans who were similarly wounded in war.

November 25, 2009: Operation TBI Freedom will be featured on CNBC's Making a Difference show this weekend. Our national CNBC airing will be taking place this weekend in 90+ million households. Our scheduled air time in the 300+ markets will be Saturday, November 28, 2009 at the following times: 7:56 PM Eastern Time • 6:56 PM Central Time5:56 PM Mountain Time • 4:56 PM Pacific Time

November 23, 2009: The long-awaited construction of a stand-alone veterans' hospital at Fitzsimons got a boost yesterday after the U.S. Senate passed a bill that includes $119 million in funding for the project.

November 17, 2009: Together Colorado Springs will provide critical repairs and modifications to the home of Joe and Melinda Estep, both Army veterans, with the help of an estimated 40 community volunteers. Volunteer teams will include employees of the Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG).

November 13, 2009: Far from winding down, the numbers of U.S. soldiers coming home wounded have continued to swell. The problem is especially acute among those fighting in Afghanistan, where nearly four times as many troops were injured in October as a year ago.Read more...

Veteran's Day 2009 Events

November 11, 2009: The sacrifices of America's veterans are to be remembered today at Veterans Day observances and activities. Click here to find Veterans Day Activities throughout the city of Denver.

November 4, 2009: Operation First Response and The Home Front Cares have been featured as Partners of the Month by Operation TBI Freedom's (OTF) parent company, Denver Options. Both organizations regularly collaborate with OTF to assist military veterans and service members with traumatic brain injury and their families.

Wounded warrior shares her story

November 2, 2009: A local soldier wounded in Iraq now helps others via her inspirational story. Spc. Latoya Lucas was gravely injured in Iraq in 2003. Lucas had to learn to walk again and spent months in the hospital. Now she shares her story with others in hopes it will inspire them.

October 22, 2009: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) signed a memorandum of understanding to provide Paralympic sport programming and additional community support, including funding and resources, to injured service members and Veterans across the country.

Partnerships Stretch Resources in Tough Times

October 22, 2009: It’s easy to talk about community support when the supply of resources is larger than the needs they fill. Currently our communities face far more demands with fewer resources. Military men and women are coming home to a tough economy and limited employment opportunities, and many return with a disability.

October 20, 2009: In early September of 2009, The Department of Defense (DOD) Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) hosted the Military Health Research Forum (MHRF) in Kansas City, MO. The forum was dedicated to exploring new research on traumatic brain injury (TBI).

October 17, 2009: Many friendships and professional partnerships have flourished as soldiers return home to their families from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Fredia Johnson, a care coordinator for Operation TBI Freedom, said, “Everyone coming home has to make adjustments, whether they have physical injuries or psychological ones.”

October 12, 2009: Universities are creating classes to train students in how to treat combat veterans and their families suffering from war-related mental health problems.

September 25, 2009: Returning home after several tours in a combat zone often takes months of adjustment for any soldier. For the men and women who sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) while serving, the road back to stateside military duty or civilian life can offer extra challenges.

September 21, 2009: It's the signature injury of the war, and the medics at this base just south of Kabul have seen their fair share of it. It's estimated that 20% of soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury, or TBI, caused by the impact of improvised explosive devices.

Post-Deployment Driving Problems

September 2, 2009: Soldiers deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) travel long distances to transport supplies and execute missions. In an effort to protect their vehicles and convoys during travel, soldiers often use specific driving behaviors to stay safe.

September 1, 2009: New research on traumatic brain injury (TBI) is being presented this week at the Military Health Research Forum (MHRF), a scientific meeting hosted by the Department of Defense (DOD) Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP). Service men and women are particularly susceptible to TBI given the nature of combat.

August 27, 2009: New research on the effects of blast waves could lead to an enhanced understanding of head injuries and improved military helmet design. Using numerical hydrodynamic computer simulations, Lawrence Livermore scientists Willy Moss and Michael King, along with University of Rochester colleague Eric Blackman, have discovered that nonlethal blasts can induce enough skull flexure to generate potentially damaging loads in the brain, even without direct head impact.

August 17, 2009: When a loved one has a traumatic brain injury (TBI), it can be very stressful and confusing for everyone involved. The Support and Family Education (SAFE) Program can help family and friends of veterans and service members with TBI understand the issues they’re facing and receive support and education.

August 17, 2009: Three years ago, Meghan Palmer had no idea what a traumatic brain injury (TBI) was, nor did she ever expect the impact that it would have on her life. Her husband, Jason, served in the Army and suffered a TBI while deployed in Iraq in 2006. Since then, the couple has experienced many challenges in dealing with his TBI and other neurological setbacks.

July 23, 2009: Since your brain injury, do you have difficulty maintaining a topic of conversation, making new friends or controlling your emotions during social interactions? The Group Interactive Structured Treatment (GIST) program can help you improve social skills and increase your confidence in social situations.

July 23, 2009: A group of fifth graders felt called to raise and donate money to the Operation TBI Freedom (OTF) program after completing an assignment for a class project. The Eugene Field Elementary International Baccalaureate School hosts a yearly exhibition for the fifth grade class to present research projects on topics of their choice, based on a theme.

July 20, 2009: Momentum is growing on Capitol Hill to provide additional and consistent support to primary caregivers of seriously injured service members from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. On April 2, Sen. Daniel K. Akaka, D-Hawaii, chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee, and ranking member Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., introduced Senate Bill 801, the Family Caregiver Program Act of 2009.

June 10, 2009: The third National Brain Injury Employment Conference, Building Bridges to Supports & Opportunities, will be held in Denver on June 17th and 18th. The conference focuses on progressive information, effective employment strategies and networking to help brain injury survivors, including returning military with traumatic brain injury (TBI), find career opportunities and increase their quality of life.

June 1, 2009: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact Information:Denver Options: Barb Lundy, Communications Phone: 720-218-5999 Email: blundy@denveroptions.org Automezzi Italian Car Show Benefits Local Non-Profits Sunday, June 7th – Denver