Georgia welcomed home some of its brave men and women at Fort Benning on Saturday after being deployed in Afghanistan for nearly two years.
Can a smart phone app save your life? The military is designing a powerful smart phone app to help our fighting men and women cope both emotionally and psychologically with the transition back to everyday life. The idea of the app is to help reduce the stresses in post-combat issues.
The app is called PE Coach. It is designed for any Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine or Veteran who may be battling with post-traumatic stress disorder. Post-combat PTSD can be crippling. It leads to among other things anxiety, depression, and even suicide.
Atlanta author Christal Presley recently wrote a book about her families struggles with PTSD after her father returned from Vietnam. Her book deals with the issues which affected her and her father more than 30 years, but are relevant to today's troops.
"Back then in the 70s there was no term PTSD so my father just thought he was going crazy," said author Christal Presley.
The Pentagon reported this summer that the military suicide rate had reached one a day. That statistic surpassed the number of troops who died in combat.
Sgt. First Class Michael Schlitz talked about it in a recent interview with FOX 5. He was burned over 85-percent of his body in an IED explosion.
"We have to do something to bring those numbers down. Every time I read about it in the newspaper I take it very personal," said Schlitz.
One app the military is working on is called a Virtual Hope Box. It mimics a popular strategy in suicide prevention where a patient and clinician fill a shoe box or hope box with reminders of reasons to live. The apps also stores reminders from family members as well has emergency contact info.
Presley says she likes the idea because she says what affects our veterans, affects their families.
"I also gravitated between rage and depression. Just like my father, I cut myself. I stapled myself. I wanted to mimic his experiences as much as I could that was the only way that I could be close to him," said Presley.
Friday, May 24 2013 10:14 AM EDT2013-05-24 14:14:44 GMT
A judge has sentenced Michael Parson to the maximum of 35 years in jail for the attempted murder of his wife. On Thursday, Parson was convicted of shooting his wife, Adina, eight times in 2012.
A judge has sentenced Michael Parson to the maximum of 35 years in jail for the attempted murder of his wife. On Thursday, Parson was convicted of shooting his wife, Adina, eight times outside their Sandy Springs apartment in 2011.
Friday, May 24 2013 9:52 AM EDT2013-05-24 13:52:10 GMT
The jury has found Michael Parson guilty on all eight counts in the shooting of his wife outside their Sandy Springs apartment.The woman, Adina Parson, survived after being shot eight times.
The jury has found Michael Parson guilty on all eight counts in the shooting of his wife outside their Sandy Springs apartment.The woman, Adina Parson, survived after being shot eight times.
Friday, May 24 2013 9:40 AM EDT2013-05-24 13:40:32 GMT
Families of city workers are back at Atlanta City Hall this morning for a second day of protests. They're demanding bigger pay raises for police, firefighters and other first responders.
Families of city workers are back at Atlanta City Hall this morning for a second day of protests. They're demanding bigger pay raises for police, firefighters and other first responders.
Friday, May 24 2013 9:23 AM EDT2013-05-24 13:23:38 GMT
A Newton County teenager and his mom received the gift of mobility on Thursday, thanks to some Good Samaritans.
A Newton County teenager and his mom received the gift of mobility on Thursday, thanks to some Good Samaritans. Tyler Head was injured in a high school wrestling tournament in December, and getting back and forth to therapy is a vital to his recovery.
