[Peace] Action: traumatized and turned himself in, Jeff Hanks is being re-deploy again

[Karen Medina]

Tell Captain Ambrosino: Stop Deploying Traumatized Troops! [the
forwarded message below is from IVAW -- karen medina]

IVAW Supporter,

Army Specialist Jeff Hanks faces imminent redeployment to Afghanistan
- Your help needed

Less than two months after surrendering himself at Fort Campbell from
AWOL status, and without having received treatment for his war wounds,
Jeff Hanks was told this week that he is scheduled for redeployment to
Afghanistan TOMORROW. Today, Iraq Veterans Against the War's Operation
Recovery Campaign is hand-delivering an Article 138 Redress Request to
Hanks’ commander detailing numerous violations of Jeff's right to
heal.

Send a message to Jeff's unit commander, Captain Jason Ambrosino: STOP
REDEPLOYING WOUNDED WARRIORS!

Since being back at Fort Campbell, Jeff has been a good soldier, all
the while struggling with symptoms of severe PTSD and presumed
Traumatic Brain Injury:

He suffers from hearing loss and bad headaches daily.
He experiences extreme anxiety in crowds and while driving.
He has such graphic nightmares that he doesn't want to sleep near his
family members for fear of hurting them.

Jeff has tried doggedly to get the health treatment he needs, but
consistently has faced roadblocks erected by Captain Ambrosino.  Jeff
started to get some relief when he began seeing a civilian counselor
off-base, but Captain Ambrosino put an end to that.

Four separate medical professionals have diagnosed Jeff with PTSD, but
Army Behavioral Health personnel and Captain Ambrosino refuse to
acknowledge this fact.

Jeff's lawyer charges that Captain Ambrosino has failed to meet the
accepted standards of care for soldiers suffering from PTSD, has
interfered with the care that Hanks was receiving from a civilian
counselor, and has violated Department of Defense regulations.

Tell Captain Ambrosino that he is violating the rights of soldiers and
breaking the law.

Jeff's pre-deployment health screenings two days ago denied his PTSD,
and results of an MRI for suspected head trauma will not be available
until after he is in Afghanistan.  The Army behavioral health
specialist who conducted the screening told Jeff he should seek
treatment while deployed in Afghanistan.  But Jeff knows that it
getting treatment in-country is a joke!

The way Jeff has been treated is OUTRAGEOUS, and he is not the only
one who's had this experience at Fort Campbell.  In fact, in 2009,
Fort Campbell led the Army in suicides and had to shut down the base
for three days when a series of suicides occurred after troops had
returned home from deployment.

Well, 3,000 soldiers returned home to Fort Campbell yesterday, and
unfortunately we may expect a similar situation to un-fold in the
coming weeks.

The Operation Recovery campaign is setting up shop at Fort Campbell

Late yesterday, members of the Operation Recovery team arrived at Fort
Campbell to take action on behalf of Jeff Hanks and all soldiers who
are in a similar situation at Campbell.

Today, we are holding a press conference, and serving Captain
Ambrosino notice in-person that we will no longer allow him to violate
soldiers' right to heal.

Take action now, by letting Captain Ambrosino know that the public is
watching his actions, and we will stand up for the rights of wounded
warriors.

We plan to be in Fort Campbell for several weeks, where we will
outreach to soldiers and their families who are dealing with PTSD,
Traumatic Brain Injury, and Military Sexual Trauma.  And we will
continue to hold Captain Ambrosino and any other officer accountable
who dares to deny soldiers their right to heal.

In Solidarity,

The Operation Recovery Campaign Team

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