GRP 87-Combat Concussions: The cause and effects of blast wave injuries on veterans of combat arms

 

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GRP 87-We have a very special and powerful episode for you guys. Back on the podcast is retired SARC Dan Brown, and retired Army Special Operations veteran Kevin Tretter. Dan served with Force Recon and the Marine Raider Battalions as a highly trained Corpsman. Kevin started out as a Combat Engineer 12 Bravo then went into Special Forces as an 18 Charlie Engineer Sergeant. He got picked up by a special unit to serve as a heavy breacher. He then went back into Special Forces in the Commanders in Extremis Force (CIF) which is the counter terrorist arm of the Green Berets.

During his time in the CIF he survived a helicopter crash in Iraq eventually retiring after 20 years of service. This episode is important because we discussed Traumatic Brain Injury in a deep and honest way as both Dan and Kevin have brain injuries due to the culmination of training in tight spaces with live rifle fire, explosives, airplane jumps and combative training. They have both received blast injuries in combat. We talked the negative effects of having physical brain damage, and how the government protocols for diagnosing PTSD and TBI are flawed. Discussed the positive effects of Cannabis on healing brain injuries. We talked about some problems and solutions with veterans who don’t need care for TBI or PTSD taking advantage of the government and sucking up resources from service members who need the treatment.

0:00-Intro

4:48-Kevin Tretter’s background. Combat Engineer 12 Bravo. 18 Charlie (Engineer Sergeant) with 3rd Special Forces Group. Worked as a Heavy Breacher with a special unit within the Army Special Operations Command.

8:08- Tretter joined the Commanders in Extremis Forces. Survived a helicopter crash in Iraq.

9:25-Understanding the compounding struggles of all of the concussions. Prolonged exposure, retirement, and realization

14:20- Medical Marijuana and creative output.  

20:20-Issues with memory and placing memories in proper chronological order.  

25:08-Difference between sports concussions and concussions received by blast waves.

27:00-New York Times article on PTSD being misdiagnosed most likely being TBI. Area’s of the brain damaged by TBI.

32:29-Doctors misdiagnosing TBI, and not factoring the cumulative effects of the blast waves on the brain.

44:05-Servicemembers who claim PTSD falsely, sucking up resources for induvial who need it.  Solutions to fixing this issue.

1:02:28-Changing our approach to care for TBI. Potentially changing the name to Post Blast Wave Concussion Syndrome.

1:25:51-Finding a sense of purpose. Getting back to the basics. Utilizing creativity.

1:34:02-The positive effects of Cannabis on the brain, and the politics behind keeping Marijuana illegal when it heals.

Below are links for some of the articles referenced by Dan Brown during the podcast:

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/12/magazine/what-if-ptsd-is-more-physical-than-psychological.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/16/us/military-misconduct-ptsd.html

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/07/25/sports/football/nfl-cte.html

Hemingway's Brain

http://whqr.org/post/coastline-hemingways-suicide-incorrectly-attributed-alcoholism-and-bipolar-disorder#stream/0

Brain/Vestibular Therapy in Dallas

http://cerebrum.com/

CBD/Canabis for Seizures sited research studies within article

https://www.projectcbd.org/article/medical-marijuana-seizures-sulak-saneto-goldstein

Penn State Neuroscientist and Engineers find link between Seizures and Migraines

http://news.psu.edu/story/332549/2014/10/30/research/link-seen-between-seizures-and-migraines-brain

Hormone therapy for TBI

http://waftbi.org/

Introduction audio is from the NRA series “Patriot Profiles” with Army Special Operations veteran Scot Spooner speaking: https://www.nratv.com/series/patriot-profiles/episode/patriot-profiles-season-3-episode-11-forward-march

Kevin Tretter:

https://warriorwoven.com

https://www.instagram.com/warrior_woven

Dan Brown:

The Dangerzone Podcast on Sound Cloud, ITunes, and YouTube.

https://www.instagram.com/danielthebarbarian

Global Recon:

www.Globalrecon.net

https://www.instagram.com/igrecon

https://www.instagram.com/blackopsmatter

www.twitter.com/igrecon

https://www.facebook.com/GlobalReconPodcast/

Chantel Taylor:

https://www.instagram.com/mission_critical

https://www.instagram.com/altern8rv

GRP 74- A Green Beret's Journey Into the Darkness: Countering Child Sexual Exploitation

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GRP 74-Co hosting for this week's podcast is former British Army Combat Medic Chantel Taylor. We have a special guest on a retired Army Special Forces Green Beret named Mike. Mike served as a Tanker in Iraq where he first came across Special Forces. He knew right away that this was something he would like to be a part of someday. He had a growing young family so when his contract was up he got out of the Army. He eventually went back in and became a Green Beret until he was injured and medically retired.

As he was retiring he was approached by an organization that recruits personnel from the Special Operations community in order to hunt down and put a stop to child sexual exploitation here in the United States. For Mike it was a no brainer. He was in. Below is an excerpt from our conversation:

Mike: After I was told I wouldn't be able to be do Green Beret stuff anymore and I could either take a desk job, or medically retire. As I was in the retirement process I got approached by someone. He told me about the Hero Child Rescue Corps. It's recruiting veterans from the Special Operations community who are wounded or disabled. Are you interested? It was to fight child sexual exploitation. I jumped on it. I declined other opportunities to make a lot of money working overseas. I knew this was a once in a lifetime deal. It was to save kids. Now I have 3 kids. Once I retired I went to training for it.

I do computer forensics fighting child sexual exploitation.

John: Its important work. You hear about these kinds of things and immediately you think of places like Africa, but this is happening in the States. I think Americans aren't as aware of it as they should be.

Mike: I was in a class one time. They pulled up a map of the United States. It was a live feed of child pornography being downloaded. Within 15 minutes the entire map was red. You can live in the nicest neighborhood, and you wont know there's pedophile’s in that same area. People in these areas producing it.

www.globalrecon.net
IgRecon – Instagram
BlackOpsMatter- Instagram
Mission_Critical – Instagram
IgRecon- Twitter

www.goruck.com

music provided by Caspian:

www.caspianmusic.net

GRP 13-Wounded Warfighters, Never Quit, Special Forces

GRP 13 We have the honor and privilege of having Jared Bullock a former Special Forces Communications expert on the show. Jared was wounded in 2013 while on patrol in Afghanistan. His convoy drove over an IED which killed one of his teammates, and severely wounded himself and others. His right arm, and leg have been amputated. Jared is one of the funniest, most positive individuals I’ve ever met. He inspires me daily. Send questions to Podcast@globalrecon.net

Jared’s Email: Red1882@gmail.com

Jared’s Facebook/Instagram: Jared_Bullock

Mike’s Website: www.FieldCraftSurvival.com

Mike’s Instagram: SofSurvivor

Mike’s Facebook: FieldCraftLLC

Mike’s Twitter: IgSofSurvivor

John’s Website: www.GlobalRecon.net

John’s Instagram: IgRecon

John’s Facebook: FB Recon

John’s Twitter: IgRecon

Music provided by Caspian: www.Caspianmusic.net

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