Veterans' Affairs

Combat veterans fall prey to gambling addictions at an alarming rate — where's the military when the chips are down?

V.A. Doc Discusses Traumatic Brain Injury, Diagnosis and Staff Sergeant Robert Bales

Traumatic brain injury may be the most elusive of all war injuries. It presents itself through a number of symptoms -- mood changes, insomnia, headaches, memory loss, irritability -- and in varying degrees. The conversation surrounding such injuries recently became louder after Staff Sergeant Robert ... More >>

Passing Out Coins, And Thank-Yous, To World War II Veterans at the Dallas VA

"When do we get to go home?" Alice Gossett inquired, a little irritably. She wore brown pajamas and soft purple booties. Tiny in her wheelchair, her feet didn't quite reach the ground. "As soon as we get our treat!" the nurse answered, beaming at her. Gossett was not impressed. "Never mind our t ... More >>

Nurse at Center of Furor Over Homophobic Remarks Made to Marine Has Left Dallas VA

The Dallas VA Medical Center nurse who told a lesbian Marine her depression was the result of "living in darkness" as a homosexual will no longer be working for the VA. We first wrote about former marine Esther Garatie back in November, after the Dallas Voice broke the story: Garatie went in for cou ... More >>

The Depressed Lesbian Vet and the Allegedly Homophobic VA Nurse: A Match Made in Hell

Via Change.orgEsther Garatie​A Dallas VA Medical Center nurse is on leave and her bosses are in full-blown groveling mode after a gay combat vet, in search of help for her deepening depression, said she was urged to come out of the darkness and to stop living in terrible lesbian sin. "I was ... More >>

Pigs & Swigs

Via Change.orgEsther Garatie​A Dallas VA Medical Center nurse is on leave and her bosses are in full-blown groveling mode after a gay combat vet, in search of help for her deepening depression, said she was urged to come out of the darkness and to stop living in terrible lesbian sin. "I was ... More >>

For the Troops

Via Change.orgEsther Garatie​A Dallas VA Medical Center nurse is on leave and her bosses are in full-blown groveling mode after a gay combat vet, in search of help for her deepening depression, said she was urged to come out of the darkness and to stop living in terrible lesbian sin. "I was ... More >>

In Dallas Veterans Court, Desert Storm Soldier Gets His Promised Second Chance Today

Photo by Mark GrahamJudge Mike Snipes​Back in October, Sam wrote for the paper version of Unfair Park a lengthy piece about Dallas County's relatively new veterans court, which gives second chances to soldiers who come home from war -- some damaged in some way, many broke, most alone -- and turn t ... More >>

Running on "bubble gum and duct tape," a new court aims to keep damaged vets out of jail.

Photo by Mark GrahamJudge Mike Snipes​Back in October, Sam wrote for the paper version of Unfair Park a lengthy piece about Dallas County's relatively new veterans court, which gives second chances to soldiers who come home from war -- some damaged in some way, many broke, most alone -- and turn t ... More >>

Two Months Into Dallas County's Veterans Court, Most Are Homeless Vietnam Vets

Judge Mike SnipesA little more than two months since Dallas County held its first veterans' court docket, the diversion program has grown to include nine former service members -- six Vietnam vets and three veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq -- who'll complete two years of treatment and mentoring to k ... More >>

No Get Out of Jail Free Card, Dallas County's Veterans Court Heard Its First Two Cases Today

Judge Mike Snipes​A Vietnam veteran accused of forcing a 6-year-old girl into his car to ride on his lap became the first to sign on for Dallas County's new veterans court program on Tuesday, with a chance to avoid having a conviction on his record if he completes a six-month treatment program. Ch ... More >>

Veterans Affairs Kills UT Southwestern's Gulf War Syndrome Research Contract

Dr. Robert Haley​A little more than one month after a report by Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General accused epidemiologist and longtime Gulf War Syndrome researcher Robert Haley and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center of wasting millions and failing to live up to ... More >>

Dollars for Dime

Dr. Robert Haley​A little more than one month after a report by Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General accused epidemiologist and longtime Gulf War Syndrome researcher Robert Haley and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center of wasting millions and failing to live up to ... More >>

In D.C. Today, UT Southwestern's Haley Will, Yet Again, Make Case for Gulf War Syndrome

Dr. Robert Haley​For more than a decade, UT Southwestern epidemiologist Robert Haley has been at odds with naysayers over the existence of Gulf War Syndrome; here, from 1998, is Ann Zimmerman's piece in the Observer about the doc's battle with government officials who insisted that those symptoms ... More >>

UTSW and SMU Team Up to Gather Evidence of Gulf War Syndrome

Dr. Robert Haley Ten years ago in the paper version of Unfair Park, former Observer-er Ann Zimmerman chronicled in great detail Dr. Robert Haley's war with the naysayers over Gulf War Syndrome, which Haley said existed and government officials said was nothing but a figment of sufferers' imaginat ... More >>

Has John McCain Abandoned His Fellow Veterans?

Dr. Robert Haley Ten years ago in the paper version of Unfair Park, former Observer-er Ann Zimmerman chronicled in great detail Dr. Robert Haley's war with the naysayers over Gulf War Syndrome, which Haley said existed and government officials said was nothing but a figment of sufferers' imaginat ... More >>

Did Local Rockers Greater Good Play The Democratic Convention? Like Just Now?

Dr. Robert Haley Ten years ago in the paper version of Unfair Park, former Observer-er Ann Zimmerman chronicled in great detail Dr. Robert Haley's war with the naysayers over Gulf War Syndrome, which Haley said existed and government officials said was nothing but a figment of sufferers' imaginat ... More >>

Still More Questions Than Answers in Vets' Deaths Following VA Stay

Dr. Robert Haley Ten years ago in the paper version of Unfair Park, former Observer-er Ann Zimmerman chronicled in great detail Dr. Robert Haley's war with the naysayers over Gulf War Syndrome, which Haley said existed and government officials said was nothing but a figment of sufferers' imaginat ... More >>

Family Members Blame Dallas' VA Hospital for the Suicides of Two Veterans

Dr. Robert Haley Ten years ago in the paper version of Unfair Park, former Observer-er Ann Zimmerman chronicled in great detail Dr. Robert Haley's war with the naysayers over Gulf War Syndrome, which Haley said existed and government officials said was nothing but a figment of sufferers' imaginat ... More >>

Two Vets Checked Out of the Dallas VA Last Week. Now, They're Both Dead.

Dr. Robert Haley Ten years ago in the paper version of Unfair Park, former Observer-er Ann Zimmerman chronicled in great detail Dr. Robert Haley's war with the naysayers over Gulf War Syndrome, which Haley said existed and government officials said was nothing but a figment of sufferers' imaginat ... More >>

Soldiering On, One Grant at a Time

Dr. Robert Haley Ten years ago in the paper version of Unfair Park, former Observer-er Ann Zimmerman chronicled in great detail Dr. Robert Haley's war with the naysayers over Gulf War Syndrome, which Haley said existed and government officials said was nothing but a figment of sufferers' imaginat ... More >>

When it Rains at the VA, It's Probably a Faulty Sprinkler System

Dr. Robert Haley Ten years ago in the paper version of Unfair Park, former Observer-er Ann Zimmerman chronicled in great detail Dr. Robert Haley's war with the naysayers over Gulf War Syndrome, which Haley said existed and government officials said was nothing but a figment of sufferers' imaginat ... More >>

Wounded Soldier, Healing Warrior

Dr. Robert Haley Ten years ago in the paper version of Unfair Park, former Observer-er Ann Zimmerman chronicled in great detail Dr. Robert Haley's war with the naysayers over Gulf War Syndrome, which Haley said existed and government officials said was nothing but a figment of sufferers' imaginat ... More >>

No More War Over Gulf War Syndrome? Yeah, Right.

Dr. Robert Haley Ten years ago in the paper version of Unfair Park, former Observer-er Ann Zimmerman chronicled in great detail Dr. Robert Haley's war with the naysayers over Gulf War Syndrome, which Haley said existed and government officials said was nothing but a figment of sufferers' imaginat ... More >>

Unraveling a mystery

Dallas-based researchers at last win some respect for their work on Gulf War Syndrome

Observer writers honored

Dallas-based researchers at last win some respect for their work on Gulf War Syndrome

The war over Gulf War Syndrome

Dallas doctors believe they've solved the mystery of sick veterans, but find themselves in "a bloody scientific war" where they are branded charlatans