thedrifter
06-25-07, 06:22 AM
Officer: Navy trying to muzzle me
By Gregg Zoroya, USA TODAY
A Navy expert in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder says the service is trying to silence him for criticizing the quality of mental health care in the military.
Cmdr. Mark Russell, 47, has filed a complaint with the Pentagon's inspector general claiming his chance for career advancement has been blocked. He says he was isolated from the media after describing in a Jan. 17 USA TODAY article a "perfect storm" looming in the military's mental health system.
"If we permit the silencing and maltreatment of military personnel that dare to care and lawfully communicate known public health concerns, what is the message sent up and down the military hierarchy?" Russell asks in his complaint, a copy of which he provided to USA TODAY. The Navy confirmed the authenticity of the complaint.
Russell, a 24-year veteran of the Navy, filed the complaint May 29. Russell says that after years of speaking out for more and better-trained mental health workers in the military, he received back-to-back negative job reviews in 2006 and 2007, which could end any chance of advancement.
"Unless objective reasonable persons (at the inspector general's office) review the ranking board results and conclude that I'm a substandard leader and performer," Russell told USA TODAY, "then I'm a martyr for giving a damn about (the) mental health of combat vets."
One boss urged him to retire, Russell says in his complaint.
The Navy disputes Russell's allegations. The pattern of Russell's job reviews — in which his overall rating dropped two levels from "early promote" down to "promotable" in two consecutive years — does not necessarily mean he can never advance to captain, Navy Capt. John D'Alessandro says.
Retired rear admiral Stephen Pietropaoli, the former chief of Navy public affairs, disagreed. Though he declined to comment on Russell's case, Pietropaoli says two consecutive "promotable" ratings for Navy officers are the "kiss of death" and a "career-ender."
Russell is being treated unfairly for being honest, says Andrew Leeds, a California-based clinical psychologist who trained therapists with Russell. "Pressuring Dr. Russell to stop exposing how few mental health clinicians have the training needed to effectively treat combat-related PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) will not change the truth and is unlikely to silence him," Leeds says.
Russell has received high marks from fellow psychologists. "He is a quiet scientist-clinician-activist for a population that is critically underserved," psychologist Rosalie Thomas wrote while nominating Russell for an award he received last year from a Washington psychological association.
Even as Navy officials marked down his reviews, they called Russell a "recognized expert" on PTSD. His research was cited by the Defense Department's Mental Health Task Force, which published findings last week that echoed many of Russell's concerns.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that the Pentagon was working to improve military mental health care.
The Navy didn't try to keep Russell from the media, spokesman Guy Schein says. More likely, Schein says, there were problems arranging interviews because Russell is based in Iwakuni, Japan, where he counsels Marines.
"I've been in this business for 38 years, and I can truthfully tell you that if I had a nickel for every interview that was proposed and didn't happen, I'd be very rich," Schein says.
Russell says he has told Navy officials since 2003 that they needed to train mental health experts in how to better treat PTSD. He has surveyed colleagues about their training, published peer-reviewed articles, sent memoranda up the chain of command, spoke publicly and testified before the Mental Health Task Force.
He filed his first complaint with the Defense Department's inspector general on Jan. 5, 2006, because he was frustrated by a lack of action, Russell says. It alleges that top military officials ignored the mental health problem.
Lt. Col. Brian Maka, a spokesman for the inspector general's office, says that complaint was turned over to the Pentagon's mental health department and the Mental Health Task Force.
Russell received his first negative review in May 2006, records show. A second negative review came in early May 2007.
"It seems my dogged persistence in bringing up MH (mental health) concerns has alienated many, earning me the reputation as a 'maverick,' " Russell says in his reprisal complaint.
Ellie
By Gregg Zoroya, USA TODAY
A Navy expert in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder says the service is trying to silence him for criticizing the quality of mental health care in the military.
Cmdr. Mark Russell, 47, has filed a complaint with the Pentagon's inspector general claiming his chance for career advancement has been blocked. He says he was isolated from the media after describing in a Jan. 17 USA TODAY article a "perfect storm" looming in the military's mental health system.
"If we permit the silencing and maltreatment of military personnel that dare to care and lawfully communicate known public health concerns, what is the message sent up and down the military hierarchy?" Russell asks in his complaint, a copy of which he provided to USA TODAY. The Navy confirmed the authenticity of the complaint.
Russell, a 24-year veteran of the Navy, filed the complaint May 29. Russell says that after years of speaking out for more and better-trained mental health workers in the military, he received back-to-back negative job reviews in 2006 and 2007, which could end any chance of advancement.
"Unless objective reasonable persons (at the inspector general's office) review the ranking board results and conclude that I'm a substandard leader and performer," Russell told USA TODAY, "then I'm a martyr for giving a damn about (the) mental health of combat vets."
One boss urged him to retire, Russell says in his complaint.
The Navy disputes Russell's allegations. The pattern of Russell's job reviews — in which his overall rating dropped two levels from "early promote" down to "promotable" in two consecutive years — does not necessarily mean he can never advance to captain, Navy Capt. John D'Alessandro says.
Retired rear admiral Stephen Pietropaoli, the former chief of Navy public affairs, disagreed. Though he declined to comment on Russell's case, Pietropaoli says two consecutive "promotable" ratings for Navy officers are the "kiss of death" and a "career-ender."
Russell is being treated unfairly for being honest, says Andrew Leeds, a California-based clinical psychologist who trained therapists with Russell. "Pressuring Dr. Russell to stop exposing how few mental health clinicians have the training needed to effectively treat combat-related PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) will not change the truth and is unlikely to silence him," Leeds says.
Russell has received high marks from fellow psychologists. "He is a quiet scientist-clinician-activist for a population that is critically underserved," psychologist Rosalie Thomas wrote while nominating Russell for an award he received last year from a Washington psychological association.
Even as Navy officials marked down his reviews, they called Russell a "recognized expert" on PTSD. His research was cited by the Defense Department's Mental Health Task Force, which published findings last week that echoed many of Russell's concerns.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that the Pentagon was working to improve military mental health care.
The Navy didn't try to keep Russell from the media, spokesman Guy Schein says. More likely, Schein says, there were problems arranging interviews because Russell is based in Iwakuni, Japan, where he counsels Marines.
"I've been in this business for 38 years, and I can truthfully tell you that if I had a nickel for every interview that was proposed and didn't happen, I'd be very rich," Schein says.
Russell says he has told Navy officials since 2003 that they needed to train mental health experts in how to better treat PTSD. He has surveyed colleagues about their training, published peer-reviewed articles, sent memoranda up the chain of command, spoke publicly and testified before the Mental Health Task Force.
He filed his first complaint with the Defense Department's inspector general on Jan. 5, 2006, because he was frustrated by a lack of action, Russell says. It alleges that top military officials ignored the mental health problem.
Lt. Col. Brian Maka, a spokesman for the inspector general's office, says that complaint was turned over to the Pentagon's mental health department and the Mental Health Task Force.
Russell received his first negative review in May 2006, records show. A second negative review came in early May 2007.
"It seems my dogged persistence in bringing up MH (mental health) concerns has alienated many, earning me the reputation as a 'maverick,' " Russell says in his reprisal complaint.
Ellie