Service members and veterans with mental health concerns now have 24-hour access to online resources and specialists through the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Outreach Center, announced Defense Department officials. DCoE is a hub for information to address psychological health and traumatic brain injury issues, now with options to contact specialists via phone, live chat, or email. “It’s free, and it’s information that has been vetted by DOD,” said George Lamb, outreach chief for the centers. “We’re not just doing Google searches and adding information to it.” In addition, the DOD’s National Center for Telehealth and Technology has developed mobile tools, such as apps, to target PTSD, mild TBI, and suicide prevention, states the June 12 release. “Even if the war was to end today, our service members still have the injuries that they’ve incurred in combat, and their family members are still going to have questions for years to come,” said Lamb. (DOD report by Amaani Lyle)
Secretary of Defense Austin Lloyd III met with his counterparts from Australia, Japan and the Philippines to discuss bolstering defense ties on May 2. The discussion included plans for joint F-35 exercises with Japan and Australia in the coming years.