News 6 Mashup: Feb. 22, 2021
Here are the top stories for the week of Feb. 22, 2021, straight from AWN News 6 Correspondent, Jolene McNutt:
FDA Approves Rapid Blood Test for TBI
The FDA has approved a “rapid blood test for traumatic brain injury that can be used on the battlefield,” reported Army Times. The test identifies “two brain-specific protein markers that appear following a TBI incident.” The new test will provide a more scientific method of screening for potential TBI than the previous method which was based on analyzing symptoms. The new test will also help reduce the number of head scans needed to diagnose TBIs.
DoD COVID-19 Vaccine Roll Out
The Department of Defense is reporting a higher efficiency rate of doling out COVID-19 vaccines than the U.S. public. The DoD is reporting an efficiency rate of about 82 percent, outpacing the national efficiency average of 68 percent, according to Federal News Network. The vaccine is currently considered voluntary for military members and has been offered to “healthcare workers, people essential to national security,” and those about to deploy.
DoD outpaces public in vaccine efficiency, says vaccine is safe for nearly all adults
New IDs for Military Dependents & Retirees
A new ID Card system is rolling out force-wide for military family members, retirees, and their family members reported Military Times. The card will be similar to the common access card without the chip and will provide a more durable and secure ID. The last change to military family and retiree cards was 1993. There is no need to rush out for a new ID; the new card will be issued when your current one expires. Additionally, not all locations have the technology to update ID cards to the new version. Defense Manpower Data Center expects all ID locations to be outfitted by the end of 2021.
Beekeeping Therapy for Veterans
The VA has been buzzing with excitement over an alternative therapy: beekeeping. “Valerie Carter, a recreational therapist at the Manchester VA Medical Center started a beekeeping program two years ago,” shared the VAantage blog. The program began with two hives installed at the facility using a VA FARMS program grant. The veterans participating in the program reported “improved social connections along with decreases in post-traumatic stress and depression.” Another program in West Virginia, called Veterans and Heroes to Agriculture, offers beekeeping classes to veterans. One participant, Eric Grandon, was too scared to even open his hives initially, even admitting that, after he purchased his first two hives, he didn’t open them for two years! Now, he has 115 hives and trains fellow veterans in beekeeping.
“’It’s like the military,’ said Grandon. ‘It’s so systematic. There’s such harmony in the hive, just like a unit. Everyone’s on the same mission and has the same focus.’”
There is not a nationwide VA-sponsored beekeeping program; however, veterans interested in beekeeping are encouraged to check with their local recreational therapists to see if their area has a program. You can also check out Heroes to Hives, a free program offered by Michigan State University Extension, Bees4Vets, University of Minnesota Bee Veterans program and Farmer Veteran Coalition.
This Week in History
On February, 25, 1870, Hiram Rhodes Revels was sworn in as the first African American senator. He was appointed to fill one of Mississippi’s vacant senate seats. He served in the role for a year, where he advocated for desegregation in schools and on the railroads.
Photo by REVOLT on Unsplash
