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t o y M ^ M i k e MuUen, chairman A traum atic brain injury on the job in Iraq turned journalist Bob Woodruff into an advocate fo r veterans experiencing homelessness <* ^ f i k e r c e m m u n ic a ^ 7 en route to Afghanistan, BY ROSETTE ROY ALE a q u e stio n . T h e n h e slip p ed back in to a ta lk an d a p a n e l d isc u ssio n e n title d “A re unconsciousness. We Serving O u r Veterans?” O f p a rtic u la r ii 2006, journalist Bob Woodruff went He and the cameraman underwent focus that evening, which was sponsored to cover the war in Iraq. But when he emergency surgery in a U.S, Air Force by Seattle University’s Project on Family suffered a brain injury caused by an Homelessness, was a topic he speaks hospital near Balad, Iraq. From there, IED, he became part of a different story. both were airlifted to a hospital in about with eloquence: homeless veterans. The Marines knew Taji, Iraq, was a bad Germany. In serious condition, Woodruff Prior to his arrival, Woodruff talked by area. The city, roughly 12 miles north of was flown to the phone about his Baghdad, housed lots of insurgents. But recovery from brain Bethesda Naval the information didn’t stop the military injury, what service Hospital, where he convoy that rolled through the city on Jan. stayed in a members suffering "For the ones who've been 29,2006. brain trauma can medically induced Injured in these wars — Standing up in the back hatch of a light- coma for more than teach others, how again, in how extensive and vets from Iraq and armored tank, the lead vehicle in the a month. Finally how bad your injury is — convoy, TV journalist Bob Woodruff Afghanistan differ awake, he required prepared to tape a segment for ABC. He from those from months of therapy you certainly go into and his cameraman wore body arm or and for brain-related moments of depression and Vietnam and, with a protective helmets. Without warning, an tad bit of humor, trauma. (The frustration. It depends on improvised explosive device blew up near the explosion itself. cameraman fully the tank.. what happens to you. And a recovered.) Rosette Royale: There was a BANG. Everything shook. More than five lot of it depends on who Before you went to Then it all came to a standstill. And years after that you've got around you as Iraq in 2006, what Woodruff, who had succeeded Peter explosion, Woodruff w ell." ’ were your experiences Jennings as ABC World News Tonight has become a with people in co-host only weeks before, fell over in the spokesperson of military service? tank. sorts for others Shrapnel tore a hole in Woodruff’s who have suffered Bob Woodruff: neck. Another piece sliced into the left brain injuries, particularly service Well, I’d covered a couple wars. I was also hemisphere of his brain. Convulsions members. The accident and injuries he embedded with the 1st LAR (Light shook his body. Trying to stanch the flow suffered led to the creation of the Bob Armored Reconnaissance Battalion) of of blood, a soldier pressed his hand over Woodruff Foundation, which offers the Marines for the first invasion of Iraq Woodruffs neck. “Come back!” the support to injured service members, vets — that was the first embedding that I ever Marines yelled at him. “Come back!” and their families. Indeed, for a brief moment, Woodruff In mid-July, Woodruff visited Seattle for See LOST, page 11 came back and opened his eyes. He asked C O N T R IB U T IN G W R IT E R I Read more about traumatic brain injury and its relationship with homelessness in a special Street Roots series, available at www.streetroots. wordpress.com, searchword “TBI.” Setting new sights on the city But then the vets came to town Local union struggle dismissed by media A n interview with City Council candidate Steve Novick A reflection on the Veterans for Peace National Convention by Martha Gies Commentary by Portland author Michael Monk on the Longview dispute Page 4 Page 8 Page 13
