List date(s) this work was published or aired.
15-Mar-12
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
Chronic, lifelong, and disabling back pain might be a graver and more widespread problem facing vets of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq than PTSD or traumatic brain injuries. Also, these back injuries have spawned a serious problem in painkiller addiction among returning vets.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
Used VA statistics and read several scientific papers written by VA doctors.
Explain types of human sources used.
Talked to several partially disabled OIF/OEF vets and a former VA caseworker who talked to hundreds of others who suffered crippling back injuries.
Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
No challenges, corrections or clarifications.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
This report started as a profile of one soldier who was addicted to pills. After finding out why he was addicted (back pain), I pursued it as a larger story and found that his was a very common plight and one that will have widespread far-reaching consequences for veterans and taxpayers alike for decades to come.