Veterans Memorial Research Articles

Examination of Congruity between Subjective and Objective Working Memory in Veterans with Mild TBI and Relation to Psychiatric Symptoms and Childhood Trauma.

There is conflicting evidence regarding congruence between subjective cognitive decline and objective cognitive performance for individuals with a history of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The current study investigated the congruity between subjective and objective cognition, particularly working memory, among veterans with an mTBI history, accounting for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and childhood trauma. Participants included 35 veterans with a history of mTBI sustained during deployment. Participants completed measures of subjective [i.e., Behavioral Inventory Rating of Executive Functioning (BRIEF)] and objective working memory (i.e., WAIS-IV working memory index). Congruity between subjective and objective working memory was examined using linear regression. Bonferroni-corrected correlations were run to explore relationships among working memory, psychiatric symptoms, mTBI severity, and childhood trauma. Among Veterans with mTBI, subjective working memory and objective working memory performance were not significantly related (p > 0.05); however, the overall model was significant (p < 0.0001), and childhood trauma was a notable predictor (p = 0.02). Greater PTSD, depression, and sleep symptoms were significantly related to increased subjective working memory concerns, even after Bonferroni adjustments (ps < 0.0001). Better objective working memory was significantly related to a fewer number of childhood traumatic events; however, this did not sustain corrections. The majority of individuals (67%) endorsed significant working memory complaints, despite objectively performing within normal limits (within 1 SD and above). Subjective-objective working memory congruity among veterans with mTBI was limited. Subjective, but not objective, working memory concerns were associated with greater PTSD, depression, and sleep symptoms. Childhood trauma was a notable factor that contributed to both subjective and objective cognitive concerns. There remains clinical value in assessing subjective cognitive concerns given the strong relationships with psychiatric problems and, hence, a focus for intervention.

Exploring the self-as-memorial through arts-based writing

In 2021, a Cold War Veterans Memorial Commission was announced and immediately, I became interested in this concept. Who are the veterans? What are the memories? And what are the repercussions of giving permanence to this specific history during the post-Cold War era? Writing is the only form I can conceive of for such a memorial, as it allows for a post-structural analysis of memory, experience and life. Writing as a method of inquiry allows one to consider the relationship between personal narrative, materiality and research. In this article, I explore these questions through a braided narrative that weaves together family narratives, historical time periods and imaginings of myself-as-memorial. But like braiding hair, or yarn, some threads become tangled with other threads, representing an entanglement of time and experience, and of individual and collective memories. Not meant to be easily delineated, transitions between narratives are used to evoke the sudden, and sometimes abrupt, emergence of memory. Additionally, by positioning a memorial as a person, questions of the humanness of memory and the nonhumanness of memory objects arise.

Homecomings, belonging and the mediating memory work of US Vietnam War remains

A half-century since its conclusion, the Vietnam War’s ‘work of remembrance’ in the United States continues to generate, even innovate, forms of homecoming and claims of belonging among the state, its military and veterans, surviving families and the wider public. Such commemoration often centres on objects that materialise, physically or symbolically, absence and longed-for recovery or reunion – from wartime artefacts-turned-mementos to the identified remains of missing war dead. In exploring the war’s proliferating memory work, this article examines the small-scale but persistent practice of leaving or scattering cremains at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall in Washington DC, against the backdrop of the US military’s efforts to account for service members missing in action (MIA). Seen together, the illicit and sanctioned efforts to return remains (or artefacts closely associated with them) to places of social recognition and fellowship shed light on the powerful role the dead have in mediating war’s meaning and the debts it incurs.

Review: Monuments and Memory-Making: The Debate over the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 1981–1982, by M. Rebecca Livingstone, Kelly McFall, and Abigail Perkiss

Review: <i>Monuments and Memory-Making: The Debate over the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 1981–1982</i>, by M. Rebecca Livingstone, Kelly McFall, and Abigail Perkiss

КЕҢЕС ОДАҒЫНЫҢ БАТЫРЫ С. НҰРМАҒАМБЕТОВТЫҢ ЖАУЫНГЕРЛІК ЖОЛЫ МЕН ҚОЛБАСШЫЛЫҚ ҚЫЗМЕТІ

The article reveals the features of the social origin and formation of the Hero of the Soviet Union Sagadat Nurmagambetov (1924-2013). His life reflected all the historical events of his country: the Sec-ond World War, the difficult post-war period, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the formation of independent Kazakhstan. It was S. Nurmagambetov who became the first commander of the defense of Kazakhstan in the conditions of a sovereign state of the country. The article uses the biographical method, the methodological features of which made it possible to consider the process of identification and true assessment of personality. The source material was based on materials from archival funds and websites dedicated to the creation of the new Armed Forces of independent Kazakhstan, memories of veterans of the Great Patriotic War, memories of S. Nurmagambetov’s friends and colleagues about his role in the creation of a modern army, improvement of military service and the military education system. The article shows military educational institutions named after S. Nurmagambetov, provides an analysis of books about military events at the front during the war, describes his contribution to the formation of traditions and the foundation of the armed forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan. This article contributes to the development of historical memory of local actors of the Second World War, patriotism and histori-cal continuity.

78 The Effects of Hypertension and Obstructive Sleep Apnea on Auditory Learning and Memory in Veterans with PTSD Symptomology

Objective:Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been associated with cognitive deficits as evidenced by neuropsychological testing in the domains of attention/working memory, verbal memory, processing speed, and executive function. OSA is often comorbid with hypertension and has been considered a risk factor for hypertension (Kareem et al., 2018; Tietjens et al., 2019). Both hypertension and OSA have been shown to be independent predictors of memory (Kinoshita et al., 2012). OSA and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are also frequently co-occurring, especially among veterans. In a group of veterans with a history of PTSD, we seek to explore the effects of sleep apnea and hypertension on cognitive functioning, particularly auditory learning/memory.Participants and Methods:One hundred and three male and female participants with comorbid OSA and PTSD symptomology were screened as part of a larger VA Palo Alto Health Care System study. Participants (age: x=56.3, a=13.8, 24-81 years; education: x=14.6, a=2.3, 8-20 years; 9.6% female, 89.6% male) completed a neuropsychological battery, including the CVLT-II and WMS-IV Logical Memory. Presence or absence of hypertension was dichotomously coded and AHI severity was categorically coded. An auditory learning/memory composite variable was created using the z-score transformation method (Dodge et al., 2020). Variables and covariates were entered into a hierarchical regression.Results:The initial regression model revealed hypertension and OSA severity to be independent predictors of performance on auditory learning/memory (hypertension: ß= -0.71, p&lt;0.01; OSA: ß= -0.42, p&lt;0.01), where presence of hypertension or increased severity of OSA resulted in worse performance on the auditory learning/memory composite.Conclusions:Results suggest that hypertension and OSA may independently and negatively affect performance on measures of auditory learning/memory in veterans with PTSD symptomology and OSA. Such findings underscore the importance of assessing and treating both hypertension and OSA among veterans with PTSD to improve not only physical health, but also cognitive health. Further research demonstrating similar findings is recommended along with studies investigating whether or not the treatment of hypertension and OSA can improve auditory learning/memory.

24 Longitudinal Neuropsychological Functioning in Gulf War Veterans Exposed to Neurotoxicants and War-Related Trauma

Objective:Gulf War (GW) veterans were exposed to many neurotoxicants during the 1990-1991 Gulf War. Neurotoxicants included: chemical warfare such as sarin nerve gas, combustion byproducts from oil well fires and diesel fuels from tent heaters, pesticides, and prophylactic anti- nerve gas pyridostigmine bromide pills (PB); all of which have been associated with both cognitive and mood concerns. There are few longitudinal studies that have examined cognitive functioning regarding these toxicant exposures. In our longitudinal Fort Devens cohort, we found decrements over time in the area of verbal learning and memory but no differences in measures of nonverbal memory and executive function. To describe changes more accurately over time in this GW veteran cohort, we examined cognitive functioning in those with probable Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) versus those without.Participants and Methods:The FDC is the longest running cohort of GW veterans with initial baseline cognitive, mood, exposure and trauma assessments in 1997-1998 and follow-up evaluations in 2019-2022. FDC veterans (N=48) who completed both time points were the participants for this study. Veterans were categorized into dichotomous (yes/no) groups of PTSD classification. The PTSD checklist (PCL) was used to determine PTSD case status. Symptom ratings on the PCL were summed (range:17-85) and a cutoff score of 36 or higher was utilized to indicate probable PTSD. Neuropsychological measures of mood (POMS) and memory (Visual Reproductions from the Weschler Memory Scale-R; California Verbal Learning Test Second Edition; CVLT2) and executive function and language; (Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System- Color Word and Verbal fluency- Animals) were compared overtime using Paired T-tests.Results:The study sample (N=48) was 92% male and 96% reported active-duty status at the time of the GW. Mean current age was 58 years. All veterans reported exposure to at least one war-related toxicant. 48% met criteria for probable PTSD (N = 23) while 52% did not (n=25). No differences between groups were found in any of the POMS subscales, nor were differences seen in verbal memory, executive function, or language tasks. There were, however, significant differences in nonverbal memory in those with probable PTSD showing fewer details recalled during delay on the WMS-R Visual Reproductions (p&lt;0.05).Conclusions:In this longitudinal analysis, GW veterans with PTSD showed declines in nonverbal memory and consistent levels of function in all other tasks. Basic mood scales did not show decline; therefore, these results are not due to generalized changes in mood. All participants reported at least one neurotoxicant exposure and we did not have the power to examine the impact of the individual exposures, thus we cannot rule any contributing factors other than PTSD. This study highlights the importance of longitudinal follow up and continual documentation of GW veterans’ memory performance and their endorsement of mood symptoms overtime. Specifically, these findings reveal that future studies should examine the prolonged course of memory and mood symptomatology in GW veterans who have endorsed a traumatic experience.

A brief treatment for veterans with PTSD: an open-label case-series study.

Despite the positive outcomes observed in numerous individuals undergoing trauma-focused psychotherapy for PTSD, veterans with this condition experience notably diminished advantages from such therapeutic interventions in comparison to non-military populations. In a preliminary study we investigated the efficacy of an innovative treatment approach in a small sample of veterans (n = 7). Recognizing that accessing and targeting trauma memory in veterans with PTSD may be more challenging compared to other patient populations, we employed unique and personalized retrieval cues that engaged multiple senses and were connected to the context of their trauma. This was followed by a session focused on memory reconsolidation, which incorporated both psychological techniques (i.e., imagery rescripting) and a pharmacological component (i.e., 40 mg of propranolol). The findings from this small-scale case series cautiously indicate that this brief intervention, typically consisting of only one or two treatment sessions, shows promise in producing significant effects on symptoms of PTSD, distress and quality of life.This is particularly noteworthy given the complex symptomatology experienced by the veterans in this study. To summarize, there are grounds for optimism regarding this brief treatment of combat-related PTSD. It appears that the potential for positive outcomes is far greater than commonly believed, as demonstrated by the encouraging results of this pilot study.

Features of the "Monumental" Policy of the United States in Relation to the Conflicts of the Cold War (on the Example of Monuments in Washington, D.C.)

In this article, the authors analyze the unique features of the United States' "monumental" policy in relation to the conflicts of the Cold War and the associated memorial and commemorative spaces within the metropolitan region. Specifically, the authors focus on the two Cold War conflicts that are commemorated on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. — the Korean War (1950-1953) and the Vietnam War (19641975). The Vietnam Veterans Memorial (1982) and the Korean War Veterans Memorial (1995) are among the monumental objects that commemorate these conflicts, along with the Three Soldiers Monument (1984) and the Vietnam Women's Memorial (1993), which were later added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. To examine the evolution and specific characteristics of the American "monumental" policy regarding the history of the Cold War, the authors employed various sources, including artifacts of "monumental" policy such as monuments, memorial complexes, and architectural structures; official documents on monumental projects; official websites of memorials and their funds; materials on planning, construction, and preservation of memorials; memoirs and interviews of architects; articles in the media; opinion polls; reviews from visitors to monumental objects. By tracing the history of the creation of these monumental objects, the authors aim to evaluate the degree of influence of civil society on official memory politics and to understand how assessments of Cold War conflicts have evolved in the United States.

Trauma Engraved in Stone: Material Community and the Singularity of a Traumatic Affect in Yusef Komunyakaa’s “Facing It”

The purpose of this article is to trace the behaviour of a traumatic affect based on the reading of Yusef Komunyakaa’s “Facing It,” a poetic ekphrasis of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Tracing the manners in which war trauma is worked through and acted out by the speaker, this paper discusses how trauma eludes both compensating processes. At the same time, the nonhuman or inhuman features of trauma are analysed alongside the nonhuman agency of the memorial. The intersection of both nonhuman modes of being makes it possible to align the trauma discourses with materialist criticism. In addition, the traumatic experience is discussed through its tactile connotations following Komunyakaa’s poem and Maya Lin’s commentaries to her monument. Touch turns out to be a potent category capable of capturing the dynamics of a traumatic affect and a promising trope on which new ethical modes of being together in trauma might be founded. Hence, the aim of this article is fourfold; it attempts to: (1) analyse how Komunyakaa’s poem, informed by the selected developments in materialist criticism and trauma studies, might illustrate and expand the affect of trauma; (2) deepen our understanding of the intersections of the material and the traumatic; (3) investigate how the speculative reorganisation of human and nonhuman boundaries, inspired by “Facing It,” might help in assessing trauma, which necessarily resides at the edges of subjectivity; and (4) propose how the figure of trauma based on vulnerable and transformative limits might revise our understanding of community and formulate an ethical obligation for the traumatic times we live in.

Memories of veterans - valuable sources about the Great Patriotic War

Memories of veterans - valuable sources about the Great Patriotic War

We Begin Bombing in Five Minutes: Late Cold War Culture in the Age of Reagan

We Begin Bombing in Five Minutes: Late Cold War Culture in the Age of Reagan

Witnessing Care and Cleaning Health Care Spaces.

Two portraits of Barry, a housekeeping utility worker at the Veterans Memorial Hospital Memory Clinic in Halifax, Nova Scotia, are part of 80-piece arts-based research collection, led by this article's author, portrait artist Mark Gilbert. The 2-year study, Giving, Receiving, Observing &amp; Witnessing Care (GROWing Care), explored experiences of patients living with dementia and their caregivers.

Ключевые аспекты военно-бытовой повседневности воинов-танкистов в годы Великой Отечественной (на примере 50-й и 51-й танковых бригад)

The article dealswithsuch aspects ofmilitary everyday life ofthe 50th and 51sttank brigades duringtheGreat PatrioticWar as problems of nutrition, clothing allowance, sanitary and hygienic conditions and housing. The source base of the study was the documents of the Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, methodological manuals, as well as memories of veterans. The conclusion about the importance of solving these issues in a comfortable, as far as possible, arrangement of life for tank soldiers is formulated.

Associations between Intra-Individual Neurocognitive Variability and Prospective Memory in Veterans with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury History and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) frequently co-occur and are associated with neurocognitive intra-individual variability (IIV) and difficulty with prospective memory (PM). The current study aimed to examine associations between IIV and PM in this comorbid group. Fifty veterans with a history of blast mTBI and current comorbid PTSD completed a standardized neurocognitive battery to measure IIV, and the Memory for Intentions Screening Test measuring PM. Adjusting for age, education, and race, higher IIV was associated with poorer time-based PM (p < .001, f2 = .34), but not event-based PM. In a subset of the sample with self-report data, higher IIV was associated with poorer self-reported retrospective memory, but not PM. Cognitive variability on a standardized neuropsychological battery was associated with strategically demanding PM, which is an ecologically relevant ability and highlights the possible connection between subtle cognitive difficulties in-clinic and those experienced in daily life.

Rhetorics Haunting the National Mall: Displaced and Ephemeral Public Memories

Rhetorics Haunting the National Mall: Displaced and Ephemeral Public Memories

Contested Memories, Precarious Apology: The Vietnam War in Contemporary Korean Art

ABSTRACT This article examines art works that problematise the contested memories of the Vietnam War in South Korea. The collective memories of the Vietnam War in South Korea are contested by the official memory, constructed by the military regime, and the counter-memories, generated by activists who call for Korea to apologise to the Vietnamese people for the atrocities committed by Korean soldiers. IM Heung-soon’s publication This War (2009) and the single-channel video Reborn II (2018) present memories of South Korean veterans and Vietnamese rape victims. Kim Seokyung and Kim Eunsung’s statue Vietnam Pieta (2015–2016) was installed in Vietnam and Korea as a gesture of apology for Korean soldiers’ rape and murder of Vietnamese women and children. Drawing on Maurice Halbwachs’ concept of collective memories and Jacques Derrida’s conditional apology, this article examines how these art projects represent the contested memories of the Vietnam War in Korea and the conditional apology suggested by Korean activism, relating them to the redress movements of historical justice for wartime atrocities in a transnational context. Analyses of these artworks suggest aesthetic, ethical and political limitations and possibilities in representing memories of wartime sexual violence and (un)conditional apologies in visual art.

Disrupted and Unsettled: An Introduction to Monuments, Memorials, and Italian Migrations

Disrupted and Unsettled: An Introduction to Monuments, Memorials, and Italian Migrations

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial – Presenting the Unpresentable

A study of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, designed by Maya Lin in the 1980s. The memorial operates on multiple levels simultaneously and this is what gives it its communicative power. The memorial will be examined from both an arts and architecture context. Several interlinked aspects will be explored which include place, social context, diagram, minimalism, phenomenology and time, and materiality. These elements combine to form a dialectical image in the mind of the viewer. Merleau-Ponty’s concept of the preobjective and Jean-Luc Nancy’s concept of infinite on the border of presentation are used in the analysis along with Gilles Deleuze’s concept of the diagram. Walter Benjamin’s concept of the dialectical image where multiple elements are combined to form a unique separate experience is also employed. The writer is both an artist and an architect.

Steven Trout. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Angel Fire: War, Remembrance, and an American Tragedy.

S<scp>teven</scp> T<scp>rout</scp>. <i>The Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Angel Fire: War, Remembrance, and an American Tragedy</i>.