Iron90.com

July 13, 2011: Our team of climbers that included three wounded service members move to the 14, 411 summit of Mt. Rainier. We departed Camp Muir at 12:15 AM and arrive at the summit at 8:30 AM.

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO: Dawn on Mt. Rainier

Share

0
Comments

Camp Patriot is a non-profit that offers severely wounded services members opportunity to participate in a series of unique rehabilitative programs. These programs include the annual Camp Patriot Crucible which takes place in Arizona each April. This unique restorative program is the wounded warrior’s version of Outward Bound in which the participants hike the Grand Canyon and Arizona highest Peak,  Mt. Humphreys. In a new event for 2011, these warriors will take on all challengers at the 6th Annual Tempe Town Lake Outrigger Regatta. Following the Arizona Crucible this July team will travel to Washington State to take part in the Camp Patriot Summit Challenge, a climb of the 14,411 foot Mt. Rainier. The summit of Rainier is considered one of the challenging climbs in the lower 48 United States.

The Camp Patriot five member team includes:

Four years ago this month, Sr. Chief Mike Day a Navy SEAL and his SEAL set upon an enemy safe house near Fallujah, Iraq. Upon entering a 12 x 12 foot room, Chief Day was shot 27 times by four enemy fighters, an enemy grenade exploded just feet away from him lacing his body with shrapnel. With two teammates shot and the remainder of his team pinned down outside the house. Chief Day, while badly wounded, managed to engage and neutralize all four enemy fighters. Today, Mike Day continues to serve his country and fellow warriors as a Director for the Special Operation Command’s Care Coalition.

In late 2001, Master Sergeant Gilbert Magallanes a US Army Green Beret was on the outskirt of Kabul with his 11 man team after routing the Taliban. Their mission was to usher in a little know Afghan Statesman, Harmid Kharsi to the Capital in order to establish a new government. In the confusion, their group was mistaken for the Taliban and they could only watch in horror as a 2000 pound bomb was dropped directly on their position. Three Green Beret were killed and all the other including Master Sergeant Gilbert Magallanes were severely wounded. The events of this day have been recounted by best author Eric Blehm in his book; The Only Thing Worth Dying For.

Army Sergeant’s Eric Cowin and Derrick Ford were on patrol when their platoons came under attack. The resulting injuries cost both men a leg below the knee.

Army Sergeant Decoudres learned of his devastating neurological disorder prior to deployment, yet each day he continues to serve with professionalism and courage preparing other soldiers to enter harms way.

Share

0
Comments

New Society of Actuaries Study Estimates $300 Billion Economic Cost Due to Overweight and Obesity

Actuarial obesity study of U.S. and Canada identifies losses caused by medical costs, excess mortality and disability

SCHAUMBURG, IL (Jan. 10, 2011)–According to a new study released today by the Society of Actuaries (SOA), the total economic cost of overweight (BMI between 25.0–29.9) and obesity (BMI of more than 30) in the U.S. and Canada reaches $300¹ billion per year, with 90 percent of the total–$270 billion–attributed to the U.S. While much research has been conducted on obesity, the SOA study looked at the economic costs of overweight and obesity caused by increased need for medical care, and loss of economic productivity resulting from excess mortality and disability.

“There is substantial evidence that overweight and obesity are becoming world-wide epidemics, and are having negative impacts on health and mortality,” said actuary Don Behan, FSA, FCA, MAAA and independent consulting actuary. “As actuaries, we are working with the insurance industry to help incentivize consumers through their health plan design to focus on health and wellness, which will hopefully help curb the weight and health problems we face today.”

Going one step further, the SOA breaks out the economic cost of overweight versus obesity for the U.S. and for Canada. Dividing up the $270 billion economic cost in the U.S., obesity cost the U.S. economy $198 billion and overweight cost $72 billion in 2009. To come to these conclusions, researchers and actuaries Don Behan and Sam Cox reviewed nearly 500 research articles on obesity and its relation to mortality and morbidity, focusing primarily on papers published from January 1980 to June 2009.

In the study, the SOA also divided the $300 billion finding into specific causes of economic costs. According to the SOA, the figure breaks down into the following economic costs per year:

• Total cost of excess medical care caused by overweight and obesity: $127 billion
• Economic loss of productivity caused by excess mortality: $49 billion
• Economic loss of productivity caused by disability for active workers : $43 billion
• Economic loss of productivity caused by overweight or obesity for totally disabled workers: $72 billion

According to Behan, “Overweight and obesity have shown to increase the rate of several common adverse medical conditions, resulting in this extraordinary economic cost to society. We can’t stand back and ignore the fact that overweight and obesity are drivers of cost increases and detrimental economic effects. It’s time for actuaries, the employer community and the insurance industry to take action and help consumers make smart, healthy decisions.”

The SOA also uncovered, through a nationally representative online survey of 1,000 Americans 18 years and older, that the majority of consumers–83 percent–would be willing to follow a healthy lifestyle, such as participating in a health and wellness program, if incentivized through their health plan.

http://www.soa.org/news-and-publications/newsroom/press-releases/2011-01-10-obesity.aspx

Share

0
Comments