WASHINGTON — Veterans’ groups are applauding a new law creating an Open Burn Pit Registry, which was passed by Congress over the VA’s objections.

MADISON, WI — At age 21, Jeffrey Unger said he already had a clear vision of what would become one of his lifelong goals — to help returning veterans get the care they needed.

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, CA — The Air Force had good timing for its survey of energy drink consumption within the service: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently released a new report showing a doubling of energy drink-related emergency department (ED) visits between 2007 and 2011.

SAN DIEGO — Meningococcal disease among U.S. military personnel plummeted by more than 90% from 1971 to 2010 because of the introduction of three successive vaccines during the time period.

HINES, IL — Receiving appropriate amounts of information from valid sources may affect adherence to infection control recommendations during pandemics.

SAN DIEGO — Trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV) and live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) were similarly effective in preventing influenza, influenza-like illness and pneumonia in active duty U.S. servicemembers, according to a new study.

WASHINGTON — Ending more than five years of litigation on the issue, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of a lower court ruling in a class-action lawsuit that claimed VA does not provide mental healthcare in a timely fashion.

SEATTLE — Buprenorphine/naloxone (BUP) and methadone (MET) are effective in treatment of opioid dependence, but some concerns have been raised about a link between the use of BUP and drug-induced hepatitis.

SAN FRANCISCO — Telephone-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and education (EDU) were helpful in management of chronic pain in older military veterans, according to a new study which calls for further study of the interventions for the rural-living elderly with chronic pain.

FORT BRAGG, NC — According to a new study, oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate (OTFC) is a rapid and noninvasive pain-management strategy that provides safe and effective analgesia in the pre-hospital battlefield setting.