All Servicemen and women fill out a post-deployment health form. Beyond that, the level of attention paid to returning Veterans varies greatly.
As former VA Secretary Anthony Principi has said, the Iraq's war's guerilla fighting and prolonged tours are having a profound effect on the mental health of the vets coming home.
As former VA Secretary Anthony Principi has said, the Iraq's war's guerilla fighting and prolonged tours are having a profound effect on the mental health of the vets coming home.
'This type of war – insurgency warfare – where you don't know whether you're going to be the next victim of a car bomb or roadside bomb or (rocket-propelled grenade)... it's like fighting in Vietnam.' (GNN)
In late February 2006, the Journal of the American Medical Association posted striking new findings about the severity of the mental health crisis facing returning Iraq veterans.
35% of Iraq veterans have already sought mental health services.
Almost 20% of Iraq veterans report a mental health problem, while 11% of Afghanistan veterans report a problem.
These numbers have been growing steadily as new waves of veterans return, and as veterans cope with multiple tours in theatre. As early as July 2004, a New England Journal of Medicine study concluded that 15 to 17% of Iraq veterans suffer from major depression, generalized anxiety, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
35% of Iraq veterans have already sought mental health services.
Almost 20% of Iraq veterans report a mental health problem, while 11% of Afghanistan veterans report a problem.
These numbers have been growing steadily as new waves of veterans return, and as veterans cope with multiple tours in theatre. As early as July 2004, a New England Journal of Medicine study concluded that 15 to 17% of Iraq veterans suffer from major depression, generalized anxiety, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
"The official numbers say 7,532 service members had been wounded in action in Iraq and 1,051 had been killed. These are lies. According to some estimates, up 30,000 servicemen and women are being treated for their injuries that they suffered in Iraq. Many of those injuries are invisible to the naked eye. In the first major annoucement of its kind, the secretary of veterans affairs admitted last week that the government may be facing decades of disability payments to Iraq veterans suffering from mental illnesses and post-traumatic stress disorder…"(GNN)
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