The not-so-obvious casualties
A Flood of Troubled Soldiers Is in the Offing, Experts Predict
By SCOTT SHANE
New York Times
Published: December 16, 2004
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 - The nation's hard-pressed health care system for veterans is facing a potential deluge of tens of thousands of soldiers returning from Iraq with serious mental health problems brought on by the stress and carnage of war, veterans' advocates and military doctors say.
An Army study shows that about one in six soldiers in Iraq report symptoms of major depression, serious anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder, a proportion that some experts believe could eventually climb to one in three, the rate ultimately found in Vietnam veterans. Because about one million American troops have served so far in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Pentagon figures, some experts predict that the number eventually requiring mental health treatment could exceed 100,000.
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Such costs of war, personal and financial, are not revealed by official casualty counts. "People see the figure of 1,200 dead," said Dr. Kanter, of Seattle, referring to the number of Americans killed in Iraq. "Much more rarely do they see the number of seriously wounded. And almost never do they hear anything at all about the psychiatric casualties."
As of Wednesday 5,229 Americans have been seriously wounded in Iraq. Through July, nearly 31,000 veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom had applied for disability benefits for injuries or psychological ailments, according to the Department Veterans Affairs.
Are we prepared for a new generation of psychological casualties of war? We have gotten very accustomed to the image of the crusty old homeless Vietnam vet, but are we ready for the young homeless Iraq war vet? This is not an issue of whether the war is right or wrong, this is simply a fact that is going to have a long-lasting effect. People involved in any type of social services work need to be aware of what's coming and learn how to respond in a caring and loving way. We now have the hindsight to prevent a post-Vietnam scenario if we are able to be proactive.
By SCOTT SHANE
New York Times
Published: December 16, 2004
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 - The nation's hard-pressed health care system for veterans is facing a potential deluge of tens of thousands of soldiers returning from Iraq with serious mental health problems brought on by the stress and carnage of war, veterans' advocates and military doctors say.
An Army study shows that about one in six soldiers in Iraq report symptoms of major depression, serious anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder, a proportion that some experts believe could eventually climb to one in three, the rate ultimately found in Vietnam veterans. Because about one million American troops have served so far in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Pentagon figures, some experts predict that the number eventually requiring mental health treatment could exceed 100,000.
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Such costs of war, personal and financial, are not revealed by official casualty counts. "People see the figure of 1,200 dead," said Dr. Kanter, of Seattle, referring to the number of Americans killed in Iraq. "Much more rarely do they see the number of seriously wounded. And almost never do they hear anything at all about the psychiatric casualties."
As of Wednesday 5,229 Americans have been seriously wounded in Iraq. Through July, nearly 31,000 veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom had applied for disability benefits for injuries or psychological ailments, according to the Department Veterans Affairs.
Are we prepared for a new generation of psychological casualties of war? We have gotten very accustomed to the image of the crusty old homeless Vietnam vet, but are we ready for the young homeless Iraq war vet? This is not an issue of whether the war is right or wrong, this is simply a fact that is going to have a long-lasting effect. People involved in any type of social services work need to be aware of what's coming and learn how to respond in a caring and loving way. We now have the hindsight to prevent a post-Vietnam scenario if we are able to be proactive.