Part Two in a Five-Part Series
Few sights are as sad as a broken soldier, and the streets of the United States are littered with them. Whether these soldiers have served abroad or here at home, too many have cracks that permeate their damaged core. Though many soldiers who have been in battle are able to readjust to life back home, some are like broken vases glued back together, appearing whole but incredibly fragile.
About two million U.S. troops have been in battle in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a significant portion has returned home to face mental and physical problems—as well as financial issues. Recent reports from two independent organizations, the RAND Corporation and the Institute of Medicine, reveal that almost a half of returning vets struggle to readjust, and that federal agencies could have offered them better support. One fifth of those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan have suffered traumatic brain injuries, according to the reports.
Some of those who have served in Operation Enduring Freedom (the U.S. war in Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (the U.S. war in Iraq) readjust with few difficulties. Many others return with severe mental illnesses and have problems readjusting to home, reconnecting with family members, finding employment, and returning to school.
Operation Enduring Freedom does not have to turn into “Operation Enduring Unwelcome” for our returning soldiers!
The Fight Continues Once Home
Many of our fighting men and women are fighting something even more pernicious than the external foes they encountered overseas—internal trauma and anguish. Truly honoring our armed forces means doing all we can to help address the collateral damage of intensive combat—mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, as well as the disturbing trends experienced by veterans with mental health conditions such as homelessness, suicide, family violence, and substance abuse.
Coming home is considered the end of a deployment for soldiers, but too many who have been mentally wounded by war are in essence “redeployed” to live on the streets or doomed to remain isolated in their daily lives. Without treatment, they are ill-equipped to win the battle against these new demons of PTSD, depression, and substance abuse. Shortening the length of time a veteran remains homeless is critical to preventing long-term physical problems, mental-health problems, and substance abuse. The longer they remain on the streets, the higher the risk of developing severe health problems.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reports that of the 62 percent of homeless veterans who reported being homeless for two or more years;
- More than 60 percent reported a serious physical-health condition;
- About 55 percent reported a mental-health condition;
- Over 75 percent reported a substance-abuse habit; and
- Nearly one in three reported all three.
The extraordinary achievements made by neuroscientists and brain researchers have made it clear, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the conditions once classified as "mental" actually have a physiological component. The military should classify war-related brain disorders as what they are—combat wounds. Although they often are invisible, combat-related neurological injuries are nonetheless wounds of war, and they should be treated with the same urgency with which we treat other injuries.
AMHCA Says Thank You
Tomorrows Part Three: A Different War at Home