Jun. 11, 2012 - On this past Memorial Day we honored those Americans who have died in military service including 4,474 in Iraq and 1,966 fallen soldiers in Afghanistan.[1] As we move forward from a day of remembrance toward a lasting fight toward freedom, it's vital that we take a moment to recognize the toll which war takes not only on those afflicted by fighting in the war but also their families at home.
A new survey that ranks the top struggles and worries of military families finds that after more than a decade of war, post-traumatic stress is now a leading concern for military families. For the first time, post-traumatic stress was a top concern for families according to a survey of over 4,200 military families conducted last fall by Blue Star Families. The survey, which is a non-partisan, non-profit organization, created by real military families, revealed other major concerns such as shrinking retirement benefits and the effect of deployment on kids.
According to a Pentagon study released last year, nearly 20 percent—or one in five returning war veterans—reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depression. In the first analysis of its kind, researchers estimate that PTSD and depression among returning service members will cost the nation as much as $6.2 billion in the two years following deployment — an amount that includes both direct medical care and costs for lost productivity and suicide. In addition to the immense personal costs, investing in more high-quality treatment could save close to $2 billion within two years by substantially reducing those indirect costs, the 500-page study concludes.
"There is a major health crisis facing those men and women who have served our nation in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Terri Tanielian, the project's co-leader and a researcher at RAND, a nonprofit research organization. "Unless they receive appropriate and effective care for these mental health conditions, there will be long-term consequences for them and for the nation. Unfortunately, we found there are many barriers preventing them from getting the high-quality treatment they need." [2] Many family members of soldiers returning from their deployment with PTSD say the stigma associated with seeking psychiatric help has hurt their cause. "Sixty-two percent of respondents who felt their service member had exhibited signs of PTSD, regardless of any official diagnosis, did not seek treatment, demonstrating there is a still much to be done to help service members and their families cope with the invisible wounds of war," said the group in a statement accompanying the survey, which polled about 4,000 military family members. Only 35 percent of those polled said that the service member in their family had sought treatment. Some of the respondents also said that despite efforts to encourage service members to seek treatment, military culture still views PTSD as a sign of weakness that could derail promising careers for soldiers.[3] read more>>>
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