Posted on 04/17/2008 8:21:36 PM PDT by blam
'One in five US servicemen has brain injury'
By Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent
Last Updated: 3:26am BST 18/04/2008
The psychological toll of America's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has touched one in five servicemen and its consequences will be long-lasting, a study suggested yesterday.
The Rand Corporation, a leading research operation, said that 320,000 soldiers suffered brain injuries on the battlefield, while more than 300,000 suffered mental disorders on returning home.
The report said that US veterans are incurring "invisible wounds" of war, most notably traumatic brain injury. A survey of 1,926 soldiers represented a statistically significant sample of the 1.6 million troops sent to Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001, Rand said.
Roadside bombs were responsible for a vast number of injuries never fully diagnosed or treated in modern warfare, according to the report's authors.
It found that 19.5 per cent of the returning soldiers were reported to have experienced a "probable brain injury" during deployment but only 57 per cent of those had seen a doctor about the incident.
The report added there was a similar picture of mental health problems: "Among those who met diagnostic criteria for post traumatic stress disorder or major depression, only 53 percent had seen a physician or mental health provider to seek help for a mental health problem in the past 12 months."
Rand called for stronger support for veterans from the military's medical hierarchy. "There is a major health crisis facing those men and women who have served our nation in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Terri Tanielian, the lead researcher.
"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.
Researchers predicted that 300,000 servicemen, or 18.5 per cent of those sent to fight, would suffer long-term depression or other mental health conditions.
bullcrap
Correction: One in five liberals has permanent brain damage.
The husband of the lead author of the study is a big Dem contributor. No surprise where her bias lies....
The VA is moving forward at a phenomenal rate and there is TONS of money going into this very problem. ACCESS to immediate care is a top priority! There is now a national VA mandate that any veteran who calls for help with an emotional or substance abuse problem must be seen by a professional within 24 hours! Moreover there are many professional support services in place to follow , track and outreach to veterans to see they get the care they need.
Our country has learned the lessons from not dealing with these issues after WWII, Korea, Vietnam. I am very proud of the efforts and care we are now taking. It is needed.
This is highly speculative since 43% were never diagnosed. I don't see how anything significant can be inferred with such a huge assumption and no data to support it.
They just want to label all veterans as crazy so they won’t run for Congress and shake up Washington.
When he got home from his second Iraq tour, his memory was so bad he carried a small note book for those everyday thing You and I remember easily.
The local VA has gone out of their way to provide SUPER care, with caring professionals. A vet myself, I am beyond impressed - these guys locally bust hump for the young men coming home with problems.
Just over a year on, son now works regulatory, and even has a *dog* (named Booze) — a Bassett Hound.
They are trying to temper the victory that is soon to be in Iraq. They couldn’t cause an American defeat so they put a different negative spin on the situation. I hope the American electorate sees through this ploy.
“bullcrap”
I think we should be respectful and supportive of the brave men and women who have volunteered to fight for us in Iraq.
WHOOHAH!
1 in 5 Journalists has some EEG? Nah!
That’s too high!
Good to hear.
I just read a passage from Robert Kaplan’s book “
Hog Pilots, Blue Water Grunts: The American Military in the Air, at Sea, and on the Ground”. One of the stories he tells is about a 37 year old Marine LT who enlisted in the USMC out of high school, then got out and went through a bunch of jobs before re-enlisting at the age of 34.
He was then offered a pathway to become an officer, which he did.
His first job was to work at Bethesda and make sure injured Marines got every single benefit to them that was available.
He said it was the best job of his life.
With men like these, I like our chances in the 21st Century.
Can't have the researchers be wrong, now, can we?
/s
-what is disrespectful about saying this article is full of bull? nothing.
Not with their research grants at stake, we can't!
My thoughts eggs-ackly. They must have heard about the 17 is it? conservative veterans running for Congress.
Thanks to your son ~ and your entire family for their service to our country and for the protection of my children.
Your son and his comrades are in our prayers.
God bless.
Many victims of disasters report temporary memory loss (or the opposite of remembering events over and over). It is a natural process and it isn’t due to any physical damage to the brain, but due to the natural limitations of the mind when trying to process information and memories under stress.
one in five with a brain injury?? That is well beyond defying any logic or probability
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