Meanwhile, in Afghanistan alone, up to 16 percent of U.S. troops have reported taking some sort of mental health medication.
The following abstract of a 1988 Science magazine article, “The Psychological Risks of Vietnam for U.S. Veterans: A Revisit with New Data and Methods” is sobering. If the Vietnam War-era rise in PTSD reported cases is matched, mimicked, or surpassed by those soldiers who have been involved in the Wars in Iraq and in Afghanistan in this decade, a re-run of heavy societal and financial costs is surely to be expected:
“In 1988, the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study (NVVRS) of a representative sample of 1200 veterans estimated that 30.9% had developed posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during their lifetimes and that 15.2% were currently suffering from PTSD. The study also found a strong dose-response relationship: As retrospective reports of combat exposure increased, PTSD occurrence increased. Skeptics have argued that these results are inflated by recall bias and other flaws. We used military records to construct a new exposure measure and to cross-check exposure reports in diagnoses of 260 NVVRS veterans.”
That abstract continued as per its findings:
“We found little evidence of falsification, an even stronger dose-response relationship, and psychological costs that were lower than previously estimated but still substantial. According to our fully adjusted PTSD rates, 18.7% of the veterans had developed war-related PTSD during their lifetimes and 9.1% were currently suffering from PTSD 11 to 12 years after the war; current PTSD was typically associated with moderate impairment.”
WINTER SOLDIERS IN 2008
It is timely that as the 5th year of the War and Occupation of Iraq approaches, a new group of Winter Soldiers are converging on Washington to make the case that these two wars need to be ended. NOW!
What this weekend’s veterans have to say about the war can be seen at Iraq Veterans Against the War.
Support can also be made at this organization’s website.
One hopes that, while making their case to the nation to end the war, these same activist veterans can also call attention to the needs for medical and mental health treatment which most veterans have been succumbing to while making their case to the nation.
In the meantime, U.S. citizenry need to recall that Middle Eastern oil countries might bail out Citicorp and the banking sector.
However, who will bail out the victims of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? That would be--the veterans and the U.S. taxpayers in North America—wouldn’t it?
Americans cannot depend on foreign countries—like Saudi, Kuwaiti, UAE or other Gulf countries--to take care of U.S .veterans and their needs.
America must do it. Moreover, companies profiting from war should be charged a bill by U.S. taxpayers.
This week Americans and other war veteran supporters can take these issues of veteranmedical care and mental health costs to the politicians in Washington and demand that Washington take better care of patriots, citizens, and the U.S. economy—and do it immediately.
