This diary was provided to me by a physician who is deeply concerned about the mental health of our returning vets. I am quoting from her letter with her permission. I know she would love your comments and reaction.
For so many with loved ones in the military, the years since September
11, 2001 have been a series of time together, trying to recapture the
promise of marriages, the joys of caring for children, the bliss of
simple gifts in life such as sharing a sunset or a walk in the park, and
vast time apart when our fears are magnified by news reports of bombings
and death. The public can understand that finality, but there is another
side to this war that is also being exposed—the psychological and
cognitive impairment which is hard to measure or visualize. These issues
are devastating to face when the leadership that has sent your loved one
off to war ignores or minimizes this painful reality.
It has been stated that cognitive brain injury and post-traumatic stress
disorders (PTSD) are the signature injuries of these conflicts. post-traumatic stressdisorders
Even when our loved ones return, some with physical injuries as well, it is these invisible wounds that damage the fabric of lives. They may come
home, but emotionally they have disappeared. Family members, holding on
to these precious spirits, disparately search for health care which
could bring back their loved ones. We see that the onslaught of these
issues hitting our veterans’ medical services has overwhelmed the
system. We can no longer deny that we are a nation haunted by ghosts,
veterans of wars, that we do not know how or have the capacity to help.
My story is all too familiar to military families in the United States
involved with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. We can share tales of
how our loved ones cannot sit in crowded rooms or outdoors for fear of
an explosive device being detonated. How the nights are filled with
terror as images of war shatter dreams. Being told that these are all
normal reactions to abnormal situations. Yet, these reactions create
chaos in the world back home which is not bombarded with enemy fire or
bombs.
A recent RAND report stated 20 percent of military service members who
have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan report symptoms of PTSD or major
depression, 19 percent experienced a possible traumatic brain injury,
and of the 53 percent who seek treatment, only half get "minimally
adequate" treatment. http://www.rand.org/...
On September 5, 2008, the Army stated that the
suicide rate among returning veterans is higher than the general
population and even among Vietnam warriors. Shocking numbers which
should have alarmed the American public and created a public outcry.
It is encouraging to see that some of our congressional members are
trying to address some of these concerns. For example, On August 4,
2008, Senators Evan Bayh (D-In) and Barack Obama (D-Il), along with 8
other senators, sent a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates urging
him to increase medical coverage and health care services for traumatic
brain injury. Senator Obama has also sponsored legislation to fight
homelessness among veterans, to treat women veterans who are victims of
sexual trauma and to force the Pentagon to track the health issues of
our troops. Senator Obama supports increased oversight with the
expansion of veterans’ healthcare, especially psychological support
services that are provided by vet centers.
The years of planning and leading missions, evading or stalking an
enemy, always being on guard have taken a massive toll on our loved
ones’ psyches and their health. Then to navigate health care systems
that don’t acknowledge these injuries for concern over disability
payments or ineptitude only compound a tragic situation. As a member of
the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, Senator Obama understands this.
Fighting this war has rested on the shoulders of only 1.5 million
Americans who have deployed, but the responsibility needs to be shared
by all. I have often thought that if there had been a draft, millions
would march in the streets to demand that we provide what is needed to
support those who have sacrificed so much in the name of freedom.We need
a leader who not only can inspire but also unite our Nation to protect
our troops and those who love them. That leader is Senator Barack Obama.
Saralyn Mark, MD
Former Senior Medical Advisor to the US Department of Health and Human
Services' Office on Women's Health