Soldiers and PTSD

Larry Buckfire

Contributor

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The war in Iraq has raised serious questions about how our soldiers are treated for their wartime psychological injuries.  Soldiers with physical injuries, like spinal cord injuries and loss of limb injuries, seemingly get appropriate medical attention, but what happens to our soldiers who return with traumatic brain injuries and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stres Disorder).  These injuries often seem "invisible" to the military and to the public, because the soldiers seem to have returned unharmed.  This is a huge mistake and the government needs to start taking these injuries much more seriously.

Many recent reports, including one by CBS News, show that an astonishing one out of every five United States soldiers has some type of mental disorder due to their wartime involvement.  More than 100,000 soldiers are reportedly receiving mental health treatment due to their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan.  It is time for the government to step and recognize not only the serious nature of these injuries, but to also provide our soldiers with proper and necessary treatment as soon as possible so that they can attempt to live a normal life after their service to our country.  The government has taken steps, like establishing the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and this is a great start to the problem.  Now, it must just make sure that the soldiers are aware of the program and that they can get the best possible treatment.