Donklephant » Mental Health

Purple Hearts For Psychological Wounds?

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Mental Health, Military, War

That’s what the Pentagon is pondering, and although it’s nothing more than a gesture, making PTSD and other invisible battlefield scars worthy of this historic recognition would be something I’d welcome wholeheartedly.
From Wash Post:
WASHINGTON — Centuries before Iraq and Afghanistan, George Washington created the Purple Heart to honor troops wounded in combat.
But with an increasing [...]

May 13th, 2008 | Permalink| 6 Comments »

Over 43,000 Soldiers Unfit For Combat Were Deployed

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Afghanistan, Health Care, Iraq, Mental Health, Military, News, Terrorism, The War On Terrorism, War

The title says it all.
USA Today has the details:
More than 43,000 U.S. troops listed as medically unfit for combat in the weeks before their scheduled deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan since 2003 were sent anyway, Pentagon records show.
This reliance on troops found medically “non-deployable” is another sign of stress placed on a military that has [...]

May 8th, 2008 | Permalink| No Comments »

Post-War Suicides Could Exceed Combat Deaths

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Afghanistan, Iraq, Mental Health, Military, Terrorism, War

Some sobering news about how many of our young men and women are dying from wounds they suffered on the battlefield that nobody could see until it’s too late.
From Bloomberg:
The number of suicides among veterans of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan may exceed the combat death toll because of inadequate mental health care, the U.S. [...]

May 6th, 2008 | Permalink| No Comments »

US Troop Casualties In April Highest Since Sept. 2007

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Afghanistan, Health Care, Iraq, Mental Health, Military, Money, The War On Terrorism, War

From the AP:
The killings of three U.S. soldiers in separate attacks in Baghdad pushed the American death toll for April up to 47, making it the deadliest month since September.
One soldier died when his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb. The other died of wounds sustained when he was attacked by small-arms fire, the [...]

April 30th, 2008 | Permalink| No Comments »

More About Soldier Jonathan Norrell, PTSD Sufferer

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Afghanistan, Health Care, Iraq, Mental Health, Military, War

I saw this in the comments from my post today, Nearly 1 In 5 Soldiers Have PTSD:
I’m the Vet who contacted Carissa Piccard and Liz Dozier at CBS. Jonathan & I talked for over an hour today. He agrees that both Carissa & Liz totally rock. So do I - in spades. Jonathan is still [...]

April 18th, 2008 | Permalink| 1 Comment »

Nearly 1 In 5 Soldiers Have PTSD

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Afghanistan, Health Care, Iraq, Mental Health, Military, War

From AP:
A recently completed survey showed 18.5% — or 300,000 people — said they have symptoms of depression or PTSD, the researchers said. Nineteen% — or 320,000 — suffered head injuries ranging from mild concussions to penetrating head wounds. [...]
The 500-page study is the first large-scale, private assessment of its kind — including a survey [...]

April 18th, 2008 | Permalink| 5 Comments »

The Mental Toll Of The Iraq War

By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Iraq, Mental Health, Military, The War On Terrorism, War

It’s real, it’s damaging and the Army is openly talking about it.
From NY Times:
WASHINGTON — Army leaders are expressing increased alarm about the mental health of soldiers who would be sent back to the front again and again under plans that call for troop numbers to be sustained at high levels in Iraq for [...]

April 5th, 2008 | Permalink| No Comments »