Two years ago the New England Journal of Medicine published a study predicting that one-in-five Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars would return suffering serious psychological trauma.
Yesterday, that prediction was confirmed. And America is not ready.
According to a study by the Army's own doctors, one-in-five Troops will show signs of psychological trauma during post-deployment screening, and one-in-three will seek treatment for mental health problems within one year. This study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, confirmed what the Troops who've been there have known for years: these modern wars are exacting a devastating psychological toll.
Compounding the problem is the VA health system's inability to handle the unprecedented demand for mental health services. Too many Veterans come home suffering the psychological wounds of these wars, only to be told they have to wait months before seeing a counselor at the VA hospitals.
One Veteran from Virginia who returned from Iraq late last year needed psychological counseling, but he was told the next available appointment was months away. When he asked why, he was told 'Because of all you guys coming back'."
From hotlines that never get answered, to VA centers threatened by closure, to medical claims that get lost in the shuffle, the system designed to care for our Veterans needs a drastic overhaul. In the coming weeks, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America will lobby Congress to increase funding for mental health services for the more than one-million Veterans who have already served in Iraq and Afghanistan. And we will demand that the President and congress start giving Veterans' issues the attention they deserve.
As our Legislators consider the 2007 VA budget, the results of this study should be first and foremost in their minds. There is enough empty rhetoric in Washington about "supporting the troops." It is time for our leadership to step up and put its money where its mouth is. And for Americans to urge them to do so.