Archives » Tuesday, January 08, 2008
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David Botti
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Jan 8, 2008 12:08 PM
A number of stories out there worth a look:
Here's a comprehensive USA Today article on the mental health needs of women veterans:
Master Sgt. Cindy Rathbun knew something was wrong three weeks after
she arrived in Iraq in September 2006. Her blond hair began "coming out
in clumps," she says.
The overarching theme of the piece shows an increasing
awareness of gender-specific issues women face both in the combat zone
and on the home front. A look at the numbers presented:
--More
than 182,000 women have been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, or
surrounding regions--about 11 percent of U.S. troops who have served
there.
--7,500 women (mostly nurses) served in Vietnam; 41,000 women deployed during the Gulf War.
--More than 100 female servicemembers have died, and nearly 570 were wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.
--According
to USA Today, "In 2006, nearly 3,800 women diagnosed with PTSD were
treated by the VA. They accounted for 14 percent of a total 27,000
recent veterans treated for PTSD last year."
--Also according to USA Today, "The Defense Department's 2-year-old Sexual Assault Prevention and
Response Office says there were 201 sexual assaults in 2006 within the
U.S. Central Command, which includes Iraq and Afghanistan. That's up
from 167 in 2005, when the Pentagon began a policy that allows victims
to get medical help without launching a criminal investigation."
For a better understanding at issues related to Military Sexual Trauma, take a look at this interview Soldier's Home did with an author who's extensively studied the subject.
Over in the U.K. the largest medical investigation of its Armed Forces is about to get underway, according to The Times.
Researchers will look at how public opposition to the war in Iraq and
Afghanistan affects soldiers' mental health. In particular they'll be
focusing on British reservists who, unlike their active duty
counterparts, are faced with assimilating back into civilian society
almost immediately following combat deployments. The leader of the
study told the paper:
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