Treatment Online

VA Receiving More Positive Marks
> 5/2/2006 9:34:28 AM

A recent Akron Beacon Journal article highlights the positive steps that the Veterans Administration has taken to ameliorate many of the mental health issues involved with returning from active duty. They write:

The VA says it is more prepared to deal with returning veterans than it was after Vietnam, when an estimated 17.5 percent of veterans returned with mental or emotional problems. The agency has more than 160 programs for the treatment of PTSD and a $29 million dollar budget to provide services for military men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

These are all positive steps, but as many folks have noted, the real test will come soon when even larger numbers of soldiers begin to return after multiple tours. As psychology professor John Wilson, who had helped the Army develop their current treatment regimen in the 70s, pointed out:

"Iraq is a nonstop, 24-seven, hostile environment, so what happens is that these guys are incredibly wired all the time," he said. "One of the things we learned from Vietnam is that once that hyper arousal response develops, it doesn't go off."

Now that the VA has a better grasp on what it means to address the mental health concerns of our soldiers, it is important that their efforts continue to be adequately funded. After the sacrifice that these men and women have made, it is the least that we can do to make sure that they are able to re-acclimate to life in the states as easily as possible.

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