The toll war takes on U.S. troops

BY CHRIS VAUGHN
Knight Ridder Newspapers
(KRT) - Conditions in Iraq - including close-up urban warfare, harassment from a sometimes-invisible enemy and longer tours of duty - have created tremendous stress for U.S. troops on the battlefield, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs and a study by Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

"Taken together, these unique features of the war in Iraq create the conditions whereby stress hormones are released excessively, with unknown, but likely significant, consequences regarding health maintenance, restoration and coping capacity," said Brett T. Litz, author of a VA report.
Here are some facts about the toll on today's military:

_Almost 20 percent of soldiers and 17 percent of Marines qualified as having "moderate or severe" mental health problems when surveyed in late 2003 after returning from Iraq.

_Of those, 65 percent said they would not seek help because they would be seen as weak, and 51 percent said their leaders would blame them for the problem. "Rather than focusing on their medical needs, they must weigh the risk of self-reporting mental health concerns and the possible career stigma attached to it. The military is aware of service members' fears of career stigma, but to date has not broken down this crucial barrier to care," wrote Steve Robinson of the National Gulf War Resource Center in a report titled Hidden Toll of the War in Iraq.

_One of the most common illnesses is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which results from exposure to an extreme stress involving threat of death or serious injury. The trauma, although most often associated with combat, can also happen after rapes or other violent crimes.

_Symptoms of PTSD include sleeplessness, extreme anxiety or hyperalertness, frightening dreams, depression, social withdrawal and outbursts of anger.

_Studies suggest that most people who experience even horrifying combat adjust, adapt and do well in life. But others, particularly if the PTSD is untreated, are more likely to be unemployed, have lower incomes, show poor problem-solving capabilities, express violent tendencies, and use more government and medical services in their lives, a VA study said.

_Through April 2005, the Army had evacuated 1,118 soldiers from Iraq for psychiatric reasons, mostly depression, PTSD and suicidal thoughts. That represented 6 percent of the total medical evacuations. The Army prefers to treat and counsel soldiers in Iraq, as close to their units as possible.

_The Department of Veterans Affairs has treated and/or counseled 6,400 men and women for PTSD who served in Iraq or Afghanistan and are no longer in the military.

_The Army's suicide rate fell from 12.8 per 100,000 in 2003 to 11 in 2004. So far this year, the rate is 6.7. The Marine Corps' rate rose from 13.8 in 2003 to 16.6 in 2004. So far this year, the rate is 14.7.

_Forty soldiers and nine Marines have committed suicide in Iraq since March 2003. At least 20 soldiers and 23 Marines have committed suicide after returning from Iraq.

_Most of those troops commit suicide at their home installations, and the majority use firearms. The largest number of suicides occurred in two age categories - 21 to 25 and 36 to 40.

_Desertions - defined as being absent without leave for longer than 30 days - have decreased significantly in recent years. In 2001, 4,597 soldiers deserted. In 2003, 3,680 deserted. In 2004, the number had dropped to 2,436.