By Oliver Gable
Staff Writer
In this day and age, veterans returning from combat in the Middle East and other regions are unfairly ignored and denied proper medical assistance when readjusting to civilian life.
Members of the military returning from combat are often treated for their physical wounds, but that is where most of the assistance ends. According to Medscape.com, fewer than 10 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder receive adequate treatment for their condition.
Additionally, this statistic only includes those diagnosed with PTSD, not those who go undiagnosed.
According to the Make The Connection organization, even those who are both mentally and physically sound have difficulties re-adjusting back to civilian life after being discharged from the military. As people who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for our country, soldiers deserve to come home to a country of people willing to sacrifice for them.
Congress has recently proposed a cut to the military by 80,000 troops, which would put an even greater strain on the post-service medical system for veterans. However, these budget cuts would not result in additional funding going toward the medical evaluation of soldiers. Currently, there is not enough funding to handle the medical treatment of veterans, and proposed changes continue to overlook veterans’ needs.
Due to the attempt to move combat units out of the Middle East and other combat zones, the money that was used to keep those units ready for battle should now be allocated toward helping soldiers once they return home. Although spending cuts force the dissolution of combat units, the discontinued funding should be reinvested into veteran reintegration services, rather than other programs.
The army’s recent investigation into the mental health of its soldiers shows that around one in eight soldiers returning from combat suffer from symptoms of PTSD. The same study also revealed that less than half of those found to be suffering from the disorder sought help, mostly out of fear of being stigmatized or stifling their careers. Veteran and English teacher William Brown believes that there needs to be a system in place that evaluates and treats the mental health of soldiers before they are discharged. With so much focus on soldiers being in physical combat shape, there needs to be equal focus on their mental condition for civilian life.
A recent study done by the Council of Economic Advisors showed that around 10 percent of recent veterans is unemployed. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, this is a primary cause of the approximately 57,849 veterans who are homeless. Also, according to NYtimes.com, many of the younger veterans are unprepared for the switch back to nonmilitant life. This is caused by a lack of civilian life experience during their formative military careers. It is unacceptable for this country to turn its back on its soldiers once they stop fighting. There needs to be a job placement program or a job training program to get veterans properly integrated back into civilian life. People who are deemed capable to defend our nation should be seen as more than capable for work.
The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, along with groups like the Wounded Warrior Project, have made advances assisting veterans, but they cannot fix the problems on their own. Soldiers’ willingness to make immense sacrifices for our freedoms proves the necessity for citizens to make sacrifices as well. Funding should be reallocated from other budgets to projects that aid U.S. soldiers with medical and socio-economic support upon their return home.
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