L-R: Lawrence J. Korb, Sue Bailey, Stephen L. Robinson, and Kaye Baron discuss why the alarming number of suicides and those suffering from post traumatic stress disorder among service men and women in Iraq are now on a scale not seen since the Vietnam War.
The Hidden Toll of Iraq: Mental Heath and the Military
September 14, 2004
The Iraq war and other U.S. combat operations are producing mental health problems at rates comparable to Vietnam. Mental health needs remain unmet as soldiers have found barriers to care in the field and at home, including stigma. Taking care of our troops and their families must be a top priority.
• Audio: Mental Health and the Military
• Video: Larry Korb | Dr. Sue Bailey | Kaye Baron | Stephen L. Robinson | Q&A
• Press Release
• Photos
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| Sue Bailey, Former Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) – “We are involved in, suddenly, things we never wanted to be involved in: peace keeping, urban warfare, things that are particularly traumatic for the solider, the GI, the marine, whomever on the ground.” |
Kaye Baron, Clinical psychologist working with veterans and military families – “We need to really honor and do whatever we can to proactively address the needs of the military soldiers and their families because if we don’t, I fear there are going to be long term societal consequences.” |
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| Lawrence J. Korb, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress (moderator) – “The New England Journal of Medicine says close to eighteen percent of the troops are experiencing some mental health problems…Ninety-five percent of the marines and army soldiers in Iraq have been shot at, nearly sixty percent have killed an enemy combatant, and about ninety-five percent have seen bodies or human remains.” |
Stephen L. Robinson, Executive Director, National Gulf War Resource Center – “The part of America that does not and has not been affected by the injuries of people that are coming back from this war does not know the true cost of the war.” |
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