( – promoted by buhdydharma )
Posted, with sadness, anger and frustration: A just released study from RAND reports more about the costs of our continuing wars. The mounting cost of war include this: Study: 300,000 US troops from Iraq, Afghanistan have mental problems, 320,000 brain injuries:
“…Some 300,000 U.S. troops are suffering from major depression or post traumatic stress from serving in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and 320,000 received brain injuries, a new study estimates….Only about half have sought treatment, said the study released Thursday by the RAND Corporation.”
There’s more….
“There is a major health crisis facing those men and women who have served our nation in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Terri Tanielian, the project’s co-leader and a researcher at the nonprofit RAND.”
The 500-page study is the first large-scale, private assessment of its kind… the Defense Department has not released the number of people it has diagnosed or who are being treated for mental problems. The Department of Veterans Affairs…records show about 120,000 who served in the two wars and are no longer in the military have been diagnosed with mental health problems. Of the 120,000, approximately 60,000 are suffering from PTSD, the VA said…”
How long can this continue until our “leaders” completely break the military and their families? When there are very real issues like this that the Presidential Candidates should be addressing, why do the “moderators” of a televised “debate” focus almost entirely on questions about lapel pins and the comments of one’s former pastor? Why does our President keep repeating “stay the course” when it’s becoming obvious that we can’t?
And, most importantly-why do Americans keep putting up with it all? That’s actually a rhetorical question. I don’t expect any answers as I know that most people here are as fed-up as I am. Basically, I’m posting this because I read it, and I just can’t bear the overwhelming sadness I’m feeling alone.
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…they need them more than I do.
too many times before… about the Marine i interviewed who came home from Iraq with severe brain trauma, whose first baby was due to be born within a few days of our conversation.
we talked for several hours. every five minutes or so he would ask me if he was repeating himself… his short term memory was gone. i managed not to cry until much later, when i went back to the house just to say hello, goodbye, good luck and thanks.
he broke my heart.
would be this high, but I was hoping I was wrong. Even if you think thats what it is, it still hits when you see the numbers in print. Just going to sit here and cry for a few.
issue in last night’s debate.
I should know better by now, but I keep thinking the corporate media can’t possibly sink any lower than it already has, and then it sinks even lower.
They’re sock puppets for war criminals.
Thank you for this essay, serendipity.
let’s use the numbers to bury the asses of the bad guys………
deep huge bitter tears
(;.;)
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The Gulf War in ’91 produced Tim McViegh.
How many Tim McViegh’s will this one produce?
Mu . . .
to call Rand traitorous for even speaking of this.
So now, not just the costs of fighting the war, but repairing its effects begins to appear.
I knew it was bad… but that bad? I know that even having 300 people with such injuries is tragic, but the percentage of the mentally damaged and brain injured is just staggering.
And, let us not forget that we have no freaking idea how many Iraqis and Afghans have also suffered the same fate. There must be millions more humans that face the same tragedy.
I just can’t wrap my head around how anyone can support this war.
I checked myself in because I was feeling numb in my feet and hands. Due to a TBI from that car accident I was concerned I was loosing circulation to my brain. So was my doctor,
After many tests they brought in a specialist who works primarily with Iraq vets. They changed the diagnosis to severe PTSD. Seems if it is severe enough it effects the nerve endings in your limbs. The good news is I am not in any danger of a stroke = which was my fear. But PTSD is a BITCH. I pray for all the vets and those to come afflicted with this syndrome. And may the bastards who started this war rot in hell.`
the new diagnosis – which I agree with – explains my behavior last week – deciding to be homeless when I have a home????
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