In the News and Opinions section of its January 23 issue, The Week magazine reports that the Pentagon has decided soldiers afflicted with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are not eligible for a Purple Heart because, the Pentagon claims, “psychic wounds are hard to diagnose.”
A study by the Rand Corporation estimates 300,000 U.S. troops have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan wounded with symptoms of PTSD, including nightmares and depression. The Pentagon’s position is that “giving out Purple Hearts to hundreds of thousands would cheapen the honor.”
On January 11, 2009, Dan Rodricks of the Baltimore Sun wrote the Pentagon’s position “is not about preserving the prestige of the Purple Heart.” Instead, he believes the Bush administration wanted to hide the real costs of an unpopular war and was unwilling to admit that U.S. casualties in the Middle East number hundreds of thousands.
In my opinion, troops who suffer from emotional wounds suffer no less than those who suffer from physical wounds. PTSD can have devastating consequences. However, contrary to what the Pentagon claims, PTSD can often be diagnosed. If PTSD is found to be a direct cause of military service, afflicted personnel deserve to be recognized for their sacrifice.
– Frank Mannarino of emoshuns.com
Any person who is sent into combat by a government should have their every need seen to upon their return home. It’s really very simple. Fingers crossed that Gen’l Shinseki can change this from within Veterans Affairs.
Maya Schenwar of Truthout.org reported today, “Neglect, mistreatment and abuse are the norm for active-duty soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).”
She writes, “As of the end of March, 346,393 US veterans were being treated for PTSD; 115,000 of those served in Iraq or Afghanistan. That number continues to grow rapidly. However, PTSD symptoms don’t always wait to emerge until soldiers return home.”
“It can take years to receive even minimal care. And once treatment begins, the soldiers are often punished for revealing their problems… This mentality leads many soldiers to conceal their symptoms for years.”
Maya’s article, “PTSD Ignored on Active Duty,” is posted at:
http://www.truthout.org/071509R?n