The Battle Off of the Field

The Battle Off the Field

In an attempt to battle post-deployment stress, the military needs to incorporate mandatory counseling for Service Members and their families. More than 2,000,000 service members have deployed to Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom, OIF) or Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom, OEF) since September 11, 2001. Seven hundred, ninety three thousand men and women have participated in multiple deployments. These Service Members have willingly left their families to serve our country. Men and women are leaving their spouses and children every day to answer the call of duty. Many of our Service Members do not return home, or do so with physical injuries. There is, however, an entire group of returning Service Members whose injuries go unnoticed. These are injuries that do not need a band-aid, surgery, or physical therapy to cure. Many times the Service Member does not even realize he or she is injured until they have been home for an extended period of time. These are the men and women of our armed forces who are suffering from mental injuries such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) and Depression. It is often a spouse or other family member who will be crucial in spotting the signs for these injuries. It is imperative that there is a support network available to include training and tools in order to identify these hidden injuries. This is why we need to require that all returning Service Members and their families attend counseling upon their return, for an extended period of time.

With the increase of the number of troops that are being deployed, also is the increase in the number of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) claims. More than 300,000 veterans have been treated for PTSD or a TBI and since the year 2000, more than 44,000 of those troops have suffered at least a moderate-grade TBI.

I have personally participated in multiple deployments, and part...