von WASHINGTON, Oct. 29, 2010 — Calling post-traumatic stress “the military health issue of our era,” the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff last night re-emphasized his commitment to ensuring that war veterans and their families get all the help they need to deal with war’s invisible scars.
“Post-traumatic stress syndrome spans many generations,” Navy Adm. Mike Mullen told the audience at a special screening of the HBO documentary “War Torn, 1861–2010” at the Pentagon Auditorium.
The documentary, which debuts on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, chronicles the effect of combat stress and post-traumatic stress on servicemembers and their families from the Civil War to the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Mullen said he is concerned that the stress felt by servicemembers returning from war could plague them for years in the future.
“We must remember the profound sacrifices” made by the nation’s servicemembers, he said. He expressed his concern for the veterans who come home with mental images and dreams of war they cannot shake, only to face new challenges that can include unemployment, financial strain or family stress.
Post-traumatic stress has affected many generations of “powerful and tough veterans and their families,” Mullen said, and military leaders are doing all they can to help. “But much works remains to be done,” he added, noting that the nation owes its returning veterans and their families the best possible care.
“We must take better care of them,” he said. “We must take care of them for the rest of their lives.”
Source:
U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)