Combat stress is a term tossed around a lot these days. However, if you stop and think about it, do we really know what that means? As a civilian, without any combat experience, of course the answer is no. As a soldier or veteran, the experience varies, so even soldiers may not be clear what falls within this broad term.

Well, here are some facts which shed some light. We see the 15 second sound bite clips on t.v. or read about it in articles and get chills. They live in a reality, which mirrors nightmares. Combat stress in this war in Iraq and Afghanistan actually entails the following:

In Iraq: Soldiers in Army and Marines have the following experience:

1. 93% (Army) / 97% (Marines) are Being shot at or receiving small-arms fire
2. 89% (Army) / 95% (Marines) are Being attacked or ambushed
3. 95% (Army) / 94% (Marines) are Seeing dead bodies or human remains
4. 86% (Army) / 92 % (Marines) are Receiving incoming artillery, rocket or mortar fire
5. 86% (Army) / 87% (Marines) Know someone seriously injured or killed
6. 77% (Army) / 87% (Marines) are Shooting or directing fire at the enemy

In Afghanistan: Soldiers in the Army have the following experience:

1. 84% are Receiving incoming artillery, rocket or mortar fire
2. 66% are Being shot at or receiving small-arms fire
3. 58% are Being attacked or ambushed

Can you imagine? Experiencing any one of these is sufficient to cause combat stress. Unthinkable how one can deal with these circumstances, but some, many must endure it multiple times.

Basically, a ONE time traumatic event as well as an ongoing stress can lead to PTSD. Past experiences can also increase the risk. People, who have already been traumatized, run the risk of being re-traumatized, especially soldiers in the National Guard and Reserve. These civilian-soldiers are at their 9 to 5 jobs one day, and in a battle field the next. This is why the stop-loss clause being enforced increases the likelihood of a great number of soldiers in this war to suffer PTSD. Many soldiers are sent back not just on one or two, but some on three and four tours, without sufficient time for them to get treated from the trauma they experience. In Vietnam, most soldiers served one tour.

In May 2006, 178,664 Iraq and Afghan War veterans were surveyed and 5% of this group was at risk of developing PTSD. That means that 8933 veterans from the Afghan and Iraq wars so far screened in the study who can potentially develop PTSD.

If GAO reports were right then 4 out of the 5 of the 8933 vets who could potentially develop PTSD, which is 80% of them are not getting treatment. That is 7146 veterans so far not getting treated who most likely can have PTSD.

What is scarier is that earlier numbers show that not 5% but rather 17% of Iraq and Afghan War vets are at risk of developing PTSD that’s 30,372 veterans and not all veterans get screened for mental health issues.

Sources:

1. New England Journal of Medicine. "Combat Duty in Iraq & Afghanistan Mental Health Problems, & Barriers to Care." Volume 351, No. 1. July 1, 2004.
2. "Stress Takes Its Toll on Combat Veterans" by Shannon Hanson.
3. "Addressing Special Needs of Veterans" by Rebecca A. Clay with SAMHSA News/ May - June 2006 Volume 14 Number 3 -- The Road Home- National conference on Returning Veterans and Their Families
4. Citizen Soldier Report 2007