“More and more evidence points to what is simply common sense — increased exposure to combat trauma increases incidents of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Within IVAW, we experience how multiple deployments are ravaging the lives of soldiers and their familes.

“More troops have committed suicide than have been killed in action in either Iraq or Afghanistan this year. This sad statistic does not even account for the number of veterans who have killed themselves, a number we may never know because the Veterans Administration only tracks suicides of those they have in their care (often less than 30% of eligible veterans). Currently there is one mental health specialist for approximately 1,100 troops in Afghanistan. The Army says it hopes to improve that ratio to one for every 700 soldiers.”

(IVAW newsletter, no link available)