Defense Dept. fights combat stress
United Press International - January 27, 2005WASHINGTON, Jan 26, 2005 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- The U.S. Defense Department plans to add a second mental health assessment for troops returning from combat to check for delayed problems.
The military newspaper Stars and Stripes reports that the first assessment will continue to be immediately after troops come home and the second will be three to five months later. Officials say that some problems like post-traumatic stress disorder do not show up immediately.
The assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, Dr. William Winkenwerder, said that the assessment is not intended to be intrusive.
"There is a minority percentage who have these issues, and we've also learned there is a concern or stigma about coming in for this," he said. "One of the ways we think we can get at that is to require this to everybody.
Military officials are trying to work out the logistics, especially for Individual Ready Reservists, who are not assigned to specific units, and for soldiers who switch units after combat service.
Copyright 2005 by United Press International.