Paul Rieckhoff: Care for Those Left Behind

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http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,139986,00.html

Care for Those Left Behind
Paul Rieckhoff | June 22, 2007

Yesterday, a U.S. military vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb in Baghdad. Another was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. We hear reports like these coming out of Iraq almost every day. But what happens to the soldiers who survive these attacks? Are those who suffer the psychological wounds of war getting all the care they need?

Not according to the Department of Defense. Not even close. Although we're spending more than $2 billion a week in Iraq, we don't have enough accessible mental health professionals in the military, according to the military's disturbing new report. And the troops who most need counseling are the ones least likely to ask for help because of the stigma of mental health care. No wonder we're seeing spikes in divorce, unemployment, homelessness , and even suicide among Iraq vets.

Despite the startling evidence showing that America is not ready to care for our veterans, some in Congress still insist on rationing care -- even after a report this week found that 1.8 million vets are uninsured.

But Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are pushing back. IAVA is fighting in the media and in Washington so troops get the care they need. This month, IAVA veterans have discussed these issues in The New York Times and on CNN.

And you can help. First, learn more the serious mental health issues facing the troops. Check out "Without a Scratch" -- a powerful two-part series published in The Washington Post this week, authored by the same reporters who wrote the watershed articles on Walter Reed. The series gives detailed and deeply personal accounts of soldiers trying to seek out mental health care, and shows how the DoD and VA failed to account for this long-term cost of the war.

Then spread the word about what is happening to our veterans. We've seen a sea change in how the public understands the war -- but I would bet you still have that one family member, that one co-worker, or that one friend who still thinks the war is going just fine and our vets are getting the care they deserve. It's time to get them involved -- to get them as angry as I am about the way our troops have been mistreated, even as we continue to send them on longer tours with less rest.

As the mounting casualties make the headlines, and General Pace tells us to expect more to come, it is our duty to honor the fallen by caring for those they left behind. That starts with understanding what troops and vets face, and it starts with you.