Army Responds to NPR Investigative Report & Followup

Army Provides Context After Radio Story on Soldiers' Mental Health
Dec 08, 2006

A recent national radio program interviewed about a half dozen Soldiers at one Army post who say they are concerned about their military mental-health support and chain of command assistance after returning from Iraq. While the Army cannot discuss specific cases out of respect for Soldiers' personal privacy, we can state the Army is providing Soldiers with extensive and unprecedented care and assistance to veterans returning from battlefield operations. The radio interview, which does contain elements of truth, is not indicative of the incredible effort put forth to help Soldiers and certainly does not accurately represent the viewpoints of the vast majority of our Soldiers. The following transcript excerpts and Army clarification is provided for context and information about this critical issue facing our Army at war.

RADIO INTRODUCTION: "Tens of thousands of those Soldiers have symptoms of serious mental health problems, including depression, suicidal tendencies, substance abuse and posttraumatic stress disorder, PTSD. That is according to the military's own studies."

CONTEXT: According to the Defense Department's Contingency Tracking System more than 650,000 Soldiers have deployed to either Afghanistan or Iraq. The Army knows from studies that 20 to 30 percent of Soldiers who have experienced combat will report symptoms such as sleep disturbance, anxiety, and irritability. Reporting symptoms, though, does not equate to having a psychiatric disorder. Often these symptoms are short term and improve over time - particularly with timely medical assistance. Army data, based on anonymous surveys following deployment, suggests 10 to 15 percent of veterans have symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. A small percent of the population is actually diagnosed with a psychological disorder.

RADIO STORY: "Soldiers who feel desperate and have tried to kill themselves have trouble getting the help they need. In fact, evidence suggests that officers punish Soldiers who need help and even kick them out of the Army."

CONTEXT: The radio story did not detail their evidence. Regardless, the Army has numerous venues to help Soldiers combat depression and suicidal thoughts -- to include consultation with medical providers, behavioral health providers and chaplains. Acknowledging there may be exceptions, the Army chain of command supports rehabilitation first and foremost. Soldiers are our greatest asset. Soldier separations usually are considered a last resort. PTSD as a result of combat is a type of casualty. We treat our casualties, and wherever possible, want them healthy and returned to duty. Also, Military One Source - a 24-hour-per-day Department of Defense funded help site - provides free confidential counseling for those who are worried about seeking counseling within the military system; it is available at www.militaryonesource.com.

RADIO: "One Soldier says when his officers found out he was having a breakdown and taking drugs, they started to haze him and they told him they were kicking him out of the Army."

CONTEXT: Seeking medical assistance from a mental health-care provider is definitely not career-ending. A key part of sustaining the all-volunteer force is caring for the all-volunteer force. The Army is very proactive in encouraging Soldiers to seek the help they need. Most Soldiers diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder are treated and remain on active duty. Soldiers with drug or alcohol problems may seek assistance through the Army's Alcohol / Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Program (ADAPC), which assists Soldiers in rehabilitation. However, the Army will not tolerate illegal drug use. The Army is a disciplined organization and will take appropriate action against Soldiers who use illegal drugs and they will be considered for separation. If a Soldier voluntarily seeks ADAPC assistance, that fact alone cannot form the basis for disciplinary action or be used to deny the Soldier an honorable discharge. If a Soldier cannot abstain from illegal drug use, an action to separate the Soldier will be initiated.

RADIO: "Military studies show that when Soldiers get PTSD or other emotional disorders, their behavior often changes dramatically, they commonly do drugs, they slough off work, they misbehave in other ways."

CONTEXT: Post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse (including abuse of prescription drugs and alcohol) may exist in the same individual. Therefore, the Army behavioral health system offers treatment for both post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse. Awareness of this is part of the ongoing efforts to educate all Soldiers to address common psychological reactions to war and re-integration. One very helpful tool, for example, is the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research-Psychiatry and Neuroscience (WRAIR-PN) Battlemind Training website. The site includes video and briefing slides that may be viewed using the link www.Battlemind.org. This education also includes specific information about recognizing and treating alcohol abuse.

RADIO: "One Soldier says if you have a Soldier who has PTSD, you might not want to admit that's why you're discharging him because then the Army has to pay the Soldier special mental health benefits. It's expensive. Instead, you kick out the Soldier for breaking the rules and the Army pays fewer benefits, maybe none."

CONTEXT: This is unsubstantiated data from one individual. The decision as to whether a Soldier receives a medical discharge is based on many factors including: his/her diagnosis, level of impairment, response to therapy, and previous psychiatric history. The doctors who recommend whether a Soldier needs a medical discharge do not determine if a Soldier gets disability and what that level of disability is. That is done by a separate board, called a Physical Evaluation Board, where each case is looked at individually and the Soldier is given the opportunity to present evidence for the Board's consideration. Terminating a Soldier's service is a difficult decision, whether for physical disability or misconduct, and the Army takes both very seriously.

CONCLUSION: The Army is committed to ensuring all returning Soldiers receive the behavioral health care they need. An extensive array of mental health services has long been available and continues to get better. Since 9/11, the Army has increased and improved behavioral health services and PTSD counseling, especially at major Army installations. We anticipate a continued high demand for services and are committed to providing the necessary resources to respond. The Army has also conducted extensive research while monitoring the health of Soldiers. Partly as a result of this research, we have dramatically improved the way we screen Soldiers for behavioral health issues and deliver care. One great example is the Post-Deployment Health Reassessment (PDHRA) conducted three to six months following a Soldier's return from deployment. The PDHRA Program is mandated by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs and designed to identify and address health concerns, with specific emphasis on mental health, that have emerged over time since deployment. For more information about the program, please visit the PDHRA Site.


For more information, please contact Paul Boyce at (703) 697-2564.