June 4, 2009

Caring for the Invisible Wounds of War

Recent tragic events have elevated the importance of improving the mental health support for our Armed Forces and veterans.  As a senior member of the U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, I understand the concern our nation has for the apparent deficiencies in the mental health care currently provided to our men and women who have served and are serving.  It is important that we deliver the highest standard of treatment to our Armed Forces for both the visible and invisible wounds that may they may suffer while defending our nation.

The Military Health System indicates that the troops returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan are experiencing psychological injuries such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury in increasing numbers.  There are over 200,000 U.S. service members currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, many of whom may be serving their second or third tour of duty.  As a result, it is important that an adequate mental health support system is put in place, one that can meet the growing demand that our involvement overseas has created.  In fact, my colleagues and I in the U.S House are working on several legislative measures that would address this issue.  Specifically, I have co-sponsored the Veterans Mental Health Screening and Assessment Act, which would direct the U.S. Secretary of Defense to adopt a program of professional and confidential screenings to detect mental health injuries. This bill would ensure that each member of the Armed Forces would receive a confidential, face-to-face mental health screening by a licensed medical professional within at least 180 days of their completion of a tour of duty.  I have also co-sponsored the COMBAT PTSD Act, a bill that would expand the definition of “combat with the enemy” to include active service in a theater of combat. 

The injuries associated with PTSD, TBI, and others cannot continue to be overlooked or ignored.  Treating PTSD and other service-related mental health injuries is vital to ensuring a high quality of life for our troops and their families.  It is also critical to maintaining the preparedness of our armed services.  These wounds are as real and as devastating as any that can be seen in plain view, and I remain committed to working with my colleagues in Washington to ensure that the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions is dramatically improved.