Military Deployment and Mental Health

In his farewell address at West Point, General Douglas MacArthur remarked, "The soldier above all people prays for peace, for he must suffer and bear the deepest wounds of war. In my dreams I hear again the crash of guns, the rattle of musketry, and the strange, mournful mutter of the battlefield." MacArthur knew well that combat is overwhelmingly demanding on the body and mind, and greatly influences the veteran’s memories for life.

Studies by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research show that 35 percent of U.S. military personnel returning from Iraq have accessed mental health services, compared to 11.3 percent of those deployed to Afghanistan and 8.5 percent of those deployed to other locations. The most common problems have been generalized anxiety or depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTDS). There are numerous listings of mental health and support services for service members and their families, including:

• www.militaryonesource.com – a major Department of Defense initiative to support families during deployment. In addition to providing information, referrals and 24 hour-per-day access to trained counselors (800-342-9647), MilitaryOneSource offers free face-to-face counseling in the family’s community – up to six sessions paid for by the Department of Defense.
• www.militarymentalhealth.org – offers an anonymous and voluntary self-assessment tool for service members and their families which will not provide a diagnosis, but will tell whether or not a person has symptoms which would benefit from further evaluation and/or treatment.
• www.ncptsd.gov – offers information about PTSD from the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
• www.legion.org – offers information about local support and assistance for military families from the American Legion Family Support Network.
• www.vets4vets.us – offers peer support for Iraq veterans from other Iraq veterans.
• www.militarychild.org – offers information on issues facing children of deployed service members from the Military Child Education Coalition.

Kristin Henderson, author and military wife, offers tips on her website, www.kristinhenderson.com, for ways that civilians can support troops. She notes that while American flags and yellow ribbons are morale-boosting, practical help and support to their families is the best way to support service members. Regardless of our opinions on the war in Iraq, we can find common ground regarding the need to support all community members in time of need.

• Recognize spouses for their sacrifice. Send a card or write a letter to the editor, but keep it simple. Underneath the surface of even the strongest homefront spouse lies sadness and worry; too much emotional expression of sympathy or worse, pity, can undermine efforts to maintain self-control.
• Leave your opinions about the war at the door. Like civilians, military spouses are diverse in their opinions, but, unlike civilians, they may be relying on their beliefs to help them cope while their loved one is harm’s way. Do not rob them of that comfort – just listen.
• Donate to organizations that support service members and their families. For a lengthy list of reputable organizations, visit www.americasupportsyou.mil.
• Give the family a break. In addition to emotional stress, family members experience a marked change in their tasks and roles. Make specific offers of help – invite the family to dinner, offer to watch the children for an evening, to mow the lawn, or to perform other maintenance chores.
• Provide flexible work hours. Before, during and immediately after deployment, home demands have doubled for the spouse. Employers can be understanding of and accommodating to this additional workload without financial sanctions.
• Be considerate of the special needs of the children. Educators, daycare providers and concerned others can access information to help children cope with a parent’s deployment by visiting www.militarychild.org.
• Businesses and professionals can offer pro bono or reduced rate services. Military service can be taxing to family finances. Offering mental health, legal, childcare and other vital services at a reduced or waived fee can greatly reduce the strain.

Mental health professionals and the public are privy to an unprecedented understanding of how times of war affect service members and their families. Kathryn Power, director of the federal government’s Center for Mental Health Services, said, "Those who serve our country do so bravely. If, in the course of their service, they develop mental health problems, it is not a sign of weakness or cowardice. It is a sign of their humanity."

It is a significant sign of our humanity, as friends and fellow community members, that we offer understanding and support to those service members and their loved ones.