Repeated deployments of American soldiers to Iraq and Afghanistan have taken their toll not only on the troops themselves but also their families, according to the Department of Defense.

Information disclosed by the Pentagon to the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee revealed that visits by family members of active-duty military personnel to therapists have increased at a compound annual growth rate of 15% over the past 10 years. AllGov

The wounds of war can go far beyond what meets the eye. From mental health issues to pain and illness that persist long after they have left the battlefield, U.S. soldiers face a multitude of health troubles either unique to their service or more frequent among them than the general population. AllGov

Highlights

According to an Army survey conducted in July 2009, soldiers in combat units said deployment had a direct effect on family life -- 16.5 percent faced divorce or separation. Nextgov

Just over half of all veterans' post-deployment health visits address lingering pain in their backs, necks, knees or shoulders said Dr. Stephen Hunt, national director of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Post Deployment Integrative Care Initiative. Myhealthnewsdaily

Of the 289,328 veterans who entered VA care from 2002 to 2008, nearly 37% had mental health problems, including post traumatic stress disorder (about 22%) and depression (roughly 17%). Guardian

A 2010 June study in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry found that one in 10 Iraq war vets develop serious mental problems, including violent behavior, depression and alcohol abuse. Myhealthnewsdaily

In 2010, more than 134,000 people made calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Of those callers, 61 percent identified themselves as veterans. News.medill

Figures released by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in 2010 show a dramatic increase in suicide among veterans aged 18 to 29 years old, due in large part to multiple deployments and the overall stress of combat. Truth-out

Soldiers' lives disrupted

According to an Army survey conducted in July 2009, soldiers in combat units said deployment had a direct effect on family life -- 16.5 percent faced divorce or separation. Nextgov

The Army found that the possibility of divorce had steadily increased since 2003, when the service began conducting formal mental health assessments of troops stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq. Nextgov

Alan Peterson, a retired Air Force psychologist who is now a professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, said the increase in mental health consultations that military family members seek reflects the cumulative effects of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Nextgov

Common health conditions confronting soldiers

"Folks returning from combat have a constellation of health concerns, including physical issues, psychological issues and psychosocial issues concerning things like work and family," said Dr. Stephen Hunt, national director of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Post Deployment Integrative Care Initiative. Myhealthnewsdaily

Some of the most common physical complaints of returning soldiers cannot be classified into a single disorder, said Dr. Stephen Hunt, national director of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Post Deployment Integrative Care Initiative. They include nonspecific symptoms such as fatigue, pain and cognitive disturbances such as memory and concentration problems. Myhealthnewsdaily

Musculoskeletal injuries and pain

Just over half of all veterans' post-deployment health visits address lingering pain in their backs, necks, knees or shoulders, said Dr. Stephen Hunt, national director of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Post Deployment Integrative Care Initiative. Myhealthnewsdaily

According to an August study in the Journal of Pain, about 100,000 veterans of the Persian Gulf War nearly 20 years ago have reported chronic muscle pain. Myhealthnewsdaily

Mental health issues

Of the 289,328 veterans who entered VA care from 2002 to 2008, nearly 37% had mental health problems, including post traumatic stress disorder (about 22%) and depression (roughly 17%). Guardian

300,000 of the U.S. military veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, according to a recent study. Abclocal.go.com

A June 2010 study in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry found that one in 10 Iraq war vets develop serious mental problems, including violent behavior, depression and alcohol abuse. Myhealthnewsdaily

The study found that PTSD or depression seriously impaired daily functioning in 8.5 percent to 14 percent of these vets. Myhealthnewsdaily

Researchers from Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., reported in 2010 that 54 percent of veterans with PTSD also had sleep apnea, compared with 20 percent of PTSD patients in the general population. Myhealthnewsdaily

PTSD in vets is also associated with a greater risk of developing dementia, according to a June 2010 study in Archives of General Psychiatry. Myhealthnewsdaily

Chemical exposure

Research by the American Heart Association found that exposure to nerve agents such as sarin - which can trigger convulsions and death on the battlefield- may cause long-term heart damage in Persian Gulf War veterans. Myhealthnewsdaily

Noise and vibration exposure

Hearing loss and impairment - including persistent ringing and buzzing in the ears - are common effects of harmful noise from gunfire, heavy weapons, noisy engine rooms and aircraft. Myhealthnewsdaily

Additionally, vets who regularly worked with machinery can suffer vibration exposure, which can prompt irreversible lower back pain or numbness and pain in the hands and fingers, according to the VA. Myhealthnewsdaily

Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

TBI, often brought on by a blow or jolt to the head, disrupts brain function and has been called the signature wound of the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the National Academy of Sciences. Myhealthnewsdaily

Blast exposures and other combat-related activities put service members at greater risk for sustaining a TBI compared to their civilian counterparts, according to the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center. Myhealthnewsdaily

"Between 70 and 80 percent of combat deaths are from blast-related exposure," said Dr. Stephen Hunt, national director of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Post Deployment Integrative Care Initiative. Hunt added, "and of survivors, 20 percent report that they may have had an event that resulted in a mild concussion. Whether there will be any long-term effects is difficult to ascertain." Myhealthnewsdaily

Suicide rate alarming among US soldiers

New statistics from the VA show that veterans make up 20 percent of the 30,000 suicides in the United States each year. Abclocal

An average of 18 veterans commit suicide every day and five of those are already getting treatment at the VA. Abclocal

In 2010, more than 134,000 people made calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Of those callers, 61 percent identified themselves as veterans. News.medill

Figures released by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in 2010 show a dramatic increase in suicide among veterans aged 18 to 29 years old, due in large part to multiple deployments and the overall stress of combat. Truth-out

Between 2005 and 2007, the VA said it saw a 26 percent increase in suicides, mostly among veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Truth-out

Fort Hood overwhelmed by mental health problems of soldiers

In 2010, Fort Hood, the U.S.'s largest Army post measured the toll of war in the more than 10,000 mental health evaluations, referrals or therapy sessions held every month. USA Today

About every fourth soldier in Fort Hood, where 48,000 troops and their families are based, had been in counseling during the past year, according to the service's medical statistics. USA Today

Statistics provided to USA TODAY by Fort Hood commanders show the explosion of mental health issues:

Fort Hood counselors met with more than 4,000 mental health patients a month. USA Today

In 2009, 2,445 soldiers were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), up from 310 in 2004. USA Today

Every month, an average of 585 soldiers were sent to nearby private clinics contracted through the Pentagon's TRICARE health system because Army counselors could not handle more patients. That is up from 15 per month in 2004. USA Today

Hundreds more saw therapists "off the network" because they wanted their psychological problems kept secret from the Army. A free clinic in Killeen offering total discretion treated 2,000 soldiers or family members in 2010, many of them officers. USA Today

In 2009, 6,000 soldiers were on anti-depressant medications and an additional 1,400 received anti-psychotic drugs. USA Today

HJ/SM/DB

News Image: 

Afghanistan.jpg