Background

“Readjustment issues or what is called ‘reintegration’ includes a variety of issues that compound the overall transition home:

• children are often born while the soldier is away, and typical parent bonding has not taken place
• spousal roles have changed as the person left behind was forced to take over all duties, and sorting those out again adds strain to a marriage
• the person who has gone to war has changed and is not the same person he or she once was, and it is the same with family members
• there is often a sense of guilt for leaving comrades behind, coping with the deaths of fellow soldiers, and dealing with the question, ‘why am I still alive.’

The list is goes on and on,” said Brigadier General (PA) William D. Colvin (Ret.) of Defense Solutions, a 31+ year veteran of the Pennsylvania National Guard.  He has witnessed many of these transitions including that of his own son who recently served in Iraq. 

The Issue

March 1, 2006…WashingtonPost.com…More than one in three soldiers and Marines who have served in Iraq later sought help for mental health problems. The study published in the American Medical Association of 300,000 soldiers found mental disorders diagnosed at a rate of 12%.

February 16, 2006…Government Accounting Office…the VA has not fully addressed any of the 24 recommendations, which run the gamut of hiring regional PTSD coordinators, to developing credentialing standards for PTSD clinicians, to establishing PTSD screening and referral systems.

February 10, 2006…National Press Club, Washington, DC…Deputy Chief Consultant for mental health services at the Dept. of Veterans Affairs said that up to 40,000 soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan show symptoms of PTSD.  Out of 120,000, 31% are being reviewed for possible mental health disorders.

The Experts

“There needs to be a third safety net outside the Department of Defense and the Veterans’ Agency – a safety net of community organizations and families that can recognize what’s going on, because if the symptoms last more than a few months, they can last a lifetime.”  John Henry Parker, executive director, California-based organization, Veterans and Families.

More than 400,000 US troops have served in Iraq (10/26/05) since the invasion, and tens of thousands have shown some signs of stress on their return, a study from the Army’s Walter Reed Medical Center has found.  The regional director for the New England Vet Centers, Tim Beebe stated Vet Centers were stretched to the limit to debrief 810 returning veterans.  When he asked how they would handle tens of thousands, the response was,  “We’d have to ramp the program up significantly.”

Col. Charles Hoge of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research said it is important to treat the problems that troops report and to evaluate how they function than to argue about whether there were clear-cut events that triggered the trauma, as the definition of PTSD demands.

NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT, REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES (HR 5122, 109TH Congress, 2nd Session, Report 109-452)

The Return to Honor program has received support of the Armed Service Committee.  For additional information, please contact Nancy McGrory, 610-933-8825 x241.

RETURN TO HONOR Sponsors & Supporters

Strategic Marketing Innovations (SMI) located in Washington, DC SMI is a government relations firm.  SMI engages decision makers throughout the scope of federal agencies.  SMI takes great pride in the contribution its clients make to the armed services, sciences, health care field and a host of growing industries that strive to enhance our nation’s security, economy and quality of life.

B2G Alliance is a Veteran-owned company headquartered in Pittsburgh and established to help the government procure the best services and products from the private sector. Their primary goal is to stimulate a more competitive business environment leading to higher standards for products and services in support of National interests. B2G Alliance believes working together, we can provide the best services and products to the government. It is our combined contributions that help save lives on the front lines of the battlefield and it is through creating a more competitive climate within government that citizens will benefit and be assured their government is running efficiently.

SMI & B2G Alliance are donating their time and services to support the Return to Honor programs and the mission of supporting our returning veterans.

Additional Sponsors & Supporters

Recruit Military; John Gallagher Law Offices; Manhattan Bagel of Chesterbrook; La Taverna Restaurant; Outback Steak; Pizza Land; Philadelphia Multi-Service Veteran Center, as well as...

Navmar has specialized in professional engineering services for over 25 years, the Navmar team assists in strategic and responsive problem solving for the DoD and other organizations.

Universal Display is a Company that’s lighting the way in developing and commercializing OLED technology for flat panel displays, lighting, electronic communications and other opto-electronics with its proprietary PHOLED™ phosphorescent OLED technology.

Visionality offers creative programs - our mission is to awaken, develop and guide people's abilities in the area of creativity and to create multiple outlets and venues for people to express their creativity.

Support America's Armed Forces'® mission is to support the health, welfare, and morale of deployed troops, military personnel and their families, while operating as a 501(c)(3), under the Pierce Military Business Alliance. We accomplish our mission by raising funds, collecting care package items and issuing grants to military bases, veteran organizations, active duty or reserve personnel, or families to improve the military population's quality of living. Moreover, we serve as the connector between the civilian population and deployed military personnel for sending care packages. Finally, we partner with community businesses to secure care packages for military deployment activities. Mission Theme: Determined to Make a Difference!