Five Ideas to Transform a Soldier's Life - Healthcare strategist proposes policychanges to benefit veterans

Veterans Day is the time to rethink veteran policies. Soldiers and their families are in a state of crisis at home. A healthcare strategist proposes five ideas that promises tochange things.

(1888PressRelease) November 07, 2009 - Honolulu, Hawaii - Veterans Day isWednesday, November 11, 2009. Since 9/11, more than 1.6 million men and womenhave served in the U.S. armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq."War changes people," stated Noe Foster, CEO of theStrategist. "Research confirms thatthe battle does not end when combat soldiers return home. For many the battleintensifies."A large number struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, (PTSD) Traumatic BrainInjury (TBI), substance abuse, violent rages, and strained family relationships.Our combat veterans need more than lip service and parades.Here are five policy changes to transform the life of a soldier and help him or her wintheir personal battle at home:1. Presume Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) will occur. One in three soldiers willreturn from war with PTSD. The probability increases dramatically with multipledeployment. Treat all combat soldiers in theatre and at home as if they were alreadyexperiencing PTSD. Lift the 5-year diagnosis time period attached to PTSD disability benefits. Screening for PTSD is flawed since symptoms can be masked for many years.Like other mental health conditions, PTSD carries a debilitating stigma that hampersearly intervention.2. Prevent Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) from occurring. One in five combat veteranreturns home with a TBI. Repeated deployments increase the likelihood of an occurrenceexponentially.The cause of a war-related TBI is most often from exposure of a detonatedIED or from a motor vehicle accident. Improved safety devices like head restraints needto be explored.3. Prepare job-ready Guard and Reserve soldiers. Help them translate their experience ina combat zone to skills local job markets want. National Guard and Reserve troops makeup 48% of the armed forces in the war zones. Many while down range have received“Dear John,” letters from employers whose businesses have collapsed and closed.4. Auto-enroll Guard and Reserve soldiers who have been deployed to war into theVeteran Affairs health and benefit system. Only 20% of veterans now use the VAhealthcare system. Many fail to register for these benefits.