Once known as soldier’s heart in the World Wars, it took years for returning Vietnam vets to receive the public support they earned and deserved for what is now known as post traumatic stress disorder. Many fell apart and landed homeless on the streets across America. Some never recovered or regained their footing.
Now, major media shines a light on the debilitating problem that understandably faces many returning Iraq vets.

In a Philadelphia Inquirer commentary, Cecilia Capuzzi Simon writes:

Missing legs, arms, multiple amputations. These injuries are the visual emblems of the war in Iraq. But it is the invisible psychological harm — primarily post-traumatic stress disorder — that is the most pervasive and pernicious injury from this war and that is emerging as its signature disability. Veterans’ advocates say it is the number-one issue facing soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

“The scope of the problem is daunting,” Capuzzi continues: “The Defense Department estimates that between 15 percent and 29 percent of Iraq veterans will suffer from PTSD, characterized by flashbacks of the traumatic event, nightmares, anxiety, and social withdrawal.”
And what about the 100,000 contractors on the battlefield? This an entirely new phenomenon. Many civilians, including truckers and armed security contractors travel outside the wire of camp safety on a daily basis. They, too, experience carnage on the battlefields of Iraq. Look for this to be the next news surge in coverage of Americans coming home:
Adding Insult to Injury
The Shadow Army
Iraq Wounded Fight for Insurance Coverage
Pentagon’s Insurance Problem