ABOUT COMBAT STRESS

Affecting Some 20% of Combat Veterans

Over one million service members in the active and reserve components of the U.S. military have been deployed in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom, many more than once. As of August 2007, more than 4,000 service members have died, and more than 28,550 have been wounded.

Combat and casualties cause incredible stress. When it exceeds the capacity of an individual to cope, this stress can result in literal injuries to the mind, brain, and spirit, called “Combat/ Operational Stress Reaction” (COSR). One common injury is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Definitions

Combat Stress:

The term used to describe changes in mental functioning or behavior due to the challenges of combat and its aftermath. These changes can be positive and adaptive (e.g., increased confidence in self and peers), or they can be indications of distress or loss of normal functioning that may be symptoms of a combat/operational stress injury.

Operational Stress:

The term used to describe the condition under which a service member operates during a time of increased operational tempo during any phase of operations or deployment.

Combat/Operational Stress Reaction (COSR):

The term used to describe the physiological, behavioral and psychosocial reactions experienced before, during, or after combat or due to increased operational tempo during any phase of operations or deployment.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can occur after a person has been through a traumatic event. For more information see the National Center for PTSD website.

Traumatic Events:

The term used to describe events outside the normal experience of people that pose actual or perceived threats of injury or exposure to death that can overwhelm both an individual's and organization's coping resources.

Although not as visible as physical trauma, psychological injuries have been a significant portion of total casualties in any conflict. In the American military, combat stress reactions were noted as early as the Civil War. After the First World War, large numbers of combatants suffering from “shell shock” sought medical attention. Combat stress reactions were observed in more than 20% of US troops in World War II, and in the Korean War, 10% of medical evacuations were attributable to combat stress. Some estimate that as many as 30% of Vietnam veterans suffer from the long-term effects of untreated COSR. Approximately 15% of long term casualties after the Gulf War were psychological in nature.

Like TBI, effects are highly individualized. Symptoms can include depression, anxiety, misuse of alcohol and drugs, strains in family functioning, separation and divorce. Once called "battle fatigue" and "shell shock," these injuries are somewhat stigmatized in the armed forces, which leads to delays in diagnosis and treatment. But stress injuries heal more quickly and completely if they are acknowledged and given appropriate care.

Against the backdrop of the Global War on Terror, the psychological health needs of America’s military service members, their families, and their survivors pose a daunting and growing challenge to the DoD. Help is available from many sources, including mental health professionals in the United States Military Treatment Facilities, counselors at VA Vet counseling centers, military chaplains, and confidential Military OneSource counselors. The Bob Woodruff Family Foundation helps service members and their families whose lives have been affected by combat stress injuries by educating U.S. service members and the American public on the hidden injuries of war.

* Information represented is gathered from the US Department of Defense’s Marine Corps, Army and Navy websites.