More than 300,000 soldiers are expected to return from recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with either Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or a Traumatic Brain Injury. The National Council on Disability released a report recommending changes in the continuum of health care provided to service members and veterans with either condition. The report, titled Invisible Wounds, addresses the experiences of service members and veterans at risk of developing PTSD and TBI. Although PTSD and TBI have different origins—PTSD is caused by exposure to extreme stress, whereas TBI is caused by blast exposure or other head injury—they are closely related, NCD Chairperson John Vaughn says not enough is being done to prepare for the effects of TBS and PTSD on families and the healthcare system. “The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are resulting in injuries that are disabling many service members, and are potentially disabling for still more. These injuries are also putting unprecedented strain on families and relationships: strain that can contribute to the severity of the service member’s disability over the course of time,” he said.
Disability Group Reports on Veterans’ Brain Injuries
March 25 2009 | by Suzanne Robitaille