Editorial: The trauma of war

Monday, July 16, 2007 | 7:13 a.m.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are leading top Pentagon officials to acknowledge that many soldiers and Marines suffer mentally from the extreme stress and anxiety of combat.

This is progress for the military, which in the past has been reluctant to accept that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental conditions that occur following military service in war zones are genuine.

Part of the military's awakening toward the realities of mental illness among troops and veterans is owed to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who has pledged to fix problems associated with military health care.

Under Gates' leadership, military leaders are openly talking about how war can cause mental health problems and about how the services can treat them.

One of the first steps being taken by the military is to remove the stigma so often attached to mental illness.

Navy Surgeon Gen. Donald Arthur recently said before the House Armed Services Committee, "We would never blame someone who has broken a leg or got cancer, yet we will blame people who have a natural reaction to an incredibly stressful situation."

The Associated Press, citing findings by a military task force, wrote last week that 38 percent of regular Army soldiers, 31 percent of Marines and 49 percent of National Guard troops report psychological conditions such as PTSD after returning from war. The AP said the percentages are expected to grow, because so many troops are completing repeated and extended deployments.

Such figures show that the military's enlightened attitude toward mental health is a positive development. In keeping with the stepped-up commitment toward better mental health care, Army Surgeon Gen. Gail Pollock has called for the hiring of 200 more Army psychiatrists, which would be an increase of 25 percent.

As the Pentagon works to overhaul health care for troops and veterans in the aftermath of the scandal at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., it is gratifying to see that mental health is a priority.