Army Plans To Hire More Psychiatrists (Overwhelmed By Soldiers Returning From War)

[Hissyspit]

Source: Associated Press

Army plans to hire more psychiatrists
PAULINE JELINEK, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Overwhelmed by the number of soldiers returning from war with mental problems, the Army is planning to hire at least 25 percent more psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers.

A contract finalized this week but not yet announced calls for spending $33 million to add about 200 mental health professionals to help soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health needs, officials told The Associated Press on Thursday.

"As the war has gone on, PTSD and other psychological effects of war have increased," said Col. Elspeth Ritchie, psychiatry consultant to the Army surgeon general. "The number of (mental health workers) that was adequate for a peacetime military is not adequate for a nation that's been at war," she said in an interview.

- snip -

Ritchie said long and repeat deployments caused by extended wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are causing more mental strain on troops. "At the time that the war began, I don't think anybody anticipated how long it would be going on," she said. Surveys of troops in Iraq have shown that 15 percent to 20 percent of Army soldiers have signs and symptoms of post-traumatic stress, which can cause flashbacks of traumatic combat experiences and other severe reactions.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070615/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/military_mental_health

[glowing]

1. Who's going to care for th psychologists after they listen to all these

memories of the trauma...

[lovuian]

2. nobody goes to war and comes out

ok and unaffected

this is why war is so wrong

[youngdem]

3. And who says the Bush Economy isn't generating new, high wage jobs!?

:mad:

[Drum]

4. Probably not

if they're gay. :( Isn't that the crap they pulled with the Arabic translators? x(

[TexasLawyer]

5. Let's see-- we have 50 states

so you can look at this as 4 new shrinks per state. Seems like a drop in the bucket.

[Screwfly]

6. It should be worth noting

a military doctor's first and only loyalty lies with the military. I got thrown under a bus by a army doctor, and I'm tell you military doctors, nurses, medics, and chaplains are not be trusted.

[InkAddict]

7. Dual loyalty=forked tongues!

You are right - if they have military affinities, they cannot be trusted to have proper empathy with volunteers. After all is said and done, it's a windfall occupational rice bowl to cause and/or to enhance the soul-wrenching mental problems inflicted by "war" of any kind. It's troubling that one's doctor, oaths and ethics aside, may be ordered to "off" a patient for the greater good? of some thimblebrains' idea of mission. Why set oneself up to have to choose? Easy answer: MONEY! Remember, it trumps peace(of mind), no? :sarcasm:

[BlueIris]

8. Ouch. That sounds terrible. nt