Veterans For America

As part of its week-long coverage of the issue of servicemembers using drugs, ABC News addressed the issue of the overmedication of soldiers with mental health injuries.  VFA investigator Andrew Pogany told ABC: “Pretty much every person in my caseload is medicated, heavily medicated.”  Some of the troops whose cases VFA has investigated have been prescribed up to 20 different medications at any one time, with apparently little consideration given to how the different drugs interact with one another.  Psychiatrists with experience treating military patients say that medication is a “band-aid” and that what is necessary to cure illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is group therapy and individual psychotherapy sessions.  VFA believes the military health system relies so much on medicine because it lacks the resources to provide therapy.  As Pogany observes, “Handing somebody a bag of medication and then seeing them once a month for a half-hour appointment, that’s not adequate.”

The Washington Post gives an excellent account of the type of treatment servicemembers with mental injuries often face.  First Lt. Elizabeth Whiteside, a “soldier’s officer,” a “superior officer,” an officer who produced “outstanding results” in Iraq, is facing prison and the loss of all of her benefits because she suffered a mental breakdown related to severe major depressive disorder and tried to commit suicide.  Despite the recommendations of numerous military psychiatrists, findings of Army investigators, and the recommendation of current Army Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Eric Schoomaker, the military courts have decided that there will be no “psychobabble” in determining whether or not she goes to trial and the prosecutor believes that her mental disease is merely an “excuse” for her actions.  In VFA’s experience, this type of treatment is far too typical.

Adm. Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, told the Army Times that he is doing what he can to improve the dwell time of soldiers and marines by reducing the number of troops in Iraq and by utilizing elements of the Army and Marines who have not deployed to a combat zone.  Also, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) returned from Iraq and reiterated his belief that the deployed-to-dwell ratios for soldiers and marines must be improved.

For the rest of today’s and this weekend’s news, please visit the Our Troops Newsladder.