Quoted Text

AP IMPACT: Almost Half of New Vets Seek Disability
By MARILYNN MARCHIONE AP Chief Medical Writer
May 27, 2012 (AP)

America's newest veterans are filing for disability benefits at a historic rate, claiming to be the most medically and mentally troubled generation of former troops the nation has ever seen.

A staggering 45 percent of the 1.6 million veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now seeking compensation for injuries they say are service-related. That is more than double the estimate of 21 percent who filed such claims after the Gulf War in the early 1990s, top government officials told The Associated Press.

What's more, these new veterans are claiming eight to nine ailments on average, and the most recent ones over the last year are claiming 11 to 14. By comparison, Vietnam veterans are currently receiving compensation for fewer than four, on average, and those from World War II and Korea, just two.

It's unclear how much worse off these new veterans are than their predecessors. Many factors are driving the dramatic increase in claims — the weak economy, more troops surviving wounds, and more awareness of problems such as concussions and PTSD. Almost one-third have been granted disability so far..............................>>>>........................................>>>>........................http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/ap-impact-half-vets-seek-disability-16439838#.T8NcSRwU66Y

This war is different...

The Department of Defense warns that as many as 20 percent of veterans (360,000) from Iraq and
Afghanistan may have suffered traumatic brain injury from IED blasts while in combat.
Traumatic brain injuries from explosions may not result in skull fractures or loss of consciousness, yet the Institute
of Medicine reports that these injuries may be characterized by invisible symptoms like diffuse brain bleeding and
result in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and problems with mood, attention, concentration, memory, pain,
balance, hearing and vision. To date, 741,954 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are patients in the government’s
Veterans Administration (VA) system, with more waiting for VA treatment for serious ailments. Some 385,711
are mental health patients, including 223,609 with potential PTSD. Over 10,000 new patients are seen in VA
facilities every month. There are few studies of the long-term effects of TBI, but the National Institutes of
Health cautions that they could include Alzheimers and Parkinson’s disease. There are very few studies of
the lifetime effects on soldiers who experience TBI.

As Ron Paul says "Its time to bring our troops home NOW"

Our troops are not only hero's but also victims. Lets bring them home and end this charade.