Research Review

Military General Believes More Time Off Could Reduce Posttraumatic Stress

Top military officials may be rethinking the amount of time troops get at home in between deployments to help curb the rise of posttraumatic stress (PTS) in the military. The Stay Strong Nation, a nonprofit organization working to help veterans and service personnel cope with PTS/traumatic brain injury (PTS/TBI), agrees with recent comments made by Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, the vice chief of staff of the army.

On a recent news program, the general discussed the dangerous and damaging effects PTS has on service personnel and veterans alike. Especially on the heels of the holidays, more time spent with family at home in between deployments could have a lasting effect on the efforts to reduce PTS/TBI. Other top military officials mirrored the general’s comments, saying today’s troops may be spread too thin serving in several theaters throughout the world.

Many military experts believe any number of in-combat experiences can cause even minor PTS/TBI, and soldiers are disinclined to seek proper treatment while serving in theater. While the realities of the two worlds can never be compared, soldiers affected by a traumatic event rush back into their field in much the same way a football player continues playing with a concussion.

Stay Strong Nation is currently preparing to commission a study directed by Dr. Joseph Prendergast to further research the harsh realities and effects PTS/TBI has on veterans and troops serving in the military. Possible new treatments, which have shown positive results in preliminary tests, will also be tested on individuals in the 75-person study.

— Source: The Stay Strong Nation