Teri Mills' Blog for America Post

DFO's own Aspiring National Nurse, Teri Mills, has a great post today on the Blog for America:

Support for Our Troops: The President's Hollow Promise

Teri Mills is a a longtime Blog For America community member and participant. Her guest column on health care appears on Fridays.

The numbers of soldiers returning from the battlefields of Iraq with physical injuries and emotional trauma remind baby boomers of the horror of the Vietnam War. It is difficult to get a grasp on how many injured troops there are. Not wanting to frighten the public or heighten anti-war sentiments, Pentagon officials remain evasive about releasing the numbers of injuries. News reports indicate there was a dramatic increase last fall, stating that nearly 100 US troops were wounded in combat each week during their tour of duty in Iraq.

Physical injuries not withstanding, as many as 20 percent of returning Iraq veterans who have sought the Veterans Administration's care have done so for mental health problems. Nearly one in three of those who experience symptoms of mental illness suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD results from a serious traumatic event and can cause debilitating flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, uncontrollable anger, and suicide.

One way we can help to ease the emotional pain caused from the horrific scenes of war is to visit our veterans in their homes and the hospital to show our support. Democracy for Vermont is leading the way and demonstrating they truly care about our soldiers and their families.

In spite of the President's claim that he is a "compassionate conservative", his budget doubles the co-payment charged to many veterans for prescription drugs that would help to treat their injuries. The President's plan would also require some veterans to pay a new fee of $250 a year for the privilege of using government health care. A greater travesty is that many VA hospitals around the country are turning away veterans seeking care because these facilities are already understaffed and under-funded.

In Michigan, thousands of Iraq veterans are on waiting lists to receive care. The government has also changed the criteria to disallow coverage of non-combat related injuries and medical conditions. Young people and reservists who risk their lives to serve this country are now unable to receive the most basic medical care.

Given President Bush's shabby treatment of the men and women who have risked their lives to protect our country, it's no wonder young people aren't lining up to enlist in the service.

—Teri Mills, RN, MS, ANP
Democracy for Oregon