It is not known where all veterans of previous wars are at the current time, but VA does have scattered statistics on older veterans. According to VA WWII veterans received a hero's welcome home, as opposed to Vietnam Veterans who were the targets of an angry public (National Center for PTSD, 2007b). The welcome that they received had a tremendous affect on the ability to cope and recover from the traumas associated with war. According to VA, the affects of PTSD on older veterans is often more subtle than in Vietnam Veterans or those from more recent conflicts. For instance, the older veteran may experience irrational fears, which can later be traced to trigger memories related to the war. Therefore, there is solid evidence that PTSD exists in older veterans, but it is much more difficult to track and there are no solid statistics available for this population.
As a result of the knowledge gained regarding PTSD from Vietnam Veterans, statistics about the occurrence of PTSD in subsequent wars is much better. For instance, it is estimated that the occurrence of mental disorders among veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom was approximately 6.4% (Larson, Highfill-McRoy, & Booth-Kewely, 2008). Estimates from the current operation are approximately 5 times this estimate. The question is why there is such a disparity in the numbers. It may be that there are factors associated with this operation that were not present in previous operations, or it may simply be a matter of better record keeping and tracking methods. It is difficult to determine the reasons for these differences. This is a similar problem as can be found in tracking PTSD among private contractors.
After the War
After the war, the veteran must attempt to adjust and return to normal society. They may return to a military position, or they may have to re-adjust to civilian life. PTSD can have a significant impact on their ability to adjust to life after the war zone. Veterans with PTSD have a higher divorce rate than those without PTSD (Calhoun, Beckham, & Bosworth (2002). This is indicative of adjustment problems and their affect on family relations. It is difficult to predict which areas of a veteran's life will be affected by PTSD and to what extent, but there is one thing for certain, the veteran will have to make some major adjustments.
Not all of the affects of being in the war zone are negative. Life after war can be an opportunity to develop a new outlook in life to pursue new endeavors. It can be an opportunity to reunite and develop stronger relationships with loved ones. However, these affects have not been the topic of serious academic study. We know more about the negative affects than the positive ones.
Conclusion
The impact of being on the front lines extends beyond the symptoms displayed by the veteran. The war zone has an impact on every aspect of the rest of their lives. It affects their future vocation and their ability to carry out meaningful employment. It affects their relationships with their family and their friends. The combat veteran may or may not have the ability to pursue a meaningful social life. The experiences of the veteran extend to others around them by the way it affects their ability to function in society.
Those that have survived traumatic events need the support of family and professionals to help maximize their ability to cope with their experiences. The veteran who received proper support will be the most likely to recover and to develop the coping skills necessary to adjust to this new phase in their life. The literature review revealed that we know much about the affects of PTSD on the combat soldier, but that this knowledge does not extend to other groups that are also exposed to the war zone, but that are not military personnel. It is not known if they are receiving proper treatment or if PTSD is affecting their ability to adjust once they return. This study will compare responses to the war zone among two groups, one consisting of military personnel and one consisting of non-military private contractors who are exposed to the war zone in Iraq.
Based on information contained in the Literature Review, the proposed research will support the following hypotheses:
H1: Both military and non-military personnel employed in the combat zone in the Iraqi War will display symptoms of PTSD.
H2: Military personnel will display better coping skills than non-military personnel due to access to proper treatment methods.
Methodology
The current military operations in Iraq differ from previous conflicts in the high degree of non-military private contractors being used to support U.S. military operations. This creates a unique situation where non-military...
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Findings showed that 95% of the respondents' overall health status was slightly higher compared to that of the general U.S. population of the same age and sex. Factors identified with the favorable health status were male gender, married state, higher educational attainment, higher military rank and inclusion in the Air Force service. Lower quality of health was associated with increased use of health care, PTSD, disability, behavioral risk factors
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, 2003). The results of the study found that cocaine/PTSD were younger that alcohol/PTSD subjects (Back et al., 2003). Additionally, the researchers found that the alcohol/PTSD participants were more likely to be married and have more intimate friends than the cocaine/PTSD participants. In addition, the study found that alcohol/PTSD participants were more likely to be employed full time (Back et al., 2003). The alcohol/PTSD participants were also more likely to be
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