PTSD problem something that can't be ignored

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is not a new phenomenon among America's military veterans, although it may not have always been known by that name.

It is likely some veterans of all America's wars have suffered from the disorder — which manifests itself in the form of ongoing mental disturbance due to traumatic events suffered during combat — but attention focused on it after the Vietnam War when many troubled veterans returned home to a less than warm welcome.

Now there is renewed focus on the PTSD issue as a result of the decade of fighting in the Middle East in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Many members of the military served repeated tours of duty there in conditions of high stress, never knowing at what moment a roadside bomb might explode near them. Those who were involved in the explosions, if now killed, would often end up with severe long-term injuries and traumatic brain damage.

The conditions there were an incubator for PTSD. The military estimates nearly 213,000 personnel suffered traumatic brain injuries there since the year 2000. Some other military personnel and veterans suffer from ongoing depression, sleeplessness and substance abuse as a result of their war experiences that can result in suicide or other forms of violence.

Many don't seek help out of fear that it will affect their military careers or stigmatize them. In some cases, help simply isn't easily obtainable.

First lady Michelle Obama is attempting to bring attention to this national problem. Last week she called on medical schools to devote more training and research to dealing with PTSD. It is part of her Joining Forces campaign to reach out to and help veterans and their families.

After past wars, the problem has been pretty much swept under the rug. It is time to recognize it is an issue and deal with it. Our nation has put our military personnel into these conditions and we must help them deal with the aftermath.