.Online Community To Help Iraq, Afghanistan Vets
The Ad Council is joining Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) to launch the first online community exclusive to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
The new social networking site, Communityofveterans.org, is designed to encourage veterans to support one another after they return from their tours of duty.
At Communityofveterans.org, veterans can listen, share their experiences and access resources.
So far, 1.7 million men and women have either served or are currently serving in either Iraq or Afghanistan.
Adjusting to civilian life after combat can be very difficult. According to a study conducted by the RAND Corporation, nearly 20 percent of the 300,000 service members who have returned have reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depression. Yet only slightly more than half of those individuals have sought treatment, the study said.
Untreated mental health conditions can have deadly or disastrous consequences, and can cause or aggravate other debilitating problems in the veterans’ community -- including high rates of unemployment, substance abuse, divorce, homelessness, child abuse and suicide.
The IAVA has already released some disturbing statistics:
The Army suicide rate has reached its highest point in 26 years.
20 percent of married troops in Iraq say they are planning a divorce.
At least 40,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have been treated at a VA hospital for substance abuse.
Most Iraq veterans are married, and 700,000 children in America have had at least one parent deployed during the course of the wars. It is estimated that there will be at least 3 million people in America immediately affected by the conflicts.
The mental health consequences of combat can be a difficult subject for families, friends -- even fellow service members -- to breach. In fact, more than half of the troops in Iraq who are diagnosed with a psychological injury say they are concerned that they will be seen as weak by their peers. Yet, those who have sought treatment for post-combat mental issues said they did so at the urging of family and friends.
Iraq and Afghanistan veterans currently account for less than 1 percent of the U.S. population, and IAVA said that can contribute to a feeling of isolation.
The Ad Council and IAVA said they hope connecting with other veterans will help the veteran community support itself and adjust to civilian life more smoothly.
The partnership plans to release public service announcements to alert veterans about the Web site and alert families to the sister site Supportyourvet.org -- a site geared toward helping families initiate constructive conversations about mental health treatment.
My58
The new social networking site, Communityofveterans.org, is designed to encourage veterans to support one another after they return from their tours of duty.
At Communityofveterans.org, veterans can listen, share their experiences and access resources.
So far, 1.7 million men and women have either served or are currently serving in either Iraq or Afghanistan.
Adjusting to civilian life after combat can be very difficult. According to a study conducted by the RAND Corporation, nearly 20 percent of the 300,000 service members who have returned have reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depression. Yet only slightly more than half of those individuals have sought treatment, the study said.
Untreated mental health conditions can have deadly or disastrous consequences, and can cause or aggravate other debilitating problems in the veterans’ community -- including high rates of unemployment, substance abuse, divorce, homelessness, child abuse and suicide.
The IAVA has already released some disturbing statistics:
The Army suicide rate has reached its highest point in 26 years.
20 percent of married troops in Iraq say they are planning a divorce.
At least 40,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have been treated at a VA hospital for substance abuse.
Most Iraq veterans are married, and 700,000 children in America have had at least one parent deployed during the course of the wars. It is estimated that there will be at least 3 million people in America immediately affected by the conflicts.
The mental health consequences of combat can be a difficult subject for families, friends -- even fellow service members -- to breach. In fact, more than half of the troops in Iraq who are diagnosed with a psychological injury say they are concerned that they will be seen as weak by their peers. Yet, those who have sought treatment for post-combat mental issues said they did so at the urging of family and friends.
Iraq and Afghanistan veterans currently account for less than 1 percent of the U.S. population, and IAVA said that can contribute to a feeling of isolation.
The Ad Council and IAVA said they hope connecting with other veterans will help the veteran community support itself and adjust to civilian life more smoothly.
The partnership plans to release public service announcements to alert veterans about the Web site and alert families to the sister site Supportyourvet.org -- a site geared toward helping families initiate constructive conversations about mental health treatment.
My58
posted by madtom at 7:46 PM
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