Veteran Suicide: A Public Health Imperative educates readers on the critical issue of veteran suicide that has become a national imperative. Eighteen veterans kill themselves daily. An average of one active-duty GI commits suicide every 1.1 days. More GIs deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan will die from suicide than from combat. These troubling facts are undeniable. Published with assistance from the Veterans Administration, this collection of papers offers peer reviewed research from the leading experts from public health, clinical, and scientific communities. Some of the topics include: * Surveillance of Suicide and Suicide Attempts Among Veterans * Suicide Prevention for Veterans and Active Duty Personnel * Preventing Suicide by Preventing Lethal Injury * Estimating the Risk of Suicide Among US Veterans: * Suicide Prevention Is a Winnable Battle * Facilitating Treatment Engagement During High-Risk Transition Periods "The research represented by the collection of manuscripts included in this volume is an important step towards addressing the national problem of suicide and a reminder that even one death by suicide is too many." Janet Kemp, RN, Ph.D. -- VA National Mental Health Program Director, Suicide Prevention and Community Engagement

Since September 11 2001, or "9/11", approximately 2.7 US million service members have served in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Many thousands have been wounded, with injuries ranging from mild to severe. PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and TBI (traumatic brain injury) have been calledthe "signature wounds" of war. The psychological injuries of war, PTSD and related co-morbid conditions, lead to feeling isolated from others, which directly affects intimate relationships. TBI (traumatic brain injury) is also a very common injury from these past decades of war. The treatment ofPTSD and TBI involves medications that often have sexual side-effects, such as erectile dysfunction and loss of libido, weight gain, ejaculatory delay, and sedation.The bomb blast has been the "signature weapon" of these conflicts. Service members wear helmets and body armor, which covers their torsos. Thus blasts primarily effect the lower exposed areas of the body, including the extremities and pelvic region. Numerous service members have lost one or bothlegs, and in some cases arms.Because of the blast, many have lost part or all of their genitalia, their penis or testes. This loss directly impacts sexual functioning and fertility. The bomb blast or other weapons may also burn and scar faces and hands. Pain from these injuries and subsequent surgeries is a constant theme.Sexual difficulties contribute to relationship difficulties, domestic violence, and suicide.Less well recognized is the impact of toxic exposures on sexual health. All wars are environmentally dirty. Agent Orange is the best known toxic agent from Vietnam. Anti-malarial agents, used in Iraq and Afghanistan, cause a host of neuropsychiatric effects. Sexual assault is another type of toxicexposure.Thus there are a host of ways that exposure to combat can affect intimacy, sexual functioning and fertility. Fortunately there are many strategies to mitigate these negative effects, which are covered in detail in this book.

Durable and graphics-rich, this guide is filled with information about obstacles facing soldiers after their deployment and effective solutions to overcome the challenges of reintegration. The book assists in skill development and problem solving and includes many opportunities for readers to journal on the page adjacent to topics presented. It is designed for both independent use by postdeployment military personnel and those participating in individual or group therapy. Topics include managing stress and anger, the dangers of alcohol, and sleep issues.

This book emphasizes prevention and treatment of war-zone stress disorders through better assessment, psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions (including couple/family therapy), and appropriate evidence-based treatments. Broad guidelines for minimizing current barriers to treatment for stress-disordered veterans and their families are also discussed.

Philosopher, ethicist, and psychoanalyst Nancy Sherman explores the psychological and moral burdens borne by soldiers. By illuminating the extent to which wars are fought internally as well as externally, this book expands the national discussion about war and the men and women who fight our nation's battles. With close-up looks at servicemen and --women preparing for, experiencing, and returning home from war, Sherman probes the psyche of today's soldiers--examining how they learn to kill and to leave the killing behind. Bringing to light the moral quandaries soldiers face--torture, the thin line between fighters and civilians, and the anguish of killing even in a just war--Sherman bares the souls of our soldiers and the emotional landscape of soldiering. At the heart of the book are interviews with soldiers, from the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also from Vietnam and World Wars I and II.

Across history, the condition has been called soldier's heart, shell shock, or combat fatigue. It is now increasingly common as our service men and women return from Iraq, Afghanistan, and other ongoing combat zones. Since 1990, Veterans' centers here have treated more than 1.6 million affected men and women, including an estimated 100,000 from the Gulf War and an untallied total from the Iraq front and fighting in Afghanistan. The number also includes some 35,000 World War II veterans, because PTSD does not fade easily. Regardless of the months, years, and even decades that have passed, the traumatic events can flash back as seemingly real as they were when they occurred.In Haunted by Combat Paulson and Krippner range across history and into current experiences and treatments for this haunting disorder. They take us into the minds of PTSD-affected veterans, as they struggle against the traumatic events lingering in their minds, sometimes exploding into violent behavior. The authors explain how and why PTSD develops--and how we can help service members take the steps to heal today.

The essential handbook for anyone who has ever returned from a war zone, and their spouse, partner, or family members. Being back home can be as difficult, if not more so, than the time spent serving in a combat zone. It's with this truth that Colonel Charles W. Hoge, MD, a leading advocate for eliminating the stigma of mental health care, presents Once a Warrior--Always a Warrior, a groundbreaking resource with essential new insights for anyone who has ever returned home from a war zone. In clear practical language, Dr. Hoge explores the latest knowledge in combat stress, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), mTBI (mild traumatic brain injury), other physiological reactions to war, and their treatment options. Recognizing that warriors and family members both change during deployment, he helps them better understand each other's experience, especially living with enduring survival skills from the combat environment that are often viewed as "symptoms" back home. The heart of this book focuses on what's necessary to successfully navigate the transition--"LANDNAV" for the home front. Once a Warrior--Always a Warrior shows how a warrior's knowledge and skills are vital for living at peace in an insane world.

From the Director and Associate Director of the VA's National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: a highly practical, user-friendly guide that answering all conceivable questions about returning from war--for veterans and families Two experts from the VA National Center for PTSD provide an essential resource for service members, their spouses, families, and communities, sharing what troops really experience during deployment and back home. Pinpointing the most common after-effects of war and offering strategies for troop reintegration to daily life, Drs. Friedman and Slone cover the myths and realities of homecoming; reconnecting with spouse and family; anger and adrenaline; guilt and moral dilemmas; and PTSD and other mental-health concerns. With a wealth of community and government resources, tips, and suggestions, After the War Zone is a practical guide to helping troops and their families prevent war zone stresses from having a lasting negative impact.

A comprehensive study of the post-deployment health-related needs associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and traumatic brain injury among servicemembers returning from Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, the health care system in place to meet those needs, gaps in the care system, and the costs associated with these conditions and with providing quality health care to all those in need.