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The Mental Health Response to Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom: History and Recommendations for Change

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A Battle Plan for Supporting Military Families

Part of the book series: Risk and Resilience in Military and Veteran Families ((RRMV))

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Abstract

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Never in any previous conflict has as much attention been paid to the psychological effects of engaging in warfare than is now occurring. Current emphasis on the psychological sequelae of combat is related, in part, to their relative predominance vis-à-vis physical injuries but also reflects, as Wessely (British Journal of Psychiatry 186: 459–466, 2005) observed, a societal discomfort with acceptance of risk.

Over five times the number of veterans wounded in OIF/OEF conflicts are now either seeking care for long-term sequelae of blast or psychological injury or deemed in need of such care.

Symptoms of disorders common among servicemembers and veterans are frustratingly difficult to predict, the severity of an initial psychological injury does not necessarily predict severity of expressed symptoms, and responses cannot be reliably tied a priori to any particular intervention. Added to this complexity is the system of perverse incentives constructed to validate and treat those who suffer unseen injuries of war—the VA Disability Rating system. If the United States is to adopt “lessons learned” from recent experiences with the psychological effects of combat, six broad areas require attention to ensure optimum readiness in the future.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Register of Health Services Psychologists, Washington, DC, USA

    Morgan T. Sammons Ph.D., A.B.P.P

  2. Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA

    David S. Riggs Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Morgan T. Sammons Ph.D., A.B.P.P
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  2. David S. Riggs Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Morgan T. Sammons Ph.D., A.B.P.P .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Military Family Research Institute College of Health and Human Sciences Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA

    Linda Hughes-Kirchubel

  2. Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Military Family Research Institute, College of Health and Human Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA

    Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth

  3. Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    David S. Riggs

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Sammons, M.T., Riggs, D.S. (2018). The Mental Health Response to Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom: History and Recommendations for Change. In: Hughes-Kirchubel, L., Wadsworth, S., Riggs, D. (eds) A Battle Plan for Supporting Military Families. Risk and Resilience in Military and Veteran Families. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68984-5_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68984-5_10

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