Senator Bernie Sanders: PTSD program for returning GIs to be expanded

Sanders: PTSD program for returning GIs to be expanded
November 19, 2007
BURLINGTON, Vt. --A Vermont program aimed at helping returning GIs get help to address brain injuries and post traumatic stress disorder got a boost Monday, with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders announcing new federal funding that will enhance it and begin sowing the seeds for similar programs in other states.

more stories like thisA Department of Defense appropriations bill signed by President Bush contains $3 million for expanding the Vermont National Guard Outreach program and another $3 million for other states to reach out to troops returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The program, which began about a year ago, also reaches out to soldiers back from Army Reserve units or active duty soldiers who have returned to civilian life.

The goal is simple, but the problem isn't.

"This is a hugely important issue, because we are seeing a staggering number of people coming home with PTSD and traumatic brain injury," said Sanders, I-Vt. "It is terribly important that these people get the help they need and in order to do that, we need to do this effectively."

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the number of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffering from PTSD jumped by 70 percent over the last year.

The Pentagon says 38 percent of soldiers and 31 percent of U.S. Marines report having psychological concerns after deployment.
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