12-month recovery time between deployments noted as ‘insufficient’

This study, the fifth survey of soldiers, also showed that rates of combat stress disorders and depression are nearly the same among troops recently returning from Afghanistan as those returning from Iraq, a change from previous research which had shown slightly lower in Afghanistan.

12-month recovery time between deployments noted as ‘insufficient’
By Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Friday, March 7, 2008



WASHINGTON — Soldiers with three or more combat tours show increased rates of mental health problems, in part because they aren’t getting enough dwell time between deployments, according to new data from the Army.

Results from the 2007 Mental Health Advisory Team study, which surveyed almost 2,300 soldiers returning from Iraq and nearly 700 more from Afghanistan, noted nearly 28 percent of soldiers returning from their third tour showed signs of significant stress and mental health problems.

That’s well above the roughly 18 percent rate seen in troops returning from their first or second deployment.

Col. Charles Hoge, director of psychiatry at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, told members of a Senate health panel Wednesday at least part of the problem is the recovery time for troops.

The study notes that 12 months between deployments is “insufficient to reset the mental health of soldiers” and that some post-traumatic stress disorder cases can take up to a year after deployment to manifest themselves.

“It’s also important to keep in mind the length of deployment,” Hoge said. “When the Army deploys longer, they probably need more recovery time afterwards.”
go here for the rest
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=53120