Canada recruiting 450 mental health pros

Military recruiting hundreds to combat PTSD
Updated Thu. Mar. 6 2008 10:36 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

The Canadian military's surgeon general went before the House of Commons Defence Committee Thursday to discuss serious mental health problems potentially affecting thousands of soldiers returning from Afghanistan.


Brig.-Gen. Hilary Jaeger told the committee that she is in the process of recruiting 450 mental health personnel to help Canada's army cope with addiction, depression, and post-traumatic stress (PTSD).


Psychological problems have become an increasingly important issue for the military in recent years as it has expanded its traditional peacekeeping status into a greater combat role.


According to a Department of National Defence website page last modified in 2004, anywhere from two to 15 per cent of soldiers "returning from a stressful mission" may be affected by PTSD. More recent reports suggest that as many as 25 per cent of troops come back home, after experiencing raw combat, with one or more mental health issue.


According to a Veterans Affairs briefing note obtained by The Canadian Press recently, "Over the past five years, the number of clients with a psychiatric condition has tripled, increasing from 3,501 to 10,252; the number of clients with a PTSD condition has more than tripled, increasing from 1,802 to 6,504 as of March 31, 2007."


Jaeger said the issue is "very, very serious."
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When you look at the numbers in Canada, you also have to be fully aware of something not very obvious. Afghanistan, until the last few years, has not produced the same kind of violence, bombs and carnage as Iraq has since the invasion. Canadian forces are only involved with Afghanistan. Our troops are in Iraq and Afghanistan. They have been rotated in and out of both occupations. So why is it that Canada is taking such proactive steps to take care of their troops and we are taking baby steps?