Deployed civilians face hurdles in getting medical treatment

Deployed civilians face hurdles in getting medical treatment
April 30, 2008 - 3:30pm

By ANNE FLAHERTY
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Civilians deployed to war zones often encounter problems receiving medical treatment and are hesitant to seek help for emotional stress caused by their deployment, a new congressional report finds.

Federal policies on the treatment of nonmilitary personnel _ particularly medical screening before and after an individual deploys _ are not clearly articulated or widely understood, prompting cases in which some civilians have had trouble receiving benefits or filing claims, the bipartisan report by the House Armed Services oversight and investigations subcommittee says.

Civilians also seem less likely receive help for post-traumatic stress syndrome. The Labor Department says only 11 mental health claims have been filed by federal personnel serving in Iraq or Afghanistan, despite a recent survey of foreign service officers that found more than 100 officers deployed in hardship posts may have symptoms of the stress syndrome, according to the report.

The findings shed light on the complexities of an emerging new phenomenon in federal government: the reliance on its civilian work force to aid a war effort. In recent months, the Bush administration has pushed hard to expand involvement by such agencies as the Agriculture Department and Health and Human Services in rebuilding Iraq and Afghanistan.
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I received a phone call today about a veteran who had worked as a contractor in Iraq. He developed PTSD and sought help for it. The VA turned him away because there was nothing in his service record to show it was caused by his service. He needed help so urgently that my friend feared for his life. He is no unlike so many other humans who go into combat zones and come out forever changed. How is it that no one is forcing the defense contractors to take care of their wounded? This report shows that even the government does not take care of the people they have working for them either. Is anyone doing the right thing for anyone in all of this?