Marines in deadly Afghan Sangin valley face combat stress

This is a good article. It addresses how mental health professionals have them tell their stories over and over again. Good idea and works for most after traumatic events. It addresses the redeployments, the stress of being away from home on top of the stress of combat. What it does not address is one well kept secret. PTSD does not show up when they are still in a "threat" situation most of the time. Sure, there are nightmares, sadness setting in and a lot of other symptoms they will attribute to just being where they are. It is not until they are out of danger where they are supposed to be safe, like back home, and they still feel it all, they know they have a problem. For so many facing PTSD while deployed, it is a great predictor of how many more will not be able to "just get over it" when they come back home.

The Army released a study a couple of years back stating clearly the risk of PTSD is raised by 50% for each redeployment. With them going back 4, 5, 6 times or more, it would not be a surprise to discover 80% of the troops deployed will face PTSD.

Marines in deadly Afghan valley face combat stress

By SEBASTIAN ABBOT
The Associated Press
Saturday, March 5, 2011

SANGIN, Afghanistan -- When U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Derek Goins deployed to the most dangerous place in Afghanistan five months ago, he mentally prepared for the risk of getting shot by the Taliban or stepping on bombs buried throughout this southern river valley.

But he wasn't ready for what happened to his two best friends, who were shot to death inside a patrol base by an Afghan army soldier who escaped into the arms of the Taliban.

"I grew up with those guys in the Marine Corps and shared a lot of laughs and tears with them," said Goins, 23, from Trumbull, Texas. "We expected to come here and fight and not just get murdered, and that's what it was."

The Marines who arrived in Sangin district of Helmand province in October have seen the kind of tragedy and combat stress that few can imagine - more than 30 deaths and 175 wounded, with scores losing arms and legs when they stepped on bombs.
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Marines in deadly Afghan valley face combat stress