Strain on US forces in Afghanistan at a five-year high

Strain on US forces in Afghanistan at a five-year high
Stars and Stripes

U.S. troops fighting in Afghanistan are experiencing some of the greatest psychological stress and lowest morale in five years of fighting, reports a military study according to USA Today.

"We're an Army that's in uncharted territory here," says Gen. Peter Chiarelli, Army vice chief of staff, according to the report. "We have never fought for this long with an all-volunteer force that's 1% of the population."

Mental health strain was most severe among veterans of three or more deployments, with a third of those showing signs of psychological problems defined as either stress, depression or anxiety, the report obtained by USA Today says.

The research, based on a survey of soldiers and Marines in 2010, also found that the praise the troops have for their unit sergeants has never been higher as the United States approaches the 10th year of its longest war, according to the article.
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Strain on US forces in Afghanistan at a five-year high