..[A]fter a string of damning reports and stinging congressional hearings, there is a rush to help these wounded warriors. A massive mobilization across the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments – with crucial assistance from veteran advocacy groups and nonprofit organizations – is under way to help veterans transition from combat to civilian life.The result is a cornucopia of services that remains extraordinarily difficult to navigate, even with perseverance and the help of others who know how to work the system.
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Better medical technology, improved treatment techniques and beefed-up armament means soldiers survive wounds that would have killed them in past wars. Using a narrow definition, the Defense Department reports that more than 28,000 troops have been wounded in Iraq, while just over 3,100 died from combat wounds.
For good order, the DoD numbers are bullshit. According to a Harvard study (pdf), as of January 2007, 152,669 servicemen had applied for disability benefits - far more than the DoD's 28,000 wounded figure, even if half of the applicants were pure PTSD claims (which they're not: "Some 20% have suffered brain trauma, spinal injuries or amputations; another 20% have suffered other major injuries such as amputations, blindness, partial blindness or deafness, and serious burns.").
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Better medical technology, improved treatment techniques and beefed-up armament means soldiers survive wounds that would have killed them in past wars. Using a narrow definition, the Defense Department reports that more than 28,000 troops have been wounded in Iraq, while just over 3,100 died from combat wounds.
For good order, the DoD numbers are bullshit. According to a Harvard study (pdf), as of January 2007, 152,669 servicemen had applied for disability benefits - far more than the DoD's 28,000 wounded figure, even if half of the applicants were pure PTSD claims (which they're not: "Some 20% have suffered brain trauma, spinal injuries or amputations; another 20% have suffered other major injuries such as amputations, blindness, partial blindness or deafness, and serious burns.").