WYPR: The VA Increases Mental Health Services for Veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan Conflicts (2008-08-13)

Maryland Army National Guard members get a heroes' welcome, of course, returning from service in Iraq or Afghanistan. But as the Bush administration's war effort continues, there are repeat tours of duty and added stress on those who wear the uniform.WYPR's Bob Costantini spotlights the mental health outreach efforts that are now increasing as the number of veterans grows:

IC: All that has to happen today is you say it happened.

Lieutenant Colonel Mike Gafney is in charge of the Maryland national guard's efforts to provide medical and psychological help to soldiers who've returned from the battle zones.

At the VA medical center in downtown Baltimore he looks out over about 90 troops, mostly men, from a combat infantry brigade, who spent nine months in Iraq, leading convoys, and looking for roadside bombs.

Dressed in fatigues, Gafney, in effect, commands those before him to talk about any injuries they may have sustained:

TAPE: (11 SECONDS) Gafney address to soldiers track 7, 0:46
IC: and you didn't report it because you were too busy; you didn't go to sick call, I don't care. The only thing that has to happen today is you say that, Hey, my shoulder hurts; my back hurts; I can't sleep '

Probably, in the past couple of years, that soldiers have been coming back with a lot of problems that the Army has really gotten down to looking at their mental health problems.

Gafney says, those most affected will spend the rest of their lifetimes in the VA healthcare system, decades of reminders of a war that nowadays doesn't often make the top of the news. Also, politicians continue debating whether the programs are adequately funded.

Jake? Jake, are you OK?...I'm fine .

The infantrymen struggle to sit through a video about nightmares and intimacy with a spouse, without blurting out macho comments.

In a group setting, they can be expected to shrug off mental health concerns. They have seen roadside bombs go off, not war in a classic sense, but straining, nonetheless.

[Doctor]- in Iraq, nine months?
[Haney] Yes!

Specialist Michael Haney, of Baltimore Highlands, has done two tours of duty with the Maryland guard in Iraq, the 24-year-old cardinal gibbons graduate lets us listen in as he meets with a volunteer doctor doing physical and mental health screenings:

[Doctor] Have you been concerned with thoughts that you would be better off dead?
[Haney] No.
[Doctor] Any concern that you may lose control or hurt someone?
[Haney] No.

Obviously, specialist Haney allowed us to listen as he felt there was nothing personal he needed to say. But even he admits there were weeks of letting go of the constant anxiety that at a moment's notice, something might happen:

I pay a little more attention to things, nowadays; like, you're driving down the road, you're constantly looking, because over there, you're always looking for something, so the first couple weeks we were home, it took a little getting used to, cause you're riding down the road and the loud noises startle you a little bit.

Getting a sense of the bigger picture is Christina Watlington

I'm a staff psychologist with the V-A Maryland Health Care system.

Down the road, she will meet with any veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan, who are suffering mental health issues. Her pleasant smile, calm voice and whole demeanor, put a radio reporter at ease. When she does the questioning, it's easy to see how she could draw out personal feelings from even the most reluctant subjects.

War is war and thousands are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan in need of help:

Post-traumatic stress disorder, relationship issues and maybe sleep disturbance would be three that we may see; I also throw in depression, because that comes up as well.

Army statistics say these disorders can affect as many as 25-percent of returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, for years to come.

I'm Bob Costantini, reporting from downtown Baltimore, for 88.1, WYPR.