The hidden wounds of war
By Senator Stephen M. Brewer

Throughout our history, servicemen and women who have bravely served our country have returned to daily life suffering from mental and emotional consequences due to the trauma of war. As America citizens, as patriots, it is our responsibility to welcome our soldiers home by providing them with the highest quality of benefits that they need and deserve, including mental health services, and I am honored to have been appointed Co-chairman of the Special Committee to Study the Effects of War on Returning Veterans. The Commission, created by Chapter 1 of the Resolves of 2008, has been tasked with studying the mental health effects of war on those who return from active duty.

Twenty-five percent of Massachusetts soldiers who have defended our country since that fateful day in September 2001 have returned to face serious mental health challenges. According to a report released by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Mental Health Problems Among Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans, approximately 30,000 veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have sought mental health services from the Department of Veterans Affairs since November 2006. Additionally, the IAVA expects that one in three Iraq veterans and one in nine Afghanistan veterans will face a mental health issue such as depression, anxiety, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

While this is a heartbreaking and extremely difficult issue to study, it is incredibly important that we learn about the hidden wounds of war that may affect our servicemembers' return to civilian life. An unfortunate stigma has become associated with mental health issues and I strongly believe that it is our responsibility to encourage servicemembers to seek the help they need without judgment and with reassurance. They are our brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, best friends and childhood classmates. They are the individuals that we would drive to the hospital with broken arms or sprained ankles and would nurse back to health from the flu, and so we should treat them with the same respect and dignity as they heel their mental and emotional wounds.

I am a proud American and nothing pains me more than the agony of our brave heroes. It is with pride that I serve on a commission that studies one more way that we can repay the debt we owe to them. And so I challenge you to be understanding and supportive, to hold the hand of the soldier who tells is suffering from the mental ramifications of battle, to encourage our soldiers to seek help and to help them to stand proud of who they are and to remind them of what they have done for our country.

If you or someone you know would like to seek help, the Massachusetts Department of Veterans Services (DVS) provides vital resources to returning veterans. You can learn more by calling DVS at (617) 210-5480 or accessing the Web site, www.mass.gov/dvs. Additionally, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides a suicide prevention hotline that can be reached at 1-800-273- TALK (8255). Finally, each town employs a Veterans Services Office (VSO) who can provide you with information about benefits and services in your area.

State Sen. Stephen Brewer (D-Barre) is a guest columnist for The Community Journal. He represents a district of 29 cities and towns that includes Ashburnham and is vice chair of the Ways and Means and the Public Safety & Homeland Security committees and is a member of the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee.