Disabled Veterans Research Paper
Fisher 1
Aaron Fisher
English 111
Professor Heather Gemmen Wilson
July 20, 2016
Research Essay Draft
Post 9/11 Disabled Veterans and The Problems They Face
The number of disabled veterans has increased greatly since September 11th 2001 due to the resulting military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are roughly 22 million veterans in the United States and about 3.5 million of them have service-connected disability. This is due in large part to the increase in medical technology, so the post 9/11 veterans are surviving injuries that would have been certain death in previous wars and military campaigns. We as a country need to ensure these men and women who sacrificed for our freedom are being taken care of when they come home. According …show more content…
to the Center for Public Integrity “In the 12 years since
American troops first deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq, more than 2.6 million veterans have returned home to a country largely unprepared to meet their needs. The government that sent them to war has failed on many levels to fulfill its obligations to these veterans as demanded by
Congress and promised by both Republican and Democratic administrations”.
This was in 2013 and since then the number has continued to grow.
Many of these combat veterans, returning from war with what will be lifelong illnesses and disabilities, are struggling to get the help they were promised in the form of disability payments, jobs, health care and treatment for such afflictions as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries, physical disabilities and military sexual trauma. Veterans who survived
Heather Wilson:
This works so well for drawing your reader into your topic.
Heather Wilson: citation needed -- also, this should be a block quote because it's over four lines
Heather Wilson: thesis statement √
Fisher 2
Taliban and al Qaida attacks, roadside bombs, mortar fire and the deaths of fellow soldiers told
News21 that they have returned home to a future threatened by poverty, unemployment, homelessness and suicide. “The hardest thing you can ever do isn’t joining the military. It is hard,” said 30-year-old Luis Duran, a New Yorker who entered the Marine Corps after 9/11, deployed to Iraq and survived a suicide bomb. “The most difficult part is getting …show more content…
out.”
By far, the most vexing and public failure of the federal government has been its inability to distribute timely disability compensation to veterans with physical and mental injuries associated with their service — at a critical point in their transition home. A local union representative for Boston claims processors, Roger Moore, said employees set aside complicated claims to preserve their jobs. “It’s like, ‘He’s gotta wait, because I have to get my numbers or my job is in jeopardy,”. Members of Congress continue to demand that the claims of the more than
500,000 veterans waiting more than 125 days be processed and paid, but so far the VA’s fixes have not cleared the backlog. “They (soldiers) were put in these incredibly stressful situations and they also put their civilian jobs and education on hold, so it’s not like they win the lottery when they come back," said Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., of the benefits promised to veterans. “It’s meant to put them back on par with their peers, who had an advantage in the civilian sector while these men and women were gone.” Large numbers of post-9/11 veterans are seeking treatment and compensation for post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, considered nearly epidemic among those veterans. Both are widely claimed as an injury, and they are often difficult to assess and treat. PTSD and TBI are “the two most prolific wounds coming out of the war,” said retired Gen. Peter Chiarelli, the vice chief of staff of the U.S. Army from 2008 to 2012 and now CEO of One Mind, a research and advocacy nonprofit for mental health and brain diseases.
“I have to be considered a horrible failure in my ability to get a handle on this problem,”
Heather Wilson: such a great quote - and you've integrated it well
Fisher 3
Chiarelli said, noting the number of troops suffering from PTSD and TBI increased dramatically during his tenure.
There are roughly 22 million veterans in the United States, spanning eras of service from
World War I to the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the wake of the most recent conflicts, the number of veterans living with disabling injuries or illnesses has spiked sharply.
About 3.5 million veterans today have a service-connected disability. Many of these veterans rely on informal caregivers for daily, long-term support beyond what the formal treatment system provides.
These caregivers — whom we term military caregivers — are typically spouses, parents, children, or other relatives, but some are also friends and neighbors. They help in many ways, assisting with tasks of daily living (such as feeding and walking), offering mental and emotional support, helping to navigate the health care system, and handling legal and financial matters. The care and assistance they provide helps the United States honor its commitment to veterans and saves the nation millions of dollars in long-term care costs. These caregivers also help ensure that the nation's veterans live longer, better-quality lives. There are
5.5 million military caregivers in the United States. In the most comprehensive study ever done of these caregivers, we found that they fall into two distinct groups: those caring for veterans who served in the military before September 11, 2001, and those caring for veterans who served thereafter, many of whom were deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq. The two groups of caregivers differ in fundamental ways with respect to the burdens of care that they shoulder and the kinds of support that they need. Of the 5.5 million military caregivers in the United States, about
80 percent of them — or 4.4 million people — are caring for veterans from the pre-9/11 era. In many respects, these caregivers resemble those whom we call civilian caregivers (those who care for nonveterans). Nearly 90 percent of the military caregivers from the pre-9/11 era are older
Fisher 4 than 30. Almost half are older than 55, and more than half are either retired or otherwise unemployed. Like most civilian caregivers, people in this group are typically a daughter or son caring for an aging parent or someone caring for a spouse. Pre-9/11 veterans receiving informal care generally fit the traditional profile of an elderly person whose needs are related to aging. A relatively small percentage of these care recipients — 30 percent — have disabilities specifically related to their military service. The most common problems reported by these individuals are chronic diseases (such as hypertension, cancer, or diabetes) or cognitive impairments, such as dementia. About three-fourths also report physical problems, such as back pain. Most of the caregiving support provided to these pre-9/11 veterans involves assistance with the functional tasks of daily living often associated with elderly care, such as bathing, dressing, managing medications, or preparing meals. In providing this care, the large majority of pre-9/11 caregivers
— 71 percent — can draw on a network of additional family and friends for support.
In contrast, post-9/11 military caregivers present a very different profile. Most commonly, the caregiver is a young spouse or a parent taking care of a child, although a surprisingly large number of these caregivers are friends or neighbors — in some cases, a wartime buddy caring for a wounded comrade. Nearly 90 percent are 55 or younger, and more than a third are 30 or younger. In many cases, post-9/11 caregivers are juggling multiple responsibilities. Nearly two-thirds are employed, and 40 percent are raising at least one child.
The veterans whom this group cares for also differ. Most are young, and they are more likely than older veterans to suffer from the invisible wounds associated with combat experience.
Nearly two-thirds have mental health or substance use disorders (including posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety), and one-fifth have traumatic brain injuries; these impairments are roughly twice as prevalent as they are among pre-9/11 care recipients. Nearly 60 percent of
Fisher 5 post-9/11 care recipients say they are rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as having a service-connected disability, again almost twice the rate of pre-9/11 veterans. Perhaps also because of their youth, however, the post-9/11 care recipients report slightly better physical functioning abilities than their pre-9/11 counterparts. Because of this group's unique care needs, post-9/11 military caregivers typically spend less time with the traditional tasks of elderly caregiving (such as helping with bathing and dressing) but spend more time helping their loved one cope with stressful situations or avoid triggers of anxiety or antisocial behavior. And, unlike pre-9/11 caregivers, a majority lack a caregiving network that could support them. For all military caregivers, the demands are substantial. Between 50 and 60 percent of military caregivers spend at least ten hours per week providing caregiver support, though pre-9/11 caregivers spend, on average, four hours less per week performing caregiving tasks. Of all caregivers, those who are spouses of the person for whom they are caring spend, on average, 14 hours more per week providing caregiver support.
Coming Home: Attitudes towards U.S. Veterans Returning From Iraq was written by
Alair MacLean, Ph.D.; Meredith Kleykamp, Ph.D. They tried to determine if the general public stigmatized veterans because they have served in the military and been exposed to combat. The authors found that views toward service members who have served in the military and have been exposed to combat are mixed. In general, public perceptions of service members who have been exposed to combat coincide with stereotypes of behavior which indicate mental health instability, substance abuse, and violent behavior, however, the general public also simultaneously is generally supportive of veterans, favorably viewing their service, presenting a paradox. Since at least the Vietnam War and the poor treatment of veterans who served in that conflict, stigma relating to military service and combat experience has been a concern of veterans and the
Aaron Fisher
English 111
Professor Heather Gemmen Wilson
July 20, 2016
Research Essay Draft
Post 9/11 Disabled Veterans and The Problems They Face
The number of disabled veterans has increased greatly since September 11th 2001 due to the resulting military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are roughly 22 million veterans in the United States and about 3.5 million of them have service-connected disability. This is due in large part to the increase in medical technology, so the post 9/11 veterans are surviving injuries that would have been certain death in previous wars and military campaigns. We as a country need to ensure these men and women who sacrificed for our freedom are being taken care of when they come home. According …show more content…
to the Center for Public Integrity “In the 12 years since
American troops first deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq, more than 2.6 million veterans have returned home to a country largely unprepared to meet their needs. The government that sent them to war has failed on many levels to fulfill its obligations to these veterans as demanded by
Congress and promised by both Republican and Democratic administrations”.
This was in 2013 and since then the number has continued to grow.
Many of these combat veterans, returning from war with what will be lifelong illnesses and disabilities, are struggling to get the help they were promised in the form of disability payments, jobs, health care and treatment for such afflictions as post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries, physical disabilities and military sexual trauma. Veterans who survived
Heather Wilson:
This works so well for drawing your reader into your topic.
Heather Wilson: citation needed -- also, this should be a block quote because it's over four lines
Heather Wilson: thesis statement √
Fisher 2
Taliban and al Qaida attacks, roadside bombs, mortar fire and the deaths of fellow soldiers told
News21 that they have returned home to a future threatened by poverty, unemployment, homelessness and suicide. “The hardest thing you can ever do isn’t joining the military. It is hard,” said 30-year-old Luis Duran, a New Yorker who entered the Marine Corps after 9/11, deployed to Iraq and survived a suicide bomb. “The most difficult part is getting …show more content…
out.”
By far, the most vexing and public failure of the federal government has been its inability to distribute timely disability compensation to veterans with physical and mental injuries associated with their service — at a critical point in their transition home. A local union representative for Boston claims processors, Roger Moore, said employees set aside complicated claims to preserve their jobs. “It’s like, ‘He’s gotta wait, because I have to get my numbers or my job is in jeopardy,”. Members of Congress continue to demand that the claims of the more than
500,000 veterans waiting more than 125 days be processed and paid, but so far the VA’s fixes have not cleared the backlog. “They (soldiers) were put in these incredibly stressful situations and they also put their civilian jobs and education on hold, so it’s not like they win the lottery when they come back," said Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., of the benefits promised to veterans. “It’s meant to put them back on par with their peers, who had an advantage in the civilian sector while these men and women were gone.” Large numbers of post-9/11 veterans are seeking treatment and compensation for post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, considered nearly epidemic among those veterans. Both are widely claimed as an injury, and they are often difficult to assess and treat. PTSD and TBI are “the two most prolific wounds coming out of the war,” said retired Gen. Peter Chiarelli, the vice chief of staff of the U.S. Army from 2008 to 2012 and now CEO of One Mind, a research and advocacy nonprofit for mental health and brain diseases.
“I have to be considered a horrible failure in my ability to get a handle on this problem,”
Heather Wilson: such a great quote - and you've integrated it well
Fisher 3
Chiarelli said, noting the number of troops suffering from PTSD and TBI increased dramatically during his tenure.
There are roughly 22 million veterans in the United States, spanning eras of service from
World War I to the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the wake of the most recent conflicts, the number of veterans living with disabling injuries or illnesses has spiked sharply.
About 3.5 million veterans today have a service-connected disability. Many of these veterans rely on informal caregivers for daily, long-term support beyond what the formal treatment system provides.
These caregivers — whom we term military caregivers — are typically spouses, parents, children, or other relatives, but some are also friends and neighbors. They help in many ways, assisting with tasks of daily living (such as feeding and walking), offering mental and emotional support, helping to navigate the health care system, and handling legal and financial matters. The care and assistance they provide helps the United States honor its commitment to veterans and saves the nation millions of dollars in long-term care costs. These caregivers also help ensure that the nation's veterans live longer, better-quality lives. There are
5.5 million military caregivers in the United States. In the most comprehensive study ever done of these caregivers, we found that they fall into two distinct groups: those caring for veterans who served in the military before September 11, 2001, and those caring for veterans who served thereafter, many of whom were deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq. The two groups of caregivers differ in fundamental ways with respect to the burdens of care that they shoulder and the kinds of support that they need. Of the 5.5 million military caregivers in the United States, about
80 percent of them — or 4.4 million people — are caring for veterans from the pre-9/11 era. In many respects, these caregivers resemble those whom we call civilian caregivers (those who care for nonveterans). Nearly 90 percent of the military caregivers from the pre-9/11 era are older
Fisher 4 than 30. Almost half are older than 55, and more than half are either retired or otherwise unemployed. Like most civilian caregivers, people in this group are typically a daughter or son caring for an aging parent or someone caring for a spouse. Pre-9/11 veterans receiving informal care generally fit the traditional profile of an elderly person whose needs are related to aging. A relatively small percentage of these care recipients — 30 percent — have disabilities specifically related to their military service. The most common problems reported by these individuals are chronic diseases (such as hypertension, cancer, or diabetes) or cognitive impairments, such as dementia. About three-fourths also report physical problems, such as back pain. Most of the caregiving support provided to these pre-9/11 veterans involves assistance with the functional tasks of daily living often associated with elderly care, such as bathing, dressing, managing medications, or preparing meals. In providing this care, the large majority of pre-9/11 caregivers
— 71 percent — can draw on a network of additional family and friends for support.
In contrast, post-9/11 military caregivers present a very different profile. Most commonly, the caregiver is a young spouse or a parent taking care of a child, although a surprisingly large number of these caregivers are friends or neighbors — in some cases, a wartime buddy caring for a wounded comrade. Nearly 90 percent are 55 or younger, and more than a third are 30 or younger. In many cases, post-9/11 caregivers are juggling multiple responsibilities. Nearly two-thirds are employed, and 40 percent are raising at least one child.
The veterans whom this group cares for also differ. Most are young, and they are more likely than older veterans to suffer from the invisible wounds associated with combat experience.
Nearly two-thirds have mental health or substance use disorders (including posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety), and one-fifth have traumatic brain injuries; these impairments are roughly twice as prevalent as they are among pre-9/11 care recipients. Nearly 60 percent of
Fisher 5 post-9/11 care recipients say they are rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as having a service-connected disability, again almost twice the rate of pre-9/11 veterans. Perhaps also because of their youth, however, the post-9/11 care recipients report slightly better physical functioning abilities than their pre-9/11 counterparts. Because of this group's unique care needs, post-9/11 military caregivers typically spend less time with the traditional tasks of elderly caregiving (such as helping with bathing and dressing) but spend more time helping their loved one cope with stressful situations or avoid triggers of anxiety or antisocial behavior. And, unlike pre-9/11 caregivers, a majority lack a caregiving network that could support them. For all military caregivers, the demands are substantial. Between 50 and 60 percent of military caregivers spend at least ten hours per week providing caregiver support, though pre-9/11 caregivers spend, on average, four hours less per week performing caregiving tasks. Of all caregivers, those who are spouses of the person for whom they are caring spend, on average, 14 hours more per week providing caregiver support.
Coming Home: Attitudes towards U.S. Veterans Returning From Iraq was written by
Alair MacLean, Ph.D.; Meredith Kleykamp, Ph.D. They tried to determine if the general public stigmatized veterans because they have served in the military and been exposed to combat. The authors found that views toward service members who have served in the military and have been exposed to combat are mixed. In general, public perceptions of service members who have been exposed to combat coincide with stereotypes of behavior which indicate mental health instability, substance abuse, and violent behavior, however, the general public also simultaneously is generally supportive of veterans, favorably viewing their service, presenting a paradox. Since at least the Vietnam War and the poor treatment of veterans who served in that conflict, stigma relating to military service and combat experience has been a concern of veterans and the