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GIVING BACK TO OUR MILITARY FAMILIES: THE SOLDIERS PROJECT
Over 1,600,000 troops have been deployed to Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom) and Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) during the past five years . Of those who have returned home from overseas, the prevalence rates for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and related psychiatric problems may be as high as 30%. Officially, the Veterans Administration estimates that 11% of Afghanistan veterans and 18% of Iraq veterans have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Regardless of the actual number, the implications for mental health clinicians are profound. Repeated and extended deployments are extremely stressful for the men and women involved and their families. Literally thousands of traumatized individuals, many of them in their 20’s, will be presenting with a wide range of serious behavioral and emotional problems.

THE SOLDIERS PROJECT is a private, non-profit group of volunteer licensed psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, mental health nurses, and marriage and family therapists that was established to provide FREE confidential counseling to military personnel who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan and their loved ones (including girlfriends, boyfriends, spouses, children, parents and grandparents). The SOLDIERS PROJECT is outside the military; it operates on a private practice model, with free counseling sessions offered in private offices, with no red tape, a flexible schedule, and no limit to the number of sessions.

Veterans, wives, husbands, children, parents, and other loved ones are all affected by the separation that is part of serving in the military. Returning home from being in combat in a country at war presents real challenges made even greater when a soldier has been deployed multiple times. The ethos of the military is to survive and endure, not to seek out help, which makes our efforts all the more critical. Families are adjusting to a shifting dynamic, and need marital, educational, and occupational guidance as well.

The children of our dedicated military men and women are especially vulnerable to the impact of these separations imposed by war as their parents are away serving out their tours of duty. As if this were not difficult enough, there are those who must bear permanent loss due to a parent’s service related combat death or even suicide.

While we have made strides in our awareness and support of veterans there is much more work to be done. We want to reach out to returning veterans, family members and therapists who would like to become involved, and encourage all to visit www.thesoldiersproject.org on the internet, or call Susan R. Cohen PH.D, RN, CS, Co-Chair, Long Island Division, THE SOLDIERS PROJECT of NY at (516) 284-7531.