YUP, MORE "WHO CARES FOR THE TROOPS"

There are several problems with the military's health cares system and sending people on 3 or 4 tours only exacerbates them. I wonder what Laura Ingraham and Mark Levin will say?

Wartime PTSD cases jumped nearly 50 pct. in 2007
By PAULINE JELINEK – 32 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of troops diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder jumped by roughly 50 percent in 2007, the most violent year so far in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, Pentagon records show.

In the first time the Defense Department has disclosed a number for PTSD cases from the two wars, officials said nearly 40,000 troops have been diagnosed with the illness since 2003, though they believe many more are likely keeping their illness a secret.

"I don't think right now we ... have good numbers," Army Surgeon General Eric Schoomaker said Tuesday.

Schoomaker attributed the big rise partly to the fact that officials started an electronic record system in 2004 that captures more information, and to the fact that as time goes on the people keeping records are more knowledgeable about the illness.

He also blamed increased exposure of troops to combat. Factors increasing combat exposure in 2007 included President Bush's troops buildup, increased violence in both wars and the fact that a number of troops are serving their second, third or fourth tours of duty — a factor mental health experts says dramatically increases stress.

In order to supply enough forces for the buildup, officials also extended tour lengths to 15 months from 12, another factor that caused extra emotional strain.