combating
ptsd
There is no question that posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, and other mental health disorders are commonly seen among the military population. Among the general population, the estimated lifetime incidence of PTSD Is 6.8%, while the incidence of PTSD among U.S. Veterans is 12.9% (Hill& Ponton). Alarmingly, these rates seem even more severe when paired with the knowledge that 2 out of 3 veterans with PTSD also have major depressive disorder. There are some methods that are taken to both prevent PTSD and improve early diagnoses. Three phases of prevention include: interventions applied to the entire military population before traumatic events, interventions applied to individuals who are known to have been exposed to trauma, and interventions applied to individuals who are displaying symptoms of PTSD or who have been diagnosed with acute stress disorder to prevent the progression of symptoms to reach the level of clinical PTSD (NCBI).
What is post-traumatic stress disorder?
Post-traumatic stress disorder occurs after someone witnesses or experiences a traumatic event or time.
rates among military service members
A General Discharge means that you have performed some or most of your duties in a exemplary fashion; however, there may have been an incident of misconduct, or perhaps a failure to adapt to a particular environment or group. A General Discharge is not necessarily bad in that it does not have a stigma associated with it, and veterans may still be able to reenlist, however, they should confer with a Resource Specialist to gain more clarification.
what is being done to prevent ptsd among service members
It’s important to remember that if you are seeking transitional assistance with an OTH standing, you are still wholly eligible to enroll at zero8hundred. An Other Than Honorable discharge indicates a number of offenses occurred during your tenure with the military. These offenses typically include incidents of drug use or possession, harassment or assault, and problems with authority. Military reenlistment is not common, though also not impossible with an OTH discharge status.
symptoms of ptsd
A Dishonorable Discharge is the harshest discharge status a military service member can receive, as it is given via court-martial and not by military administration. Service members who receive this standing are accused of felonies involving homicide, fraud, desertion, and crimes that would put any person, service member or not, in hot water. If you receive a Dishonorable Discharge, it is not possible to reenlist with the military. However, those with Dishonorable Discharges can still enroll at zero8hundred to find resources that are willing to assist you with your transition.
need resources on ptsd?
Military personnel records (DD214’s) are only made public exactly 62 years from the date of your military separation. This information used to be publicly accessible up until 2004, when The United States implemented The Privacy Act to protect civilians and military personnel alike. In order to receive someone’s military record prior to this date, they would either need to be the next-of-kin, and would also have to file a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Next of kin includes:
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A survived, unmarried military spouse
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Father or Mother
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Son or Daughter
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Brother or Sister
Veterans themselves can also order a copy of their DD214 Form from the National Archives upon submission of a copying fee.
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To gain more closure about the opportunities available for service members with different discharge statuses, enroll at zero8hundred to speak confidentially with one of our trained Resource Specialists.