Positive aspects of soldiers returning from war

Financial benefits

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) in the US provides a number of benefits

for service members, veterans and their families.
Compensation service: a benefit paid to veterans who have acquired disability or
disease during military service. This benefit is tax free.
Pension service: provides supplemental income through Veteran Pension and Death
Pension payments to assist veterans and their families protect their benefits when in
financial crisis.
Insurance service: provides life insurance for veterans and their families.
Education service: provides educational and training benefits to all serving and
veteran military staff.
Vocational rehabilitation and employment: assists service members and veterans
with service-connected disabilities to apply and maintain suitable employment. This
service also offers career counseling.
Veterans Relationship Management program: provides service members and
veterans with up to date information on all services that can be provided.
Aid & Attendance benefits: paid to veterans who require medical and/or physical
assistance due to service-related injuries.
Housebound benefits: paid as an add-on to veterans monthly pension payment to
housebound veterans.
Survivor benefit plan: an insurance plan to cover spouses whose service member
retirees may pass away, providing them with financial support. It is designed to
protect spouses from veterans early deaths, spouses outliving veteran benefits, and
inflation. This plan takes effect automatically upon retirement from the forces.
Additional incentive and special payments are provided to service members for
special assignments, work at sea or flight.

Salary for a new entrant (lowest salary)

Salary for a Brigader (highest salary)

14,492
106,166

Returning from deployment

Troops are flown directly to their home states.

Troops receive a post-deployment assessment where they receive physical and
dental examinations.
Upon their return, all troops are provided with an individual transition plan.
A follow-up assessment is provided 90 180 days after returning home.
Troops are offered a three-day Transition Assistance Program seminar.
Links and online facilities are provided to veterans to maintain contact with
workmates.
All ex-service members are guaranteed a Military Funeral Honors.

Reunion with families

Even before they finish service, troops are warned that family relationships may
change.
Counseling and literature is made openly available to service members and their
families, before and after deployment.

Healthcare

Physical and dental examinations are provided before returning home.

Psychological counseling is offered to veterans with war-related traumas.
Amputees are transported to a major military hospital where families can stay in free
accommodation.

Negative aspects of soldiers returning from war

Antisocial behavior

Research by Deirdre McManus for Kings Centre for Military Health Research.
Published in August 2012. Sample of 4,928 soldiers who were deployed in Iraq in
2003.
1 in 8 soldiers have attacked someone after returning from the Iraqi war.
12.6% of UK military personnel were violent upon returning home.
Those who had antisocial behavior before joining the Army were 3.6 times more likely
to be violent following their return.
Those who did not have a past of antisocial behavior were 2 times more likely to be
violent upon returning home.
20% of soldiers reported some level of post-traumatic stress disorder following the
Iraqi war.
Army personnel who experienced post-traumatic stress disorder were 4.8 times more
likely to report violence.
Personnel who reported alcohol abuse were 3.1 times more likely to be violent.
One third of victims to the abuse were family members of the tested sample.

Violent upon returning home

Soldiers suffering from PTSD
Victims of violence were family
Antisocial behavior prior to deployment
No previous antisocial behavior
Alcohol abuse reported
Soldiers suffering from PTSD

12.6%
20.0%
33.3%
3.6 times more likely to be violent
2 times more likely to be violent
3.1 times more likely to be violent
4.8 times more likely to be violent

Suicide

Research by BBC Panorama. Published in July 2013. Results from every coroner in
the UK based on the Afghanistan war.
7 soldiers committed suicide while serving.
Another 14 soldiers deaths were unconfirmed but pointed towards suicide.
29 further soldiers committed suicide upon returning home from service.
A total of 50 suicides.

Number of suicides while serving

Number of suicides upon returning home
Total number of suicides

21 (7 confirmed suicides)
29
50

Adjustment issues

The hardest part, by far, is to make the bad pictures go away. In war time, the world
is one big long horror movie, image after image. If this is anything like Vietnam, Im in
for a lifetime of wee-hour creeps. Tim OBrien, Vietnam Veteran.
Has been in action/away for a prolonged period of time.
Issues reported adjusting to a normal everyday routine.
Psychological issues (such as PTSD) can prevent veterans from socialising or
functioning properly.
Reports of nightmares related to traumas from action.
Reports of feeling alone without regiment.
Reports of resulting homelessness due to adjustment issues and possible PTSD.
Decompression time provided to soldiers. 24-48 hours in Cyprus and encouraged to
get drunk. Unpopular protocol.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

In America, 20% of soldiers who returned home from Afghanistan and Iraq have been
diagnosed with PTSD.
In 2011, 476,514 American soldiers were treated for PTSD.
10.5% of UK soldiers returning from Afghanistan and Iraq suffer from PTSD.
Since September 2011, more than 191,000 troops have been deployed, meaning that
in the next decade a possible 13,000 troops may return with mental health issues.
Symptoms include: sadness, nightmares/vivid memories/flashbacks, emotional
numbness, depression, anxiety, irritability, sleeplessness, self harm, harm to others,
losing interest in things, lack of connection to family and/or friends.
1 in 5 US soldiers suffer from PTSD.
4 in 5 US soldiers recover from PTSD.

Number of US soldiers treated for PTSD

UK soldiers with PTSD
US soldiers with PTSD
US soldiers that recover from PTSD

476,514
10.5%
20.0%
80.0%

Homelessness

Research by the Royal British Legion in 2008.

The averaged term served in the army by sample of homeless studied was 4 5
years.
In 1997, 22% (3,000 4,000) of homeless people in London had served in the army.
Research found that the main causes of homelessness amongst army veterans were:
social isolation upon return, alcohol/drug addiction, transition to normal life, financial
crisis and relationship breakdown.
It is unconfirmed whether these causes are due to military service or not.

Homeless veterans in London

Veterans in London homelessness
Caucasian homeless veterans

1,100
6.0%
100.00%

Injuries and fatalities

Research taken by the Ministry of Defense based on British Army casualties.

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Totals

Fatalities

53

22

23

29

47

179

Very-Seriously Injured

14

14

11

24

73

Seriously Injured

32

31

15

21

45

149

Field-Hospital

n/a

n/a

n/a

1,302

1,300

778

218

3,598

n/a

n/a

n/a

701

603

433

234

1,971

99

67

43

2,064

2,019

1,224

454

5,970

Admissions
Aero-medical
evacuations
Totals

Research taken by the Ministry of Defense.

As of December 2014, there have been 300 UK Army amputees as a result of wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan.

This resultantly affects these soldiers lives upon returning home and greatly dictates
the potential of their futures.