Veteran
This concern stems from veterans in countries like the US and Australia, being disproportionately over-represented in psychological and substance abuse disorders relative to the general population.
[4] A small scale survey in 2020 indicated several ways in which veterans themselves feel that their representation in the media could be improved, by avoiding certain stereotypes.
A red or white Poppy is worn on the lapel (for remembrance or for peace, respectively) in the weeks up to the date, and wreaths and flowers laid at memorials to the dead.
[citation needed] In Russia, a tradition was established after World War II where newly married couples would on their wedding day visit a military cemetery.
Kowalsky says it was practical, innovative, and ahead of its time and was the most important piece of legislation enacted for disabled veterans in interwar Britain.
In addition to direct aid, it stimulated a national discussion regarding the need for employment programs for disabled veterans and the responsibility of the state, setting up a future demand for more benefits.
"[19] President Abraham Lincoln, in his second inaugural address in 1865 towards the end of the American Civil War, famously called for good treatment of veterans: "[T]o care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan".
The newly educated GIs created a significant economic impact, and with the aid of VA loans were able to buy housing and establish themselves as part of a growing American middle class.
Due to medical advances, warfare in the 21st century tends to yield more survivors with severe injuries which soldiers in previous wars would have died from.
[29] The effect of active military service can be profound and lasting, and some veterans have found it difficult to adjust to normal life again.
[32] The Times newspaper reported on 25 September 2009 that in England and Wales the number of "military veterans in jail has more than doubled in six years".
[33] Another Times article of the same date quoted the veterans mental health charity Combat Stress[34] as reporting a 53% increase in referrals from doctors.
[45] Research in several countries has found that the personnel most at risk include those who: had a troubled childhood;[43] are of low rank;[46][41][47][48] have close-combat roles in war;[41] and/or leave service soon after joining.
[46][40] Other risk factors common to military life include depression,[49] posttraumatic stress disorder,[46] alcohol misuse,[46][50] bullying[51][52][53][54] and sexual harassment.
[55][48][56] An article in the London Metro on 28 January 2010, 'Veterans prone to suicide', cited a report by the Mental Health Foundation saying that more needed to be done to care for UK veterans of the Afghanistan War.
[61] New treatment programs are emerging to assist veterans suffering from post-combat mental health problems such as depression and PTSD.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), is becoming an important method for the treatment of mental health issues among veterans, and is currently considered the standard of care for depression and PTSD by the United States Department of Defense.
Recently, online programs that pair CBT with therapist interaction have also proven effective in treating mental health problems among veterans.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is also an effective and noninvasive, drug-free treatment for PTSD, although it has not been tested against specific military traumatic exposure for efficacy.
In its most basic form the playing of recordings on the Victrola in WW I, hospitals had measurable positive effects on the wounded and shell-shocked patients.
[63] This may be because they do not wish to give attention to the negative effects of military service and the difficulties of readjustment to civilian life for it may have an adverse impact upon recruitment for their armed forces.
Military service can be a profoundly unnatural experience and it is likely that some help may be needed in debriefing and rehabilitation into the community, whether it be medical, psychological, practical or financial.
