MILITARY BASES BRACE FOR SURGE IN STRESS-RELATED DISORDERS WITH RETURNING VETS

Military bases brace for surge in stress-related disorders among returning war veterans

By LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press Writer

8:24 AM EST, November 29, 2008
http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-soldier-stress,0,2601257.story

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) _ Some 15,000 soldiers are heading home to this sprawling base after spending more than a year at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and military health officials are bracing for a surge in brain injuries and psychological problems among those troops.

Facing prospects that one in five of the 101st Airborne Division soldiers will suffer from stress-related disorders, the base has nearly doubled its psychological health staff. Army leaders are hoping to use the base's experiences to assess the long-term impact of repeated deployments.

The three 101st Airborne combat brigades, which have begun arriving home, have gone through at least three tours in Iraq. The 3rd Brigade also served seven months in Afghanistan, early in the war.

Next spring, the 4th Brigade will return from a 15-month tour in Afghanistan. So far, roughly 10,000 soldiers have come back; the remainder are expected by the end of January.Army leaders say they will closely watch Fort Campbell to determine the proper medical staffing levels needed to aid soldiers who have endured repeated rotations in the two war zones.