Combat distributes life-long problems, now a flood

Carol Forsloff - Men and women are coming home from combat with disabilities, both mental
and physical, as well as reduced employment, with the impact distributed
fairly evenly on people of unequal status.

What research has found, in studies of men who entered the military with
certain advantages, and those without advantages, are all suffering from
the combat-related issues.

Before it had been hypothesized that it was particularly those with fewer advantages who suffered most.

Alair MacLean, writing in the The American Sociological Review, a few years ago examined t the research data and reflected on the issues, stating how the suffering of men  in war
are particularly acute, and that their prior experience and economic status did not prepare them for the stresses of combat any more than those who did not have these foundations.

The expressions of the problems may be somewhat different, but the specific impact related to the person was still found to be acute.

Marriages have been failing, men and women have high unemployment, there are higher rates of PTSD and those with brain injuries are increasing.  Those in combat have been found to suffer more and specifically more than those in non-combat situations.

All of this puts pressure on the country at a time when resources are not abundant to care for these needs.  So the knowledge that even the intellectually and physically hardy are seriously wounded physically and emotionally in the Middle East wars is a wake-up call, according to sociologists.

"These findings are consistent with the theory that combat creates direct cumulative disadvantage, increasing the odds that servicemen will be disabled throughout their lives if they fight in wars," according to Alair MacLean, author of the paper, "The Things They Carry: Combat, Disability and Unemployment Among U.S. Men."

"As the findings show, traumatic events can leave those who suffer them at
an initial disadvantage that continues throughout their work lives, MacLean concludes.

It is a worrisome thing for the United States as according to news of 2014 more and more veterans are expected to be returning from the wars, in a flood, with PTSD.