USA Today reporters discuss Liberty shooting - Marine Corps News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Marine Corps Times

USA Today reporters discuss Liberty shooting

The Army sergeant accused of murdering five fellow troops, identified by the military Tuesday as Sgt. John Russell, had been seeking treatment at a “stress center” on a military base in Baghdad. The shooting, which is the worst incident of soldier-on-soldier violence in the Iraq war, has prompted a military investigation into the effectiveness of its mental health care system, as well as renewed focus on troops who serve multiple tours in the six-year-long war.

USA Today’s Gregg Zoroya, a Washington-based reporter, has reported extensively on mental health issues in the military. In February, Alan Gomez, a McLean, Va.-based reporter, visited a stress center at Camp Liberty, the same military base where Monday’s shooting occurred. They answer questions about the incident.

Question: How common is it for troops to have mental health issues while they’re in Iraq or Afghanistan?

Answer: Army studies of soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan show that roughly one in five develop post-traumatic stress disorder, depression or anxiety.

The mental health problems grow more severe with each new deployment. Studies show that larger numbers of veteran non-commissioned officers — the sergeants and staff sergeants who are considered the “backbone” of the military — develop mental health problems with each successive deployment. Nearly three out of 10 begin suffering these problems by the third or fourth deployment.

Russell was nearing the end of his third deployment, Maj. Gen. David Perkins, a U.S. military spokesman, said Tuesday in Baghdad.

Q: How does the military typically identify troops who need counseling or other help?

A: Soldiers or Marines who show signs of problems can be referred for mental health care at warzone clinics by commanders, or even ordered to seek help. They are also encouraged to step forward and seek help on their own.

Uniformed psychologists and psychiatrists try to visit installations and meet with troops informally or make themselves available as counselors, as do chaplains. Troops are encouraged to watch out for each other and are given multiple training sessions and other information to help them identify warning signs for people going through depression, stress and suicidal behavior.

As of March of this year, there were 225 mental health care providers working in Iraq at more than 25 locations. They were receiving about 4,000 patients per month. They were also conducting 500 mental health classes for troops each month, serving 10,000 service members, says Air Force Maj. John Redfield, a spokesman for CentCom.

Q: What are some of the causes of mental health issues among troops?

A: Combat-related trauma, extended deployments and a rash of brain injuries have been among the more frequently cited reasons.

Military psychologists and troops in Iraq also mention less conventional explanations. They range from boredom as combat operations cease in Iraq to, paradoxically, the improvement in communication that allows troops to keep in better touch with their loved ones — but also immerses them in family problems while they’re at war.

Q: What are the “stress centers” at military bases in Iraq like?

A: Stress centers are located on some of the larger U.S. military bases in Iraq. Filled with psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers, service members can use them on an outpatient basis or spend multiple days there for more intensive treatment.

The centers offer acute therapy to help service members cope with the stresses of war through one-on-one counseling or group therapy sessions. They also offer marriage counseling, family therapy and other programs to help deal with issues back home.

Q: What challenges does the military face in providing adequate mental health services? Are there many shortcomings?

A: Stigma remains a problem — soldiers worry about admitting they have mental health problems. Lt. Col. Peyton Hurt, the senior psychiatrist in Iraq, says he spends a lot of time battling what he calls the old Army way: “You suck it up and drive on.”

There can also be problems with access to care, particularly for troops deployed to far-flung areas such as combat bases in Afghanistan. In those cases, troops must receive special permission to travel, sometimes taking up to 40 hours, back to larger installations where they can meet with mental health specialists.