Psyc 190 Warriors at Home

Dr. Elena Klaw

Overview of college student veterans

Approximately 2 million U.S. Military members have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

As of 2009, vets made up about 4% of all undergraduate students.

80% of vets returning to CA attend community colleges.

1/5 of vet students are disabled:14% major depression, 14% PTSD, and 19% probable Traumatic Brain Injury- all risks for partner violence.

PTSD and depression are estimated to cost from $4.0 to $6.2 billion over the next 2 years.

Vet students are less engaged in college life and report more isolation and less support.

Unique challenges of OIF/OEF vets

Combat situations in which everyone viewed as a threat.

Constant hypervigilance to maintain safety. Increased likelihood of repeat deployments

without prolonged downtime between tours. Increased survival rate of injured veterans. Increased rates of TBI and minor TBI. Increased role of women in the military. Increased communication with family when

deployed. Increased financial/employment concerns. Lack of public awareness of military role. Need to negotiate a new identity in civilian

world.

Important Issue to Consider

Traumatic stress as a continuum of reactions not just as a disorder, including acute combat stress reactions, normal adjustment difficulties, and post deployment changes in the self.

Transition/reintegration/and readjustment are a process and predeployment, deployment and postdeployment experiences are unique.

Women in the Military Jan 24, 2013, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta

announced that the U.S. will remove restrictions preventing women from serving in front-line combat roles, opening as many as 230,000 military jobs to women

The goal is to complete integration by 2016. Women had already served in non frontline-combat

work in the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

14% of the military’s 1.4 million active members are women.

Over 20,000 women have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Approximately 130 women have been killed serving in Iraq or Afghanistan and over 800 have been wounded.

Women in Combat Military rules have traditionally prevented

women from taking roles deemed too physically demanding, roles that involve direct ground combat, roles that require living alongside men, long-range reconnaissance tasks, and membership in special operations forces such as the NAVY Seals.

Nov 13, 2013: The first 3 women passed the Marine Corps Combat Training course, a 9 week exam involving live fire events and a 20 Kilometer timed hike (jog) with 80-90 lbs. of gear.

Serving women who have served

Women veterans have distinct mental and physical health concerns and experiences and health care providers are learning how to address them.