Military Health Annual Conference 2011

With thousands of warfighters returning from battle each month, the injuries they are bringing back with them are numerous. New weapons, including the ever-evolving improvised explosive devices (IEDs), are causing new injuries that aren’t always visible to the naked eye. As a result, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicide and traumatic brain injury (TBI) are at record levels and all of the military branches are working to prevent those injuries and heal those afflicted. But while the injuries are common, the topics of PTSD, depression and suicide are taboo, with many warriors nervous to tell their commanding officers or families that they are suffering from one of the “signature wounds.”
The purpose of this conference is to address some of the top concerns, including PTSD, TBI and suicide prevention, facing the military today, in order to prevent or cure warfighters of these injuries. The cases of signature wounds continue to rise, and just in the last year the numbers of suicide attempts and deaths has increased. But while the wounds continue to grow, so do the treatments and therapies to help our troops.