Family Matters Blog

U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addresses the audience at the Defense Forum in Alexandria, Va., Sept. 16, 2009. DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

By Elaine Wilson, AFPS
Sept. 16, 2009

Last month, I received several comments on the topic of mental wellness, particularly suicide, and the need for more preventive measures and programs. I’ve seen several articles focusing on the mental well-being of servicemembers and their families lately — it’s definitely a big concern for defense leaders — and wanted to pass on the highlights of a few of the latest.

In an article on Defense.gov Sept. 16, 2009, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, focused on the need to care for servicemembers and their families dealing with war wounds.

Hundreds of thousands of servicemembers have returned from eight years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan with wounds that range from minor to severely debilitating. Some need education, jobs, health care, housing, financial and emotional support to move on with their lives.

The chairman said the process of providing long-term care and reintegrating servicemembers and their families into their communities needs a multifaceted approach by the military, other government agencies and the private sector.

Mullen admitted he’s frustrated with the pace of change within the government. “We’ve got to move this as rapidly as we can,” he said.

To see the full article, go to:

U.S. Just Beginning to Deal With War Wounds, Mullen Says

Army Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli addresses citizen-soldiers and -airmen from 54 states and territories at the 131st Annual National Guard Association of the United States conference in Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 13, 2009. Chiarelli emphasized caring for soldiers and their families’ mental well-being as part of the Army’s strategy to care for its forces. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Nick Choy

Another article on Defense.gov highlights the military’s efforts to help servicemembers and their families weather the challenges of military life.

In the article, Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli said the Army is putting a renewed emphasis on soldiers’ mental well-being.

“We have a force that is much more resilient than I ever thought it was going to be, but it is much more stressed,” he said. “In recent years, we’ve seen an increase in the number of soldiers, both active and reserve components, struggling with depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Army has confirmed 111 soldier suicides as of early September, and 54 suicides have been confirmed in the Army National Guard and Army Reserve. Chiarelli noted that violence, alcohol and substance abuse, and destructive or reckless behaviors have increased among soldiers.

“The challenge facing the Army today is the overall well-being of the force,” he added. “And that force includes the families.”

The Army’s aim, he said, is to increase soldiers’ overall resiliency and to make them aware of programs that can help.

Chiarelli calls for proactive measures to combat issues early, longer “dwell times” between deployments and better health care for the Guard and Reserve.
He also noted that the Army plans to add 417 behavioral health specialists to its rolls to mitigate mental health issues associated with increasing deployments and a growing operations tempo.

To see the full article, go to:

Army Aims to Improve Soldiers’ Mental Well-being

For related information, see:
‘Dream Team’ of Researchers Seeks Ways to Combat Suicide in Army

Uncertainty About Military Suicides Frustrates Services