Band-aids for a hemorrhage....

Band-aids for a hemorrhage

"Overwhelmed by the number of soldiers returning from war with mental problems, the Army is planning to hire at least 25 percent more psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers."

A contract finalized this week but not yet announced calls for spending $33 million to add about 200 mental health professionals to help soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health needs, officials told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The 200 new medical health workers will be added to more than 600 uniformed and civilian mental health professionals now working at three dozen Army medical centers and hospitals.

Yet, about 35 percent of soldiers are seeking some kind of mental health treatment a year after returning home under a program that screens returning troops for physical and mental health.

According to the Institute for Policy Studies "More than 210,000 of the National Guard’s 330,000 soldiers have served in Iraq and Afghanistan." . Which totals 540,000 troops have rotated in and out of our quagmire war theatre.

If 35 percent are seeking some kind of mental health treatment after returning home, then that works out to 189,000 of our soldiers that require professional mental health attention. With only 800 mental health workers, that works out to roughly 236 patients per worker. If they work a 40 hour week, for 48 weeks of the year- five days a week, eight hours a day... each patient in need of mental health treatment will get about eight hours of attention per year. Now how do you think that will play out?

Once again, this worst of all administrations, is setting us up for another disaster that will unravel badly within our society, whilst they retire behind the high walls and security that I am sure they will need for the rest of their miserable, criminal lives.

-- normanx