The War on Terror started as a result of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001. This resulted in a war lasting over 10 years, with many casualties and injuries. With improvements in technology and higher survival rates of service members with amputations, there is greater population who will require prolonged care. Wounded, ill and injured service members (WII) are defined as a population of military with a disability that the Department of Defense (DoD) has defined as being attributable to an injury which the member was awarded the Purple Heart; or was incurred as a direct result of an armed conflict; while engaged in hazardous service; in the performance of duty under conditions simulating war or through an instrumentality of war. Injured, according to DoD, means suffering from any intentional or unintentional physical trauma, psychological trauma, distress, or damage to the body. The term "serious illness or injury" in the case of a member of the Armed Forces, means an injury or illness incurred by the member in the line of duty in the Armed Forces that may render the member medically unfit to perform the duties.
The Facts:
1. Since the War on Terrorism began after 9/11, there have been over 50,000 combat wounded from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Approximately, 51% have transitioned back into the military.
2. Lifetime occurrence (prevalence) for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in combat veterans 10-30%. In the past year alone the number of diagnosed cases of PTSD in the military jumped 50%- and that's just diagnosed cases. Studies estimate that 1 in every 5 military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan has PTSD. 20 % of the soldiers who have been deployed in the past 6 years have PTSD. That's over 300,000.
3. 17% of combat troops are women; 71% of female military personnel develop PTSD due to sexual assault within the ranks.
4. Overall 253,330 servicemen and women have suffered traumatic brain injury on the battlefield or elsewhere.
5. Among the combat wounded from all branches over 1,570 patients have major limb amputations, including 486 wounded troops with multiple amputations. 83% of amputees have lost one or both legs, mostly from the blast of an improvised explosive device.
6. 26% of spouses reported that, regardless of diagnosis, their service member had exhibited symptoms of PTSD. Of those who reported that their service member had exhibited symptoms of PTSD, 62% had not sought treatment.
7. There are almost 800 wounded, ill and injured that are receiving care in the Washington DC area right now.
Why is USO-Metro poised to make a difference here?
The Washington DC area has the highest population of recovering wounded warriors in the nation. USO-Metro is uniquely poised to address this issue because we have been providing services at the hospital for over 70 years. We are the only organization that has major operational facilities adjacent to military healthcare. The USO Warrior and Family Center on Fort Belvoir is located on the same complex as the Warrior Transition Command and the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. Our second USO Warrior and Family Center at Bethesda is currently under construction at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
