Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Military Veterans: Active Combat versus Non-Active Combat

1. Active Combat versus Non-Active Combat
Rebecca Elkins
Argosy University

2. There are many studies found relating to Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder, commonly known as
PTSD, in military veterans of war; however, very
little of this information is made known to the
public. There seems to be more information on
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder being published
in recent years; this is likely a result of the
present war on terrorism and the constant
development in the field of psychology. Each
study will be presented by discussing research
findings and the relativity to the subject of Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder in military veterans.

3. PTSD in the Workplace
Lafferty, Alford, Davis, and O'Connor’s (2008) study
on military veterans with Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder posed an interesting point of view. In this
study, Lafferty, Alford, Davis, and O'Connor looked
at veterans with PTSD and what it is like for them to
reintegrate into the workplace when coming out of a
war zone. This study discussed symptoms of PTSD
that could be noticeable to employers, gives
explanation for the development of PTSD, discusses
how a civilian should handle a veteran who is
experiencing PTSD, and explains what a veteran
thinks and feels when experiencing PTSD.

4. In a news article retrieved from the ProQuest
database, written by an anonymous author, are the
statistics provided by the Healthcare Financial
Management Association (2008), displaying how many
veterans report PTSD symptoms, how many of those
veterans with symptoms actually seek treatment, etc.
According to the study, only slightly more than half of
those veterans who are diagnosed with Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder seek treatment. The main reason given
for this statistic is that the veterans do not want the
diagnosis of PTSD to affect their military career due to
this disorder being viewed as a disability. The study
goes further to say that only about half of those
diagnosed with PTSD actually get treatment and the
treatment received is only minimally adequate
(Anonymous, HFMA, 2008).

5. PTSD in the Classroom
Husley (2010) looked at the process of veterans acclimating
to the educational environment after returning from war. Re-
entering the classroom once returning from war can present
many issues. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is one of many.
One common symptom of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is
anxiety when in a crowd of people. Depending on the
setting, symptoms such as this can present major issues.
Sitting in class surrounded by classmates may seem
normal, sometimes even relaxing; however, to a veteran with
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, it can be extremely
stressful, cause severe anxiety, an anxiety attack, feelings of
fear or anger, etc. This study describes the need to develop
workshops and/or full-length classes on how to treat combat-
war veterans and their families who are suffering from war-
related mental health problems (Husley, 2010).

6. Research
In researching Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in military veterans of
war, it seems as if the results would be quite clear. When taking into
consideration military personnel in general versus military veterans, it
will be clear that military veterans have a higher chance of
experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. When looking at
military veterans of war who have been deployed to an active combat
zone versus military veterans of war who have been deployed to a
non-active combat zone, the results are not quite as vastly different.
For the purpose of the study, an active combat zone can be defined
as a location classified as a war zone by the United States
government that is experiencing regular active combat that
includes, yet is not limited to, fire fights, bombings, and IEDs. A non-
active combat zone can be qualified as a location in the territory of
active war, but not currently seeing active combat and not classified
as a war zone by the United States government. While Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder is very common in all military veterans, the
symptoms of PTSD seem to be significantly more severe on average
in veterans coming from an active combat zone (HFMA, 2008).

7. Results/Finding
s
To determine whether or not military veterans are more likely to develop
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after being deployed to an active
combat zone versus being deployed to a non-active combat zone, the
military veterans will need to be divided into two separate groups. One
group will contain military veterans who have previously been deployed
once and that deployment will consist of an active combat zone location.
The other group will contain military veterans who have previously been
deployed once and that deployment will consist of a non-active combat
zone location. The participants will be asked a series of yes or no
questions consisting of symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as
well as asking if they have ever been professionally diagnosed with PTSD
and if they have ever sought professional attention in order to determine
whether or not they may have PTSD. This would be the best way to easily
compare the two groups and to determine whether or not Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder and the severity of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is
dependent on what type of location to which a military veteran of war has
been deployed. Hypothetically the results should show that there is a
significant difference in the two groups which will show a significant
difference in the cause of PTSD in terms of relation to combat, specifically
that active combat results in a higher percentage of PTSD.

8. Conclusion
In conclusion, a study such as this can aid in the diagnosis and treatment
of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in military veterans. It can also show
the public the extent to which a deployment of any kind affects a military
veteran. Today, there is a significant lack of information provided to the
public on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the military. Many people may
have heard of PTSD, but most do not understand what having this
disorder entails for the veteran and their family. It is especially important
that employers and school faculties are aware of the
symptoms, causes, treatments, and how these veterans need to be
treated to avoid negative affects to the individual relating to PTSD. As far
as future studies, a study such as this can be quite beneficial. It is
important to understand the causes and the root of Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder and by doing so military veterans can receive even more
beneficial treatments. Because PTSD is so common among military
veterans, many underestimate the lasting effects of this disorder and do
not seek the help that they need. Future studies need to address how
many veterans do not receive treatment for Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder, why these veterans decline treatment, and how the true severity
of this disorder can be made more publicly known.

9. References
American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text revision). Retrieved from
http://www.psychologynet.org/dsm/ptsd.html
Healthcare Financial Management Association. (2008). Costs of PTSD and Major Depression in
Veterans. Healthcare Financial Management, 62(6), 9-10. Retrieved from
ABI/INFORM Global.
Hulsey, T. (2010). From the Battleground to the Classroom. Phi Kappa Phi Forum, 90(2), 25.
Retrieved from Business Source Elite database.
Jones, K., Young, T., & Leppma, M. (2010). Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Posttraumatic
Stress Disorder in Returning Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans: Implications for
Assessment and Diagnosis. Journal of counseling & development, 88(3), 372-376.
Retrieved from Business Source Elite database.
Lafferty, C., Alford, K., Davis, M., & O'Connor, R. (2008). "Did You Shoot Anyone?" A
Practioner's Guide to Combat Veteran Workplace and Classroom Reintegration. SAM
Advanced Management Journal (07497075), 73(4), 4-18. Retrieved from Business
Source Elite database.