[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 25 (Thursday, March 2, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E274]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRESS MUST REMAIN CONCERNED WITH THE POST-WAR LIVES AND TRAUMAS OF 
                 AMERICA'S SOLDIERS RETURNING FROM IRAQ

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                           HON. GEORGE MILLER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 2, 2006

  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to bring to 
the attention of my colleagues the personal and really tragic story of 
one soldier's struggle to cope after returning from the war in Iraq. 
The San Francisco Chronicle recently reported on the life of Blake 
Miller, whom some Americans came to know through the media as the 
``Marlboro Man'' of Iraq for his efforts in the battle of Fallujah, one 
of the most intense battles of the Iraq War since the invasion itself.
  As the war continues to rage on and the country continues to debate 
how to bring it to an end, it is important to stop and look at the 
consequences of the war on our soldiers. America's soldiers have done 
everything asked of them. They and their families have endured great 
hardship, and many, too many in my opinion, have paid the ultimate 
sacrifice in this war.
  I believe that we must not neglect the full experience of the 
soldiers and their families from this war, the trauma and stress that 
have severe consequences on their post-war lives. Blake Miller, a.k.a. 
the Marlboro Man, now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder from 
his experiences in Iraq, and specifically, his involvement in the siege 
on Fallujah. He is really struggling, according to this news account 
that I am enclosing for all of my colleagues to read. As the article 
describes, he and those who fought with him, will forever be tormented 
by their experiences in Iraq.
  Sadly, but not unexpectedly, Blake Miller and his family are not 
alone. According to an article in the Washington Post on March 1, 2006, 
soldiers returning from Iraq consistently reported more psychic 
distress than those returning from other conflicts. More than one in 
three soldiers and Marines who served in Iraq have sought help for 
mental health problems, according to Army experts.
  Mr. Speaker, the President and Congress have chosen to send America's 
soldiers into battle in Iraq. That was not a decision that I supported 
because I believed then, as I do now, that the evidence of a real 
threat to America did not exist. But whether one supported this 
decision or not, every member of Congress and the President have an 
obligation to be concerned with the well-being of our troops both in 
battle and afterward. I hope that Blake Miller's story will help convey 
to this Congress the human suffering that this war is likely to cause 
for many years to come and help us to think long and hard about the 
consequences of the decisions we make in Congress--before we make them.
  We honor Blake Miller's sacrifice and service to our country by 
making sure he and his family have every resource available to help 
them recover from this trauma and to regain a sense of normalcy in 
their lives and that they are not denied any needed service because of 
a lack of funding from this Congress or this President for medical care 
for veterans.

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