[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 101 (Thursday, June 26, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S4144]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AWARENESS DAY

  Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I wish to speak on behalf of our service 
men and women suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. 
Tomorrow--June 27--is National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness 
Day, so designated by the U.S. Senate in a unanimous action 2 years 
ago. I am calling on all of my colleagues in this body to redouble our 
efforts to help veterans and servicemembers who are struggling with 
PTSD each and every day. I remain committed to provide all necessary 
assistance to people who have this problem as the result of their 
faithful military service because it is one of the solemn obligations 
we have as a nation. For this reason I supported Senator Heitkamp's bi-
partisan resolution designating June as National Post-Traumatic Stress 
Disorder--PTSD--Awareness Month.
  With the military drawdown currently underway, I am concerned that 
our Nation will not adequately address the PTSD-related issues that 
many of our veterans and servicemembers face. I find it deeply 
troubling that, on average, 22 veterans commit suicide every day. 
Furthermore, veterans who have post-traumatic stress are at greater 
risk for drug abuse and alcoholism. The abuse of these substances often 
amounts to a form of a self-medication because the servicemember or 
veteran is unable or unwilling to seek help.
  I strongly believe that Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day 
is an important step in highlighting these issues. Our challenge is to 
help every veteran suffering from these invisible wounds seek help and 
cope with their very real injury. There is a perceived stigma that 
makes veterans reluctant to seek help and feeds negative perceptions 
which can cause employers not to hire veterans. Educating veterans and 
the public about this affliction and the support networks available 
will bring to light a very real and deadly epidemic among 
servicemembers. Too often we say ``thank you'' to servicemembers and 
veterans without really knowing what we are thanking them for, because 
we don't bother to understand their struggles. Addressing this 
disconnect would make a world of difference in helping this population 
mitigate the effects of post-traumatic stress.
  The work being done today to address this issue proves that post-
traumatic stress does not have to be a permanently disabling condition. 
Within my own State of Maryland, organizations such as Fort Detrick's 
Army Medical Research & Materiel Command are making amazing advances in 
developing post-traumatic stress treatments that were unimaginable just 
a few years ago. As for present treatments, the Warrior Canine 
Connection is an excellent example of an organization that is helping 
veterans here and now. This organization, located in Brookeville, 
provides therapeutic working dogs to veterans and servicemembers, and 
it also conducts research that strives to further improve upon the 
positive effects that these service animals have on the veterans and 
servicemembers. The Warrior Canine Connection has helped countless 
veterans relieve the symptoms of post-traumatic stress, enabling them 
to regain their status as healthy and productive members of our 
society.
  I am not at all surprised that these servicemembers and veterans have 
bounced back wonderfully after being treated for their post-traumatic 
stress. If a soldier, sailor, airmen or Marine is able to excel on the 
battlefield, then I see no reason why that same person should not be 
able to excel in the classroom, in a hospital, or in the boardroom. I 
refuse to believe that our veterans and servicemembers are ``damaged 
goods'' because of their military service.
  One only needs to look at our history to see that our society 
benefits greatly when we provide our veterans and servicemembers with 
the assistance they need to transition successfully to civilian life. 
During World War II, American servicemembers encountered some of the 
most difficult combat conditions in human history. Yet when World War 
II veterans returned home, did they become a burden to their nation 
because of those combat experiences? Not at all. Returning World War II 
veterans spearheaded the work that made our country more prosperous 
than it had ever been. Veterans can be the engine to a great economy 
that sustains a flourishing middle class. I believe World War II 
veterans were able to succeed in the civilian workforce because after 
the war, they returned to a society that understood and genuinely 
respected their military service.
  This week I had the privilege of visiting the Veterans Health Care 
System in Baltimore, MD. America cannot break our promise to those who 
have sacrificed so much to protect our great Nation. We have seen 
bipartisan progress toward correcting the systemic problems facing our 
veterans' health care system, and I am encouraged by the additional 
staff and resources being deployed in Baltimore. Most Maryland veterans 
are receiving quality health care at world-class facilities close to 
home. But the wounds inflicted by this national breach of trust will 
take more time to heal as we renew and fulfill our commitment to care 
for the health and well-being of our veterans.
  I am continually in awe of the extraordinary men and women serving at 
the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center who make it their 
daily mission to provide the highest level of support to our wounded, 
ill, and injured servicemembers and their families. A testament to 
their commitment is the Department of Defense Deployment Health 
Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD, which has developed an intensive, 3-
week, multi-disciplinary treatment program called The Specialized Care 
Program. This program is designed for servicemembers experiencing PTSD 
or experiencing difficulties readjusting to life upon redeployment 
after serving in Operations IRAQ or ENDURING FREEDOM. This program is 
for patients who have had other treatments for PTSD, or perhaps 
depression, but who continue to experience symptoms that interfere with 
their ability to function.
  In light of the upcoming July 4 holiday, providing assistance to 
veterans who have served our Nation so diligently must be a priority. 
As we celebrate our Independence Day, we must also address the needs of 
those who have defended our liberty and have allowed it to thrive. 
Without the men and women who fought for the United States' freedom in 
1776 and those who bravely do so today, our country simply would not 
exist. With this in mind, we as Americans ought to support our veterans 
to the best of our abilities and present them with the necessary 
assistance and resources they may require. Whether we succeed in this 
endeavor will be a significant measure of our Nation's fidelity towards 
our veterans and its moral character. I am committed to making sure 
this population receives treatment for post-traumatic stress, should 
they need it. The United States is the strongest nation in the world 
because of our veterans and servicemembers. We owe it to bring them 
back home not just in body, but in mind and spirit, as well.

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