Combat Stress

With hundreds of thousands of soldiers having served in Iraq, conservative estimates indicate that 1 in 6 are returning from combat suffering from major depression, generalized anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can be as crippling as any physical wound. Is the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) equipped to treat these soldiers who have risked their lives for their nation? On Friday, May 13, 2005 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings), NOW investigates how the VA is planning to deal with this influx of new cases while meeting the needs of current veterans. The report profiles one Iraq veteran who says he’s waiting months for treatment and that without it his future hangs in the balance. Also on the program, photographer Nina Berman shares the unseen images and the untold stories of America’s wounded.