Conn Hallinan | Shafting the Vets

When don't they

Out of 700,000 soldiers who served in the 1991 Gulf War, 118,000 are suffering from chronic fatigue, headaches, muscle spasms, joint pains, anxiety, memory loss, and balance problems, and 40% receive disability pay. Gulf vets are also twice as likely to develop amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's Disease) and between two and three times more likely to have children with birth defects. The Veterans Administration treated 20,638 Iraq vets for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in just the first quarter of 2006 and is currently processing a backlog of 400,000 cases.

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Little help for troubled troops

USA TODAY's Gregg Zoroya reports this morning on the plight of veterans who find themselves in a no-win situation:

"In Iraq, Marines who perform well in combat can be lauded for it. But if they develop PTSD, they can be punished for stress-related misconduct, kicked out of the military and denied treatment for their illness," Zoroya writes. "In recent months, the Marine Corps has begun investigating the matter, identifying 1,019 Marines who may fall into this group since the war in Iraq began. All served at least one year in the Marines and one tour overseas before being discharged for misconduct."