Shelley Berkley: “Nationally, one in five veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from PTSD. Twenty-three percent of members…”

“Nationally, one in five veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from PTSD. Twenty-three percent of members of the Armed Forces on active duty acknowledge that they have a significant problem with alcohol. Veterans must receive the help they need to deal with these conditions. The effects of substance abuse are devastating, including significantly increased risk of suicide, exacerbation of mental and physical health disorders, breakdown of family support, and increased risk of unemployment and homelessness. Veterans suffering from mental health problems are at increased risk for developing a substance abuse disorder. A constituent of mine, Lance Corporal Justin Bailey, was a 1998 graduate of Las Vegas High School. Upon returning from a tour of duty in Iraq, he was diagnosed with PTSD and was discharged from the Marines in 2004. He developed a substance abuse disorder, and with the encouragement of his parents, checked himself into a VA facility in west Los Angeles to get the treatment that he needed and recognized that he needed.”