In the News Collateral Damage

January 30, 2009

“We can track combat psychological disorders back as far as we have records of war.”
Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, U.S. Army (Ret.)

The Los Angeles Times reports on a grim new statistic: Last year, U.S. Army suicides reached their highest rate since the military began tracking them three decades ago. In fact, 2008 was the first year on record where the Army's suicide rate exceeded that of the corresponding segment of the general population.

Disturbing as these latest figures are, they illustrate a sad and eternal truth about war. In this clip from our 2005 report, The Soldier's Heart, we explore the history of what is now recognized as post-traumatic stress disorder. Watch the entire program online, along with special video and interviews with military and mental health experts.