Former Democratic Senator Advocates for PTSD Treatment

Former Sen. Max Cleland (D., Ga.) has written a new book “Heart of a Patriot” about the importance of getting medical and/or mental health treatment for Veterans who need it. Senator Cleland himself lost his legs and one arm during the Vietnam War and had in fact returned to Walter Reed Medical Center to get treatment some 30 years after the fact. The book emphasizes the fact that one of the primary obstacles to treatment is that soldiers are reluctant to get help since as soldiers they are programmed to be tough and to not ask for help. Cleland is also bothered by the fact that soldiers are sent for so many tours overseas that its inevitable that the psychological effect of these repeated tours is pushing soldiers to the brink mentally.