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EDITORIAL: OUTSOURCED TRAUMA -- The impulse to
privatize has created a parallel and outsourced
war effort
without creating a parallel and outsourced
system
of support that is part of the expense of war.
Story here...
http://www.chron.com/
disp/story.mpl/editorial/4949262.html
Story below:
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Editorial
Outsourced trauma
Private contractors returning from Iraq won't
receive veterans benefits but might need them.
Houston Chronicle
The heavy arsenal of services for returning veterans indicates that
coming home from war can be as hard as combat. Veterans ideally receive
re-entry counseling and the phone number for the Vet Center, where they
learn about their eligibility for a multitude of federally funded
benefits.
Given inadequate funding, it is common for veterans to have trouble
getting help. But at least the services exist.
And where government benefits end, private groups attempt to pick up the
slack. The American Legion, for instance, has the Heroes to Hometowns
program that helps severely injured soldiers with their transition home.
There will be a different welcome home for the thousands of workers who
provide services in Iraq under contracts held by private security
companies. These soldiers for hire will not be eligible for veterans
benefits, public or private.
These contractors work alongside U.S. troops, providing security,
logistical support and transport. However, their pay reflects the
extreme risk they take. The Washington Post reported that contractors
with 10 years' service in one company are paid an average $135,000 a
year, the same as a U.S. Army two-star general.
And their numbers are large, indeed. A recently released U.S. Department
of Labor report shows that more than 1,000 private military contractors
have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nearly 13,000 others have been
injured. Various estimates put the number of contract workers in Iraq
between 130,000 and 180,000. A GAO report says 48,000 of them serve as
soldiers.
The outsourcing in today's war is unprecedented. By comparison, there
were only 9,200 private contractors in the Persian Gulf.
When these other "veterans" return home, they might find their hefty
combat zone salaries cold comfort should they need veteran-type
services.
So far, this group's experiences in obtaining treatment for
post-traumatic stress disorder from their private insurance plans is not
encouraging. Their insurance covers their physical problems adequately,
but they have trouble getting coverage for PTSD.
Though the government requires private firms to provide contract workers
insurance and survivor benefits, there is no safety net beyond that.
Despite huge revenues reported by the private firms— an estimated $202
billion in 2006 — it is hard to imagine these corporations that employ
people in one- and two-year contracts will be developing veterans
services that range from medical care to housing to education.
Veterans returning from Vietnam provided the primer on untreated
post-traumatic stress. The fallout can include domestic violence,
alcohol and substance abuse, employment problems and homelessness. It
isn't encouraging to hear that this large group of contractors is having
problems getting help for a condition that is common among those who see
combat.
At a minimum, the contractors need to ensure that their former employees
receive needed treatment to prevent this cascade of problems. Without
it, many are likely to follow a negative but well-worn path of losing
employment and benefits and drifting into already overtaxed public
health care systems.
The impulse to privatize has created a parallel and outsourced war
effort without creating a parallel and outsourced system of support that
is part of the expense of war. It's bound to cause trouble and adds
another cost to figure in as policymakers analyze this new aspect of
waging war.
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Larry Scott --
