Veterans and Military Health: Injuries, Exposures and Mental Health

Military service members and veterans have made sacrifices for the country, and they can face many health problems. Among the most common are chronic pain, sleep disorders and mental health disorders. But serving also brings special risks and job hazards that civilians rarely face, including particular kinds of injury and health problems from exposures.

Injuries

Service members can be injured in training or in combat. Some injuries are life-threatening or serious enough to cause disability; others are less serious but painful and disruptive to daily life. Among them:

• sprains and strains, especially of the ankles and knees, often from exercise and running;
• back and shoulder injuries, often from lifting and carrying;
• tinnitus and hearing loss, usually from noise;
• head injuries and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs);
• shrapnel and gunshot wounds;
• lost limbs.

Exposures and other risks

Service members may be exposed to environmental hazards — contaminated water, chemicals, infections and burn pits — and the health problems these cause sometimes appear only years later. Some experience military sexual trauma (MST), which includes sexual assault and sexual harassment.

Mental health

Combat, time away from family, and readjusting to civilian life can all be stressful, putting service members and veterans at risk of:

• depression;
• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD);
• anxiety;
• alcohol and drug use disorders.

There is also a risk of suicide. Veterans in crisis can reach the Veterans Crisis Line by calling 988 and pressing 1, by texting 838255, or by chatting online.

Care and research

Health care especially for service members and veterans comes through:

• TRICARE, the Department of Defense's health care program, with insurance plans and other services for uniformed service members, retirees and their families worldwide;
• the Veterans Health Administration, part of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which provides medical and social support services to eligible veterans.

The VA has expanded health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxic substances. To understand veterans' future health needs, it created the Million Veteran Program, which studies how genes, lifestyle, military experiences and exposures affect veterans' health and wellness.

Sources

• MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, "Veterans and Military Health." https://medlineplus.gov/veteransandmilitaryhealth.html
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