People who serve in the military and veterans face some different health issues than civilians. During wartime, the main health concerns are life-threatening injuries. These include shrapnel and gunshot wounds, lost limbs, and head injuries. Some service members might also have health problems from exposure to environmental hazards, such as contaminated water, chemicals and infections.
Service members and veterans are at risk for mental health problems, too. These include anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and substance abuse.
- Military and Veterans Health Care(Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation) - http://www.kaiseredu.org/topics_im.asp?id=755&imID=1&parentID=61
- MyHealtheVet(Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - http://www.myhealth.va.gov/
- Drinking Problems Greater among Returning Combat Veterans(08/12/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_68076.html
- Study Links Agent Orange to Prostate Cancer in Vietnam Vets(08/06/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_67863.html
- Veterans Suicide Prevention Hotline (1-800-273-TALK) Provides Vital Help to More Than 55,000 Callers in Its First Year(07/28/2008, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/advisories/0807254324.aspx
- Geographical Pattern Eyed in 1991 Gulf War Cases of ALS(07/25/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_67391.html
- FDA Clears Critical Limb-Saving Vascular Device(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01559.html
- Specialized Care Program (SCP)(Dept. of Defense, Deployment Health Clinical Center) - http://www.pdhealth.mil/clinicians/scp_program.asp
- Coping with Traumatic Stress Reactions(National Center for PTSD) - http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/ncdocs/fact_shts/fs_coping_stress.html
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Agent Orange: Information for Veterans Who Served in Vietnam(Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - Links to PDF - http://www1.va.gov/agentorange/docs/AOIB10-49JUL03.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www1.va.gov/agentorange/docs/SpanishinfobulletinAO1049Mar04.pdf
- Depleted Uranium: Information for Service Members and Their Families(Dept. of Defense, Deployment Health Clinical Center) - Links to PDF - http://www.pdhealth.mil/downloads/DU_Service_Members_Info_09172004.pdf
- Deployment Health and Family Readiness Library(Dept. of Defense, Deployment Health Clinical Center) - http://deploymenthealthlibrary.fhp.osd.mil/home.jsp
- Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses: Questions & Answers(Veterans Health Administration) - Links to PDF - http://www1.va.gov/gulfwar/docs/GWIllnessesQandAsIB1041.pdf
- GulfLINK(Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses) - http://www.gulflink.osd.mil/
- Health Care and Assistance for U.S. Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom(Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - Links to PDF - http://www1.va.gov/gulfwar/docs/IraqiFreedomMay21.pdf
- Men and Women Veterans: Know the Warning Signs of Suicide(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information) - Links to PDF - http://download.ncadi.samhsa.gov/ken/pdf/VA07-SPBRO.pdf
- Project 112(Force Health Protection & Readiness) - http://www.deploymentlink.osd.mil/shad/index.jsp
- Specific Concerns and Conditions (Related to Deployment Health)(Dept. of Defense, Deployment Health Clinical Center) - http://www.pdhealth.mil/hcc/scc.asp
- Veterans and Military Health Topics(Force Health Protection & Readiness) - http://fhp.osd.mil/factsheets.jsp
- Benefits for Family Members(Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/familymembers/
- Coming Home: Adjustments for Military Families(American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) - http://www.aacap.org/page.ww?name=Coming+Home%3A+Adjustments+For+Military+Families§ion=Facts+for+Families
- DoD Mental Health Self-Assessment (MHSA) Program(Dept. of Defense, Deployment Health Clinical Center) - http://www.pdhealth.mil/mhsa.asp
- Families in the Military(American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) - http://www.aacap.org/page.ww?name=Families+In+The+Military§ion=Facts+for+Families
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Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents: 2008 Edition(Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - Large PDF file - http://www1.va.gov/opa/vadocs/Fedben.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www1.va.gov/opa/vadocs/fedbensp.pdf
- Health Care Eligibility and Enrollment for Veterans(Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/eligibility/
- Healthy Parenting Initiative (Military Parents)(Dept. of Defense) - http://www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil/portal/page/mhf/MHF/MHF_DETAIL_1?section_id=20.40.500.420.0.0.0.0.0¤t_id=20.40.500.420.500.70.0.0.0
- Help for Homeless Veterans(National Coalition for Homeless Veterans) - http://www.nchv.org/veterans.cfm
- How Terroristic Acts May Affect Veterans(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - http://ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/ncdocs/fact_shts/fs_veterans_disaster.html
- MOVE! National Weight Management Program for Veterans(Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - http://www.move.va.gov/
- Returning from the War Zone: A Guide for Families of Military Personnel(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - http://ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/ncdocs/manuals/nc_manual_returnwarz_gp.html
- Returning from the War Zone: A Guide for Military Personnel(National Center for PTSD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - Links to PDF - http://ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/ncdocs/manuals/nc_manual_returnwarz_vet.html
- Returning Veterans and Their Families: A SAMHSA Priority(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://www.samhsa.gov/SAMHSA_News/VolumeXVI_1/article1.htm
- Soldier and Family Guide to Redeploying(Dept. of Defense, Deployment Health Clinical Center) - Links to PDF - http://www.pdhealth.mil/library/downloads/RedeploymentFamilyTrifold.pdf
- TRICARE Dental Program(TRICARE Management Activity) - http://www.tricare.mil/Factsheets/viewfactsheet.cfm?id=320
- TRICARE Vision Benefits(TRICARE Management Activity) - http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/ProfileFilter.do
- TRICARE: Skilled Nursing Facility and Long-Term Care(TRICARE Management Activity) - http://www.tricare.mil/Factsheets/viewfactsheet.cfm?id=258
- TRICARE: The Basics(TRICARE Management Activity) - http://www.tricare.mil/factsheets/viewfactsheet.cfm?id=127
- VA Health Care Eligibility(Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/eligibility/DetermineEligibility.asp
- Copays and Charges(Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/costs/
- Covered Services(Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/coveredservices/
- Disability Compensation - 2006 Rates(Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - http://www1.va.gov/centerforminorityveterans/page.cfm?pg=57
- TRICARE for Life and Medicare(TRICARE Management Activity) - http://www.tricare.mil/factsheets/index.cfm
- What Happens to My Benefit When I Retire(TRICARE Management Activity) - http://www.tricare.mil/Factsheets/viewfactsheet.cfm?id=347
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Persian Gulf Syndrome
(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Persian+Gulf+Syndrome%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Veterans(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Veterans%22
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TRICARE Beneficiaries Can Enter Clinical Trials for Cancer Prevention and Treatment through a Department of Defense and National Cancer Institute Agreement(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/NCI/TRICARE
- Education, Simple Measures Keys to Improving Vets' Hypertension Care(American Heart Association) - http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=407
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Prevalence of chronic pain after traumatic brain injury: a systematic... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18698069&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Association of combatant status and sexual violence with health and... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18698066&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Risk of stroke, heart attack, and diabetes complications among veterans... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18674979&tool=MedlinePlus
- Veterans and Military Health -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(veterans[majr]+NOT+persian+gulf+syndrome[majr])+AND+english[la]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Agent orange -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=agent+orange[substance+name]+OR+tetrachlorodibenzodioxin[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+veterans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+5+Years&tool=MedlinePlus
- Gulf war syndrome -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=persian+gulf+syndrome[mh]+AND+english[la]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Glossary & Acronyms(Dept. of Defense, Deployment Health Clinical Center) - http://www.pdhealth.mil/acronyms.asp
- Veteran's Health Benefits Eligibility: Glossary(Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/Library/Glossary/
- Facilities Locator & Directory(Veterans Health Administration) - http://www1.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp?isFlash=1
- Find a Provider: TRICARE Provider Directories(TRICARE Management Activity) - http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/Medical/FindingAProvider
- Resources for Returning Veterans and Their Families(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - http://www.samhsa.gov/vets/
- TRICARE Military Treatment Facilities (MTF) Locator(TRICARE Management Activity) - http://www.tricare.mil/mtf/
- Center for Women Veterans - http://www1.va.gov/womenvet/
- Dept. of Defense, Deployment Health Clinical Center - http://www.pdhealth.mil/
- Dept. of Veterans Affairs - http://www.va.gov/
- House Committee on Veterans' Affairs - http://veterans.house.gov/
- National Center for PTSD - http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/
- Agent Orange Review(Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - http://www1.va.gov/agentorange/page.cfm?pg=16
- Agent Orange: VA Disability Compensation Claims Processing(Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - http://www1.va.gov/agentorange/page.cfm?pg=11
- Benefits for Women Vietnam Veterans' Children with Birth Defects(Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Topics/Women/Birth.htm
- Readjustment Counseling(Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - http://www.vetcenter.va.gov/Vet_Center_Services.asp
- TRICARE and the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003(Social Security Administration) - http://www.socialsecurity.gov/legislation/tricare.html
- New Number of Homeless Vets Announced(National Coalition for Homeless Veterans) - http://www.nchv.org/news_article.cfm?id=353
- VA Benefits and Health Care Utilization(Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - Links to PDF - http://www1.va.gov/vetdata/docs/4X6_spring08_sharepoint.pdf
- Counseling and Treatment for Sexual Trauma(Dept. of Veterans Affairs) - http://www1.va.gov/wvhp/page.cfm?pg=20
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MedlinePlus: Women's Health(National Library of Medicine) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/womenshealth.html
- TRICARE Adds Coverage for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Screenings for Breast Cancer(TRICARE Management Activity) - http://www.tricare.mil/pressroom/news.aspx?fid=327
- TRICARE Maternity Care(TRICARE Management Activity) - http://www.tricare.mil/Factsheets/viewfactsheet.cfm?id=261
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/posttraumaticstressdisorder.html
- Health System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/healthsystem.html
- Population Groups - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/populationgroups.html
My HealtheVet, the Gateway to Veteran Health and Wellness - http://www.myhealthyvet.va.gov
TRICARE is the healthcare program for active duty and retired service personnel, their eligible family members and survivors - http://www.tricareonline.com