Pre and post deployment support

[Ken White]

First, recall that in WW I, WW II, Korea and Viet Nam, rotation was individual and not by unit. So you went to war, got through as part of a unit -- and then returned to CONUS as a single soul. What you then did was work through any problems pretty much on your own; most people just sucked it up and kept on plugging along. A few had severe problems and got local or VA help, most did not and worked things out for themselves. Most were content with that.

After Viet Nam, as a result of many things (not least getting a diagnosis insurers would pay for), interest in PTSD rose and for the first time, counseling was offered. A really relatively small percentage of Viet Nam veterans were involved in that -- most just drove on as had their equally numerous Korean War predecessors and their far, far more numerous WW II forebears...

Secondly, I agree that society has lost many stressors and that treatment for mental aberrations is more acceptable and those two factors conspire to raise the acceptability and thus the number of 'sufferers.' Times change and so do mores an attitudes.

Not always for the better...

As an aside, I agree with your idea on unit rotations decompressing on the way home.

And I really agree with your 'prevention is better than treatment...'