In fact, "Army troops, Time has learned, are seeking mental help more than 100,000 times a month. That figure reflects a growth of more than 75% from the final months of 2006 to the final months of '09, according to Army data." As a result, "Army Lieut. General Eric Schoomaker, the surgeon general who oversees the mental and physical well-being of the nation's soldiers, concedes he doesn't have the doctors and therapists he needs." Currently, the Army has only 414 psychiatrists to deal with the increased demand.

Fort Hood's Mental-Health System Severely Strained. In a lengthy article, USA Today (8/23, Zoroya) reports, "Nine months after an Army psychiatrist was charged with fatally shooting 13 soldiers and wounding 30, the nation's largest Army base can measure the toll of war in the more than 10,000 mental health evaluations, referrals or therapy sessions held every month." In fact, "about every fourth soldier here, where 48,000 troops and their families are based, has been in counseling during the past year, according to the service's medical statistics. And the number of soldiers seeking help for combat stress, substance abuse, broken marriages or other emotional problems keeps increasing." As a result, Fort Hood's mental healthcare system is in danger of being overwhelmed.

Related Links:

- Invisible Wounds: Mental Health and the Military," Mark Thompson, Time, August 22, 2010.

- Thousands strain Fort Hood's mental health system," Gregg Zoroya, USA Today, August 22, 2010.