<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><reminders><reminder><body>&lt;p&gt;Symptoms and repercussions of combat stress include &lt;em&gt;depression, anxiety, misuse of alcohol and drugs, strains in family functioning, separation and divorce.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</body><source>RAND</source></reminder><reminder><body>&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;More than&lt;/em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;1.9 million&lt;/strong&gt; U.S. service members have deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan since October, 2001.&lt;/p&gt;</body><source>DoD</source></reminder><reminder><body>&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Medical science&lt;/em&gt; provides a better understanding than ever before of how to &lt;strong&gt;care&lt;/strong&gt; for a new generation of service members suffering the psychological effects of warfare.&lt;/p&gt;</body><source>RAND</source></reminder><reminder><body>&lt;p&gt;Of those reporting a probable TBI, &lt;strong&gt;57%&lt;/strong&gt; have not been evaluated by a physician for brain injury.&lt;/p&gt;</body><source>RAND</source></reminder><reminder><body>&lt;p&gt;As &lt;strong&gt;public concern&lt;/strong&gt; over these injuries grows, &lt;em&gt;policy changes and funding shifts are already occurring.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</body><source>RAND</source></reminder><reminder><body>&lt;p&gt;Processing times for veteran disability benefit claims has &lt;em&gt;decreased&lt;/em&gt; from &lt;strong&gt;230&lt;/strong&gt; days in 2001 to an estimated &lt;strong&gt;145&lt;/strong&gt; days in 2009.&lt;/p&gt;</body><source><a href="http://whitehouse.gov">whitehouse.gov</a></source></reminder><reminder><body>&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nearly&lt;/em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;90%&lt;/strong&gt; of today&apos;s seriously wounded U.S. military service members are surviving.&lt;/p&gt;</body><source>VA</source></reminder><reminder><body>&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nearly&lt;/em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;20 percent&lt;/strong&gt; of U.S. service members returning from combat will report symptoms of PTSD or major depression.&lt;/p&gt;</body><source>RAND</source></reminder><reminder><body>&lt;p&gt;Costs resulting from &lt;em&gt;PTSD and major depression&lt;/em&gt; for troops deployed since 2001 are expected to range from &lt;strong&gt;$4-$6 billion.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</body><source>RAND</source></reminder><reminder><body>&lt;p&gt;Support our troops is no longer a slogan. &lt;strong&gt;It&apos;s an action.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</body><source></source></reminder><reminder><body>&lt;p&gt;When &lt;strong&gt;combat stress&lt;/strong&gt; exceeds the capacity of an individual to cope, literal injuries to the &lt;em&gt;brain and mind&lt;/em&gt; can result.&lt;/p&gt;</body><source>RAND</source></reminder><reminder><body>&lt;p&gt;OEF and OIF veterans are eligible for &lt;strong&gt;free&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;VA health care&lt;/em&gt; for their combat injuries up to 5 years after separation from duty.&lt;/p&gt;</body><source>VA</source></reminder><reminder><body>&lt;p&gt;Over &lt;strong&gt;320,000&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;U.S. service members&lt;/em&gt; have sustained a TBI during deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan.&lt;/p&gt;</body><source>RAND</source></reminder><reminder><body>&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Nearly&lt;/em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;5.3 million&lt;/strong&gt; veterans will receive care at the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2009.&lt;/p&gt;</body><source><a href="http://whitehouse.gov">whitehouse.gov</a></source></reminder></reminders>
