Treatment of the stress casualty during operation Iraqi freedom one.
BACKGROUND
Service members with mental health issues during Operation Iraqi Freedom receive evaluation and treatment at different echelons of care. Mental health teams consist of professionals and paraprofessionals assigned to Combat Stress Control units, Division Mental Health Sections, and Combat Support Hospitals.


METHODS
Army doctrine for mental health care is delineated and examples describing how mental health personnel must be flexible in this challenging environment and are useful mental health tools for commanders in the operational environment are presented.


CONCLUSIONS
Specific treatment issues related to the combat environment during Operation Iraqi Freedom are discussed in relation to each team and in light of doctrine.
Forsten
Robert
R
Department of Psychiatry, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC 20307-5001, USA. robert.forsten@us.army.mil
Schneider
Brett
B
D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D007493:Iraq; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*