The rising death toll of British and US soldiers in Iraq is a continual reminder of the physical dangers the troops face. But what is less often examined are the psychological strains they may be under.
The mental health of the troops has come into focus in recent days. A report published in the Lancet today finds that 26% of reservists have mental health problems such as depression, compared to 19% of regular troops.
The Conservative defence spokesman, Dr Liam Fox, said the findings raised questions about the duty of care to part-time troops. He said that what was especially worrying, in light of the report, was the government's increasing use of reservists as a "substitute army".
The research, from King's College London, also found that 20% of US troops were suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) compared with only 4% of British soldiers.
The researchers noted that British troops in Iraq tended to be older and more experienced than their US counterparts, who also came under fire more regularly.
The Hartford Courant, a Connecticut newspaper, published an impressive investigation two days ago headlined "Mentally unfit, forced to fight".
The Courant found that, despite an order by Congress that the US military should assess the mental health of all deploying troops, fewer than one in 300 US personnel saw a mental health professional before deployment.
The paper says there is evidence of the US military "recycling" troops with mental health problems, redeploying them even if they develop PTSD. It also notes that the number of troop suicides in Iraq reached a high of 22 last year. The Courant says at least 11 of the soliders who killed themselves were kept on duty "despite showing signs of significant psychological distress".
One US officer with the reservists whom the paper speaks to admits mental health care is "uneven" and describes commanders' understanding of it as "spotty".
