The Impact of War

According to recent VA statistics, PTSD and depression are the top disability claims among America's female veterans. But many have trouble proving they saw combat — a key to being treated for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. One decorated war veteran's story is emblematic of the struggle to get help.

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The Hurt Locker has been hailed by critics for its gritty portrayal of Army bomb disposal troops. But veterans say the film — nominated for nine Oscars, including Best Picture — is riddled with inaccuracies.

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Debate over the American military's controversial "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, banning gay and lesbian service members from serving openly has prompted one commentator to call for another military policy to be changed: the ban on women serving in combat. Host Lynn Neary talks with Catherine Ross who is a former Army Reservist who served in Iraq in 2003 and 2004. She recently wrote an opinion piece for The New York Times, calling for an end to banning women from combat posts.

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The portion of the adult female population that are armed forces veterans ranges from 3 percent or more in Alaska and Virginia to less than one percent in New York and New Jersey.

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U.S. military snipers in previous wars were often perceived as spooky by other soldiers. William Langewiesche believes the war in Afghanistan may prove be the war that changes that. He takes us inside the mind of a Texas Army National Guard sniper.

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More than 230,000 women have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, but many report that when they return from war, they face another battle at home: getting the care and respect they need at VA hospitals. One VA hospital is trying to make sure female vets see doctors who specialize in comprehensive women's care.

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We lost a family member In Afghanistan earlier this month. He was Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael P. Shannon.

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We lost a family member In Afghanistan earlier this month. He was Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael P. Shannon.

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This week, thousands of undocumented Haitians began applying to live and work legally in the United States. They're seeking temporary protected status, which the federal government granted in light of last week's earthquake. It's not the same as residency or citizenship, but it does spare foreign nationals from deportation due to unlivable or dangerous conditions in their home country. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services expects up to 200,000 Haitians to sign up in the next six months, many of whom live in and around Miami.

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It may not be a surprise that soldiers' wives report high levels of mental health problems when a husband is fighting overseas. But now, a new study looking at Army wives and stress finds that the longer husbands are deployed, the more likely the wife is to experience depression, anxiety and other mental health problems.

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Hundreds of troops are returning from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq with extensive combat burns. Now, an Army hospital in Texas is experimenting with a virtual reality program that can distract burn victims and help alleviate some of their pain.

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During World War II, several thousand conscientious objectors who refused to go to war were instead assigned to work in state mental hospitals. Many of the institutions were filthy, run-down and staffed with abusive workers. Charlie Lord worked at one in Philadelphia and secretly photographed the horrific conditions.

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During World War II several thousand conscientious objectors instead of fighting were assigned by the federal government to work in state mental hospitals. A young Quaker named Charlie Lord was sent to work at the mental ward at Philadelphia State Hospital, better known as Byberry. Appalled by the horrific conditions, Lord secretly took photographs to expose the horrors and push for reform.

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On Friday nights, Iraq War veteran Bobby Henline can be found at open mic night at the River Center Comedy Club in San Antonio. He knows that before anyone can laugh at him, he must first make them comfortable with just looking at his burned skin and amputated arm.

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A U.S. commander in northern Iraq has backed off of a threat to court-martial soldiers who get pregnant, or cause a pregnancy. But the issue raises larger issues about military life, and the rules of fraternization in the armed forces.

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Research scholar and Yale World Fellow Azeem Ibrahim argues that to win the war, the U.S. must engage with the Taliban. Neal Conan talks with Ibrahim about why working with the Taliban is not as counter-intuitive as it may seem.

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Freelance writer Jimi Izrael, syndicated columnist Ruben Navarrette, civil rights attorney Arsalan Iftikhar and NPR Senior Producer JJ Sutherland discuss President Obama's call for a surge of U.S. troops to Afghanistan. The guys also debate who is to blame in "Crasher Gate," which centers on a Virginia couple who crashed a White House state dinner, and whether Tiger Woods can rebound from his recent "transgressions."

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The president will use Tuesday night's nationally televised speech on Afghanistan policy to reiterate "that this is not an open-ended commitment," a White House spokesman said Monday.

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Nearly four years ago, Jose Pequeno's Humvee was hit by a grenade in Iraq; he was severely brain damaged. Jose can't talk, walk or eat. But his mother, Nellie Bagley, has stayed by his side and fought for resources from the Department of Veterans Affairs — paving the way for other families who may follow.

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Service members and their families can have a tough time getting help with mental health issues or arranging childcare. They've been able to turn to independent and nonprofit groups for assistance, but as deployments increase, some of those groups are becoming strained, too. Host Scott Simon speaks to Kristina Kaufmann, an advocate for military families, about how families are coping with the military service of their loved ones.

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