Help for veterans with brain injuries

For some veterans, the war goes on even after they have come home from the conflict overseas.

They suffer the pain and trauma from injuries sustained on the battlefield.

We treat them as heroes, as we should. And they certainly accept the words of appreciation for the sacrifice they made.

But what they really want is the medical care they need to get better, to feel whole again and ready to go on with life free of pain and worry.

So it is for many veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Head injuries account for 22 percent of combat wounds suffered in these wars. That's a higher prevalence of head injuries than in any war we have fought in the 20th century. No other war had the frequency of roadside bombs or improvised explosive devices that have inflicted these terrible head injuries.

But help is on the way for Illinois veterans who suffer from traumatic brain injury, or TBI.

On Tuesday, Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced the creation of the Illinois Warrior Assistance Program. Now, veterans struggling with TBI can call a confidential helpline -- 1-866-554-IWAP (4927).

Health professionals will provide counseling on symptoms associated with TBI or post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Illinois Warrior Assistance Program will also provide screening assistance over the phone or through the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs.

The program also makes TBI screenings mandatory for all members of the Illinois Army National Guard and Air National Guard who have returned home from war.

Screening is essential in getting care. The governor's office points to a U.S. Army Surgeon General Task Force on Traumatic Brain Injury report that notes that while TBI is "one of the signature wounds of the current conflicts" it is unknown exactly how many have suffered this injury while in battle in Iraq or Afghanistan.

And at the same time, the military is falling "significantly short" of providing adequate psychological care to veterans in need, according to a Defense Department task force.

Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth said the goal of the new program is "to make what can be a difficult transition from combat to daily life easier for our service members and their families."

The Illinois Warrior Assistance Program is an example of government reaching out to veterans instead of holding back in helping them get on with their lives, lives they once put in peril for their country. Hopefully, the program will have them no longer doubting if they will get better, or if anyone really cares if they do.

Men and women who willingly went off to fight for their country should not have to fight with their country when they need medical care for an injury suffered in battle.