Of the 150,000 women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2002, Twenty-three percent are African-American. Fruigivore reports that many of these black women soldiers are experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) at alarming rates. Besides the lack of resources available to treat these women, they may be experiencing higher rates of PTSD because of the amount of assaults that go unreported.

In growing numbers, African American women are entering the armed forces, and putting their lives on the line, both literally and figuratively to serve the United States. As many know, countless members of the armed forces have died serving their country. But few people recognize that soldiers also sacrifice their mental health through their service as well.

Out of the 150,000 women who have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since 2002, 23% of them are African-American. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a severe anxiety disorder that can develop after an individual is experiences any event that results in psychological trauma. Many soldiers, particularly African American women, are experiencing PTSD at alarming rates, and worse, this country is ill-equipped to properly assist them in their struggle, at least at the present moment.

African American women in combat zones continue to experience higher rates of PTSD due to assaults that are never reported. To make matters worse, only 15 Veteran Affairs centers in the United States provide residential mental-health treatment specifically for women with PTSD. Thus, it’s truly become a struggle for African American women to reintegrate themselves back into their civilian lives and begin the process to heal from PTSD.

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