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by Melissa Brunner

Let me preface this by saying we don't yet know why a man opened fire on his fellow soldiers at Fort Hood. However, it's hard not to turn the speculation to the stresses faced by our men and women in the military, especially in this global war on terror.

I had a chance to discuss the issue with former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Richard Myers. He has become an advocate for increasing attention to the mental health of troops. He spoke of the importance in treating post-traumatic stress disorder and also studying the impact traumatic brain injury is having on returning troops.

We also spoke about the stigma in seeking treatment for mental health issues. It can be especially difficult in the military where you are strong and follow orders. Gen. Myers says high-ranking officers coming forward and admitting they needed help may go a ways in helping the situation. But he admitted lower-ranking troops who feel they have more to risk in terms of their career must realize what they risk in terms of their well-being should they not seek help.

To that end, the military has launched new programs to assist soldiers and their families. Fort Riley and the Kansas National Guard both have them. They are realizing that service members who are deployed go through a unique experience. It's not just about seeing combat or suffering an injury, it's also about being gone a year or more. Sure, there are web cams and email, but every day life goes forward and people make adjustments to deal with your absence. I've never been through it, but I imagine it's not as easy as just dropping back into your life like nothing's changed.

Just as our bodies have different abilities and react in various ways to activity, so too do our minds. Some of us can run ten miles and not feel a bit sore the next day; some of us can go through a traumatic experience and brush it aside quickly. Some of us run ten miles and feel aches in every muscle for a week; some of us suffer a trauma and fall unusually silent or cry at the drop of a hat for weeks or months afterward.

Whether the Fort Hood incident is traced back to a mental breakdown or not, the issue deserves attention. Not all the wounds are troops suffer are the kind that draw blood.