Help available for troops facing adjustment issues Published Jan. 28, 2005 By Gerry J. Gilmore American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- The Defense Department's senior medical adviser said that troops redeployed from combat zones should suffer no stigma for seeking help for emotional problems.Some troops who have returned from duty tours in Afghanistan or Iraq are experiencing symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, said Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr., assistant secretary of defense for health affairs.Dr. Winkenwerder said Jan. 24 that DOD is expanding its post-deployment health assessment program, which will soon require all servicemembers -- active and reserve components -- to fill out a health questionnaire and visit a care provider within three to six months after redeployment. More than 600,000 pre- and post-deployment health assessments have already been completed, he said.He said medical officials learned that servicemembers were exhibiting symptoms such as chronic nervousness, anger or depression months after they had returned to their home bases from deployments to combat theaters."If you've been in a very stressful environment, to have symptoms like that is normal -- you're not crazy," Dr. Winkenwerder said.Yet, if symptoms are not identified and dealt with early on, he said more significant problems could develop.“(Some) people could turn to alcohol or other things to try to drive away some of the uncomfortable feelings," Dr, Winkenwerder said.Servicemembers can be successfully treated with the proper support from the unit with medical care and family-services assistance as needed, Dr. Winkenwerder said.Troops who believe they may be having trouble adjusting after returning from combat-zone duty should not be afraid of being stigmatized when they seek help, he said."If you've got some emotional things going on or psychological things going on, the best thing to do is to reach out and get some help," he said.