Date of Award

6-2006

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Department of Systems Engineering and Management

First Advisor

Jeffrey Smith, PhD

Abstract

The war in Iraq has been the longest sustained ground combat that the US military has engaged since the Vietnam War. With the ongoing battle against the global war on terrorism, many military personnel will be deployed to hostile areas in support of these operations. The effects of multiple deployment and combat engagement on the mental health of military personnel have been extensively studied. The impacts of mental illnesses, such as PTSD, are tied to longer period in the combat zone. Meeting the psychiatric needs of these veterans will be costly: rehabilitation, retraining, post combat counseling, long-term medical treatment, and even assisted living. This study attempts to predict the cost of mental healthcare for the OIF and OEF veterans. However, we failed to accomplish a forecast for the cost of psychiatric treatment for those veteran populations due to data limitations. This study will not only give a general forecast for mental health care cost in the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, but as well as explain any correlations between the various independent variables and mental health care costs. The data were compiled from various government documents and medical journals. Information received from VA Office of Policy, Planning and Preparedness was extensively used in this study.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-GCA-ENV-06J-01

DTIC Accession Number

ADA456415

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