Collateral Damage: the Kids of War
At present, there are approximately 1.2 million school age children with parents deployed in Iraq. In addition to the simple loss of the father or mother's presence for extended periods, an increasing number of kids are dealing with a parent’s death, injury and/or psychological disabilities. (1 in 6 soldiers in Iraq report symptoms of major depression, severe anxiety or PTSD.) As a consequence, a large number of those children are considered seriously "at risk" for behavioral and emotional problems, according to a research program called “Strengthening Military Families Following a Parent’s Wartime Deployment” at UCLA’s Neuropsychiatric Institute’s Center For Community Health.
The military itself has recognized the growing issue and has recently launched a program called “Project Ark” that provides intervention and support for some of the most affected teenagers, writes MONIQUE REUBEN for the American Forces Press Service.