"Contractors who have worked in Iraq are returning home with the same kinds of
combat-related mental health problems that afflict United States military
personnel, according to contractors, industry officials and mental health
experts.
But, they say, the private workers are largely left on their own to
find care, and their problems often go ignored or are inadequately treated.
A vast second army, one of contractors — up to 126,000 Americans, Iraqis and
other foreigners — is working for the United States government in Iraq. Many
work side-by-side with soldiers and are exposed to the same dangers, but they
mostly must fend for themselves in navigating the civilian health care system
when they come back to the United States. ...
'I think the numbers are in
the thousands, maybe tens of thousands,' said Paul Brand, a psychologist and
chief executive of Mission Critical Psychological Services, a Chicago firm hired
by Dyncorp International, a major contractor in Iraq, to assess and treat its
workers. 'Many are going undiagnosed. These guys are fighting demons, and they
don’t know how to cope.'
Jana Crowder, who runs a Web site for contractors
seeking help, says she gets new evidence of that every day in phone calls from
desperate workers. "
I am unclear on a number of things, and I just want to be honest about that upfront. However I believe that if these people are in the theater of conflict they should be given better care than there are being given. I don't know if these are contracts that are handed out by the department of defense or if these are contracts that are handed out by other organizations or companies working in Iraq. If the defense department hands out the contracts, they should have as part of the contract, that those who are involved in a conflict situation can be integrated into the existing health care system for vets. If these companies are operating for other organizations or companies they should be restricted from entering a combat theater until they have made arrangements for their employees to be covered with medical services. Ideally again they would be a part of the existing health care system for vets. These contractors in either example could pay a fee to the armed forces to offset the costs of treating their employees.
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All government contract companies sending employees overseas are required to purchase DBA (Defense Base Act)Workmans Compensation Insurance for every employee no matter how many subcontractors down the line they go or no matter the employees nationality.
This insurance relieves the contract company of all liability of any kind for any reason to the employee or any member of their family. There are no required safety or security procedures.
The insurance is supposed to provide death benefits, medical and limited (very)lost wages. A contractor with symptoms of PTSD must first prove he has PTSD before the insurance will pay to see a professional, which usually means litigation.
The insurance company collects huge premiums (10% or more of the employees salary) and is then reimbursed for claims plus 15% admin fee by the US Government under the War Hazards Act.
Contractors outnumber the military right now in Iraq. This insurance has enabled our government to use them and abuse them just as badly as they do our soldiers.
Just as many of them are suffering from PTSD. If the insurance company can put off paying for treatment until they kill themselves they won't have to pay for anything.
It has been ruled in court that PTSD cannot be proven post mortem.
for more www.dbacomp.com
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