Today is the sixth anniversary of the start of our most recent war in Iraq. News reports marking the occasion will no doubt note that combat deaths are now lower than at earlier stages in this war -- a silver lining to a still very dark cloud. No matter how quickly our troops leave Iraq, the war will not soon leave those who are serving -- and have served -- in it. A epidemic of psychological trauma is ripping through our military's ranks, and we're probably still years away from seeing the last of our troops withdrawn from Iraq.

In the wars that America has been fighting since 2001, almost two million soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen from our all-volunteer military have served in Iraq and Afghanistan with courage and valor. Less visible but no less honorable are the sacrifices endured by America's military families. The spouses, children, parents, and grandparents of our men and women in uniform endure sleepless nights and a nagging dread lurking behind the quiet pride in their loved ones who are serving overseas.

National Guard units struggle nationwide, but the post-deployment challenges facing the Alaska National Guard are more daunting and widespread than any other I've seen as a Director of Veterans for America's National Guard Program.

As we have done in more than 12 other states, members of Veterans for America's National Guard Program recently completed an assessment of the needs of the Alaska National Guard, culminating with a week-long trip to Alaska, visiting a cross-section of the state to assess the needs of the Alaska National Guard.  Despite the dedicated and relentless work many in Alaska, VFA's findings indicate that the post-deployment needs of Alaska National Guard members and their families remain largely unmet.

The greatest challenge facing Alaska National Guard members is access to care. Guard members living in urban centers like Anchorage and Juneau have limited access to Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare and Tricare (i.e., Department of Defense-sponsored military health care). When Guard members are deployed, their families are forced to switch to a very limited Tricare network, and often lose their health care.

It is unthinkable that anyone from any political party would try to block our servicemembers and wounded veterans from voting, but a new lawsuit in Ohio is threatening to do just that.

Ohioans are allowed by law to register to vote and cast an absentee ballot on the same day as long as they do so before the Oct. 6th registration deadline, but a lawsuit filed in the Ohio State Supreme Court is trying to upend that law. If the groups bringing the suit have their way, it would potentially void thousands of ballots already cast by hospitalized veterans and deployed servicemembers, and make voting extraordinarily difficult for those who haven't yet.

John McCain will visit New Jersey today, first attending a private fundraiser in Bergen County, and then a campaign swing through Teaneck. Veterans for America (VFA) calls on Senator McCain to address issues we've seen during our recent work in New Jersey.  About half of New Jersey's National Guard is in Ft. Bliss, Texas, preparing to deploy to Iraq, and thousands of Guard families and employers and dozens of communities are feeling their absence.

Here are the top stories this week related to our soldiers here and abroad, taken from the Our Troops Newsladder.

In Part V of its War Torn series, The New York Times examines the increased rates of alcoholism among returning combat veterans. (nytimes.com)

After the deadliest month in the war in Afghanistan so far, President Bush announced plans to increase the number of troops deployed to Afghanistan. 28 U.S. troops died in Afghanistan in June, outnumbering the June count in Iraq, which has triple the number of forces there. (armytimes.com)

Here are the top stories this week related to our soldiers here and abroad, taken from the Our Troops Newsladder.

A soldier with a history of mental health problems that may have made him ineligible for Army service at any other time dies in Iraq. The attrition rate for the first months of service has dropped 45% since 2004; has the Army lowered its standards for graduation from basic training so low that soldiers unfit for combat are being sent into battle? (newsweek.com)

A controversial new drug that dampens the memories of events that cause extreme stress is being tested as a treatment for soldiers with PTSD. Tests of the beta-blocker drug propranolol, which reduces hormone production to people exposed to such stress has so far been successful in reducing the emotional intensity with which sufferers recount traumatic experience. (prospect.org)

Here are the top stories this week related to our soldiers here and abroad, taken from the Our Troops Newsladder.

21 House members are co-sponsoring the Stop Loss Compensation Act of 2008, which would provide $1,500 per month of special pay to soldiers serving under stop-loss orders. The bill was introduced by Rep. Betty Sutton, Democrat of Ohio. (marinecorpstimes.com)

The rise of long, repeated combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan has given rise to an epidemic of soldiers harming themselves in order to not be sent back. This trend has occurred in past wars, but Army Reserve psychologist Elspeth Ritchie thinks the current problem may be worse than it was during Vietnam or Korea. One soldier swallowed pens, another jumped off his roof with tools strapped to his body, and a New York man paid a hit man to shoot him in the kneecap. (newsweek.com)