Date of Award

2011

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Abstract

When the researcher of this paper returned from Iraq in 2003, post deployment mental health screening wasn't mandated across the military. In 2011, it has come full circle with the implementation of the Post Deployment Health Reassessment (POI-IRA) system. The researcher set out to examine the current state of the PDHRA by talking to a select group of Marines who recently completed the mental health screening. According to the Marines surveyed, the current system isn't taken seriously by those who are screened and is treated like any other mandatory process that goes on before and after a deployment. This ••complete it and move on attitude" highlights the current and main problem associated with the screening, a problem that is enforced by the stigma associated with reporting a mental health injury in the military. The results of this study should alert policy makers lo change the current system to address the attitudes that today's combat veterans have of reporting mental health injuries.

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