Current Occupational Aspects of Army Psychiatry

Abstract

<P>When our nation is at war, military psychiatry presents as an area of topical interest. On a daily basis, we hear news about our soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, which, in turn, may cause us to remember emotional traumas associated with previous wars. Knowing that combat stress is a cause of mental harm, it is likely that many soldiers will continue to need psychiatric care. Therefore, a basic knowledge of military psychiatry and related issues will improve treatment and will help physicians to develop a better understanding of these patients. The following discussion focuses specifically on the specialty of Army psychiatry, but may be used as a general paradigm for psychiatric practice in other branches of the military. </P> <H4>ABOUT THE AUTHOR</H4> <P>Jonathan S. Dowben, MD, is the Lead Psychiatrist with the PCT (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Clinical Track) at the Birmingham VAMC Outpatient Mental Health Clinic. He is a Clinical Faculty Member in the Department of Psychiatry, UAB. He is Board Certified in both Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and has added Board qualification in Forensic Psychiatry. He is currently a Major in the U.S. Army Reserve Medical Corps. He served on active duty in Afghanistan in 2004 and in Iraq in 2005. </P> <P>Address correspondence to: Jonathan S. Dowben, MD, Birmingham VAMC – MHC, 700 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35233; 205-933-8101 ext. 5508; fax: 205-939-4576; <a href="mailto:jonathan.dowben@va.gov">jonathan.dowben@va.gov</a>. </P>