War In Afghanistan Research Articles

National Security and Economy Decoding the Friendship

National Security and Economy have been two important variables when countries have considered their development agendas. Since world war 2 these two concepts were considered different. In the last 50 years or so that has changed as there is consensus among international relations experts, economists and officials belonging to the national security apparatus of many countries that these two concepts are interlinked. Ever since the Soviet Union fell in august 1991 due to various reasons like dwindling economy, excessive state control and the soviet afghan war. Countries have started noticing this friendship between national security and the economy. Countries like India, japan, south Korea, and western European nations have realized that if they want to keep their citizens safe becoming economically self-sustainable is the only practical and permanent solution.

Narrative Characteristics in Refugee Discourse: An Analysis of American Public Opinion on the Afghan Refugee Crisis After the Taliban Takeover

The United States (U.S.) military withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 was met with turmoil as the Taliban regained control of most of the country, including Kabul. These events have affected many and were widely discussed on social media, especially in the U.S. In this work, we focus on Twitter discourse regarding these events, especially potential opinion shifts over time and the effect social media posts by established U.S. legislators might have had on online public reception. To this end, we investigate two datasets on the war in Afghanistan, consisting of Twitter posts by self-identified U.S. accounts and conversation threads initiated by U.S. politicians. We find that Twitter users' discussions revolve around the Kabul airport event, President Biden's handling of the situation, and people affected by the U.S. withdrawal. Microframe analysis indicates that discourse centers the humanitarianism underlying these occurrences and politically leans liberal, focusing on care and fairness. Lastly, network analysis shows that Republicans are far more active on Twitter compared to Democrats and there is more positive sentiment than negative in their conversations.

‘Afghanistan’—the transnational connection between Haqqani Network and the Arab World

ABSTRACT This article explores the dynamics in the Haqqani Network’s (HN) connection with the Arab world which influenced the latter’s relationship with Afghanistan. The financial as well as ideological network that was established between the HN and the Arab countries has seen a trajectory from financing the Afghan War during the 1970s to clandestinely supporting the revival of the Taliban insurgency after 2001 and finally, participating in the Afghan peace negotiation process from 2010 onward – partly due to changes in the geopolitical priorities. After the Taliban takeover of Kabul in August 2021, the existing clandestine network is likely to change because many leaders from the Haqqani Network have occupied key positions in the Taliban’s interim government. Moreover, some of the countries from the Arab world are redefining their national interests by bringing significant changes to their foreign policies – which is impacting their interaction with the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan. Despite all this change, the relationship between the Arab world, Haqqani Network, and Afghanistan (including the present Taliban 2) is likely to continue as financial confederates (with the help of both overt and hidden networks) in the present and the future as well.

Literary-social Interpretations of the ‘Stagnation’ Period in 20th Century Uzbek Literature

The period from the 1960s to the 1980s under Brezhnev is stamped in history, both Soviet and Uzbek, as “stagnation.”  Particularly for Uzbekistan, this period is known for such stigmatized events as the “cotton” or “Uzbek” scandal – the investigation into Uzbek First Party Secretary Sharaf  Rashidov (1917-1983) for misrepresenting cotton harvest results during his twenty-four-year tenure – and the Afghan war (1979-1989). The experience of striving to save the nation from the aggressive system and stereotypes of society, from the "values" of slavery and subordination, is reflected in some examples of 20th-century Uzbek literature. The most prominent figures in XX Century’s Uzbek literary history, Said Ahmad (1920-2007) in his novel Silence (Jimjitlik, 1988)  and O‘tkir Hoshimov (1941-2013) in Lives Passed in Dream (Tushda kechgan umrlar, 1992)  fell apart from the literature written as the Soviet Union describes the events of this period through a prism of moral monikers. Their understanding of their place in the world has always been through their connection to the nation. Social anxiety for them is inextricably linked to artistic anxiety and vice versa. Writers took it upon themselves to unmask the sins associated with this period, such as “two-facedness” (qiyofasizlik), bribery, fraud, cruelty, and bloodthirstiness (in reference to the Afghan war). The novels focusing on the “stagnation” period played an important role in transforming these moral criticisms of Soviet rule into criticisms of Soviet rule as colonial exploitation and serve as an attempt to unmask the horrors and misdeeds behind Soviet officialdom that have long gone unnoticed. In this paper, I will examine some of those moral constructions and how they framed the period in the minds of post-Soviet Uzbeks. The literary interpretations of the problems in stagnation will be analyzed in the historical, cultural, political and literary context. I hope this paper contributes to the research carried out on  Central Asian studies, including Uzbek Literature Literary history, which is known very little worldwide.

Afghan Scholars’ Response to Perspectives on the Afghanistan War: Arrogant Conquest; Disgraceful Withdrawal

In response to the special issue on the Afghanistan War published by Armed Forces & Society, this article offers alternative perspectives regarding America’s longest war from the point of view of scholars who experienced the war firsthand and continue to live in its aftermath. We argue that Afghanistan was invaded by Western militaries who came to experience political failures and moral regrets. The soil could be conquered, but the Afghan nation has always strictly rejected foreign rulers and dictations. As our research critically evaluated the special issue articles published in the Armed Forces and Society Journal, we believe these articles fall short of reasonable analysis by only considering and analyzing the military strategies, war tactics, and failed stabilization efforts in Afghanistan. Civilian casualties owing to military operations by U.S.-led forces, not establishing an inclusive central government, strong resistance of the Taliban, ignoring the Afghan nation’s core ambitions, Pakistan’s double game policy, and high level of corruption led the U.S. to defeat. Nevertheless, we conclude that the U.S. approach to getting revenge for 9/11 victims and restoring their dignity through banzai attacks, blind bombardments, and night raids in civilians’ homes in Afghan cities and villages and taking innocent lives must be recognized, remembered, and condemned.

Editor’s Note: Afghan Scholars’ Response to Perspectives on the Afghanistan War: Arrogant Conquest; Disgraceful Withdrawal

Editor’s Note: Afghan Scholars’ Response to Perspectives on the Afghanistan War: Arrogant Conquest; Disgraceful Withdrawal

Afganistan Savaşı’nda Avustralya Özel Kuvvetlerinin Savaş Suçları ve Agamben’in İstisna Durumu

BM verilerine ve Avustralya Savunma Kuvvetleri (Australian Defence Force, ADF) tarafından hazırlanan rapora göre 2003-2013 yılları arasında Afganistan’da görev alan Avustralya Özel Birlik askerleri en az 89 sivilin ve savaşanın ölümünden sorumludur. Her ne kadar Avustralya hükümeti kendi soruşturmasını yürütmekte ve sorumluları hukuk önüne getirmeye kararlı olduğu yönünde bir izlenim göstermekte ise de, uluslararası barış gücü bünyesinde görev alan personelin uluslararası suçlar işleyebileceği ve işlediği gerçeği hukuki alan dışında siyasi alanda da tartışılması gereken ve etki doğuran bir sorundur. Avustralya birliklerinin Afganistan Savaşı sırasındaki eylemleri uluslararası ilke ve normlarla bağdaşmamaktadır. Yasa koyucu iktidarın, iktidarını kurma aşamasında hukukun üstünde ve dışında olduğunu öne süren Agamben’in istisna durumu teorisine paralel olarak, Avustralya birliklerinin söz konusu eylemleri istisna olmanın ötesinde istisnanın kurala dönüştüğü bir alanı işaret etmektedir. Birliklerin işlediği uluslararası suçların kurbanları olan Afganlar ise hukuki alanın dışına itilen, dolayısıyla hukuki suje olarak tanınmayan bireyi ifade eden homo sacer halini almaktadırlar. Bu doğrultuda, çalışma ulusal alandaki istisna durumu ve homo sacer inşası süreçlerine benzer şekilde uluslararası toplumun kendi istisna durumlarını ve homo sacer sujelerini kurguladığını gösterecektir.

Suicide without warning: Results from the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (STARRS)

ObjectivesThe rate of suicide increased in members of the United States Army since 2011 after the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and continues to be a major concern. In order to reverse this disturbing trend, it is vital to understand the risk and protective factors for suicide death in servicemembers. MethodsData were obtained from a case-control psychological autopsy study, which compared U.S. Army suicide decedent cases (n = 135) to a probability sample of living controls (n = 255) who are also service members weighted to be representative of the Army. Interviews were conducted with next-of-kin (NOK) and supervisor (SUP) informants. Multivariable logistic regressions models were constructed using predictors significant after controlling for multiple comparisons. ResultsThe most parsimonious multivariable model controlling for deployment status, as reported by SUP predicting suicide death consisted of four significant variables: a spouse or partner left him or her in the past month (OR = 28.5 [95% CI = 1.8, 442.7] χ² = 5.72, p = .0168); a smaller social network (OR = 4.2 [95% CI = 1.0, 17.3] χ² = 3.97, p = .0462), less likely to seek help from a mental health counselor (OR = 3.4 [95% CI = 1.2, 9.7] χ² = 5.35, p = .0207) and more likely to be described as incautious (OR = 3.8 [95% CI = 1.2, 11.7] χ² = 5.42, p = .0199). The AUC = .88 [95%CI = 0.82, 0.94] for this regression model suggests strong prediction. ConclusionsOur findings suggest that recent relationship problems, especially in soldiers who are less likely to seek out support from others, may be warning signs for detection and prevention of imminent risk of suicide and according to supervisor informant surveys, had neither evidence of a mental health disorder, nor disclosed suicidal ideation or self-harm. Implications for suicide prevention are discussed.

Heroic Soldiers, Justified Wars: Depictions of the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in Polish Popular Film

Polish popular film has responded to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq with two productions: the TV series Misja: Afganistan (dir. Maciej Dejczer, 2012) and the feature film Karbala (dir. Krzysztof Łukaszewicz, 2015). They do not reflect the prevailing views of the public on these two military conflicts, but rather appeal to the general imaginings about Polish wars in the course of history. As they leave out issues of politics, it is the portrayal of the soldiers that most fundamentally contributes to the construction of the perspectives on the wars in the Middle East in the films under discussion. The predominantly positive image of the Polish soldiers leads the viewer to believe that the wars in which they fought were justified. Misja: Afganistan and Karbala perpetuate the tropes entrenched in the heroic/martyrological model of representing war in Polish film through exploiting universal connotations of heroic war.

Implementation of positive psychology to surmount demoralization caused by a cataclysm in select works of Svetlana Alexievich.

Cataclysm refers to a large-scale and violent event involving disaster, catastrophe, calamity, and tragedy. The recent surge of a pandemic (coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)), humanitarian crisis in Sudan, civil unrest, and war, such as the attacks in Syria and Ukraine, reiterate the need to address the trauma attached to such catastrophes. This study focuses on adapting positive psychology, one of the newest branches of psychology to emerge, to help human beings prosper and lead healthy, happy lives. It also explores post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and means to overcome traumatizing psychological dejection caused by such mishaps. Demoralization is the immediate effect caused on victims and survivors of such devastations. A comprehensive study of cataclysm and demoralization is concomitant with the suffering produced by various factors pertaining to mass annihilation. A deductive methodology is incorporated into the qualitative data to analyze the oral testimonies of war and disaster survivors in Svetlana Alexievich's works titled Zinky Boys: Soviet Voices from the Afghanistan War, Second Hand Time, The Unwomanly Face of War and Chernobyl Prayer. Interpretation of the polyphonic voices in the oral sagas of interviewees in Alexievich's works reveals an increased level of anxiety, stress, and trauma post-catastrophic events. The implementation of positive psychology has been identified as an appropriate psychological intervention to address the issues related to psychological devastation.

Foreign-imposed Regime Change and the American War in Afghanistan

Abstract Why did America's twenty-year war in Afghanistan fail to establish a self-sustaining non-Taliban government? Analysts have cited cultural obstacles in Afghanistan, bureaucratic inertia in Washington, and a lack of strategic commitment, in part because Iraq dominated national security policy. Such claims tend to draw evidence from Germany, Japan, and Iraq, places where the U.S. military achieved some measure of success establishing pro-American governments. The present article broadens the comparison to consider Afghanistan alongside Germany, Japan, Iraq, and two examples of post-Cold War regime-change success: Panama (1989–1990) and Haiti (1994–1995). The cases indicate that U.S. influence in the postwar environment has depended on the prospects for integrating old regime elites into the new government and on the strength of indigenous opposition forces. Both variables were unfavorable in Afghanistan, and they shaped the boundaries of political order—no matter how hard U.S. forces fought or how long they stayed.

Traumatic Brain Injury and Subsequent Risk of Brain Cancer in US Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars

While brain cancer is rare, it has a very poor prognosis and few established risk factors. To date, epidemiologic work examining the potential association of traumatic brain injury (TBI) with the subsequent risk of brain cancer is conflicting. Further data may be useful. To examine whether a history of TBI exposure is associated with the subsequent development of brain cancer. A retrospective cohort study was conducted from October 1, 2004, to September 20, 2019, and data analysis was performed between January 1 and June 26, 2023. The median follow-up for the cohort was 7.2 (IQR, 4.1-10.1) years. Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) administrative data on 1 919 740 veterans from the Long-Term Impact of Military-Relevant Brain Injury Consortium-Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium were included. The main exposure of interest was TBI severity (categorized as mild, moderate or severe [moderate/severe], and penetrating). The outcome of interest was the development of brain cancer based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) or International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) diagnostic codes in either the DoD/VA medical records or from the National Death Index. After 611 107 exclusions (predominately for no encounter during the study period), a cohort including 1 919 740 veterans was included, most of whom were male (80.25%) and non-Hispanic White (63.11%). Median age at index date was 31 (IQR, 25-42) years. The cohort included 449 880 individuals with TBI (mild, 385 848; moderate/severe, 46 859; and penetrating, 17 173). Brain cancer occurred in 318 individuals without TBI (0.02%), 80 with mild TBI (0.02%), 17 with moderate/severe TBI (0.04%), and 10 or fewer with penetrating TBI (≤0.06%). After adjustment, moderate/severe TBI (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 1.90; 95% CI, 1.16-3.12) and penetrating TBI (AHR, 3.33; 95% CI, 1.71-6.49), but not mild TBI (AHR, 1.14; 95% CI, 0.88-1.47), were associated with the subsequent development of brain cancer. In this cohort study of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, moderate/severe TBI and penetrating TBI, but not mild TBI, were associated with the subsequent development of brain cancer.

“We did not Send You There”: Media Representations of the War in Afghanistan and the Emergence and Practice of Cancel Culture in Post-Soviet Russia

The article is devoted to the problem of transformation of historical memory in the context of digitalization. The aim of the article is to make a critical analysis of the “cancel culture” as one of the tools for the formation and transmission of historical identity in digital space and beyond. The new media space from where the phenomenon of cancel culture originated is chosen as the research field. The objective of the article is then to bring the conceptual subjects of memory studies and media theory closer together.
 New media differ significantly from traditional media, and these differences determine the change in discursive rules and consequently imply a reorganization of the discursive space.  The vertical paternalistic structure of discourse gives way to a horizontal rhizomatic structure, while the rigid author-reader opposition breaks down. The change in discursive rules entails a change of discursive practices. The changes affect not only discursive but also social space, including the space of historical memory. The digitalization of the past entails new forms of memory existence. At the same time, some traditional functions, such as identity formation, are preserved.
 New media becomes a platform for identity formation, providing opportunities for the construction and constant reassembly of identities. The article considers “cancel culture” as a marker of this reassembly. It is viewed both as a mode of manifestation and as a source of identity. The critical analysis highlights both the negative and positive characteristics of the phenomenon, explaining its paradoxicality and regularity in the new reality.

Professionalized Heroism? Comparing US, UK, and Norwegian War Decorations From the War in Afghanistan

This article compares the awarding of the three highest war decorations in Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States for actions undertaken in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2018 to examine contemporary expressions of military heroism. The comparison shows Norway tends to award leadership, and gaining respect from prestigious allies, whereas the United States and the United Kingdom tend to award individual acts of courage, involving great risk to one’s own life. In the case of the United States, these acts were predominantly aimed toward rescuing fellow soldiers, whereas the U.K. cases were aimed toward defeating an enemy. The Norwegian war decoration regime, in which the highest decorations are detached from the traditional military value of sacrifice, illustrates that while professional forces may act heroically, heroism, contrary to war decoration regimes, cannot be professionalized.

Periarticular blast wounds without fracture a prospective case series

BackgroundDuring the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq most injuries to service members involved the musculoskeletal system. These wounds often occurred around joints, and in some cases result in traumatic arthrotomy—a diagnosis that is not always clear, especially when there is no concomitant articular fracture. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the diagnosis and treatment of peri-articular blast injuries without fracture.MethodsThe study cohort included 12 consecutive patients (12 involved extremities) who sustained peri-articular blast wounds of the extremities without fractures. The diagnosis of penetrating articular injury was based on clinical examination, radiographic findings, or aspiration. A peri-articular wound was defined as any wound, or radio-opaque blast fragment, within 5 cm of a joint. The New Injury Severity Score (NISS) was calculated for each patient. Four patients had upper, and 8 patients had lower extremity injuries. Nine of 12 patients had joint capsular penetration and underwent joint irrigation and debridement.ResultsTwo patients had retained intra-articular metal fragments. One patient had soft tissue blast wounds within 5 cm of a joint but did not have joint capsule penetration. There were no significant differences (p = 0.23) between the distribution of wounds to upper versus lower extremities. However, there were a significantly greater number of blast injuries attributed to Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) than from other blast mechanisms (p = 0.01).ConclusionExtremity blast injuries in the vicinity of joints involving only soft tissues present a unique challenge in surgical management. A high index of suspicion should be maintained for joint capsular penetration so that intra-articular injuries may be appropriately treated.

Beyond Borders: Unpacking us Military Involvement in Afghanistan as a Case Study in the Islamic World

Purpose: This study seeks to assess the adherence to international law in the 2001 U.S.-led military intervention in Afghanistan, prompted by the September 11 attacks. Additionally, it aims to investigate the impact of the Greater Middle East Initiative on U.S. policy towards the Islamic World, specifically Afghanistan, providing insights into legal intricacies and broader consequences.   Theoretical Framework: This article engages in discussions among Western scholars on the Afghanistan war and U.S. military involvement but distinguishes itself by incorporating insights from Middle Eastern scholars. It aims to enrich the discourse by integrating perspectives from within the Middle Eastern scholarly community, offering a comprehensive view of these complex subjects.   Methodology: Employing historical, descriptive, and in-depth analytical research methods, this study examines events around September 11, 2001, providing essential context for the subsequent U.S. military intervention. Descriptive methods offer a detailed account of the post-9/11 shift in U.S. policy, while in-depth analytical methods scrutinize legal dilemmas arising from the intervention, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of historical context, U.S. policy decisions, and legal complexities.   Results: The results and discussion section explores the historical evolution of U.S. military engagement in 21st-century Afghanistan, analyzing its strategic shifts and the Taliban's adaptation to guerrilla warfare. It critically evaluates the international legal aspects of the Afghan War, assessing the legitimacy of the U.S.-led military intervention based on UN conventions, historical precedents, and key principles such as the right to legitimate defense, urgency, and proportionality.   Conclusions: The aftermath of September 11, 2001, marked a transformative moment in U.S. policy towards Afghanistan and the broader Middle East, leading to the consequential Afghan War. Despite its geopolitical significance, the absence of explicit UN Security Council authorization prompts a critical examination of the war's legitimacy, revealing lapses in meeting criteria for the right to individual or collective legitimate defense and urging a reevaluation of established narratives in international relations and global politics.

Perivascular Space Burden and Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers in US Veterans With Blast-Related Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Blast-related mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is recognized as the "signature injury" of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Sleep disruption, mTBI, and neuroinflammation have been individually linked to cerebral perivascular space (PVS) dilatation. Dilated PVSs are putative markers of impaired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid exchange, which plays an important role in removing cerebral waste. The aim of this cross-sectional, retrospective study was to define associations between biomarkers of inflammation and MRI-visible PVS (MV-PVS) burden in Veterans after blast-related mTBI (blast-mTBI) and controls. The CSF and plasma inflammatory biomarker concentrations were compared between blast-mTBI and control groups and correlated with MV-PVS volume and number per white matter cm3. Multiple regression analyses were performed with inflammatory biomarkers as predictors and MV-PVS burden as the outcome. Correction for multiple comparisons was performed using the Banjamini-Hochberg method with a false discovery rate of 0.05. There were no group-wise differences in MV-PVS burden between Veterans with blast-mTBI and controls. Greater MV-PVS burden was significantly associated with higher concentrations of several proinflammatory biomarkers from CSF (i.e., eotaxin, MCP-1, IL-6, IL-8) and plasma (i.e., MCP-4, IL-13) in the blast-mTBI group only. After controlling for sleep time and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, temporal MV-PVS burden remained significantly associated with higher CSF markers of inflammation in the blast-mTBI group only. These data support an association between central, rather than peripheral, neuroinflammation and MV-PVS burden in Veterans with blast-mTBI independent of sleep. Future studies should continue to explore the role of blast-mTBI related central inflammation in MV-PVS development, as well as investigate the impact of subclinical exposures on MV-PVS burden.

Communication Strategies on Twitter: A Critical Discourse Analysis of the US Withdrawal from Afghanistan

ABSTRACT While several studies have explored strategic communication in relation to military intervention, this study analyses communicative strategies in the context of military withdrawals and redeployments. We focus on the case study of the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan to analyse which (and how) strategic narratives were discursively mobilised by the US administration on Twitter (now known as X) to seek public support and legitimacy for its operations. Findings suggest that key narratives of securitisation, national interest and responsibility were deployed through macro strategies of transcendence, bolstering, blaming and mitigation. We claim that while early representations of the war in Afghanistan were depicted as an unavoidable mission, the overarching discourse has now shifted to portrayals of the war being unsustainable and no longer needed by the United States.

Islamism in Pakistan and the Kashmir Conflict

The conflict in Kashmir is influenced by various interactive factors among which the Islamization of Pakistan and the following Talibanization of the entire Sub-Indian region undoubtedly have played a significant role. The emergence of the dispute is a consequence of the decolonisation process which peaked after the Second World War. Unfortunately, this same period was also marked by the beginning of the Cold War. Hence, it is argued that the Islamization of Pakistan is the product of the negative interaction of two main factors – the geopolitical rivalry of the superpowers at that time, especially considering the negative impact of the war in Afghanistan, and the rise of Islam as a consequence of the overall religious revival around the world. Adding to them is the local rivalry between the newly emerged states of India and Pakistan producing an extremely explosive mixture with the potential to ignite the entire region of South-East Asia, involving also the leading international powers. Thus, the conflict in Kashmir became an integral part of the post-Cold War world directly affected by the Islamic revival and the dissemination of the Islamist principles in Pakistan.

Associations between Predictors of PTSD and Psychosocial Functioning in Veterans: Results from a Longitudinal Assessment Study

Impairments in psychosocial functioning are common in veterans, especially in those with significant mental health symptoms. Although available treatments are aimed at alleviating these symptoms, impairments in psychosocial functioning do not appear to be fully addressed. To achieve rehabilitation and full societal participation, there is a need to identify longitudinal associations of both symptoms and functional outcomes which can be targeted in treatment. United States veterans (N=491) of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars were recruited as part of a longitudinal assessment study which examined predictors of postdeployment adjustment. Veterans were assessed at four timepoints over the course of a two-year period. A Bayesian multivariate multilevel model was used to estimate the association of predictors of PTSD (depression, alcohol use, suicidal ideation, and sleep) on psychosocial functioning as encompassed by quality of life (Quality of Life Scale (QLS)) and disability (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS)) scores over time. As female veterans have unique environmental exposures and functional demands, interactions between predictors and gender were included in all models. There was significant overlap between predictors of PTSD and predictors of disability across domains and quality of life. Depressive symptoms and social support emerged as the strongest predictors of psychosocial functioning. Additionally, suicidality and alcohol use emerged as predictors of quality of life, but not disability. As expected, increases in PTSD symptoms predicted increased disability and decreased quality of life. The effect of depressive symptoms on quality of life was more pronounced for male veterans, and the effect of PTSD and alcohol use on quality of life was more pronounced for female veterans. Findings highlight various treatment targets which have the potential to improve symptoms of PTSD and functional outcomes. Findings highlight an opportunity to leverage intervention and prevention efforts focused on decreasing depression and increasing social support to improve trauma symptoms and maximize rehabilitation and functional recovery in veterans.