A transitional day treatment program for soldiers with severe post-traumatic stress disorder

War has been part of our society since the beginning of history in pure and simple terms it is part of the human experience. As long as we have wars there will be victims or casualties of war. Historically, the way the military treats its psychological casualties of war has changed over time. It is hoped that this program will be part of that evolutionary change. Hence, the program will focus on services for soldiers of war with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These individuals fall through the gap in the military service delivery system, which discharges them and sends them for treatment to an already overburden Veteran Administration mental health system. The interventions were chosen on the basis of program evaluation studies and other literature, which supports their efficacy. Each soldier will be given a detailed assessment to determine the amount and specific intervention needed for that individual.; The purpose of the program is to strengthen the fighting force during times of war and to meet the mental health needs of soldiers with severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), who fall through the gap in the military's mental health service delivery system. The program will be implemented within the theater of operations where the manning and staffing are readily available.; The goal of the program is to implement early treatment of PTSD within the theater of operations in hopes of returning to duty some of the 20% of soldiers suffering from combat PTSD. This will help minimize the amount of trained soldiers that are discharged and sent to an already overburdened V.A. mental health service system. It will also help to keep the military's fighting force at peak efficiency and reduce the amount of trained personnel loss to combat PTSD.; It is hoped that a well-documented plan for improved services will influence the military and policy makers to support the funding of such a treatment program for soldiers of war with severe PTSD.