Tester helps designate National PTSD Awareness Day

Senator seeks better treatment, support for Montana veterans

(U.S. SENATE) – Senator Jon Tester is backing a bipartisan resolution designating June 27, 2012 as National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day.

Tester’s bill aims to raise public awareness of PTSD and educate veterans and their families about the resources and treatments available.  The VA treated nearly half a million veterans for PTSD in 2011.

Tester, Montana’s only member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, is committed to standing up for Treasure State veterans coping with mental health issues.

“This country made a promise to help its veterans heal from the wounds of war – both seen and unseen,” Tester said.  “As a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, it’s my job to make sure veterans and their families affected by PTSD get the care they earned.  Raising public awareness goes a long way to accomplish that.”

Tester’s resolution also calls for a panel to review various VA and Defense Department treatment initiatives to ensure that veterans with PTSD are receiving needed care.

The VA has treated more than 207,000 veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan for PTSD.

Tester is a strong advocate for improving mental health services for Montana’s veterans – successfully fighting to bring new VA facilities to Montana, to bring tele-health services to more Montana communities, and to provide travel reimbursement for disabled combat veterans who travel to Vet Centers.

His bipartisan bill is available online HERE.

-30-