Illinois leads the way in helping Iraq war veterans

The signature wounds of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, military experts say, are post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries.

Among several states shouldering responsibility for the detection and treatment of those conditions, Illinois has a new screening program for all returning National Guard troops and a 24-hour hot line to help veterans with combat-related stress.

As states strive to help soldiers who have fallen through large gaps in care at the federal level, Illinois is emerging as a leader, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Sunday.

Illinois lawmakers found $8 million for the programs this year.

"It shouldn't be the responsibility of the Illinois taxpayer, but these are our sons and daughters," said Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth. "If we don't take care of these veterans through this program, we'll be taking care of them in our prisons or our homeless shelters."

Duckworth, an Iraq veteran, lost her legs in the war when a rocket-propelled grenade hit the helicopter she was copiloting.

The Post-Dispatch said that 18 states this year have passed laws on veterans' mental health challenges, many aimed at closing gaps left by the Defense Department or Veterans Administration. Just four states passed such laws last year, the newspaper said.

A Pentagon report last summer said the military "falls significantly short" in providing psychological care to troops. The report blamed inadequate resources and the stigma accompanying such problems in the military.

"States are doing things because the federal government hasn't stepped up to the plate to help the veterans," said Rep. Phil Hare, D-Ill., of the House Veterans Affairs Committee.

"I don't think they had a clue that the war would last this long, that they would have these numbers of people in theater, this many people with psychological problems."

Hare has asked Duckworth to testify about Illinois' programs for returning soldiers before the House Veterans Affairs Committee once Congress reconvenes next month.