Trauma tally shows stress on soldiers

A decade of armed conflict had left Australian troops 'scarred and traumatised'. Photo / Getty Images

The toll exacted on Australia's Defence Force by a gruelling series of foreign deployments has been further demonstrated by disturbing levels of injuries and mental trauma suffered by troops abroad.

The nation's military has been heavily committed since it moved into East Timor in the violent crisis that followed the fledgling nation's independence vote, joining the United States-led invasion of Iraq and the present war in Afghanistan as well as regional emergencies such as that in the Solomons.

About 3300 troops, with aircraft, ships and armour, are at present deployed in 13 foreign operations.

These include the 1550 operating in Afghanistan - where 11 Diggers have been killed - 800 deployed elsewhere in the Middle East, and 650 remaining in East Timor.

Yesterday the Australian published previously unreleased figures from the Department of Veterans Affairs, showing that a decade of armed conflict had left Australian troops "scarred and traumatised".

The newspaper said the figures, obtained under freedom of information legislation, revealed almost 4000 personnel had recorded injuries and illnesses attributed to their time in East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq.

"Analysis of the data will fuel debate over Australia's ability to sustain such a high level of involvement in overseas operations," it said.

Most of the successful claims for departmental compensation or other support as a result of problems from service abroad had come from troops who served in East Timor, where 6694 separate injuries and illnesses had been recorded.

Of the three conflicts examined, East Timor still had the most claims processed by the department.

Afghanistan had so far been responsible for 1293 claims, and Iraq 1503, but the Australian said the number was growing, with the lag time for claims averaging between seven and 12 years.

"While Australia has mourned the 15 troops killed in action in the three conflicts, little is said publicly about other casualties," the newspaper said.

"Their ailments can be debilitating and incapacitating and yet, from these figures at least, it appears some take their problems into the next operation."

The Australian said the Defence Force had been so active that 26 members had between them been awarded 52 compensation claims attributed to all three conflicts.

Three of those had post-traumatic stress disorder, although it was not clear from the figures whether the conditions were diagnosed early and carried through, or the result of a cumulative effect.

Roughly one in four successful claimants had experienced a mental trauma attributable to their posting.