Purcellville, VA—Retired Air Force Colonel Mike Turner, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress in the 10th District, and a Desert Storm veteran, wants to see more attention given to the needs of returning veterans. “The veterans returning from extended tours of duty in the Iraq and Afghanistan are faced with special challenges,” Turner said. “Many Reserve and National Guard soldiers have suffered financially from having to leave their jobs and businesses, and many are returning with physical and mental injuries. After their many sacrifices, these veterans should be able to count on their country to help them heal.”

Last week the Rand Corporation released an independent study on veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan showing that nearly one in five are suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). That, coupled with the recent revelations that the Veterans Administration’s mental health services department was covering up the number of suicides among veterans has particularly disgusted veterans such as Turner. “Caring for our veterans is one of our national obligations. The Bush Administration, backed by Republican Congressman Frank Wolf, has scandalously permitted the Pentagon to delay and deny medical treatment to hundreds of thousands of returning vets, above all those with traumatic head injuries, PTSD, and major depression.“ Turner recommends expanding and fully funding the community Veterans Center program and providing outpatient care for vets and their families at these community-based storefront locations. “We need to make it easier for veterans to access mental health care services by passing laws such as Barack Obama’s Veterans Health and Benefits Improvement Act, which greatly reduces the hurdles for our returning soldiers seeking help.”

Turner strongly supports Senator Jim Webb’s (D-VA) "Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act, "which would provide increased educational benefits to veterans who have served at least three months on active duty since September 11, 2001. These benefits would extend to soldiers who have been activated through their duty in the Reserves or National Guard. “These educational benefits give veterans a chance to further their education, and therefore their financial opportunities. In addition, the bill would certainly help soldiers be more optimistic about their future,” explained Turner.

Turner, who served as the briefing officer to General H. Norman Schwarzkopf in the United States Central Command, strongly opposed the war in Iraq before it began. “I would not spend one more dollar on the war in Iraq until our nation starts taking care of the men and women who have been injured in this ill-conceived conflict,” says Turner.

Detailed papers on this and other urgent issues facing Virginia’s 10th Congressional District can be found on Turner’s Website at www.MikeTurnerForCongress.com.