Individual Augmentee Deployment and Newly Reported Mental Health Morbidity

Current deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan have generated concern regarding the association between combat deployment and mental health disorders. Those deploying on an individual assignment (IA) may be at increased risk for mental health challenges. The objective of this research is to describe new-onset of self-reported posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and alcohol disorders in the Millennium Cohort and assess the relationship between IA deployment and mental health morbidity. Millennium Cohort Study members deployed for the first time in support of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan between baseline and follow-up were included in these analyses (n = 12 952). Women deployed on an IA with reported combat exposures were at greatest risk of any mental health outcome (odds ratio [OR] 4.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.90-8.62), PTSD (OR 8.24; 95% CI, 2.88-23.61), or alcohol abuse (OR 3.20; 95% CI, 1.11-9.25) postdeployment compared with regular deployed women without combat exposures. This investigation contributes insight into which additional services those deployed on an IA may benefit from to prevent mental health challenges. Military women deployed on IA, in particular, may benefit from additional time and efforts to increase social support and unit cohesion before deployment.