Interventions with medical and psychiatric evacuees and their families: from Vietnam through the Gulf War.

Clinical, milieu, and patient management psycho-social interventions are identified and discussed concerning medical and psychiatric evacuees from a war zone. The acute psychological state of evacuees, specific areas of inquiry from the onset of becoming a casualty through initial hospitalization stateside, and interventions to address psychological aspects of being wounded or a psychiatric evacuee are highlighted. Issues and dynamics to address with the families, to include clinical experiences with families of Vietnam, Panama, and Gulf War military returnees are described, as well as specific risk factors for Operation Desert Storm families and personnel. Distinctive stressors faced by women, national guard and reserves, and ethnic minority personnel in Operation Desert Storm are identified. Finally, complications and recommendations concerning the appropriate diagnoses for psychiatric evacuees, and the stressors faced by the health care provider, are presented. Specific recommendations by veterans who themselves were evacuated from Vietnam are described in the veterans' own words.