After Ft. Hood shootings, N.J. military say they’re more prepared for returning vets

The fatal shootings at Ft. Hood have raised concern about psychological problems among veterans.

Military officials in New Jersey say more is being done now to help returning vets than in any other generation.

Brigadier General Michael Cunniff manages the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. He says the state funds a vet-to-vet hotline that’s available to veterans and their families.

“That’s open 24 hours a day. It’s been very effective,” Cunniff said. “The number of calls since 2006 has more than doubled. Currently I think we have about 12,000 veterans and 400 family members taking advantage of that counseling.”

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Cunniff says every generation has had to deal with some form of battle fatigue among veterans who’ve been in combat. 

“It’s more reported, and in the age of computers the data is easier to collect, but I think every generation has had to deal with whatever they call battle fatigue or post-traumatic stress syndrome, and I think quite in this day and age we’re doing a better job of dealing with it than we’ve ever done in the nation’s history,” Cunniff said.

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