III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 554 

Designating the month of June 2018 as ‘‘National Post-Traumatic Stress 

Awareness Month’’ and June 27, 2018, as ‘‘National Post-Traumatic 

Stress Awareness Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 20, 2018 

Ms. HEITKAMP (for herself, Mr. HELLER, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. GRASSLEY, Mr. 

TESTER, Mr. ROUNDS, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. DAINES, Mr. JONES, Mr. 

ROBERTS, Ms. HASSAN, Mr. HOEVEN, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. SULLIVAN, 

Mr. CARDIN, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, 

Mr. TILLIS, Mr. COONS, Mr. DONNELLY, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. CASEY, 

Mr. MERKLEY, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Ms. STABENOW, Ms. HIRONO, Ms. 

CORTEZ MASTO, Mr. NELSON, Mr. BENNET, Ms. WARREN, Mr. LEAHY, 

Mr. MURPHY, Ms. SMITH, Mr. KING, Mr. BOOKER, and Mr. REED) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the month of June 2018 as ‘‘National PostTraumatic Stress Awareness Month’’ and June 27, 2018, 

as ‘‘National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day’’. 

Whereas the brave men and women of the Armed Forces of 

the United States (in this preamble referred to as the 

‘‘Armed Forces’’), who proudly serve the United States, 

risk their lives to protect the freedom of the people of the 

United States and deserve the investment of every possible resource to ensure their lasting physical, mental, 

and emotional well-being; 


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•SRES 554 ATS 

Whereas more than 3,000,000 members of the Armed Forces 

have deployed overseas since the events of September 11, 

2001, and have served in places such as Afghanistan and 

Iraq; 

Whereas the current generation of military men and women 

has sustained a historically high rate of operational deployments, with many members of the Armed Forces 

serving overseas multiple times, placing those members at 

high risk of experiencing combat stress; 

Whereas, when left untreated, exposure to traumatic combat 

stress can lead to post-traumatic stress, sometimes referred to as post-traumatic stress disorder (in this preamble referred to as ‘‘PTSD’’) or post-traumatic stress 

injury; 

Whereas men and women of the Armed Forces and veterans 

who served before September 11, 2001, remain at risk 

for post-traumatic stress; 

Whereas the Secretary of Veterans Affairs reports that— 

(1) about 11 to 20 percent of veterans who served 

in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom have PTSD in a given year; 

(2) about 12 percent of Gulf War veterans have 

PTSD in a given year; and 

(3) about 30 percent of Vietnam veterans have had 

PTSD in their lifetimes; 

Whereas many combat stress injuries remain unreported, 

undiagnosed, and untreated due to a lack of awareness 

about post-traumatic stress and the persistent stigma associated with mental health conditions; 

Whereas exposure to military trauma can lead to post-traumatic stress; 


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•SRES 554 ATS 

Whereas post-traumatic stress significantly increases the risk 

of anxiety, depression, suicide, homelessness, and drugand alcohol-related disorders and deaths, especially if left 

untreated; 

Whereas public perceptions of post-traumatic stress or other 

mental health disorders create unique challenges for veterans seeking employment; 

Whereas the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and Veteran Service Organizations, as well 

as the larger medical community, both private and public, 

have made significant advances in the identification, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of post-traumatic stress 

and the symptoms of post-traumatic stress, but many 

challenges remain; 

Whereas increased understanding of post-traumatic stress 

can help eliminate the stigma attached to this mental 

health issue; 

Whereas additional efforts are needed to find further ways to 

eliminate the stigma associated with post-traumatic 

stress, including— 

(1) an examination of how post-traumatic stress is 

discussed in the United States; and 

(2) a recognition that post-traumatic stress is a 

common injury that is treatable and repairable; 

Whereas post-traumatic stress can result from any number of 

stressors other than combat, including rape, sexual assault, battery, torture, confinement, child abuse, car accidents, train wrecks, plane crashes, bombings, or natural 

disasters, and affects approximately 8,000,000 adults in 

the United States annually; 


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Whereas the diagnosis now known as PTSD was first defined 

by the American Psychiatric Association in 1980 to commonly and more accurately understand and treat veterans who had endured severe traumatic combat stress; 

Whereas combat stress had previously been viewed as a mental illness, and the word ‘‘disorder’’ carries a stigma that 

perpetuates this misconception; and 

Whereas the designation of a National Post-Traumatic Stress 

Awareness Month and a National Post-Traumatic Stress 

Awareness Day will raise public awareness about issues 

related to post-traumatic stress, reduce the associated 

stigma, and help ensure that those individuals suffering 

from the invisible wounds of war receive proper treatment: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates June 2018 as ‘‘National Post3 Traumatic Stress Awareness Month’’ and June 27, 

4 2018, as ‘‘National Post-Traumatic Stress Aware5 ness Day’’; 

6 (2) supports the efforts of the Secretary of Vet7 erans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense, as well 

8 as the entire medical community, to educate mem9 bers of the Armed Forces of the United States, vet10 erans, the families of members of the Armed Forces 

11 of the United States and veterans, and the public 

12 about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of post13 traumatic stress; 


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•SRES 554 ATS 

1 (3) supports efforts by the Secretary of Vet2 erans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense to foster 

3 cultural change around the issue of post-traumatic 

4 stress, understanding that personal interactions can 

5 save lives and advance treatment; 

6 (4) welcomes the efforts of the National Center 

7 for PTSD of the Department of Veterans Affairs 

8 and local Vet Centers (as defined in section 

9 1712A(h) of title 38, United States Code) to provide 

10 assistance to veterans who are suffering from the ef11 fects of this injury; 

12 (5) encourages commanders of the Armed 

13 Forces of the United States to support appropriate 

14 treatment of men and women of the Armed Forces 

15 of the United States who suffer from post-traumatic 

16 stress; and 

17 (6) respectfully requests that the Secretary of 

18 the Senate transmit a copy of this resolution to the 

19 Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of 

20 Defense. 

Æ 


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