Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
New Study Looks At Mental Health Of Civilians Who Work For Military In Combat Zones
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Apr 9, 2014
Modified Apr 9, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Getty Images
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Apr 9, 2014
Modified Apr 9, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Of the more than 100,000 private contractors ("force multipliers," in military bureaucrat jargon) the U.S. government deployed to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, roughly 18,000 were killed or injured. Yet there are thousands of other civilians who work directly under the command of the Department of Defense who have been exposed to the horrors of war. A new study examines the mental health toll on the roughly 6,000 civilians who lived and worked alongside soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The study, conducted by sociologists Alex Bierman and Ryan Kelty, and published in the most recent issue of Social Psychology Quarterly, is unique because there is a lack of research into mental health issues experienced by civilian employees in the Middle Eastern theater. While the number of suicides among members of the armed services has continued to climb, no agency keeps track of civilian suicides once they return.
Bierman and Kelty surveyed two logistics brigades who had been deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, and found that they experienced a preponderance of "life threatening hazards," and more than a third of those surveyed said they felt their lives were in danger a few times a month or more.
Civilians may be exposed to IEDs (improvised explosive devices). And rocket or mortar attacks on the bases are not uncommon. The protocol for civilians in these instances is to grab their gear — their Kevlar vests and gasmasks — and head to the designated shelter until they receive further notice. Civilians frequently face this sort of overwhelming threat in their environment.
This stressor is likely to be especially salient for civilians because individuals who are less experienced with war settings have a greater tendency to perceive or recall life-threatening experiences.
Not surprisingly, those civilians who experienced more life-threatening incidents were more prone to feel signs of psychological distress, like depression, anxiety, and anger. As the threats against the civilians increased, their mental health deteriorated.
“It’s important to understand that civilian exposure to life threatening hazards may have long-term mental health effects, and we should be offering support to these people,” Bierman says in a release.
Tagged
Department of Defense
Iraq War
military
U.S. Army
war
War in Afghanistan
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NYC Council to consider earlier Legionella reporting after deadly outbreaks
A bill facing a hearing Monday would require cooling tower owners to notify city health officials when bacteria levels reach a much lower threshold.
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Oct 18, 2026 at 7:36 p.m. ET
Staten Island fire injures 2, but spares historic 'Godfather' church
Dozens of firefighters responded to the blaze, which started in a vacant warehouse. It was contained within three hours.
By
Giulia Heyward
News
Staten Island fire injures 2, but spares historic 'Godfather' church
Dozens of firefighters responded to the blaze, which started in a vacant warehouse. It was contained within three hours.
By
Giulia Heyward
Bail reform remains major issue in NY governor's race, 7 years after it became law
By
Gino Fanelli
NYPD identifies Bronx man, 26, killed in Midtown subway shooting
By
Ryan Kost
,
Elizabeth Kim
and
Phil Corso
Have you seen this Yorkie? NYPD looking for adorable pup dognapped from her Queens home
By
Ryan Kost
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .