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Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Emory prof oversees mental health in Iraq
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Baghdad, Iraq — An Emory University assistant professor who works at Grady Memorial Hospital’s drug dependence program has an important role here in Iraq.
Emile Risby, an Army reservist, is serving as the mental health consultant for soldiers in the war zone.
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| Louie Favorite/AJC |
| Dr. Emile D. Risby |
Serving with the 3rd Medical Command, based at Fort Gillem, Risby travels across the country to military hospitals to make sure men and women in uniform have access to combat stress counselors.
If a decision needs to be made on whether a soldier should be evacuated out of Iraq for mental health reasons, Risby has the last word.
“We’ve seen more combat stress here because of the nature of the conflict,” said Risby. “The battle zone is everywhere. No one is safe.”
Here, Grady more commonly sees symptoms rather than mental illness.
They are soldiers who are not sick, but show signs of emotional distress: anxiety, depression, loss of focus, irritability.
Risby said many soldiers suffer from painful flashbacks and nightmares. Others cope with feelings of guilt after seeing a buddy die in combat.
Risby firmly believes in his work — and in the troops.
“You’d be surprised,” he said, “at the resiliency of the soldiers.”
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