U.S. Iraq diplomats PTSD victims

WASHINGTON, May 2 (UPI) -- The U.S. State Department plans to survey diplomats who have served in Iraq about their mental health.

USA Today reported some diplomats returning from Iraq suffer the same stress-related disorders as soldiers.

The State Department hopes to learn from the anonymous survey how many of its former Iraq employees are suffering from post traumatic stress disorder or other problems, Director of Medical Services Larry Brown told USA Today.

State Department veteran Harry O'Hara told the newspaper he's suffered insomnia and weight loss since returning from his Baghdad posting nine months ago.

"What was never made clear to us was what it would be like to serve in a war zone," O'Hara said. "I thought I was strong. I was totally unprepared."

Brown said State Department employees have "never been put into an active war zone in this way" before.