WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- War deployments may be the reason a Pentagon assistance hotline is seeing a hefty increase in requests for help from U.S. military members and their families.
Pentagon sources say the hotline and its Web site have recorded a 40 percent increase in calls each year since Military OneSource was expanded in 2004 to include the entire U.S. military," USA Today reported Monday.
Cherie Zadlo, who runs Military OneSource for Minneapolis-based Ceridian Corp., says there were more than 200,000 calls and 2.1 million visits to the hotline's Web site last year.
Callers receive up to six free, confidential sessions with a licensed therapist. Help is also provided for legal problems, childcare, education, finance and taxes.
Pentagon spokeswoman Jane Burke, says the increasing number of requests is due to greater need and greater awareness of the program and its hotline number.
"The multiple deployments with the families -- they're worn," consultant Steve Schaffhouser said. "They need help. So they give us a call, and we find whatever resource we can for them."
