U.S. military suicides have claimed more lives than have combat-related deaths in Afghanistan. Why are we sending troubled soldiers back into combat? The American Journal of Public Health this year published a study estimating that 20 to 50 percent of those who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). With our military overstretched, many of those same troops are being sent back to war. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said recently that his top priority is addressing soldier suicides, not Afghanistan strategy. In response, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are coming together this week to announce Operation Recovery, a campaign to stop the deployment of traumatized troops. They are calling on the military and our government to stop redeploying troops who already suffer from PTSD, brain injuries or military sexual trauma (from rape by other military members). They are asking members of the public to defend their right to heal from war. I, for one, will be standing with them. GREGG HARCUS, EDEN PRAIRIE