A new report from the U.S. Defense Department found that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among American servicemembers deployed to combat zones jumped 50% in 2007. Leading the rise in mental health issues were Army soldiers and Marines.

According to the figure, more than 10,000 new cases of PTSD were reported in 2007 by the Army while the Marine Corps reported more than 2,100 new cases.

The Army has attributed the increase to better reporting, saying that a change in the social climate has allowed more suffering soldiers to come forward and seek treatment. Nonetheless, the Pentagon admits there remains a stigma attached to mental health problems and many servicemembers go untreated.

In April, Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited a new center at Fort Bliss, Texas for treating soldiers diagnosed with PTSD. Gates urgred soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress to seek treatment. He had also stressed the need for better care and counseling.