According to this Reuters report, some 300,000 U.S. troops are suffering from some form of mental illness, from post-traumatic stress disorder to clinical depression. The story also reports that an additional 320,000 troops have suffered possible traumatic brain injuries. (And what is a “possible traumatic brain injury”? It’s the possible that confuses; isn’t a traumatic brain injury reasonably evident?)

But the total number of active-service military is only something like 1.5 million. And lots of them will not be in combat. So we’re to believe that 620,000 — or nearly half — of U.S. troops are suffering mental disorders or traumatic brain injuries? That seems like a suspect claim.

The story cites a RAND study, and RAND has a good reputation in these matters, but still: 620,000 out of 1.5 million? Does that not qualify for some skepticism?