mental health at high altitudes, such as mountain tops; other researchers found that depressive symptoms can worsen. these research studies demonstrate how difficult it is to assess and treat the mental illness that occurs in the army and how there are inconsistent results. studies of the military population focus on the men of the military and exclude women, even though the number of women that are joining the military has increased in the last two decades. chinese researchers try to provide solutions that are preventative and reactive, such as implementing early mental health training, or mental health assessments to help service members understand their mental health state, and how to combat these feelings themselves. researchers also suggest to improve the mental health of the military members, programs should include psychoeducation, psychological training, and attention to physical health to employ timely intervention. implementation in 2006, the people's republic minister for national defense began mental health vetting at the beginning of the military recruitment process. a chinese military study consisting of 2500 male military personnel found that some members are more predisposed to mental illness. the study measured levels of anxious behaviors, symptoms of depression, sensitivity to traumatic events, resilience and emotional intelligence of existing personnel to aid the screening of new recruits. similar research has been conducted into the external factors that impact a person's mental fortitude, including single-child status, urban or rural environment, and education level. subsequently, the government has incorporated mental illness coping techniques into their training manual. in 2013 leak by the tibetan center for human rights of a small portion of the people's liberation army training manual from 2008, specifically concerned how military personnel could combat ptsd and depression while on peacekeeping missions in tibet. the manual suggested that soldiers should: “...close eyes and imagine zooming in on the scene like a camera . it may feel uncomfortable. then zoom all the way out until you cannot see anything. then tell yourself the flashback is gone.”in 2012, the government specifically addressed military mental health in a legal document for the first time. in article 84 of the mental health law of the people's republic of china, it stated, “the state council and the central military committee will formulate regulations based on this law to manage mental health work in the military." besides screening, assessments and an excerpt of the manual, not much is known about the services that are provided to active military members and veterans. analysis of more than 45 different studies, moreover, has deemed that the level of anxiety in current and ex-military personnel has increased despite efforts of the people's republic due to economic conditions, lack of social connects and the feeling of a threat to military livelihood. this growing anxiety manifested in both 2016 and 2018, as chinese veterans demonstrated their satisfaction with the system via protests across china. in both instances, veterans advocated for an increased focus on post-service benefits, resources to aid in post-service jobs, and justice for those who were treated poorly by the government. as a way to combat the dissatisfaction of veterans and alleviate growing tension, the government established the ministry of veteran affairs in 2018. at the same time, general secretary of the chinese communist party xi jinping promised to enact laws that protect the welfare of veterans.