I don’t know if you all caught this CBS Report from last night, I imagine most did, but wanted to pass on in this form, as it contains the Video links to this report and the preceeding report. Also there is a real good short editorial that ties in, in my oppinion, and you probably did miss.
(CBS) According to a recent report from the Veterans Administration, more than 50,000 vets from Iraq and Afghanistan are believed to be suffering from mental health problems — nearly half of them from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. It’s well documented and, says the Pentagon, well treated both in the field and at home. But CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian reports that at least in one large military base in Colorado, soldiers are saying members of the Army Command are simply paying lip service, at best, to PTSD — hindering their treatment and upending their careers.
(Photo-Lucian Read/World Picture Network)
Quote:
“I had panic attacks every time. And I had it all set up, I was going to hang myself.”
Pvt. Tyler Jennings
Men At One Base Say The Army Is Ignoring PTSD Cases
FORT CARSON, Colo., July 12, 2006
The 2nd Brigade Combat Team in Fort Carson, Colo., is training to go back to Iraq after experiencing some of the fiercest combat last year. The unit lost soldiers at double the rate of other Army posts around the country, including Pfc. Sam Lee, who committed suicide at a Ramadi Army barracks.
Having this report, following the recent rash of same, but with a time span between, seems to show that this Administration and Congress are Still Not moving fast enough to come to terms with this problem, as has happened in the past!
In a recent report, more than one-third of Iraqi war veterans sought help for mental health problems, including PTSD, within a year of returning home. A report from a congressional watchdog group detailed failures by the Department of Defense to identify and deal with anxiety issues like PTSD.
Will this be another attempt to brush this away, out of sight out of mind, except to those suffering, their families and friends, their communities, and possibly many others if there are one or more Oklahoma Bombers in the ranks! With the Multiple Tours, this is not the only problem, we as a nation face, but it has the potential to be an Extremely Troubling One, especially for those who are suffering from and those close to them!
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The Colorado Springs Independent contributed to this report.
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Military ethicist Nancy Sherman talks about post-traumatic stress disorder.
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Lt. Col. Eric Kruger, Commanding Officer of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team at Fort Carson, says he’s concerned that soldiers aren’t seeking help due to fears of fearing ridicule or reprisal.
“It’s a tremendous concern,” he says. “You don’t want a soldier not to seek help for anything. They’re our No. 1 asset. Leaders have to engage that every day — and in my experience here, we do.
The above is what is called a Brushoff Statement! An officer who’s one concern is his future in the military and one, who like most, hasn’t a clue as to what is happening away from his ears and eyes, let alone is not being reported back to him by those in the chain of command closer to those showing signs.
You Can View The Above Report Feeling The Stress Here.
This report starts off with speaking about Green, the mustered out Accused Rapist/Murderer.
You Can View Report Preceeding The Above The Mind Of A Soldier Here.
Here is the editorial mentioned above.
Editorial: Undesirable army / Shortfalls allow the entry of hate-filled recruits
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A military that frets over the presence of gays while turning a blind eye to racist malcontents is in no position to win wars with outsiders when it can’t defeat evil closer to home.
The Following Ties In With The Post-Gazette Editorial:
July 14, 2006
Accused G.I. Was Troubled Long Before Iraq
By JIM DWYER and ROBERT F. WORTH
On the last day of January 2005, Steven D. Green, the former Army private accused of raping a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and murdering her family, sat in a Texas jail on alcohol-possession charges, an unemployed 19-year-old high school dropout who had just racked up his third misdemeanor conviction.
Days later, Mr. Green enlisted in a soldier-strapped Army, and was later assigned to a star-crossed unit to serve on an especially murderous patch of earth.
He arrived at the very moment that the Army was increasing by nearly half the rate at which it granted what it calls “moral waivers” to potential recruits. The change opened the ranks to more people like Mr. Green, those with minor criminal records and weak educational backgrounds. In Mr. Green’s case, his problems were emerging by junior high school, say people who knew him then.
SNIP Rest At HERE
Professional Military My Ass
