Story about two local Iraq Vets. and the consequences of PTSD in today's paper.

[Altoid_Cyclist]

This is a story revolving around two local Mothers and the actions of their sons upon returning to civilian life.
One committed suicide and the other murdered two people.
Since I'm not a Veteran or a Mental Health Specialist, I can't really comment on what the two men were thinking and whether PTSD was responsible for their actions or not, but it does seem as though there have been too many stories just like this one already.

On edit: Bush & Cheney and the rest of the reptiles responsible for this giant cluster _ _ _ _ need to be prosecuted!


Some background on the double murder: http://www.salem-news.com/articles/april182009/nick_horner_tk_4-17-09.php


From today's paper:
''When you go to basic training, they train you for what they want you to be in a war situation,'' Claar told the AP. ''Why can't they take a couple of months to retrain them to go back to society? I think I could connect to Nick because I was thinking about my own son: What if the tables were turned? What if that were him in jail?''

Read more:

http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/524739.html?nav=742


MSNBC link:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34152997/ns/us_news-military/

[HopeHoops]

1. In 1985, a former Green Beret lived in my neighborhood. He was one weird ass dude.

When you met him on the street (always when it was dark), he would engage you in what would easily be described as an ordinary conversation, except for one thing. Whenever you would speak, he would mutter things under his breath like, "I'm gonna snap kick you dead. I'm going to eat your lungs and tie your guts around your neck to strangle you." and other such pleasant expressions of pain, gore, and death.

His eyes were also disturbing. They were more feral animal than human. It was as if the iris was in motion, rotating and changing. He'd stare directly into your eyes the entire time. And his "ordinary" conversation was difficult to break out of without being rude. He would just keep it going so he could taunt with his mutterings.

One of his friends explained to me that the guy had been through some really weird shit in Viet Nam. When he came back, it was the same story as now - he was just thrown out into society with no deprogramming or retraining. "Bye!"

It is difficult to draw the line in assigning guilt when stories such as yours appear in the press. Obviously the individual is personally responsible, but doesn't the military share the blame? I think it would be far better to address the issue as the soldiers return than to wait until one of them does something anti-social before acting (if at they act at all).

Our veterans deserve better.

[Altoid_Cyclist]

3. One of my best friends back in the 80's was a Vietnam Vet.

He used to tell me some of the things that he had seen and I can still picture them today even though I wasn't there. He didn't mutter things under his breath, but his eyes were just like the person that you described.
Between his long hair, beard and eyes, a lot of people pre-judged him without getting to know him. He was one of the brightest and most generous people that I knew.
His only real flaw was that he (and I) abused too many substances. It always seemed as though that was his way of coping with his past although I had no proof of that.
However, when he kept bringing up the number of bodies that he saw on a regular basis, something was still eating at him I believe.

[Ilsa]

4. My late father-in-law was retired Army, Green Beret. He was one of

the gentlest men I've ever met. Apparently he handled it all pretty well, although he won't talk about specifics of his three deployments into Vietnam. That neighbor must have been in some awful shit.

I'm so sorry that your neighborhood was terrorized by this man. And you are right: they need to be de-programmed.

[HopeHoops]

5. It was a pretty rough neighborhood. I don't live there now.

I was walking with my (then girlfriend) wife and we witnessed a girl, maybe 12, turn around and yell back to another house, "Well tell (somebody) he can just LICK MY ASS!".

Way to make an impression on a girlfriend, eh? She married me anyway.

[Echo In Light]

2. K&R

[ensho]

6. didn't the military used to deprogram?

I can remember this happening.

[blindpig]

7. Nowadays....

these guys just get jobs with the police department.

Be very afraid.