Yep, it was a tragedy. There
is no way that the hospital should have released him if he was still saying he was intending to kill himself; or
even if he wasn't saying it any more but had no detailed safety plan with the cooperation of his family. It
doesn't sound like he got much treatment there, although time with the psychiatrist is not necessarily a good
measure of that, since they are pretty much associated with meds rather than counseling these days. It also sounds
like his PTSD was misdiagnosed, which is absolutely stunning for a VA hospital. Still, know that the real mental
health treatment story could be very different, since the article was vague and spotty on it.
The other issue is
his forced participation in "immoral activities" in the war. I'm sure he felt his heart and soul were already dead.
How horrific. I hope there is a thorough investigation. The cliche "war is hell" is no exaggeration. Meticulous,
deep and comprehensive ethics are extremely important in military leadership, (Yes, we need to fight "sensitive"
wars!) since ethical flaws get magnified down the ranks with devastating consequences.
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