Close

Results 1 to 11 of 11
  1. #1
    Phero Pharaoh a.k.a.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2001
    Posts
    1,174
    Rep Power
    8564

    Default psychological casualty of war

    visit-red-300x50PNG
    Not only is

    this a tragic story. The way in which the VA handled his case is

    reprehensible:

    http://counterpunch.org/clinton10052004.html

    "As Jeff spiraled toward

    self-destruction, he began to drink more and more. In early June, his desperate parents were able to arrange an

    involuntary commitment to a local veterans' hospital, where Lucey complained that he was treated like "a

    prisoner."

    He was diagnosed as suffering from depression with secondary alcohol dependency--and was released

    after four days because, the hospital said, he was not a danger to himself or others. On the ride home, he told his

    parents that he had met with psychiatrists twice, both times briefly, and on the second occasion, the psychiatrist

    had seem preoccupied with other matters.

    In many respects, Jeff's fate followed a trajectory that is

    becoming all too familiar. As Nancy Lessin of Military Families Speak Out told Amy Goodman, "We have heard so much

    about what this military has learned in Vietnam [about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder], and how they're doing it

    differently now. And we don't see that at all. We see the same mistakes happening--mistakes that are, in fact, not

    mistakes at all. It's really a way of denying this issue so they can keep as many warm bodies deployed and

    re-deployed."

    After Jeff's death, his parents learned from the medical records kept during his involuntary

    confinement that he had told nurses of three different plans to kill himself--a drug overdose, suffocation or

    hanging. On June 22, he chose the last of these three methods, hanging himself with a hose in the basement of his

    parents' home."
    Give truth a chance.

  2. #2
    Doctor of Scentology DrSmellThis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Oregon
    Posts
    6,233
    Rep Power
    8666

    Default

    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.
    DrSmellThis (creator of P H E R O S)

  3. #3
    Phero Guru
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Posts
    1,661
    Rep Power
    8013

    Default none

    I won't argue if the war

    is right or wrong in this context. I will say though since we are in this war we should have made much much better

    plans. This kind of war should only be fought with Active Duty Regulars with some Reserve back-up where needed, but

    only if needed. Pros only!!! Look at the prison screw-up, were those not Guard and Reservists? The National Guard

    should only be called up for war duty as a second to last resort, last resort being every able-bodied man and woman

    in the country. Somehow I think the Guard is there cause the C-In-C has a grudge. Not sound policy at all.

  4. #4
    Moderator belgareth's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Lower Slovobia
    Posts
    7,961
    Rep Power
    8516

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by koolking1
    I Somehow I

    think the Guard is there cause the C-In-C has a grudge. Not sound policy at all.
    Very likely true. SO,

    who's the grudge against? The guard or the Iraqi people or both?
    To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.

    Thomas Jefferson

  5. #5
    Moderator Mtnjim's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    SAN DIEGO
    Posts
    2,481
    Rep Power
    8334

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by belgareth
    Very likely true.

    SO, who's the grudge against? The guard or the Iraqi people or both?
    Don't know why he would have a

    grudge against the Guard. Kept his a$$ out of harms way!! Back when he was in, the National Guard was legal draft

    dodging for the sons of rich white men!
    Freedom begins when you tell Mrs. Grundy to go fly a kite.
    --Lazarus Long

  6. #6
    Moderator belgareth's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Lower Slovobia
    Posts
    7,961
    Rep Power
    8516

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mtnjim
    Don't know why

    he would have a grudge against the Guard. Kept his a$$ out of harms way!! Back when he was in, the National Guard

    was legal draft dodging for the sons of rich white men!
    That would imply that he is rational.
    To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.

    Thomas Jefferson

  7. #7
    Phero Guru
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Posts
    1,661
    Rep Power
    8013

    Default none

    let's just say that while

    in the Guard our current "leader" had a squadron commander and peers. Do you think they were happy with Mr. Bush?

    I sure don't. You can figure out the conjecture. Mr. Bush does seem like a black/white kinda guy. "You are

    either with us (me), or against us"

  8. #8
    Doctor of Scentology DrSmellThis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Oregon
    Posts
    6,233
    Rep Power
    8666

    Default

    Interesting observations about

    the guard. Bush is not psychologically simple, but there could be some kind of dynamic there.
    DrSmellThis (creator of P H E R O S)

  9. #9
    Moderator Mtnjim's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    SAN DIEGO
    Posts
    2,481
    Rep Power
    8334

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by belgareth
    That would imply

    that he is rational.
    Ya' there is that!!
    Freedom begins when you tell Mrs. Grundy to go fly a kite.
    --Lazarus Long

  10. #10
    Phero Pharaoh a.k.a.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2001
    Posts
    1,174
    Rep Power
    8564

    Default

    "Among veterans from Iraq seeking

    help from the VA, 5,375 have been diagnosed with a mental problem, making it the third-leading diagnosis after bone

    problems and digestive problems. Among the mental problems were 800 soldiers who became psychotic.

    A military

    study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in July showed that 16 percent of soldiers returning from

    Iraq might suffer major depression, generalized anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder. Around 11 percent of

    soldiers returning from Afghanistan may have the same problems, according to that study.

    "

    http://www.editorandpublisher.com/ea..._id=1000630846
    Give truth a chance.

  11. #11
    Full Member DAdams91982's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    The Hollow Inside Myself
    Posts
    166
    Rep Power
    7307

    Default

    I love these threads...

    everything ALWAYS goes back to Bush... The gaurd is over here.. cause they too are part of our military... as are

    reserves..... they allow some rotation of Active Duty... If they didnt want to go to war.. they shouldnt have

    fucking signed the paper... when you raise that hand, and go through the oath... your are military... Active,

    Reserve, or Gaurd. That whole Why do we gotta dip into reserve, gaurd argument is bullshit.

    Adams

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 0
    Last Post: 07-27-2004, 07:48 AM
  2. Replies: 0
    Last Post: 07-27-2004, 07:48 AM
  3. It's not psychological
    By **DONOTDELETE** in forum Pheromone Discussion
    Replies: 21
    Last Post: 12-31-2002, 02:05 PM
  4. Psychological Effect, or Real?
    By **DONOTDELETE** in forum Archives 2
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 06-24-2001, 06:33 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •