PTSD is not Contagious or an Excuse
Last Friday I woke up to my normally filled email inbox. However there were two emails that stuck out to me. One was from BBC and the other was from SkyNews. I have been a guest on both of their Radio and TV shows respectively, but am on BBC much more. Both media outlets wanted to talk to me about the shootings at Ft. Hood. Not so much because I was stationed there for four years or because I was there just the week before the shooting, but because of my military veteran perspective.
The BBC program is more of a roundtable with multiple guests (to include my buddy David Bellavia who was on about 15 min before I was) and people from all over the world who are calling in, emailing in and commenting on the blog for the show. I was amazed to hear what I did on that show before coming on and even more alarmed that many in the US media were hinting at the same thing.
For anyone to suggest that Maj Hasan was “pushed” over the edge and not properly cared for by the Army healthcare system because his PTSD was not cared for and he was neglected is full of shit. The guy had never deployed and he was part of the “system” that the Army provides to help soldiers with issues after coming from combat. As my good friend Toby Nunn and CJ Grisham said here, http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-11-08/how-to-help-the-shell-shocked/ PTSD is not contagious. I mean if it was then do we need to be wary of every clergyman who hears the sins of their congregation? Will these clergymen snap and start performing the sins of those that they counsel? No, we would never consider that.
Hasan was trained on the Army and taxpayer dime to be a Dr. and to be the mental health professional that helps soldiers. He rode the Army gravy train to get a free education. If he was that opposed to the Army and to the War on Terror, he could have resigned his commission at any time. He did not have to stay in to get the free ride, but Lord knows he did. He had many, many chances since 9/11/01 to call it quits, leave the Army and pursue his education on this own dime. But instead he stayed in and get a free education and then turned on his own country, on his fellow soldiers, and many that worked at the same hospital that he did and mowed them down.
Some may say to have compassion for him and to give him a benefit of the doubt, or to not forget that he is a soldier too. So what!!! Just because he raised his hand and said the same oath as thousands of other patriotic Americans does not excuse what he did or give him special treatment. Tim McVeigh was a soldier too, but he was still a murdering asshole. Guess what, I don’t need a court of law to tell me this guy is guilty. There are too many witnesses that said he was the shooter….case closed. He is a piece of shit that used the Army and the taxpayer for a free education and then turned on his own country. I don’t care that he was born in Virginia, he is a murderer. He needs the death penalty and the Army needs to execute the death sentence with speed. In fact, I really hope that he can hang in there long enough to spill his guts and tell the authorities all they need and then he can die right there in the hospital. Once he gives all the answers that we need, then there is no more need for him to hang around to steal oxygen. He can punch out right then.
We have a sacred bond and trust among all service-members. It is something that cannot be readily explained. He violated that bond and as far as I am concerned, he is no longer part of the circle of trust.
Posted on November 9th, 2009 by Bouhammer
Filed under: General Military, Wall of Shame
I so agree Troy. Hell if the people who are supposed to help are susceptible to secondary PTSD as they’re trying to claim, then I guess I’d better get myself locked up, considering I’ve spent my entire adult life in some type of helping role, from law enforcement, to ems to counseling and victim advocacy. By their definition, that should make me a prime candidate to snap and commit some vile and violent act. But you know what, I’ve never once had the urge to do something like that and never will. They’re only attempting to set this scum up with a defense and that pisses me off.
Regardless of his religion, beliefs, nationality or anything else…HE will have to answer for himself one day and I am so very thankful I am NOT in his shoes. And if he has hopes of going to the “land of buxomy doe-eyed virgins” then he better HURRY up because I believe they are about to be depleted!!
Amen and AMEN! I just put my own 2 cents’ worth up on this, and no surprise, I agree with you…
Health care providers do become depressed over seeing repeated patients in crisis over an extended period of time. However, this is true in both inside and outside the military.
This may have happened to him, but it gives no reason for choosing the path that he took. Lots of healthcare providers suffer from depression and PTSD. Hardly any become murderous thugs.
I agree completely!!!
NY-David
Agreed! Amen! He killed in the name of his religion, not because he suffered from airborne PTSD. Political correctness is killing this nation. It makes me ANGRY beyond comprehension that this man was able to carry out this crime when there were so many warning signs. I hope to GOD that these families affected go after those responsible for letting this man’s anti-Americanism go unchecked, and allowing this man to continue along in the military as if he belonged.
It makes people wonder…should we be worried about the soldiers who work next to our spouses? One does not need to lay more fear, doubt, or angst, on a military families lap…we’ve got e-damn-nough!
He should not be sentenced to death, that would give him what he wanted.
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