Soldiers with Ptsd That Commit Crimes Essay Example
SOLDIERS WITH PTSD THAT COMMIT CRIMES
The ongoing war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan will always be a heavily debated topic from its beginning on October 7, 2001 with the attack on America soil on 9/11. But an ongoing war that is often ignored is the servicemen and women of those who return home from combat and suffer from psychological problems. As a Veteran of the U.S. Army myself that suffers from PTSD, I am disturb by the staggering reports of the number of combat veterans returning from war that commit violent crimes displaying symptoms of mental health problems that often go untreated. Should mentally ill troops who break the law be held accountable or is the defense of combat related PTSD now just an excuse for them to act any way without being held responsible for their actions?
It is estimated that 806,964 U.S. Army soldiers have served in Iraq, including 146,655 Army National Guard and 74,461 Army Reserve. Military doctors estimate that 20 percent of soldiers and 42 percent of reservists have returned from Iraq with some kind of psychological problem. According to the National Public Radio, “A study in The Journal of the American Medical Association says the invisible injuries plaguing soldiers returning from war in Iraq such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression or just a sense of ‘not feeling normal’- are common mental health problems, and are most likely to show up several months after a soldier gets home.”
This is often due to lack of medical care once a soldier is discharged, not properly identifying the disorder, from being under treated, or more commonly because they are ashamed to admit they need help. An investigation by National Public Radio found that the Army had punished and Dishonorably Discharged soldiers with ptsd. Two veterans groups are currently suing the Department of Veterans Affairs for its "shameful failures" in providing mental health treatment. Mac McClelland, a reporter from
The ongoing war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan will always be a heavily debated topic from its beginning on October 7, 2001 with the attack on America soil on 9/11. But an ongoing war that is often ignored is the servicemen and women of those who return home from combat and suffer from psychological problems. As a Veteran of the U.S. Army myself that suffers from PTSD, I am disturb by the staggering reports of the number of combat veterans returning from war that commit violent crimes displaying symptoms of mental health problems that often go untreated. Should mentally ill troops who break the law be held accountable or is the defense of combat related PTSD now just an excuse for them to act any way without being held responsible for their actions?
It is estimated that 806,964 U.S. Army soldiers have served in Iraq, including 146,655 Army National Guard and 74,461 Army Reserve. Military doctors estimate that 20 percent of soldiers and 42 percent of reservists have returned from Iraq with some kind of psychological problem. According to the National Public Radio, “A study in The Journal of the American Medical Association says the invisible injuries plaguing soldiers returning from war in Iraq such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression or just a sense of ‘not feeling normal’- are common mental health problems, and are most likely to show up several months after a soldier gets home.”
This is often due to lack of medical care once a soldier is discharged, not properly identifying the disorder, from being under treated, or more commonly because they are ashamed to admit they need help. An investigation by National Public Radio found that the Army had punished and Dishonorably Discharged soldiers with ptsd. Two veterans groups are currently suing the Department of Veterans Affairs for its "shameful failures" in providing mental health treatment. Mac McClelland, a reporter from