The War at Home

As I’m sure you all know, the war on terror (I prefer the war “of” terror….) has had more casualties than the little numbers ticking across all the news channels show.

Post traumatic stress disorder is a mental illness caused by extreme trauma, such as experienced on the battle field. Many soldiers come back home with PTSD, as many as 16%, and I’ve read that as amny as 33% return home with some form of mental illness. PTSD can cause nightmares, violence, and guilt. The mental blow of seeing rotting corpses lining the streets, hearing explosions in the distance, being wounded, or killing another human being – that must be a heavy burden. And yet Uncle Sam can’t foot the bill to rehabilitate these people.
Speaking of veterans getting shafted on rehab, here’s an editorial about the Walter Reed Scandal that I wrote in the Florida Today:

Regardless of your opinion on the Iraq War, you have to agree on one thing: we should support our troops. Obviously, that’s not being done. The whole Walter Reed fiasco is a perfect example of how our military is failing its own soldiers, and why I would never join up. The Government knows that there is a steady supply of young patriotic blood willing to be spent, and that’s exactly what they’re doing. Now, I realize that war by definition must have death, but I don’t like the idea of being expendable (especially if my own government neglects and forgets me afterwards). Tell me – why can’t we take adequate care of our wounded? American soldiers in American hospitals are living amongst rats and mold! That’s absolutely pathetic!! As I said, I don’t want to be expendable, and neither do the soldiers. Uncle Sam needs to pay attention.
[Florida Today, April 2, 2007]

Also, a new study shows that homes with a deployed soldier have a 10% increased rate of abuse and neglect. A shame, no?
Time article.

Blegh.
What a waste….

~ by tom133t on August 1, 2007.