Last March I posted some thoughts about the mistreatment of our veterans and the scandal that was undergoing at Walter Reed Army Hospital (see Supporting Our Troops – The Tragedy of Building 18). Now a report comes across the Associated Press wires that veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSS) are 1) being discharged from the Army because of “pre-existing conditions” and 2) being billed for the enlistment bonuses (with interests).
Is it bad enough that we went into this war ill-prepared to fight it and ill-prepared to end it? It was bad enough that the quality of care that our veterans was pathetic at best; now, they are being told that their illnesses are essentially their own fault and the Army is not going to help them. And, to top it off, the Army wants their money back.
It has been said time and time again that we live in a throw-away society. I said it in my first comments and this report only confirms it.
In a world where reality TV is a show, when are we going to see the reality of war and do something about ending the war and ending the causes of war? When are we going to put meaning in often tossed-about phrase “family values”? What is more valuable than the life and mind of a young person whom we send off to war and comes home broken in body and now mind?
[...] to an AP Report in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (HT: Thoughts from the Heart on the Left): After two combat tours in Iraq on a “quick reaction team” that picked up body parts [...]
Pingback by Threads from Henry’s Web » Blog Archive » PTSS and Military Discharges — October 21, 2007 @ 12:11 pm |
[...] Filed under: General writings — DrTony @ 9:29 pm As a follow up to my posting “The Tragedy of Building 18 continued”, my wife and I have sent the following letter to our Congressman and Senators. We are also [...]
Pingback by It is time to speak out « Thoughts From The Heart On The Left — October 21, 2007 @ 9:29 pm |
[...] Filed under: General writings — DrTony @ 2:04 pm Back on October 21st, I posted “The Tragedy of Building 18 continues” and “It Is Time To Speak Out.” These were a continuation of my first post on the tragedy and [...]
Pingback by The Tragedy Continues « Thoughts From The Heart On The Left — November 22, 2007 @ 2:04 pm |
[...] conditions rather than Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (see http://heartontheleft.wordpress.com/2007/10/21/the-tragedy-of-building-18-continued/). So they were discharged and told to give back their enlistment bonuses (see [...]
Pingback by When Are We Going to Learn? « Thoughts From The Heart On The Left — February 9, 2008 @ 12:58 pm |
[...] Our Troops – The Tragedy of Building 18 (March 3rd) generated five follow up posts – “The Tragedy of Building 18 Continued” (October 21st, “It is time to speak out” (October 21st), “The Tragedy [...]
Pingback by My Top Posts For 2007 « Thoughts From The Heart On The Left — February 10, 2010 @ 11:03 am |