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My son spent 20 months in Iraq during the surge, with an infantry unit. His convoy was hit three times by IEDs. He was injured three times. He held his platoon leader as he died. His brigade suffered about forty deaths and untold injuries, many very serious and permanently debilitating. Long story short - my son suffers from PTSD.
As his psychologist pointed out so succinctly, "PTSD is not an abnormal response. It's a NORMAL response to very ABNORMAL circumstances."
Four years later, he has learned to assimilate most of the events of those 20 months, and the only lingering effect of the PTSD is night terrors/night paralysis. This still does continue to freak him out though.
I think the vast majority of those suffering from PTSD would be fine when it comes to possessing a gun. However, just like any other person suffering from debilitating symptoms of mental stress, they should be under a doctor's care and should be screened for more serious manifestations of mental illness.
WE NEED BETTER MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING AND CARE IN THIS COUNTRY! No gun control measures should even be CONSIDERED without addressing this problem simultaneously.
Once you go under a doctor's care, you'll never be hired as a police officer.
Once you go under a doctor's care, you'll never be hired as a police officer.
That's fine - he doesn't have any desire to be a police officer. He's doing fine by the way. MUCH better - and no meds. He's learned some great coping skills.
My son spent 20 months in Iraq during the surge, with an infantry unit. His convoy was hit three times by IEDs. He was injured three times. He held his platoon leader as he died. His brigade suffered about forty deaths and untold injuries, many very serious and permanently debilitating. Long story short - my son suffers from PTSD.
As his psychologist pointed out so succinctly, "PTSD is not an abnormal response. It's a NORMAL response to very ABNORMAL circumstances."
Four years later, he has learned to assimilate most of the events of those 20 months, and the only lingering effect of the PTSD is night terrors/night paralysis. This still does continue to freak him out though.
I think the vast majority of those suffering from PTSD would be fine when it comes to possessing a gun. However, just like any other person suffering from debilitating symptoms of mental stress, they should be under a doctor's care and should be screened for more serious manifestations of mental illness.
WE NEED BETTER MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING AND CARE IN THIS COUNTRY! No gun control measures should even be CONSIDERED without addressing this problem simultaneously.
+10 it wouldn't let me rep you sorry.
One of the people I know was a contractor in Iraq working on small engines. He was there for the insane $$$ he was paid and lasted about a year before he said enough. When he came back he was different, his head was on a swivel,never sat with his back to anything but a wall and god forbid if there were a sharp noise, he'd hit the dirt no matter where he was. He'd explained the base he was on took mortar fire and IED's regularly and had almost been blown up once or twice.
I never did ask if it was worth it.
+10 it wouldn't let me rep you sorry.
One of the people I know was a contractor in Iraq working on small engines. He was there for the insane $$$ he was paid and lasted about a year before he said enough. When he came back he was different, his head was on a swivel,never sat with his back to anything but a wall and god forbid if there were a sharp noise, he'd hit the dirt no matter where he was. He'd explained the base he was on took mortar fire and IED's regularly and had almost been blown up once or twice.
I never did ask if it was worth it.
Poor guy.
The thing is, death and destruction are so RANDOM there. I think that's what really wears people down, which is why I am all for SHORT deployments.
My son mounted a camera to his helmet and filmed while he and his buddy would go on street patrols. OMG, the tension was palpable. You would see shutters and curtains move, but the street was completely deserted. Every pile of trash (and there were lots of piles of trash) was suspect.
Soldiers would come up with elaborate superstitions - about how to stand next to a jeep - because which leg is more expendable? Which jeep or vehicle to ride in - the first or the second - or the one at the back? What were the odds? Do you sit in the middle or on either side? If I sit on the left side and take a hit, which bodily functions will I be giving up if it's a shot to the head? Is it safer to travel by day or by night? Is that person fat or pregnant - or is that a bomb? Hell, is that a woman in a veil or is it a man dressed as a woman?
When my son came home on leave mid tour, he nearly freaked out whenever we would pass a fast food bag or a dead possum on the road. In Iraq, IEDs were often hidden in such stuff.
The thing is, death and destruction are so RANDOM there. I think that's what really wears people down, which is why I am all for SHORT deployments.
My son mounted a camera to his helmet and filmed while he and his buddy would go on street patrols. OMG, the tension was palpable. You would see shutters and curtains move, but the street was completely deserted. Every pile of trash (and there were lots of piles of trash) was suspect.
Soldiers would come up with elaborate superstitions - about how to stand next to a jeep - because which leg is more expendable? Which jeep or vehicle to ride in - the first or the second - or the one at the back? What were the odds? Do you sit in the middle or on either side? If I sit on the left side and take a hit, which bodily functions will I be giving up if it's a shot to the head? Is it safer to travel by day or by night? Is that person fat or pregnant - or is that a bomb? Hell, is that a woman in a veil or is it a man dressed as a woman?
When my son came home on leave mid tour, he nearly freaked out whenever we would pass a fast food bag or a dead possum on the road. In Iraq, IEDs were often hidden in such stuff.
What's interesting in all that is that the public is then surprised when one of these soldiers "acts out" when returned to "normal" society. I wonder if there's any correlation between severe cases of PTSD and the constant redeployments/extended tours and then throw in those National Guard troops that were never supposed to be "regular army" with long active duty status.
There are already laws on the books to keep this from happening.
It goes all the way to the US Constitution.
The man was a known mentally ill patient. Mentally ill and the convicted, are not to be anywhere near firearms.
It is the law. How would more laws have prevented this?
There are already laws on the books to keep this from happening.
It goes all the way to the US Constitution.
The man was a known mentally ill patient. Mentally ill and the convicted, are not to be anywhere near firearms.
It is the law. How would more laws have prevented this?
Not quite correct...
People that have been deemed mentally incompetent by a court can not OWN firearms. No restrictions on using guns owned by others exists in law.
People that are mentally ill can own guns all they want.
Even convicted felons can get their 2a and voting rights returned.
People that have been deemed mentally incompetent by a court can not OWN firearms. No restrictions on using guns owned by others exists in law.
People that are mentally ill can own guns all they want.
Even convicted felons can get their 2a and voting rights returned.
Sounds like the laws are in place....
What is everyone complaining about.
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