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When a soldier gives his life to our country and is injured, whether physically or psychologically, our country owes it to them to help them heal. No man left behind should be the motto the military service uses for its injured soldiers. Don't abandon him in his time of need, especially when you are responsible for his injuries.

If this man was previously diagnosed with both physical and psychological injuries received in combat, and already was in a PTSD treatment program and receiving surgery to treat physical combat wounds prior to the event, why is he just sitting there, rotting in prison? We give our POW's better treatment at Guantanamo who have done far worse! Get him the treatment he needs and help him heal. I'm not talking about pushing pain killers and antidepressants until you can shove him out in the community. Come on military, if your other soldiers see you treating one of your own this way, how do they know that you won't turn on them in a time of need also?

I understand this soldier hurt no one in the confrontation where he experienced PTSD. If this combat trained soldier with extensive combat fighting experience would have wanted to kill someone, they would be dead. It appears he had far more restraint than the police who fired randomly on his apartment building!

1 posted on 04/14/2012 6:58:09 AM PDT by tired&retired
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To: tired&retired

My prayers are with this man.


2 posted on 04/14/2012 6:59:18 AM PDT by tired&retired
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To: tired&retired

Suicides, disputes spur probe of Bragg WTU
By Joe Gould - Staff writer
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2012/03/army-warrior-transition-units-bragg-suicides-disputes-spur-probe-030412w/#.T1TRCoarBe8.email

Posted : Sunday Mar 4, 2012 9:27:37 EST
In the wake of six suicides and 25 domestic disputes reported among soldiers at Fort Bragg, N.C., over a five-week span, 18th Airborne Corps commander Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick has called for a “thorough investigation” of the post’s Warrior Transition Battalion.

Helmick’s announcement followed an emotional meeting between a dozen wounded soldiers, spouses and other advocates Feb. 15. The group voiced complaints about the alleged overmedication of soldiers in the warrior transition battalion and their inability to get the care they need.

Toni Woodman-Mc-Neill told officials at the meeting that her soldier husband was denied needed surgeries while his condition deteriorated and his dependence on pain medication increased. Her husband, Sgt. Lee McNeill, 43, suffers from cognitive problems, post-traumatic stress disorder and spinal injuries from an explosion while he deployed to Iraq, she said.

“The problem is when [injured soldiers are] going to be med-boarded out, they stop medical treatment and just give them pain medication,” Woodman-McNeill told Army Times. “I had to give up my career to take care of him because they weren’t taking care of him.”

In another case, a former paratrooper assigned to the Warrior Transition Battalion fired at police and firefighters outside his home last month, local police said. The soldier, Staff Sgt. Joshua Eisenhauer, was shot by police and has been in custody since the Jan. 24 incident. He faces 15 counts of attempted first-degree murder and other charges.

The investigation of the Warrior Transition Battalion — which Army officials are terming an inspection — is being conducted by the 18th Airborne Corps’ inspector general, Col. Maggie Dunn.

At Fort Bragg, Woodman-McNeill said she had to fight with her husband’s superiors to get him spinal surgery, and he is awaiting surgery for one of his shoulders. Meanwhile, she said, he has been on a cocktail of medications that alter his moods and sleeping patterns.

“Instead of giving him medications and fixing the problem, they keep feeding him pain medications,” she said. “At one point a doctor told me, ‘There’s nothing wrong with your husband.’ So I told him, ‘If there’s nothing wrong, why are you making him a drug addict?’ ”


3 posted on 04/14/2012 7:15:06 AM PDT by tired&retired
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To: tired&retired

A very good friend of mine did 5 tours in Iraq and was part of a Marine Corps battalion that was instrumental in the fall of Fallujah. He saw humanity at its most feral. This guy was a fun-loving, beer swilling, tail chasing good ole boy in high school. He drove fast cars but was smart as a whip and as respectful as any English gentleman.

When he was finally given his last leave and returned home, I didn’t recognize who he was. He was gaunt and tired. He aged ten years in less than five. He was emotionally unwound and would cry just talking about a baseball game.

I remember sitting at a Winghouse with him having a beer and some wings when an old car backfired in a parking lot across the way. He dropped to the floor quicker than I’ve ever seen anyone move and was shaking like a wet dog. It took me ten minutes to convince him that he wasn’t back in Iraq. He was at the VA the next morning and they gave him “Happy pills,” as he called them.

He killed himself a few days later. His suicide note was a rambling screed full of inadequacy and fear. He could not remember how to behave in the civilian world. Everyone he met was a potential threat. “This is how we stay alive,” he used to tell me. For a guy who was 6’4”, 200+ lb. he sure was afraid of a lot of things.

I cannot possibly imagine what life was like over there. PTSD is one Hell of an issue for these boys. Some deal better than others. Alan couldn’t. His heart was in the desert with his boys.


5 posted on 04/14/2012 7:27:54 AM PDT by rarestia (It's time to water the Tree of Liberty.)
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To: tired&retired
Get used to this sort of thing, folks.

This country has treated our combat veterans like sh!t for years. I'd even make the case that their treatment while still on active duty has been disgraceful (e.g., SSgt. Bales doing five tours in Iraq and Afghanistan).

I hope I'm wrong, but I think this kind of situation is going to become more common over time.

6 posted on 04/14/2012 7:28:14 AM PDT by Alberta's Child ("If you touch my junk, I'm gonna have you arrested.")
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To: tired&retired

Been Married to a Veteran for 49 Years. I could tell you some Stories I have went through Probably scare some of you. No doubt in my mind He Thought it was the enemy. Mrs. easternsky


18 posted on 04/14/2012 9:20:20 AM PDT by easternsky
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To: tired&retired

Just saw he is at least getting his hearing.

http://www.fayobserver.com/news/crime_courts/hearing-set-for-fort-bragg-soldier-who-fired-at-police/article_fc41ce31-b607-5eba-b1a8-2b0104ace933.html


21 posted on 08/05/2015 11:00:36 AM PDT by huldah1776
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