Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Fired Psychiatrist Creates USMC Concerns
military.com ^ | November 21, 2009 | AP

Posted on 11/21/2009 10:43:08 AM PST by Ordinary_American

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Marines treated at Camp Lejeune for post-traumatic stress had to undergo therapy for months in temporary trailers where they could hear bomb blasts, machine-gun fire and war cries through the thin walls, according to servicemen and their former psychiatrist.

The eight trailers were used for nearly two years, until a permanent clinic was completed in September in another location on the base, said a Camp Lejeune medical spokesman, Navy Lt. j.g. Mark Jean-Pierre.

The noise from training exercises "shook me up real bad. I couldn't take it. I almost ran out of there a couple of times," said a Marine patient who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to talk to the media. "My mind couldn't focus on the treatment. I couldn't tell the difference between the combat zone and the non-combat zone."

The allegations became public after the dismissal of Dr. Kernan Manion, a civilian psychiatrist who says he was fired for writing memos to his military superiors complaining of shoddy care of Marines returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with PTSD, a condition that can make patients jumpy, fearful of loud noises and prone to flashbacks.

"These guys are saying, 'I'm fried and I can't get out,'" Manion said in an interview. Referring to the Fort Hood shooting rampage in which an Army psychiatrist who counseled PTSD victims allegedly killed 13 people earlier this month, he said: "Is there potential for another blowup? Yes, indeed."

In e-mails shown to The Associated Press, Manion complained, among other things, that the military was not dealing with PTSD properly and that the trailers were infested with bugs and noisy.

(Excerpt) Read more at military.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; iraq; lejeune; marines; oifveterans; psychiatry; ptsd; usmc
More stories of failures in the military mental health care system. The only ones carrying the burden in this war are the troops and their families. For the rest of the "ruling elite" in Washington D.C. it's business as usual i.e. usually representing their own interests above that of the American people.
1 posted on 11/21/2009 10:43:09 AM PST by Ordinary_American
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Ordinary_American

Agreed. The Pentagon is as corrupt as any other part of the government, due mostly to the huge incursion of civilians in the structure of DoD.


2 posted on 11/21/2009 10:46:22 AM PST by clintonh8r
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ordinary_American

Just disgusting!

I really am hoping that these A..holes who set this up and then keep it going get their commissions pulled, their licenses revoked! What a total bunch of MORONS the Army Mental Health Service is..just disgusting!

We need to keep the spotlight on this whole area!!


3 posted on 11/21/2009 10:46:32 AM PST by Recovering Ex-hippie (Ok, joke's over....Bring back Bush !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: clintonh8r

GRRRRRRR..this makes me so mad!

how much of this is due to Libs ransacking the military? and how much is just due to military incompetence at the top....Karpinski—the PC general affirmative action incompetent—comes to mind!


4 posted on 11/21/2009 10:48:19 AM PST by Recovering Ex-hippie (Ok, joke's over....Bring back Bush !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Ordinary_American

This must be a program designed by our Muslim friends in the military.


5 posted on 11/21/2009 10:49:59 AM PST by SaraJohnson
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ordinary_American

The Israelis have found a very effective treatment for PTSD: marijuana.

Back in WWII, it was found that a drunken R&R seem to help some of the problems associated with it, but the effects didn’t last. But marijuana doesn’t have that problem. It breaks the stress curve, so takes out hallucinations and anxiety attacks.

I would even go so far as to say that if they had a week long marijuana bender, and the severity of their PTSD hadn’t been reduced by over half, then they probably have concussive damage to their brain and need to see a neurologist ASAP.

PTSD is about the only time I would put them on a vegetarian diet, with lots of phytochemical plants as well, as their stress levels have probably loaded their blood with all kinds of nasty chemicals that need to be neutralized before they cause tissue damage.


6 posted on 11/21/2009 10:55:57 AM PST by yefragetuwrabrumuy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ordinary_American

You have to go a loooong way to get away from the sound of artillery. Especially at night. When i got back from the desert storm my wife and i were on the beach one evening. She commented on the romantic sound of thunder in the distance. When i told her it was artillery,,the look on her face was priceless. lol


7 posted on 11/21/2009 10:56:12 AM PST by DesertRhino (Dogs earn thi title of "man's best friend", Muslims hate dogs,,add that up.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ordinary_American

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391524/posts


8 posted on 11/21/2009 10:57:31 AM PST by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ordinary_American

How many hundreds of thousands have been through the same experience without PTSD?
Just a question.


9 posted on 11/21/2009 11:33:32 AM PST by VaRepublican (I would propagate taglines but I don't know how.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ordinary_American

Callous disregard for the pain and suffering of those who gave their best for their country. Despicable. Perhaps those that are responsible should be forced to go to the front for a year or two to get some ‘perspective’.


10 posted on 11/21/2009 3:21:44 PM PST by Moltke (DOPE will get you 4 to 8 in the Big House - HOPE will get you 4 to 8 in the White House.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

The San Diego Naval Hospital and Medical Center,
The Hospital at Camp Pendleton (Marine Base San Diego)
The VA hospital in San Digeo
and others here
are all working with military with PTSD
They have had national conferences re this.


11 posted on 11/21/2009 3:55:20 PM PST by SoCalPol (Reagan Republican for Palin 2012)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson