One area where I might agree with you is on the use of drugs. The anti-malarial pills given could screw with a man’s mind. One major I met reacted with hallucinations and almost shot someone (before I got there). When they took him off the anti-malarial, he recovered and served the rest of his tour in excellent fashion.
In fact, I didn’t take my anti-malarial pills until it got warm and humid. It is spread by mosquitoes, and I didn’t see a reason to risk problems when it was freezing out...
However, they dropped that version of pill in 2009, so it wasn’t a factor in this case:
“The Army has dropped Lariam — the drug linked to side effects including suicidal tendencies, anxiety, aggression and paranoia — as its preferred protection against malaria because doctors had inadvertently prescribed it to people who should not take it.” - March 2009
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/03/army_lariam_032209w/
Persons with undetected or underlying neurological issues are a lot more prone to the reaction. Persons like myself. The doctors put me on them wthout doing a medical history pointing to neurological issues. It's on my medical records now no antidepressants. It was my wife I saw go into Serotonin Syndrome and six doctors missed it. Her neurological damage is obvious she is in a wheelchair.
When I figured out it was Serotonin Syndrome the doctor {who was not our primary care} said that is pure rubbish. I told him read the name of the author of the alert I handed him. It was his Pharmacology Professor for the university hospital.
My wife is as white as Casper and thought she was Della Reese or rather Tess on Touched by an Angel. She also thought she was dead and at her own funeral. She beat herself black and blue. This went on for days. SSRI's can take several weeks to leave the system after about a month of use. They are using some drugs in combat that should not be used there period. Another side aeefect possible is blocked bladder. Don't ask me how I know. Men have to worry about that taking antidepressants women do not. Once the bladder blocks you have a very short window of time to get a folley cathater inserted before Dysreflexia {shock} sets in.
Private Joe taking the meds may leave on patrol feeling great and well rested. By next morning he may think TOP is Lucifer. That is Joe's reality. Unless you've seen it happen it's hard to conceive.
The major you knew was very lucky. But as too the dangers of SSRI's? Ask most doctors and you get a blank stare. Serotonin Syndrome is not new but the huge increase of usage of antidepressants including service related means there are going to be some bad things happen. I'm not sure they could autopsy and tell for certain if this happened in this case. Serotonin is a chemical found in everyones stomach. It promotes digestion. When it migrates from stomach where 98% of it is supposed to be to the brain that causes the psychotic and neurological issues. IIRC it's also what makes your head hurt when you throw up.
If the Army or Marines are having to use these drugs too keep troops in the field then that is well beyond the proper usage the pills were designed for. Unless the doctors giving them out check for undetected neurological issues they could be arming a ticking time bomb.
In the civilian world the person might do a suicide by cop. In military conditions it could be far worse.