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To: SubGeniusX
Many soldiers and Marines being discharged on this basis actually suffer from combat-related problems, experts say.

The only experts cited in the story are politicians. This smacks of the old left-wing canard, that military duty creates a lot of crazy people.

For decades, Vietnam veterans were portrayed as homeless drug addicts. Those who I served with were quite unlike the media image. Funny how long after that war, young homeless addicts continued to replenish the supply of bums on the streets. Yet, they hadn't served in the military let alone any war.

One can imagine that some soldiers do fall apart after joining the military. Many schizophrenics appear to function normally in their early adulthood only to cross over to madness thereafter. I've met a few growing up who I did not know would later on go mad. I can't imagine recruiters having the medical qualifications to spot such problems.

15 posted on 10/01/2007 8:28:21 AM PDT by LoneRangerMassachusetts (The only good Mullah is a dead Mullah. The only good Mosque is the one that used to be there.)
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To: LoneRangerMassachusetts
Your comments are very accurate. Many, estimated at 7%, of all 18 year-olds have pre-neurotic or pre-psychotic tendencies. They may preform very well in the highly structured environment of basic training.

When they are deployed to a highly stressed and a relatively unstructured environment, they may become disorganized mentally and their personalities disintegrate. Some become withdrawn, depressed, and unresponsive. Some suspect outside forces are causing their unhappiness and may become manic or angry/violent.

However, some emerging psychotics can function very successfully in combat if they see themselves as valuable and powerful for their fighting skills. Only when they re-integrate back to civilian or non-theater tasks do they disintegrate.

All of this is very subtle and recruiters are not qualified to detect much of it.

The military is essentially claiming, so to speak, that the worn tires caused the automobile accident, not the wet road and speeding.

24 posted on 10/01/2007 9:13:47 AM PDT by gandalftb
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To: LoneRangerMassachusetts

IMHO, a significant part of the population suffers from personality disorders.


26 posted on 10/01/2007 9:25:57 AM PDT by verity (Muhammed and Harry Reid are Dirt Bags)
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