Fort Bragg killings raise alarm about stress

CNN.com ^ | 07/26/2002 | Barbara Starr

[Thane_Banquo]

Army Sgt. William Wright is charged with first degree murder in the death of his wife, Jennifer Gail Wright, one of four Fort Bragg military wives allegedly killed by their husbands in the past six weeks.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The killings of four military wives in the past six weeks -- allegedly by their husbands who are based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina -- have led commanders to take a new look at whether combat deployments may be causing undue stress.

[Thane_Banquo]

Am I correct in assuming the guy pictured is a Delta Force Operative? I understand that 1)Delta Force trains at Bragg, and 2)Per Black Hawk Down, Delta Force operatives do not get the regular army buzz cuts because they sometimes have to pretend to be civilians on missions, and also because they were modelled after the British SAS , per the book by the founder of Delta (can't remember his name now), which is purposely lax about small regulations.

[cryptical]

Probably not. The haircut is reasonable, not everyone in the Army has extreme buzz cuts.

The author of the book (Inside Delta Force) was Eric Haney. Enjoyed it a lot. I recommend it highly.

[wretchard]

One of the media's favorite themes is the demented veteran, which is an elaboration of the general anti-war message. Don't want to become a psycho? Don't sign up.

While is true that combat stresses a person in ways that no civilian can ever understand, and that some people are pushed over the edge by continuous pressure, it is a cost which must accepted, and mitigated to whatever extent possible. The alternative is to say: we don't do fighting and we don't sleep outdoors in inclement weather. That would reduce stress and guarantee the creation of an Islamic Emirate of Al-Merika.

What is surprising is not that people break under pressure, but that we have thousands of men and women, who, living partially on Food Stamps, say goodbye to their families for months at a time, the parting being at a McDonald's, which is all they can afford, to face a brutal enemy whose glance would wither the media stars who revile them so. Sorrow, trauma and grief are easy to understand. It is sacrifice and patriotism on peanuts that is the miracle.

[cva66snipe]

Something stinks here. These are senior enlisted men. Why snap now? I would hope the Army is doing some very intense blood & lab work work on these men and possibly others for trace residue of chemical warfare.

[Howlin]

Not only that, Fayetteville is a cesspool; murders are NOT something new there. And most of the people who live in Fayetteville ARE miliatary.

[RCW2001]

Fort Bragg killings raise alarm about...something! Stress, 'it isn't'!!! (if it is, we have 'much to fear'...)

[habaes corpussel]

Stress? I don't think so! Civial Affairs? Combat Engineer, HQ Company? The 3rd Grouper???? Stress???? Afghanistan???? Stress of this kind??? There is more to this than being reported.....

[cva66snipe]

I don't want to sound tin foil but there is the age old concept of divide and conquer your enemy. My first guess would be the innoculation program. One Typhoid Mary in the ranks and lot's of damage can be inflicted. BTW there's an article going about a Naval Reservist who was terrorist linked. Seems he was a SeaBee. Next to the SEAL's these are the toughest in the Navy and most secretive in mission except for sub crews and weapons handlers.

Click here to get to the link

[Howlin]

I've seen your posts, and I would never even consider you a tinfoil hatter. I'll read your article.

[Howlin]

Oh, dear. More trouble in Fayetteville! Just on TV now, the president of the city Chamber of Commerce arrested to soliciting sex from an undercover agent acting as a prostitute.

I wonder if HE went to Afghanistan?

[agrandis]

This article does not mention the other SF guy at Ft. Bragg who was shot dead in the middle of the night by an intruder. This happened last week. I wonder what's going on.

[cva66snipe]

I wonder if HE went to Afghanistan?

No just sounds like a local politican up for re-election. I know of one local offical who was caught by the cops with another guy nearby wallering a in a creek in his bithday suit. They had just left a bar it seems. The guys nick name before and after this happened is Bubba.

[eastforker]

I have had two sons in the millitary and I spent four years in also.When troops are sent into combat areas where dependants are not allowed,they usualy stay in on base housing.It is my understanding there is alot of cheatin goin on and when Johny comes marching home he gets informed about whose shoes were under whose bed.It is a shame but alot of young wives do share and let me also say that a lot of young men,not all but many,when away,do find a way to meet their masculine needs.When they return and find out about theis wife's needs the guilt is sometimes too much to take,therefor the homicide/suicide scenario.My two cents worth,been there,seen it.

[SamAdams76]

The United States military has about a million members, give or take 100,000 or so. If four of them are murderes, that leaves 999,996 servicemen and servicewoman who are not murderers. If one would compare the U.S. military to any U.S. city of equivalent size, I think you would find that the U.S. military is a safer and more-crime community than any other U.S. city. Just trying to put this into perspective.

[ErnBatavia]

tinfoil hat time, fella

[cva66snipe]

I think you would find that the U.S. military is a safer and more-crime community than any other U.S. city

Let's say if 4 of small to medium sized towns fire department captains all killed their wives and some themselves in a 6 week strech some questions would be in order and answers demanded as to why? FT. Bragg is big but not that big. Also we're not talking about immature junior elisted. These guys and their wives were career Army. They knew the score. You don't make Master SGT and First SGT by not being able to take the abuse of the job.

[Howlin]

At the end, I believe that is where we will end up, don't you?

[cva66snipe]

tinfoil hat time, fella

Don't think so. I was on a floating airport with a crew of 5000 out of the eastern seaboards largest Naval Base with 6 more floating airports home ported out of it. Now in my 4 years on the ship with these 5000 we never had a murder. Actually with turn over rates it was closer to 15,000 in a four year time I served with. The line to the JAG office when we pulled out after the first mail hit our hands was as long as the chow line with guys getting served their divorce papers. But no killings took place I can recall.

Try doing some comparrissions to a city let's say like Norfolk. There you have Army, Navy, Air Force, & Marines. The Virgina Pilot on line is a good place and see how many murders by military personel against family took place in the past year. If you find any I would bet it involves junior enlisted E-4 & down.

[eastforker]

Hey snipe,look at the age of these guys and their wives,late 20's early 30's.In positions of authority normaly not found in civilian life untill late forties or fifty's.When I was in back in the early seventies the First Sgt. was close to fifty and a SFC was about 40.Also,you and I both know that combat in itself has a way an individual looks at life,it's just not the same anymore.

[TC Rider]

By my experience, a much more likely scenario.

Why look for conspiracies, when there are simple solutions.

BTW, Fayetteville is not the cesspool it was 20 years ago. But, there are still a lot of people there who prey on the military.