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Green Beret's suicide death revives questions about PTSD, risks to brain health
abcnews.com ^ | 11 Jan 2025 | Anne Flaherty

Posted on 01/12/2025 12:35:52 AM PST by blueplum

Six years before packing a rental truck with firework mortars and gas cannisters before shooting himself in the head... Army Master Sgt. Matthew Livelsberger told an ex-girlfriend he was spiraling....

In the case of Livelsberger, the Army will soon have to decide whether his nearly two decades of service as a special forces soldier with nine overseas deployments contributed to his death.

Enlisted by the Army in 2006 to train as a member of its special forces, Livelsberger became a member of the 10th Special Forces Group, which conducts counterterrorism and training missions around the world. He deployed five times to Afghanistan, as well as had stints in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo.

Livelsberger was awarded five Bronze Stars, including one with a valor device for courage under fire. He also was awarded an Army Commendation Medal with valor....

If the Army finds that his suicide was caused by his service and "in the line of duty," Livelsberger's survivors would receive increased benefits....

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: army; blastwaveinjury; coverups; livelsberger; veterans
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1 posted on 01/12/2025 12:35:52 AM PST by blueplum
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To: blueplum

Nine deployments.

Close quarters gunfights.

They did not mention the also probable constant pain in the body and injuries from all the heavy rucksacks and parachute drops.

And it is very true that if I psychiatrist says that you are non-deployable, your career is over. I have seen guys just 18 months shy of retirement medically boarded out of the Army, because they were non-deployable for psych, after looking for help with depression and PTSD - but still the same as they were on their previous deployments.

Especially now that they are downsizing SF, people are just forced to suck it up and drive on regardless.


2 posted on 01/12/2025 1:23:39 AM PST by BeauBo
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To: BeauBo

PTSD for sure, but think about all those injections the troops are forced to take.


3 posted on 01/12/2025 1:28:08 AM PST by ryderann
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To: blueplum

I get a good sense that Pete Hegseth would prioritize the mental well being of veterans.

But the one in charge of Veterans Affairs, Doug Collins? I dunno…thoughts?

😢


4 posted on 01/12/2025 1:32:04 AM PST by CondoleezzaProtege
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To: BeauBo

“ . I have seen guys just 18 months shy of retirement medically boarded out of the Army, because they were non-deployable for psych, ”

But women can make themselves non-deployable due to pregnancy, at the last minute, without consequences.


5 posted on 01/12/2025 1:33:31 AM PST by SauronOfMordor (Either you will rule. Or you will be ruled. There is no other choice.)
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To: blueplum

You deal with it every hour of every day. Sleep is nothing but a series of bad dreams. I can never forget those guys who died so I wouldn’t have to.


6 posted on 01/12/2025 1:54:38 AM PST by ComputerGuy (Heavily-medicated for your protection)
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To: ComputerGuy

Hang in there CG


7 posted on 01/12/2025 2:06:20 AM PST by one guy in new jersey
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To: blueplum

Every fire is global warming, every veteran suicide is PTSD


8 posted on 01/12/2025 2:51:29 AM PST by ac-rep
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To: BeauBo

You know what, lots of people in lots of different walks of life have to suck it up and drive on, and I am a veteran.


9 posted on 01/12/2025 3:30:55 AM PST by yldstrk
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To: blueplum

Whole thing stinks.


10 posted on 01/12/2025 3:35:35 AM PST by GranTorino (Bloody Lips Save Ships)
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

Doug Collins is good. He was great in congress.


11 posted on 01/12/2025 4:02:51 AM PST by maddog55 (The only thing systemic in America is the left's hatred of it!)
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To: SauronOfMordor

My son in law was medically boarded out of the Army after 3 deployments in 8 years. He receives 100% disability which is far better than a 20 year retirement finance wise with no taxes.


12 posted on 01/12/2025 4:08:01 AM PST by maddog55 (The only thing systemic in America is the left's hatred of it!)
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To: blueplum

“””””packing a rental truck with firework mortars and gas cannisters”””””

Doesn’t that language seem to be a bit heavy?
I think of a big moving truck and truck bomb when I see “rental truck”, and “firework mortars” is probably some expensive firework type but few of us know that and in the context of green beret/vet/etc, it sounds like mortar instead of simply saying fireworks, and the canisters were camping gas cans, canister sounds like propane tanks or something more especially dangerous.

It seems like a writer would be happy to say an electric Tesla pickup or cyber truck, fireworks and Coleman gas cans since those are all fresh words and make for a more unique story with more unique imagery, they are all major parts of what makes the story so strange and unusual, and interesting.


13 posted on 01/12/2025 4:27:52 AM PST by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: maddog55

Few know this. 100% VA disability and being home bound can bring in $4500 per month. To achieve 100% the veteran typically has more than one disability, which typically includes PTSD.

To get to 100% one disability needs to be high enough to go for unemployability. Two disabilities over 50% can get the vet the home bound rate. The home bound rate also gives the spouse free VA medical care and education benefits. My state, ND, waives paying property taxes and sales taxes on new vehicles as well as a permanent handicap parking lic plate.

This may sound good, but it’s better to be healthy and normally retired than having the disabilities that could shorten a persons life, make it miserable or potential suicide.


14 posted on 01/12/2025 4:36:54 AM PST by redfreedom (May God save us from what the Democrats do in the name of good.)
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To: redfreedom

The 100% for unemployable is not the same as 100% permanent and total disability.

Total disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) is a disability benefit that allows VA to compensate veterans at VA’s 100 percent disability rate, even if their combined schedular rating does not equal 100 percent.

Schedular TDIU

The schedular requirements for Individual Unemployability are as follows:

The veteran has one service-connected disability rated at least 60 percent disabling; OR
The veteran has more than one service-connected disability, with one condition rated at least 40 percent, and a combined rating of at least 70 percent.

Extraschedular TDIU

An extraschedular disability rating is one that grants veterans a higher rating than the one they would receive based on the standard rating schedule used by VA. Therefore, if the rating schedule does not adequately reflect the severity of a veteran’s condition, they can argue for an extraschedular rating.


15 posted on 01/12/2025 4:58:32 AM PST by maddog55 (The only thing systemic in America is the left's hatred of it!)
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To: SauronOfMordor
But women can make themselves non-deployable due to pregnancy, at the last minute, without consequences.

They can't do it without men.

16 posted on 01/12/2025 5:01:47 AM PST by TwelveOfTwenty (Prayers for the US and President Trump)
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To: ryderann

I have a nagging suspicion that he was dead and then loaded into the Tesla which was then driven to location by remote. one cannot tell what happened by the pronouncements of the Press or by Authorities. If truth comes from those sources it is is coincidental if the narrative matches the actuality.


17 posted on 01/12/2025 5:05:36 AM PST by arthurus (covfefe i)
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To: TwelveOfTwenty

I’m talking about women deliberately getting pregnant to avoid deployment.


18 posted on 01/12/2025 5:06:02 AM PST by SauronOfMordor (Either you will rule. Or you will be ruled. There is no other choice.)
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To: SauronOfMordor

Better that women in combat roles make themselves nondeployable before being sent to combat zones. Better for them and for the men. Women in combat roles is a waste and a drag. The other group of nondeployables is trannies and open homosexuals. They can’t get too far from the doctors and hospitals. Closet homosexuals there always have been, but they take care of themselves and do not interfere with the good order of the military.


19 posted on 01/12/2025 5:09:51 AM PST by arthurus (covfefe ...)
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To: SauronOfMordor

I’m aware of that. It’s been going on for decades, as has “forced fatherhood” in general. That’s far too long for men to have not learned anything about being careful about who they stick it into.


20 posted on 01/12/2025 5:10:51 AM PST by TwelveOfTwenty (Prayers for the US and President Trump)
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