If the military isn't filled with mentally ill people, what's with these stories?

Question

I asked a question yesterday about why did it seem like the military had many mentally ill recruits and, of course, most of the answers I recieved were insults.
Well, what do you think about this:
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=3936723&page=1
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=3932816&page=1

Answer 1

I'm not sure what kind of response you expect here, except these brave men and women who chose to fight are experience life changing effects. They have seen more carnage than most Americans will in their lifetime, and they are young people.
These articles discuss how the Government is failing to gain control and properly treat their veterans, not that the military is filled with mentally ill persons.
So, your question in effect comes across negative and insulting, that is why you get the responses you do. I think my definition of mentally ill and yours are completely different.

So, let me pose the question of what are your ideas then? How should these young Americans coming back from war be treated, are they not allowed to suffer from not only their physical injuries, but their mental injuries as well?
Maybe you should see how many people are on anti-depressant medications, are all these people "mentally ill" in your opinion? I know for a fact there are several police officers in any area that take anti-depressants, are you saying they do not deserve treatment and that they cannot perform their jobs?

Don't blame the troops for our Governments failure to treat them. It seems to me you are just trying to insult our Military, and when you insult the members, you insult their branch of service, their families and all Americans who care.

Answer 2

Im sure that there are some mentally ill people in the military, soldiers go through hell and back, sometimes watching as their best friends die in front of them. I dont know of anyone who wouldnt be disturbed by that. But that doesnt mean that the military is full of them, our entire world has mentally ill people. You cant take a few incidents and say that it applies to many of the soldiers. If you havent been there and done that, you dont really understand, so dont pass judgement. what you hear on the news and see on the internet is not always true.

Answer 3

The majority of people who serve are mentally stable. Of course with any group of people especially ones who have served in dangerous areas might have some anxiety problems or disturbed life styles but overall most come back just fine and live normal life's...

I'm in the Air Force love my job, my country and am proud to serve. I hope nobody thinks I'm mentally unstable lol. I currently only take drugs for anti-smoking (which worked) and I volunteered to take them. You typically only get medication if you complain about something. Like those lazy POS bastards that get on profiles so they don't have to deploy ugh I hate you.

For the guy above who ranted on about God... please shut the F*ck up, and go preach somewhere else. Amen

Answer 4

Dear Troll,

With the medical standards set in the military to a high criteria how could you possibly think mentally ill people could serve.

They would be more of a danger to themselves and their comrades not to mention to the civilian population.

The links you provide deal with returned soldiers and the medicines being given by prescription to help ease combat stress and P.T.S.D. and the over perscription of medication.

In the 3 pages in the link I could not even find the words "mentaly ill".

Answer 5

Well...of course you received insults. ;)
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And, you posted this in the wrong section - it should have been in R&S. Seriously. Not only would you have gotten more interesting answers in general...from both "sides", someone would have spoken the truth:

There is a reality to the truths of the Bible. Namely, that we live in a fallen world...a world full of sin...a world full of evil. Some may claim that calling something "evil" (implying the existence of God) versus calling something "bad" (at best, a subjective estimate based on the "better good" of a person or society or the world...from an atheistic point of view) a purely an issue of semantics...

However, the truth remains:
The pathetically small and silly arguments and debates that occur in politics and in religion, and what not, occur within the sheltered lives of spoiled people - like most Americans.

People will complain to NO end when they have to wait in airport security so long, but then these same people will complain when 9/11 events happen - always shifting blame to others...expecting and demanding to be spoon-fed health, wealth, and prosperity. They want, expect, demand, and think they all deserve their cake...and to eat it, too.

More poignantly: the people who oppose the war in Iraq the most and complain, complain, complain...are the same ones who would have complained the most had we done nothing and terrorism had overtaken America.

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In the face of horror...at ground zero of 9/11 or in the "trenches" of war...THAT is when the vanity of life is seen most powerfully...! War is vain! Life is vain! Death is vain! All is vanity! Read Ecclesiastes! To taste, see, drink, and feel such vanity...is so empty...so depressing...that people literally become suicidal...and ask, "What is life all about?"

Take a good, raw, hard look at evil and sin...and it has a huge impact on the feeble human frame.

Veterans from the Vietnam War (who have not committed suicide) are often riddled with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses - all testifying to these truths.
...and, of course, such things are to be expected with the war in Iraq....especially when people who have little to no hope in the One that casts out all fear and enables people to say: "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain!" (Philippians 1:21)

Some of the strongest witnesses for the Lord are in the military...tending to the others, who are thrust into the realities of sin and would be utterly crushed otherwise.

We have many immature children called and obedient to do that which they are not able to handle.

...many die heroes, many return heroes...
Some return mature men, armed with the armor of God (reference to Ephesians 6)...soldiers of Jesus Christ, above and beyond being soldiers of war! Semper Fi is the Lord God!

But others are "squashed"...and return riddled with deep-seated fears. Fears that haunt them. Fears that anger them...especially when foolish, immature, sheltered, prideful, demanding people in America take all that they did for our freedom for granted...and instead point out their very fears as a political statement that says: "See...war is bad".

Yeah...that's right....war is hell. But hell is infinitely worse.

And quite frankly, war CANNOT be avoided (for sin cannot be avoided)...if not over in Iraq or Afghanistan...or wherever else...then on American soil!

And outside of Jesus Christ, the results of sin - death and hell - also cannot be avoided.

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Answer 6

I read the first story. I did not bother with the second one. You are looking at a news article about a few specific soldiers and are trying to make it seem like it is a norm rather than an exception. This story talks about soldiers with PTSD problems. PTSD occurs in a select fewwhen they deploy or otherwise experience some very serious S#$T. If you are so naive to take this story with an "is all" mentality, then so be it. Go back to your bong water and tie died t-shirts and STFU. Im tired of people like you trying to make people like me look bad. Go back into your corner and try to be quiet... please...

Answer 7

Would you read an article that says "Today, a marine did his job well." or "Today, 20 brave soldiers successfully delivered supplies"? No, it's always bad things...

Think of it this way, school A has 10 students that won scholarships for excellent grades. School B has 2 kids that were busted for using drugs. Which school's story is going to lead the news?

Answer 8

The way I see it, bad news sells better any day than good news.

Thus, newscasters will "cherry pick" any and all reports of anything bad going on, and then maybe a "feel-good" story at the end of the broadcast.

Also, the bad stuff is remembered a lot easier. A great example is the War in Iraq. Although you hear constantly about the suicide bombings, nighttime raids, fights, etc., you rarely hear about those who are grateful for the troops in Iraq nor the progress being made.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_VJVblX3W4

Answer 9

Funny, how the media never reports on those in the military who don't and have made something of their lives after the military. No not really, when I look at it. Do you think that wounded Iraq veterans who find jobs for their families after the military are mentally ill? It is left propoganda. Sad you buy into it.

Answer 10

Our culture equates masculinity with many things such as military service- and you my freind are at an age when their are men and women who are in your peer group, either based on their beliefs, economic situation or both, who are making a sacrifice of their freedom and putting them selves at risk based on the policies of a government that the people of this country elected.
Its humorous to see you question your own masculinity, and then rebel by attempting to degrade an institution and everyone associated with it to cover-up your own sensitivity and feelings of inadequacy.
You can make any broad statement on a diverse group of over a 500,000 people and then cherry pick all available information and select-out only that which compliments your opinions. -congrats, you can hotlink, I'm very proud of you.