This past Friday the Rocky Mtn News printed this letter:
‘Stress disorder’ used to be called cowardice Friday, January 26 at 12:01 AM
The sad picture in the Jan. 13 Rocky of the forlorn young soldier who wants out of the Army because of the dreadful things he saw in Iraq (“Terrors of war linger for some”) will impress a lot of mommies, perhaps, but not many men.
This fellow joined up intending to spend a lifetime in a proud career in the military. One problem: Apparently he did not think it might involve battle, or, if it did, Army Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman could not have been right in describing it as “hell.”
Other soldiers are horrified and sickened by the consequences of firefights but they hang in and prevail.
This fellow claims “post-traumatic stress disorder” from things he saw and wants a kindly nation to turn him loose. It will sound a whole lot more like cowardice to many. Cowardice in the face of the enemy used to get you a firing squad; now it is called PTSD and you are sent home to your family while fellow soldiers fight to the end.
Lee Vander Jagt, Denver
The printing of this letter occurred the same day I saw a report of American troops saying Americans can't have it both ways..."they can't support the troops but not support our mission". The hand picked soldier didn't tell what the mission was but why should we care?
These two items made me once again see the collusion of the media with the Bush Administration in disseminating information. The mainstream media owned by corporations friendly and contributing to the tyrants in charge (or is it the corporations really in charge??) have become the new version of the Nazi information ministry.
I did respond to the letter since it's such a blatant attempt by a newspaper to discredit mental health services for combat veterans. This use of such a letter to place stigma on mental health care fits right in with the military's continued attempts to downplay and bury the trauma experienced by the returning troops.
Henry Kissinger and Donald Rumsfeld have both made it clear they think of the troops as disposable pawns to have killed and replaced by new young fodder of the "lower class"of America. Both are the main advisors to Bush on his Iraq policy. Rumsfeld's resignation merely hid him more from public view. He's never gone away.
My response to the letter follows but I doubt it'll ever be printed:
I can understand ignorance of an individual such as Lee Vander Jagt equating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with cowardice in his/her letter of January 26, 07. I don’t understand the editorial discretion and responsibility of the Rocky Mountain News in publishing such a warped and insensitive piece that continues to promote stigma for returning troops seeking mental health services.
I doubt very much the RMN would publish a letter that equates cancer with a character flaw. I doubt there would be a letter published which stated the annual run/walk for breast cancer research was a waste and foolish because cancer can’t be cured.
The RMN and Vander Jagt perpetuate the ugly stigma mental health treatment shouldn’t have parity with physical health treatment. At a time when returning troops are having ever increasing mental health problems as a result of multiple deployments to combat your disrespect and that of Vander Jagt does little to support them. Instead you help put road blocks in their way to return to the best health possible.
I’d ask Vander Jagt visit a VA mental health unit and tell the combat vets they’re cowards for experiencing trauma following deaths of their friends and innocent Iraqi children. And perhaps John Temple and your editorial staff should go with Vander Jagt.
William T. Leichner, RN
USMC combat veteran - Vietnam ('67-'69)
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1 comment:
I'm with you. As a post trauma specialist for 35 years, I began at VA in Chi, and it was called 'battle fatigue' back then, but then also pregnant women were said to be 'in a family way,'even though their husbands had just been killed in battle, and mothers who had dead or MIA sons were called 'gold star' mothers rather than what they were, broken hearted women for life. Not to mention their husbands also dead and buried in grief. We're 21 years USAF (ret.) and I'd just say this: My husband taught me that a warrior loves peace far more than war, and that if one soldier has PTSD that he or she can be a harm to others without meaning to be. The fellow who wrote the original letter sounds very young and that kind of Bragging is the kind that puts oneself often and others too in danger's way. No hotheaded warriors needed; strong, yes, wise, always.
I hope RMN prints your letter.
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