Did Doctors Deny Iraq Shooter's Stress?

Source: CBS News

Troop Mate Says Sgt. John Russell Knew He Had A Problem; Is PTSD Still Being Downplayed?

(CBS) A soldier in accused shooter Army Sgt. John Russell's unit says Russell was angry because he thought he was suffering from combat stress.

But he told his fellow troopers that the doctors at the clinic he allegedly attacked did not believe him, reports CBS News correspondent Kimberly Dozier at the Pentagon.

The 44-year-old signals specialist from the 54th Engineering Battalion, based in Bamberg, Germany, was charged with five counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault for Monday's shooting, which killed two military doctors and three soldiers, at a combat stress clinic at Camp Liberty, in Iraq.

Russell had been relieved of his weapon a week earlier, after making some "inappropriate remarks," his fellow soldier said, and he'd been referred to the stress clinic for counseling. But each day, the counselors "sent him back to his base," where Russell complained the doctors were refusing to take his symptoms seriously or give him the medication he thought he needed.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/14/national/main5014301.shtml?tag=topStory;topStoryHeadline

:sarcasm:

We've barely seen the tip of the iceberg on PTSD from this war. Just wait until all these damaged soldiers return home. I sure hope we increased the VA psyche budget.

A murder or two in fact if I'm not mistaken. Don't know if they got much press outside here but, yeah. These troops are broken.

When I was in Ft Lewis and several soldiers were heading to Ft Drum for reassignment, there were soldiers that already were stationed in Ft Drum. One said that there are active gangs at Ft Drum, so I was prompted to ask do they have regular gangland style attacks and he confirmed yes. He was not a guy who would lie for the hell of it. He also talked about stuff to do around there, he also mentioned there was white supremist groups outside in areas near the base. He said the most enjoyable thing to do at Ft Drum was travel to Canada.

Can't just dump them like was done after Nam.

Was more of a factory to pump borderline soldiers back into the zone. "Yep he talked to a counselor every two weeks. He's fit for duty"

Hope the hell I'm wrong.

The military squeezes every last drop of life out of the soldiers and then when they finally snap, dump them on the street corners back home.

Having to listen to it all, to send them back, heartbreaking. Bring them home. Now.

destroyed or changed already to cover this up.