This is just the beginning. Our military personnel are suffering untold amount of stress with the multiple deployments they experience as a result of fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - it would appear that more troops (34,000 at first estimate) will be deployed to Afghanistan in coming months.
The massacre at Fort Hood is still on my mind. As one who suffers from PTSD from experiences witnessed and lived as a child, I know firsthand that this is something to be taken seriously. Many believe that PTSD is imagined and does not deserve treatment. Soldiers who suffer from mental health struggles are hesitant to be evaluated and treated for fear of being labeled incompetent and having their careers jeopardized.
This needs to end and soon - the Army is an amazing organization, providing stability and employment and protection to many - we as a public need to stand behind our troops and more importantly, we need to recognize the fragile mental state of returning troops from conflict zones.
Army bases in Europe are not open and bases in the US should not be either. In Europe, one has to show military ID to access the base as well as have an official logo on one's vehicle. Those were standard operating procedures years ago when I was an army wife - perhaps it is time to revisit them.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
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