War
I'm not sure how to write about this.
Maybe it's none of my business. Maybe I ought not to air other people's dirty laundry. But, I'm going to because I am angry and I think this is worth being discussed.
The effects of this war are hitting closer to home: a young guy I know well is an Iraq vet. He spent time in Fallujah and saw things I can't even begin to wrap my head around. He's only 24 now and so, while there a few years ago, his brain was presumably still developing. Since his return, he's struggled with anger, depression, and alcohol abuse. While the VA is "available" to help with these things, there exists a dangerous combination of long wait lists to access services combined with young veterans who have been cultured to think they ought to just pull themselves up by the bootstraps and get on with their lives. Pushing the anger deeper down like vinegar in a model volcano. But add a touch of baking soda and they explode.
Two nights ago, this veteran's anger did just that. In an alcoholic and consuming blind rage, he beat his girlfriend up. It is absolutely awful. There is, of course, no excuse for his behavior. I am angry with him and cannot believe this boy I have known my whole life could behave in such a horrific way.
And, perhaps, that's the saddest part of this whole thing. I know him. Knew him. While he was by no means a perfect angel before Iraq, he was not violent. While our family has a strong propensity toward chemical addiction, before Iraq he did not fly into blind alcoholic rages.
While it does not excuse what he has done, he is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I am angry with him for not demanding help as soon as he got home from the war. I am angry with the government for not requiring intensive extended therapy for combat veterans. I am angry with this administration for creating yet another generation of young people who have experienced the horrors of war and will spend the rest of their lives struggling to recover and unable to fully overcome what war does to the human psyche.
Troops in or troops out; 90 days or 90 years, we have only begun to see the devastation of this war on troops, their families, and our whole country.
I hope that the civilian judge who sentences him orders psych and chemical evaluations and counseling. Maybe the civilian courts can try to begin to mend what never should have been allowed to fall this far apart.
4 comments:
life i hard enough.
then there is war. i don't know what kind of a multiplier would apply but i don't think that 'boot straps' is the answer.
omg. to ponder the amount of damage that is done to our young who are sent off to war. it is too sad.
i know there is evil in the world and i believe it is necessary to deal with it. i wish like the blogger that our country would be more active in making the home coming a time of reception and not isolation. we need to help and actively make sure that these returning soldiers have our support and also any professional help that they need.
good blog.
jl
yes, kbla, this is an excellent post about what was surely a hugely heartbreaking incident and issue. i'll be thinking of this person and this person's girlfriend, and you.
Good for you for re-publishing this. It's so important to bring these issues to light and talk about them. Too many people think that violence, mental illness, or cries for help are "personal issues" when they should actually be public calls-to-action. None of it is pretty, especially for those it may personally affect, but the monster is way less scary if you take it out of the dark closet.
I'm glad that you re-posted this. We will all be paying for this war in many ways for many years to come. I feel like if there were a clear picture or price tag attached to it and we all had to sacrifice in loved ones or crazy high taxes today, the war would be over tomorrow. As it is, it's still easy for many people to feel that the war hasn't touched them financially or personally. Your post points to the fact that it will become less and less possible to feel this way as more vets come home and need care. Kudos for speaking up about how it's affected you and the people that you care about. I'll be thinking about everybody involved.
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