PTSD Deserves Presidential Attention

  On November 5, 2009 tragedy occurred.  Army Major Nadal Malik Hasan, fatally shot 12 people, wounding 31 others.  Hasan, a psychiatrist at Darnell Army Medical Center, opened fire at a military processing center at Fort Hood, located near Killeen, Texas.

  A civilian police officer, who is one of the 31 people injured, shot and took down Hasan, who at present he remains alive and in police custody.  Preparing to deploy to Iraq, many said Hasan appeared upset about his deployment, yet showed no sings of hostile behavior prior to the shootings.

  The unexpected deaths and injuries of these soldiers and civilians shocked the country, resulting with the honor of President Obama attending the funerals.  The appearance of our president is not too shocking, yet what I fail to understand is why the President can attend the funeral of those who passed at Fort Hood yet not attend the funerals of other soldiers who passed due to Army shootings elsewhere around the country.

  On April 24, 2009 at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas a civilian was fatally shot and another soldier was injured.  The perpetrator was an Army soldier.  The cause of this shooting was due to a brawl between two soldiers; the shooter did not want the other soldier on his lawn.  Ezra Gerald Smith, an 18-year old civilian, was fatally shot on his way to school that Friday morning, when a stray bullet pierced the back of his head as he passed by the brawl. The bullet killed Smith instantly there on the sidewalk.

  Gerald, as we called him, is a dear friend of mine who was not able to graduate a month and a half later due to his unforeseen death.  Yet, where was President Obama to comfort his hurting family?  Does the number of deaths have to reach into the double digits for it to receive presidential notice?

  Shortly before Gerald’s death, another incident occurred April 4, 2009 at the Army Exchange at Fort Bliss where a soldier fatally shot his wife, then himself.

Private First Class Cassaundra Beckel was shot by her husband while in the PX lobby.  Private Beckel’s husband claimed that his wife had been committing adultery.  Kevin Beckel, who has had various run-ins with the police, followed up the shooting of his wife by shooting himself.

  To his dismay, the shot he fired upon himself was not fatal; Beckel died before his case was taken to trial.  His wife Cassaundra however, died 45 minutes after being shot.  This tragedy received no presidential attention either.

  I cannot even begin to imagine how the families of these lost loved ones feel.  They sit down to watch the news only to witness the breaking story of President Obama visiting Fort Hood.  Would you not feel as if you deceased were being overlooked as well?  The tragedy at Fort Hood is sad, and it is even worse how the shooting is receiving national coverage while other shootings are placed on the back burner.

  What really is going on can be simply justified.  Clearly American soldiers are not being monitored and cared for as well as we would like to think.  Yes, we are in a war overseas; however, there are threats here at home.  Soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD, are at a high risk of harming themselves and others.  What makes matters worse and these situations more serious is partly because many soldiers who have PTSD do not even know they are suffering from it.

  PTSD though is not the only cause of violent actions from soldiers.

Like Hasan, who shot innocent soldiers and civilians without ever being deployed, these other unforeseen murderers like Beckel, are not suffering from PTSD.  These criminals that are getting through the military are not being thoroughly screened.  Lives could be saved if more time was made for those enlisting in the military to ensure the safety of others, and our country.

  In the end, the number of deaths should never matter; a death of one innocent soul should be enough to prevent more.  The fact that President Obama has no action plan for the handful of other soldier/civilian deaths because only one or two died is shameful.  As a nation supporting our troops it is not just helping overseas but also helping here at home.  This support should not only be held outside of the hospital because these patients seeking treatment need our help as well, and without it PTSD soldiers or even mentally sane soldiers can take out as many people as they choose.  Therefore, letting incidents as these go unnoticed sets the wrong example. Murder is murder, no matter how many die.  We need presidential involvement starting now.

 

-Editor in Chief Hennessy Shaw