First, remember that Frontline is media. What you see is what they want you to see. It has a designed context, just like Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC. I am not disputing Frontline’s facts, but you have to keep things in perspective and remember that there are always eight sides to every story.
Sure. My personal opinion is that Frontline is quite far, and they do an excellent job covering topics. Ive watched many of their shows, and like them a lot.
Second, medical doctors are the qualified personnel to make opinions and decisions about troops being on the “frontline” while undergoing treatment, mentally or otherwise. I am not an MD, and I suspect that no one else in this thread is either.
Doctors make medical decisions, and command cannot interfere with a soldiers treatment by a doctor. However command does have the authority to say no troops in theatre who are on heavy prescription drugs. They can get treated elsewhere.
Third, the military medical system is NOT a joke. I have had everything from two surgeries under general anesthesia, multiple “procedures,” occupational therapy, bereavement counseling, watched a dear loved one die from leukemia at Walter Reed, to dental care. The care was awesome and the providers were genuine. And they don’t have to worry about counting band-aids and Tylenols for your bill either. They can actually focus on treatment. Yes, occasionally there is a “bad experience,” but that happens everywhere. I am currently “off the reservation” with our care and frankly, we cannot wait to get back close to post.
That has not been my experience nor that of anyone I personally knew while AD.
If anyone hasn’t seen it, I suggest watching “Baghdad ER” to see what our medical personnel go through in Theater. I cannot fathom having a job like that.
I mentioned earlier “frontline/mainstream” care seems to be quite good. Its when people get out of that main system I think there are a lot of failings.
Fourth, the military and its sub-institutions are not perfect. NO institution is. But in almost every case of criticizing the military in the media, and these types of forums, the fault almost always lies at ground zero with the first-line supervisor or other command failures. It’s not usually an overall “military” problem.
Most of these stories I hear come from the Army side of things or the VA. I mentioned a book in my 1st post that had a story very similar to the Frontline one. The main “theme” was almost identical. A platoon gets heavy casualties, people start having mental issues, command is not there to support them, medical is not supporting them, people get injuries, and fall through the cracks, people given drugs while in theatre, etc.
Finally, the US Government and the military are responsible for taking care of our troops. Make no mistake about that. But at the same time, they cannot be everything to everybody.
There is always room for improvement, and I think we could do a lot better job taking care of folks both in country, and upon redeployment.
And no amount of combat or PTSD should ever excuse anyone for committing heinous crimes against their fellow man. Life, and military service for that matter, is not a Halo game.
Totally agree. Can’t have people even with mental issues doing drugs, comitting crime, etc. The murder in the Frontline story seemed more like a couple fucked up people to begin with. I think we need to be stricter whom we allow to enlist. At my last duty station we had a guy with a prior conviction for drugs, and he was given a security clearance, etc. Guy was POS.
YMMV.