tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30445850.post6382540033302967155..comments2023-07-27T08:11:54.233-04:00Comments on Winter's Soldier Story: Are Congressional and Media Negativity Fueling PTSD 'Epidemic'?Ron Winterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08183872232524118092noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30445850.post-7410899055142151292008-06-26T12:51:00.000-04:002008-06-26T12:51:00.000-04:00The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the - ...The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the - <A HREF="http://thunderrun.blogspot.com/2008/06/web-reconnaissance-for-06262008.html" REL="nofollow"> Web Reconnaissance for 06/26/2008 </A> A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day...so check back often.David Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18153191536633461987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30445850.post-54440069538150467802008-06-25T18:27:00.000-04:002008-06-25T18:27:00.000-04:00Is it PTSD or just severe frustration with no outl...Is it PTSD or just severe frustration with no outlet? <BR/><BR/>The difference is that in this war, like the Vietnam War, our military has done a job that is so unappreciated by a certain segment of our population that, when confronted by those ingrates, they are forced to feel a degree of shame for having done what they were asked to do and for what they should have done. <BR/><BR/>Some people in high elected offices, like Murtha, Pelosi and Reed issue forth the Democratic talking points with vigor, so often and so loudly, such crap as, "murderers", "we've lost this war", "we really are not winning" and "we are wasting our best and brightest" while others like John Kerry speak publicly that they are not the best and brightest at all, but are undereducated morons that had no choice but to join the military because they didn't work hard in school. <BR/><BR/>Remember also that many of these gloriously wonderful young men and women in our military were under the supervision of their mothers and fathers just a very few short years ago. People of this age are still very impressionable. Many grew up being told to listen to their parents and respect their elders. Many of them have not learned yet that when an adult tells you something that it is not necessarily correct. <BR/><BR/>I think from an intellectual point of view that they know that the Reeds, Pelosis and Murthas of the world are full of BS, but from an emotional point of view it is very confusing. <BR/><BR/>Confusion can lead to emotional distress. If someone is given enough mixed signals at a young age, that same person can become frustrated and that frustration can result in emotional distress that manifest itself in much the same way as symptoms of PTSD.<BR/><BR/>Supposed that, in battle, you are forced to kill another human being and you then show symptoms of PTSD. Experts would then say, "He is suffering from PTSD related to his battle experience." How much of that diagnosed PTSD is related to battle and how much is related to his belief that he has done something wrong based on the messages he is receiving from the left wing politicians via the left wing media. <BR/><BR/>Remember when you were a child and you did something wrong and your mother reprimanded you? Remember the feeling of guilt for having done something that displeased your mother? Same thing applies here. By killing another human the young man or woman is told he has done something wrong by our misguided leaders. They become confused then frustrated then show symptoms of PTSD. <BR/><BR/>As a kid, did you ever miss a fly ball that you should have caught then fell down a faked an injury? I have and I’ve seen a lot of kids do that. They are not hurt physically, they are hurt emotionally and that leads to the physical injury which is not really an injury at all. If a responsible adult, say the coach, then says words of comfort like, "its OK son, it happens to all of us from time to time," the physical and emotional injury miraculously disappears. But, if the coach reprimands the kid for missing the fly ball, an emotional scar can be carried for a long time.<BR/><BR/>The bottom line here is that what is said by these very despicable politicians very much matters. Especially in a 19 or 20 year old. How do these impressionable men and women get the word that they are doing something bad? From the media of course. <BR/><BR/>While PTSD does exist, and in some, it is legitimate and debilitating, I don’t think we have a crisis of PTSD, we have a crisis of leadership and a crisis in media ethics. We have too many children in congress who need to grow up and realize that they have a responsibility, to our military men and women, to be adults, and the media needs to realize that not everything these whining politicians say need be reported.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30445850.post-27473698205806227512008-06-25T18:23:00.000-04:002008-06-25T18:23:00.000-04:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30445850.post-92130752605123614442008-06-24T23:37:00.000-04:002008-06-24T23:37:00.000-04:00"You get what you expect" is an old but true sayin..."You get what you expect" is an old but true saying. The view that the Left and the newsmedia (the same thing) put out is that war is so terrible and the experience so horrible that it is NORMAL to become mentally ill if you serve in one. Our vets are continually told that they should have PTSD. Even the Army with its highly structured Battlemind program is telling vets that returning to a reasonable life is terribly difficult and must require skilled proffessional help. Part of this is reaction to neglect in past conflicts but most of it has to do with today's therapeutic society where norms for behavior are set by people who would never dream of serving in the military.<BR/><BR/>Gil Gibson<BR/>CDR, CHC, USN (Ret)<BR/>My views are my own and not those of the Dept. of the NavyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com