Returning U.S. troops insulted again by ignorance

First, considering how few views PTSD Foundation for America has on their videos, this is not huge news. Had the person posting this knew what was really going on, they would have joined the fight to save the lives of our heroes a very long time ago. While he/she may think it is patriotic to turn deaf, dumb and blind to the anguish of thousands of our troops and even more veterans, it insults them to have an article like this.

Returning U.S. troops insulted again
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Under the guise of supporting our troops, the PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) Foundation of America is running commercials that depict returning American service personnel as “ticking time bombs.”

The organization appears to have gotten it’s marching orders from Homeland INsecurity chieftain Janet Napolitano who issued a similarly insulting report in April 2009 titled “Right-wing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment.” It stated “Returning veterans possess combat skills and experience that are attractive to right-wing extremists.” Napolitano’s report continued, “Proposed imposition of firearms restrictions and weapons bans likely would attract new members into the ranks of right-wing extremist groups as well as potentially spur some of them to begin planning and training for violence against the government.”

If you missed her left-wing drift, she further warned against the possibility of violence by unnamed “right-wing extremists” concerned about illegal immigration, increasing federal power, restrictions on firearms, abortion and the loss of U.S. sovereignty and singles out returning war veterans as particular threats.

PTSD cites soaring divorce rates, suicides and homelessness. And to facilitate their efforts to marginalize our military troops, the site hucksters tee shirts sales and requests credit card donations via PayPal.

This is how the PTSD site describes our American military heroes: “There are thousands of active, guard, and reserve troops and families in our local communities who are silently hurting – bruised and bleeding on our behalf. Men and women returning from service who face difficulty with the transition back to ‘normal’ life, experiencing relationship or financial struggles and even post traumatic stress syndrome, ‘a ticking time bomb in this generation of returning warriors.‘ The personal and societal effect of these burdens is dramatic, as seen in the rising military divorce rates and in the increased potential for substance abuse, domestic abuse, criminality and suicide.”

This portrayal of service personnel as emotionally sick and criminally inclined is offensive to those of us who respect and value our patriots. That this site attempts to raise money as it denigrates loyal defenders of freedom is inexcusable.

Could they have found a better way to convey the seriousness of the situation for our veterans than "time bomb?" Absolutely. The situation for them coming home is a "time bomb" but not in the way this article represents it. As time passes, PTSD gains more control over the veteran's life. The sooner they get help, the more the symptoms can be healed. The longer it is unaddressed, the more it eats away at their lives and yes, destroys the lives of their families along the way. And that is the bad news. The good news is that even Vietnam Veterans without help for 40 years are finding it is not too late for them to live better lives.

When it comes to the men and women serving in the military and our veterans, we should be ashamed we ever let things get so bad for them that as survivors, they would find hope so elusive they want to die back home. They survived combat, watched the backs of their brothers, did their duty, endured hardship after hardship, separations from families and friends, came home and found themselves fighting another battle to have their claims honored and receive the help they were promised.

This article is nothing more than political spin in the guise of supporting the troops. It insults all veterans with PTSD and adds to the stigma from fools acting as if they should be ashamed.

If the site really respected or honored the service of all heroes, they would have learned something over the last ten years regarding what had happened to veterans of all other wars they didn't pay attention to either.

But don't believe just me. Listen to this about one of the lives lost and know what the facts really are.
Marine's Suicide Renews Focus On Military Families