As a society we have done a very poor job of caring for our psychologically injured service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Many suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which can manifest itself in a variety of symptoms.
Indeed, the Veterans of America report that one in three Iraq veterans and one in nine Afghanistan veterans will face mental health issues including depression, anxiety or PTSD.
Normal humans were not made to experience the horror, death and devastation of war.
Many ailing veterans cope with these issues by drinking – drinking heavily.
Many have nightmares and night sweats.
Many veterans find that alcohol helps them cope with their bottomless pain better than the medications prescribed by the Veterans Administration.
Afghanistan Combat Veteran James Emerick Dean was killed by a Maryland State Police Sniper on December 26, 2006. J
amie Dean was 29 when police killed him.
Jamie had served 18 months in Afghanistan between 2003 and 2005.
He had returned to his childhood home in
Southern Maryland and was diagnosed with PTSD.
Even though Jamie married and tried to live a normal life his order to report for duty inIraq threw him into a deep depression.
Jamie reported that he knew he would die in Iraq.
On Christmas 2006, Jamie began to drink heavily.
He eventually began to trash his house.
Unfortunately a member of Jamie’s family called the Maryland Police and asked that they do a welfare check.
When Jamie refused to leave the house the SWAT Team surrounded the house and fired 85 tear gas canisters into the house.
Jamie pointed a shotgun at an armored vehicle and was killed by a SWAT sniper.
Read Jamie’s story:
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig7/bothwell2.html
Learn about Bob Keefer’s firm at: www.BobKeeferLaw.com.
Bob Keefer represents people charged with DUI/ DWI, traffic tickets, speeding tickets and reckless driving in Elkton, Virginia; Bridgewater, Virginia; Verona, Virginia; Harrisonburg, Virginia; Rockingham County, Virginia; Staunton, Virginia; Augusta County, Virginia; Woodstock, Virginia; Waynesboro, Virginia; and Shenandoah County, Virginia. PTSD videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbUamgEFTHI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkZzGX8MOkQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_H_mAm4a4s&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TH2XhIYDMo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTJ2v3bOvqA&feature=related