Iraq war veteran to speak about lack of mental health support : La Crosse Tribune

Chris King wrote on Sep 17, 2008 9:25 AM:

" Re: horselover...

Not to beat a dead horse...but, I never did say that.

However, if you fail to understand that the VA does place individuals in the Tomah community who have significant drug and alcohol problems you are diluted!

I'm not placing any type of judgment. Yet, it is a fact that the location of the VA and the types of programs, which are needed, does place a significant number of veterans with drug or alcohol problems within the surrounding community. When those in recovery relapse, they bring their old habits and contacts into the area. It is what it is, and I would imagine that you will somehow twist what I am saying to try to further your agenda and demonize anyone who disagree with it, but it is what it is! "

horselover wrote on Sep 17, 2008 8:26 AM:

" Gee, even my son read that in the Tomah journal and was shocked!! Unless you are a "different" Chris King.......but I doubt it. "

horselover wrote on Sep 17, 2008 8:22 AM:

" I think you did....if I recall right as that really peed me off that you made that comment!! Who's lying?? "

Chris King wrote on Sep 17, 2008 8:14 AM:

" Re: horselover...

"Are you not the person who put in the Tomah Journal that their will be problems with drugs and alcohol in Tomah with the influx of new vets?"

NO, I DID NOT SAY THAT! IN FACT, I NEVER EVEN SAID ANYTHING THAT COULD BE MISCONSTRUED THAT WAY!

Lying indeed! "

horselover wrote on Sep 17, 2008 7:47 AM:

" By the way, I only had 2 comments. I wasn't ranting or raving just giving my opinion and the experience I had I can't go into details but believe me, it is NOT as easy as you may think. Put yourself in their shoes. "

horselover wrote on Sep 17, 2008 7:44 AM:

" Re Chris King, really??? Are you not the person who put in the Tomah Journal that their will be problems with drugs and alcohol in Tomah with the influx of new vets?? Yeah, your opinion is great!! You do support our vets!! Give me a break Mr. Know-it-all. "

Chris King wrote on Sep 17, 2008 6:47 AM:

" Re: horselover...

Any objective person can take a look at my comment and your multiple comments and instantly know who is "ranting and raving."

It is obvious that you also have an agenda against the war. Therefore, of course you are going to be focused on Mr. Cherry's side of the argument.

Finally, believe me. I know and understand more about the "system" than most. That is why it so disgusting to me to hear individuals like yourself spout off about things which they know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT!

Ignorant indeed! "

horselover wrote on Sep 16, 2008 5:14 PM:

" Chris King, you are not even a veteran so how would you know how the "system" works. This has NOTHING to do with the doctor's or staff, it's the bureaucracy of the system. Your just a government worker with nothing better to do than rant and rave on the computer, get a life. "

Chris King wrote on Sep 16, 2008 1:20 PM:

" My comments are not intended to disparage Mr. Cherry's service to our nation, but... This man faces a court-martial, is involved in an obviously left-wing, anti-war organization and he has a grievance with the VA. Wow, what a shocker!

He went AWOL because they would not treat his mental health condition?! Yeah, and it's o.k. for drug addicts to lie, cheat and steal because they have an illness also. Get real folks!

The fact is that the VA provides services to those that ask and are willing to do their part by cooperating with their treatment and program.

This story is misleading,as it does not give any detail regarding his discharge or the specific care he has sought and the specific care he feels he was denied.

I smell half-truths and spin indeed! "

Michael Welch wrote on Sep 15, 2008 12:28 PM:

" NO ONE comes back 'healthy' -- some just find better ways to cope. The VA medical system has weasels in it sure but the big problem is Veterans' Affairs' bureaucracy plus the 'Defense' dept which forbid 'too much' money spent on the 'losers,' i. e. the ones they've already used up like Kleenex and tossed in the garbage. The system pumps you up to join in a patriotic fever but after you've really seen what moral squalor and senseless destruction war really is, they give you a medal, call you a hero and then say We'll do lunch some time but right now I'm busy. The system makes suckers of young idealists and that's its true corruption... "

horselover wrote on Sep 14, 2008 5:19 AM:

" Spider-Monkey....there are more of us who have been there and done that, got the t-shirt and have been through the system.......No one is blaming the doctor's or the staff. Those of us that have been around for many years have seen many changes. PTSD has been around for YEARS with a stigma attached, don't ask/don't tell. "

spider_monkey wrote on Sep 13, 2008 6:20 PM:

" You can certainly tell who on here has deployed and who hasn't. Those of us who have gone and returned know that help is there, but you have to ask for it. Alot of people on here expect the doctors and mental health professionals to be mind readers but I am yet to meet one who is. Maybe if you can read minds you should be a PTSD screener. Yes the system has flaws, but those flaws are on the stigma thats created about reporting mental health issues, not the treatment. And like every other profession in the world there are bad apples, but you can't take a few doctors and screeners who missed obvious signs and say the whole system is broken. That would be like saying since one cop arrested an innocent man that the entire justice system needs to be changed. "

Michael Welch wrote on Sep 13, 2008 12:44 PM:

" Those who want the Bush wars ALWAYS defend 'the system' and blame the victims. I say that it ought to be THEY who are 'outraged' by the treatment of veterans -- those both physically as well as mentally wounded. The military medical system acts superbly at the initial level but it is constantly hammered about providing long term care because that's where the penny pinching is encouraged, even required. I hate the current warS, I admit that, because they are facades for oil imperialism BUT once you've put your men 'on the beach' NO, you don't LEAVE them there to beg for their money to take care of themselves and their families. Better to yank Cheney's dead metallic heart and spend no more taxpayer dollars on HIM than to make these REAL vets into pathetic mendicants... "

horselover wrote on Sep 13, 2008 7:02 AM:

" MW is right, there is no purple heart for psychological scars. Gunny, thanks for sharing your experiences with the VA. Unfortunately the system is broke and does need to be fixed. The stigma removed and help given. "

Gunny wrote on Sep 12, 2008 11:34 PM:

" To Mom-of-One. I am sorry for what happened to your son. I agree with you that the ball was dropped. I wish you could have gotten to some of the Dr's in Tomah. They are very good and maybe could have helped. Like I said, the system is not perfect, but they are really trying and it is a lot better than right after Vietnam. I have seen the deployments and the Homecomings and I know that each person is talked to about mental Health issues and what can be done. There are many groups out there that try to help. Operation Home Front is super.
Gunny "

Gunny wrote on Sep 12, 2008 11:28 PM:

" I see the same old names that do nothing but complain and try to blame their got nothing to lives on Bush. Must be really bad to be you. No life, just sit on the computer and blame Bush for your nothing lives. What War were you in that you know so much about the VA and how they work? Same ones. How many of you went and voted Tues. If you didn't, shut up. Same dribble everyday from BS,Ri,Ma,We and La. If you haven't been through the system, you have nothing to say.
Gunny "

Gunny wrote on Sep 12, 2008 11:15 PM:

" It's too bad that the Democrats blew it and voted for Obama. They could have had Hillery. McCain picked right. His VP has a higher security Clearance than either Obama or Biden. She is the Commander of the only National Guard Unit that is on full time. She is in charge of our Nuke defense system in Alaska. She is also higher up on Homeland Security than either of the Dems. She has more experience that anyone the Dems could bring up. If anyone is a real joke it is the Dems. They bring nothing to the table but more taxes.
Gunny "

Gunny wrote on Sep 12, 2008 11:09 PM:

" I am 100% and it is mainly because of PTSD. I get all the help I need and see the Dr. and they are very good. The one I see is prior military, her husband is a Vietnam Vet, her father was in WWII, her father-in-law was in, and her daughter was in also. The only reason this idiot didn't get the care was he didn't ask. He should have been tried for desertion and then sentenced to be shot because we are at war and that is how the UCMJ reads.
Gunny "

Gunny wrote on Sep 12, 2008 11:05 PM:

" Well I see the normal comments by those that know nothing but to blame Bush. Democratic controlled Congress but that makes no difference. The system works for those that use it. You have to admit to them that something is wrong. I spent 6 months in the VA in Minneapolis and it was super care. I had throat cancer and they saved my life. If you have not been through their care or have not been in the Military you don't even know what you are talking about. The system is not perfect, but it is much better than right after Vietnam.
Gunny "

mossberg590 wrote on Sep 12, 2008 10:01 PM:

" Were you drafted, were you drop outs, can you read, did you expect to sit at the armory for 25 years and play cards. Hey, you didn't have to go. Do what the cowards during Vietnam did. Run your Chicken asizs to Canada. Sit it out there, the government will let you back in after a few years with a full pardon and a college degree. Mean while you whine because you can't cope with the "stress". Oh poor you. This clown goes awol and they give him an Honorable. Kind of takes away from the women and men who have died. Tell me, you proud of your cowardice.The Enlistment Officers lie. Get over it. Loans for homes,small business, school. Drowned in red tape and bs. Get off your arzes and get two jobs if need be. "

Marines wife wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:56 PM:

" I have to agree with just a thinker...the system is flawed. That didn't happen overnight. However, there are still resources that are available to our soldiers who need them. The other issue is that just like mom_of_one's soldier, they don't want to admit that they have a problem that can't be blamed on the military, Republicans, Democrats, etc. My husband has deployed twice and is preparing for his 3rd. He has been checked by the mental health department and is fine. The paranoia is common and it does go away....it just takes time to readjust to a normal life back in the states. You can't blame everything on the military not trying to help if the soldiers don't admit they have a problem. "

just a thinker wrote on Sep 12, 2008 6:06 PM:

" Alright, look, we all know the system is broke in some fashion. That is obvious. The concern at this point should be on how to fix the system, which has devolved under both Democrat and Republican leadership. It's easy to point fingers, and harder to just work to fix what is broken. Let us try to do the latter. "

mom_of_one wrote on Sep 12, 2008 5:59 PM:

" My soldier developed "pyhschosis as a driect result from being in a combat zone" according the the doctor he saw while deployed.
Once he was home it was nearly impossible to admit there was anything wrong with him, due to his rank he did not want to appear weak. The counselor at the VA in Madison said his being paranoid was normal and said he will get over it. This was in March 2006 and the PTSD issue was not as prominent. He did not get over it and he hung himself. The military has such a stigmata about mental health issues, I know I have seen firsthand the cover up. I have 90 plus pages of his medical records from Iraq, Landstuhl, and Walter Reed, yet a higher up in Madison told those records do not exist and refused to accept me faxing them to him as proof. "

LAX wrote on Sep 12, 2008 1:38 PM:

" No, Krusty the Klown -- we don't believe a single word of anything you say! "

Michael Welch wrote on Sep 12, 2008 12:50 PM:

" EVERY TIME 'Krusty' goes to the VA hospital they ask about his mental health?! Hmmm. They must know something WE already know. The excuse the Bush admin for everything folks of course contend that anyone who exhibits PTSD was already 'off,' eccentric and had 'issues' previous to enlistment but apparently was a warm enough body to accept for cannon fodder. He's just not worth taking care of once you've used him up and he's become an embarrassment to your political agenda. The VA has a LONG and BITTER history of mal- and mistreatment of veterans and the military still punishes the psychologically damaged. Below they 'jest at scars who NEVER felt a wound' but wars ALWAYS lead to mental unhealth; there is no such thing as a 'healthy war' -- for anyone, but those who SEND rather than SERVE... "

Rickey wrote on Sep 12, 2008 11:40 AM:

" Repubs nave been against health care Medicare, S-Chip,Nationalized medicine , Walter Reed is a symbol of GOP health care The only thing they did was a Donut Hole drug plan drawn up by the Pharma companies "

Willie wrote on Sep 12, 2008 10:06 AM:

" A couple of months after returning, his sergeant got a call from his parents. His condition had gone down hill and the description of his behavior fit what with what we thought was normal for him. He was referred to the VA and recieved the proper help he needed. He now has a life plan, a job, he is still in the national guard, and he starts college this semester. He seems like a totally different person. The system works, it takes time. There are no overnight fixes. What this problem needs is a team effort from loved ones, the military, the VA, and cooperation from the soldier him or herself. Finger pointing solves nothing, and remember when you point a finger there are three pointing back at you! "

Phil O'Bates wrote on Sep 12, 2008 10:03 AM:

" I can comment on a few aspects of this story. One, the military does provide avenues for treatment of mental stress. When I was in the Navy in the 1980's, everyone knew that if you were having emotional or mental problems you could go to the chaplin. I saw people removed from their jobs by the Chaplin's office for mental stress. Even in the 80's we were asked during our physicals questions assessing our mental health. Two, I find it very hard to believe someone who goes AWOL. Going AWOL indicates other problems this guy had. I have heard from people in the military today, that the military is very active in trying to treat their people for mental stress. Some people avoid treatment because they don't want to look like a wuss, and the problems go un-noticed until too late. "

Willie wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:56 AM:

" A couple of months after returning, his sergeant got a call from his parents. His condition had gone down hill and the description of his behavior fit what with what we thought was normal for him. He was referred to the VA and received the proper help he needed. He now has a life plan, a job, he is still in the national guard, and he starts college this semester. He seems like a totally different person. The system works, it takes time. There are no overnight fixes. What this problem needs is a team effort from loved ones, the military, the VA, and cooperation from the soldier him or herself. Finger pointing solves nothing, and remember when you point a finger there are three pointing back at you! "

Willie wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:54 AM:

" Case in point: One of my soldiers was "a little off" even before my deployment. This soldier had problems with poor hygiene, didn't interact with others very well, and acted out by cutting himself. These problems were identified on deployment as the happened and were dealt with the best we could. He was put on medication. His condition improved only slightly. He came to us as a filler from another unit, so we didn't know what was "normal" for him. he did not have PTSD as he was never allowed "outside of the wire" due to his condition. "

Willie wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:41 AM:

" B.S. the problem is not with the quality of care or the availability of care. People are so against the Bush administration and Republicans that they look for every excuse to slam them without researching the real problem. The problem is not screening them when they join in the first place. The second problem is identifying those in need of mental health services. That responsibility does not lay solely on the government or VA. The only people that can recognize the signs are the people close to the person. Signs of suicide are often subtle and missed, that is until they do the deed then everyone sees it. The VA and at least the Army National Guard are doing their best at getting the information out about their services to not only returning veterans but their families too. "

Rickey wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:37 AM:

" It was Obama that voted for VA funding MORE OFTEN than McCain Wrong twilight "

Twilite wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:24 AM:

" It's funny how most liberals praise counseling/helping others, but in the case of soldiers - they blame conservatives for sending them overseas, and don't do much to actually help these guys. Just because they don't believe in the war. Makes sense. "

grant wrote on Sep 12, 2008 8:06 AM:

" Sarah Palin's Wasilla Sports Arena in on land that possession of the land has been in LITIGATION for the last 9 years. Wasilla has not acquired the land yet,She just don't have all her ducks in a row "

Mack wrote on Sep 12, 2008 7:21 AM:

" The Bush Administration cannot even see mental health problems in others until it gets its own mental health fixed. McSame and Palin will be the same. Sarah Palin = Danielle Quayle. Nice looking lightweight. She said the Iraq war is a mission from God. We will continue to quiver in fear that the terrorists will cause the sky to fall in on us. Not healthy. "

grant wrote on Sep 12, 2008 7:03 AM:

" Walter Reed gave Contracting out / Privatization and the VA Health care system a Bad Name "

Big Spender wrote on Sep 12, 2008 6:37 AM:

" Re: navy vet, krustee, "I got care, so everyone got care"

Two data points does not a trend make:

"Nearly one in five veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars is currently suffering from depression or stress disorders, according to the latest and most comprehensive study of current and former military service members, released today."

"Less than half of those 300,000 veterans have received care for depression or post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to the study, signaling significant problems with the U.S. mental healthcare system."

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/apr/18/nation/na-stress18 "

Rickey wrote on Sep 12, 2008 5:57 AM:

" Generaly Repubs like John McCain vote AGINST VA funding, western Wisconsin is is a far better served part of the country than most locations in our nation "

Jaxx wrote on Sep 12, 2008 5:30 AM:

" I realize that some soldiers are struggling to get services at the VA because of long waiting lists for specific services. Are members of the service coming home from war given priority over veterans? "

NAVY VET wrote on Sep 12, 2008 5:23 AM:

" Big Spender, Krusty is right about the VA. In fact, I'll even give you the link the to VA's Mental Health website: http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/. The VA has a suicide hotline 1-800-273-TALK that is manned 24/7. Soldiers DO go thru mental health screenings when they return from deployment. But, of course, Krusty & I should really believe what some liberal rag prints, not the facts and personal experiences that WE have had. The resources are there, reach out and USE them!! "

Krusty wrote on Sep 12, 2008 3:10 AM:

" To big doofus, in other words, you want me to believe you, just some random weirdo on the internet, and your liberal propaganda that you dug up on some Bush hating website over my own personal experiences with the VA? "

Big Spender wrote on Sep 12, 2008 1:57 AM:

" To Krustie, re: "complete &@%!$"

"Suicide Attempts for Vets Jump 500% in Five Years, and Government Ignores It"

"When Veterans for Common Sense (unsuccessfully) sued the VA for delays in benefits, lost records, long waits for doctors' appointments, insufficient oversight, and veterans turned away from hospitals in spite of suicidal thoughts, one of the most revealing moments was the testimony of Associate Deputy Under Secretary for Field Operations Michael Walcoff. Confronted with the shameful backlog of veterans' claims for health benefits, Walcoff admitted that the VA improved the appearance of timeliness by counting every suicide as a resolved claim. This lowers the official average processing time."

http://www.alternet.org/story/98315/suicide_attempts_for_vets_jump_500%25_in_five_years,_and_government_ignores_it/ "

Krusty wrote on Sep 12, 2008 1:17 AM:

" This story is complete bullsh**. The VA is more than happy to treat any veteran with mental health issues. Every time I go to the VA they are constantly asking me about my "mental health" The VA is full of professionals willing to help. Many of my friends are seen by the VA for issues of this sort and they have had nothing but good things to say. Eugene Cherry is not being honest about his experiences or he just isn't asking the right people for help. "

Big Spender wrote on Sep 12, 2008 12:26 AM:

" 'Support the Troops' bumper stickers convince Republicans that all they've got to do to support the troops is to affix a sticker to the back of their gas-guzzling SUV. Iraq war vets deserve better than what we did for Vietnam vets long ago.

They answered the call, so it's our responsibility to help them recover from the nasty effects of war, whatever your political stripe. True support for the troops is hard work and it's expensive, but it's our duty to answer their call.

Don't let self-centered Republicans continue to ignore our veterans' call for psychiatric help! "

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