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News Vanguard Documents Rise Of PTSD In Iraq/Afghanistan War Vets

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mumblinword

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I thought people may find this informative.

"In this episode of Vanguard, correspondent Kaj Larsen investigates the alarming rise in the number of soldiers who have been traumatized by war and are now accused of bringing the violence home. Of the more than 2 million men and women who have served in the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as many as a third of them may now have post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. A growing number of these vets are being charged with violent crimes, and Kaj travels to prisons and mental health facilities in Arizona, Colorado and Oregon to hear their stories."


Here's the link to the film: http://current.com/shows/vanguard/92532800_war-crimes.htm

Warm regards,

Ron
 
Today was the first time I ever saw this show. I only saw I believe half of it and it impacted me so much.

I served in OEF as a Trauma RN and volunteered for this deployment along with transport missions of afghans to their regional hospital and trained afghani nurses. I saw so much death, my life threatened on a daily basis, forced to care for the detainees medically, even if they had just killed or injured my fellow brother or sister.

The torture I endured was horrible, but at that time thought nothing off when I came back to the states had changed me in so many ways. I self medicated with ETOH just to get the images out of my head, the emotions, the sorrow, the hurt, the dismay and in hopes to feel happy and be the care free person I was prior to deployment.

I reached our many times to my command even documented in military mental health records and my life was made miserable for seeking mental healthcare. I was taken away from pt care and placed in a cubicle where I had no job other than to surf the Internet and tell people where I was going every minute of my useless life. The worst thing they could have done to me they did when they took me away from nursing all together, that's when my life just went down hill.

It's true what these doctors on this show say, you go from fine to anger in seconds there is no in between, your paranoid 24/7 to the point you think your family is even your enemy. Sounds, smells, objects bring horrible memories back, you wake up in a pile of sweat better your bed, screaming, or hitting your significant other. You have moments where you black out from everything God only knows why and you can't remember where you've been or what you did and are in shock when people tell you about things you have no awareness of.

The meds don't work or make you numb and a zombie to others, you think about death dying and ending it all so you won't have to deal with it. You separate yourself and avoid family, friends, and I couldn't even hug or feel the love I once had towards my son, I haven't been able to make a rational decision to the point that I stand starring at shampoos because I can't make a decision on which on us needed or knowing if what your doing us right or wrong. I can't concentrate or focus and at times feel like my body isn't mine and I'm going crazy.

For the doctor on this show that said it doesn't affect knowing what's wrong or right, I'm a Lt in the United States Navy serving in the Nurse Corps whom holds a Masters Degree in Nursing as an Acute Care Clinical Care Specialist and am here to tell you, that it does affect you cognitive abilities on a constant basis. I, myself at times hit my fiance not realizing that what I'm doing is wrong! There are so many things that I personally have experienced that I had no recollection of and did not know the difference from right n wrong till after the fact.

Instead of stating that an individuals cognitive abilities or right from wrong skills aren't impaired conduct a study of your own, look into all the Veterans with PTSD talk to them and take the time to listen instead of looking at a persons job skill or rank. Take a step towards change instead of following the grain. I am an example and relate to these young men 100 percent and wish the government and our communities would come together and raise awareness of this "invisible injury". HOOYAH!

To those who could not be saved, you will NEVER be forgotten. LT HERNANDEZ MSN, RN, CNS (OEF 09-10) need me to speak in an event get a hold if me I am passionate about this issue and am willing to speak about my experiences n challenges I face on a daily basis in the hopes it changes at least one persons perspective or motivate them to make a change.
 
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