7 Year Itch

[Lee C]

No offense taken and not directed at you mate. Sounds like the unit need re-educating (y)

 

[Squaddiedave]

Just a tad buddy, just a tad,,,,,

 

[tho9900]

That is precisely why I support mandatory universal military service. No deferments, no exemptions! If you don't show up for induction the MPs would hunt you down. Then all the civvies would understand. Funny thing -- this relates to a holiday I took in Isreal, where the above is mostly true. Nobody harasses veterans in Israel.... becuase almost all people ARE veterans!

slightly off topic but related to Tim's post.. after our little holiday in Lebanon we were given a month R&R in Israel... (Marine Expeditionary Unit still there, oh wait there is no vaccuum to pull the Syrians in lol... first time those azzholes at the Pentagon made a good decision in my eyes)

Anyway, dancing at the disco... feel a sharp pain in your back... it is this beautiful girl dressed to the 9's with a UZI on her back... At the beach.. here is this hot girl walking down the beach in a bikini that is WAY too small with an AK-47 ... American's could never wrap their heads around that....

 

[Tim Cake]

Tho -- was that Haifa?

Three cheers for "international relations".

 

[tho9900]

hell to the ya Tim! lol I LOVED that town!!!! Tel Aviv was hopping but Haifa was da shit!!! and lol at international relations... nuff said...

 

[tho9900]

lol azzhole you got me smiling thinking of fun things now.. oh..... and thanks for that! ;)

and Sludge and Wagon can chime in on this.. I think every port I hit had a bar called "California Bar" they were usually the best prices for some reason...

 

[RC135Linguist]

Such interesting posts - and I truly respect the perspectives of everyone in here. It seems that most are trying to say pretty much the same thing, which is this: regardless of how any of us were initially afflicted with it, PTSD has the potential to destroy our careers, our personal relationships, and our physical health. Sadly for many of us, it already has. So, whose PTSD is worse than anyone else? Really, it's like asking "Is my apple more red than his orange is orange?" I just don't think a comparison exists.

 

[Jimmy1]

Such interesting posts - and I truly respect the perspectives of everyone in here. It seems that most are trying to say pretty much the same thing, which is this: regardless of how any of us were initially afflicted with it, PTSD has the potential to destroy our careers, our personal relationships, and our physical health. Sadly for many of us, it already has. So, whose PTSD is worse than anyone else? Really, it's like asking "Is my apple more red than his orange is orange?" I just don't think a comparison exists.

Well mate, the DSM IV (the psych's bible) does not delineate as yet. Apparently the new DSM when it comes out will have a separate addendum for combat related PTSD as there is a difference.

You see, you can have PTSD from any trauma that goes un-checked, i.e. a vehicle fatality, natural disasters, rape, child abuse, police, paramedics, etc, etc. The Police and Paramedics now offer counselling after really gruesome events, but you try and offer counselling after each combat patrol, or after every mortar attack, it just isn't going to happen. That is why we are in a different category, we can go twelve months of experiencing traumatic events on a daily basis for some. It is often compared to people held captive for long periods.

Just rambling now.

 

[RC135Linguist]

Well mate, the DSM IV (the psych's bible) does not delineate as yet. Apparently the new DSM when it comes out will have a separate addendum for combat related PTSD as there is a difference.

You see, you can have PTSD from any trauma that goes un-checked, i.e. a vehicle fatality, natural disasters, rape, child abuse, police, paramedics, etc, etc. The Police and Paramedics now offer counselling after really gruesome events, but you try and offer counselling after each combat patrol, or after every mortar attack, it just isn't going to happen. That is why we are in a different category, we can go twelve months of experiencing traumatic events on a daily basis for some. It is often compared to people held captive for long periods.

Just rambling now.

Rambling is good. We all need to do that at times. I'm not quite sure how to differentiate combat PTSD from other PTSD though. That's what makes PTSD so complex. The end result of most people's PTSD is usually the same which equates to social dysfunction, anger, lost jobs and careers, sleepless nights, anxiety, depression, lethargy, etc. How we get there is very diverse - it's the end result that seems to be quite similar.

 

[Jimmy1]

This has probably been talked about before, but I will start a thread in the general discussion area as it's a good topic.