After the Battle, Fighting the Bottle at Home

[flashl]

Most nights when Anthony Klecker, a former marine, finally slept, he found himself back on the battlefields of Iraq. He would awake in a panic, and struggle futilely to return to sleep.

Days were scarcely better. Car alarms shattered his nerves. Flashbacks came unexpectedly, at the whiff of certain cleaning chemicals. Bar fights seemed unavoidable; he nearly attacked a man for not washing his hands in the bathroom.

Desperate for sleep and relief, Mr. Klecker, 30, drank heavily. One morning, his parents found him in the driveway slumped over the wheel of his car, the door wide open, wipers scraping back and forth. Another time, they found him curled in a fetal position in his closet.

Yet only after his drunken driving caused the death of a 16-year-old cheerleader did Mr. Klecker acknowledge the depth of his problem: His eight months at war had profoundly damaged his psyche.

Mr. Klecker’s case is part of a growing body of evidence that alcohol abuse is rising among veterans of combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, many of them trying to deaden the repercussions of war and disorientation of home. While the numbers remain relatively small, experts say and studies indicate that the problem is particularly prevalent among those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, as it was after Vietnam. Studies indicate that illegal drug use, much less common than heavy drinking in the military, is up slightly, too.

Increasingly, these troubled veterans are spilling into the criminal justice system. A small fraction wind up in prison for homicides or other major crimes. Far more, though, are involved in drunken bar fights, reckless driving and alcohol-fueled domestic violence. Whatever the particulars, their stories often spool out in unwitting victims, ruptured families, lost jobs and crushing debt.

NY Times

Years from now, no one will remember or associate the death-row inmate with their 'service' and the lack of support after returning home.

All returning vets, do not become homeless, but vets are highly represented in the homeless numbers. Some towns have created 'laws' to stop the feeding of the homeless. Increasingly, the homeless population are pushed into areas out of public sight or dumped across county or city lines. 'We' want to blame Washington, what are 'we' doing to support returning vets in our communities?

[patrice]

1. Aside from the fact that families and the general social fabric of the US is deteriorating and, henc

e, general support for "others" is non-existent, WHAT else is going on here?

Is this War worse for soldiers than other Wars? What are the "days in combat" figures?

Is the combat itself (not just its duration) qualitatively different? more destructive to those who manage to survive?

Probably, the essential difference is our dog-eat-dog social culture that says something like "That bumb sitting over there under that tree does not deserve my concern." Families' abilities to cope are overwhelmed; people are drifting and getting in trouble.

But one wonders if part of the reason that whatever support mechanisms that ARE there don't work is because these Veterans ARE qualitatively different from previous Veterans. Maybe that difference is founded in the fact that WE allowed ourselves to be LIED to.

[flashl]

2. Agreed, the "part of a growing body of evidence" is the lie. The military's body of knowledge

about the psych impact of combat and the required level of 'after-care' is known. Whether there is a political or public will to provide that level of service to returning vets is another matter.

IMHO, another difference, the activation of the Guard and Reserves (Reservists). While Reservists are on 'active-duty' there is a routine practice of preventing them from meeting 'active-duty' benefit thresholds.

There have been many stories about Reservists who are returned to their communities without VA benefits for wound care. If there is no follow-up care for the physical wound, surely, there will be no care available for the mental wounds.

To give credit where its due, some communities are financially drained and overwhelm as they attempt to fill the 'after care' gap of their returning Guard and Reserve troops who are separated without benefits.

[patrice]

3. Discrimination in the ranks: Regular vs. "Ir-regular", probably financially motivated, BUT de facto

Class-based discrimination nonetheless, at least as far as the members see it.

Perhaps from a Military perspective, folks who do NOT go back to civilian lives, between Wars or engagements, are preferable, because their perspective is not "confused" by being around "Others" and being a part of how "Others" live and think.