A casualty of mental care

[unhappycamper]

Cleared for combat, killed a friendly
Referred for psych evals 4 times after 4 friends...


A casualty of mental care
By Trista Talton - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Oct 2, 2007 12:01:21 EDT

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Lance Cpl. Jonathan A. Phillips’ fellow Marines all knew one thing: He should not be in combat.

His reaction to the deaths of four friends in the span of two weeks gave Phillips’ commanders enough concern to send him to a mental health expert. Then again. Then two more times.

But whatever the battle-hardened Marine was dealing with inside, his outward demeanor was of a man ready for duty. At least that’s the impression he gave the doctors. And to the chagrin of his fellow Marines — including his platoon commander, who personally contacted a psychiatrist at Camp Fallujah — he was sent back in.

“He didn’t need to be out there,” said Stephen Reagan, former 2nd Platoon squad leader with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines. “I knew that. His buddies knew that.”

After Phillips killed an innocent Iraqi man, everyone else knew it.

Now, after pleading guilty to a crime that his friends and family believe could have been prevented, Phillips’ story stands as a cautionary tale for anyone who’s ever lied to get back into the fight, buried his feelings too deep or overlooked the pain of a co-worker in obvious need of help. Phillips pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and solicitation in a small Camp Lejeune, N.C., courtroom Sept. 21. He was sentenced to two years in prison.


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2007/10/marine_manslaughter_071002/



uhc comment: PTSD changes lives forever.