Mentally Unfit, Forced to Fight

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News from the broken army. Please send this to your Congresspeople!

http://www.courant.com/news/specials/hc-mental1a.artmay14,0,6150281.story

Mentally Unfit, Forced To Fight
May 14, 2006

By LISA CHEDEKEL And MATTHEW KAUFFMAN, The Hartford Courant

Despite a congressional order that the military assess the mental health of all deploying troops, fewer than 1 in 300 service members see a mental health professional before shipping out.

Once at war, some unstable troops are kept on the front lines while on potent antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs, with little or no counseling or medical monitoring.

And some troops who developed post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Iraq are being sent back to the war zone, increasing the risk to their mental health.

snip: What his hometown does not know is that Henthorn, 25, had been sent back to Iraq for a second tour, even though his superiors knew he was unstable and had threatened suicide at least twice, according to Army investigative reports and interviews. When he finally succeeded in killing himself on Feb. 8, 2005, at Camp Anaconda in Balad, Iraq, an Army report says, the work of the M-16 rifle was so thorough that fragments of his skull pierced the barracks ceiling.

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more...
http://www.courant.com/news/specials/hc-mental1b.artmay14,0,6805642.story

`Jeffrey Was Really Messed Up'
May 14, 2006
By LISA CHEDEKEL, The Hartford Courant DEL CITY, Okla. --

There is not enough guilt to go around here, so intent is each woman in Jeffrey Henthorn's life on owning a piece of the blame.

His sister, Shannon Austill, had found him in the living room, laughing at a CD he had brought back from his first combat tour - images of Iraqi adults and children who had been shot, dismembered, burned beyond recognition.

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[Midlodemocrat]

1. Words fail me.

[Faygo Kid]

2. I've two wealthy friends with 6 draft age sons. All for Bush. None enlist

And I do mean well off, especially one with four sons who is worth millions and loves his tax cuts and this war. His sons? All in expensive colleges. His willingness to have them enlist? No way. His willingness to give up any of his tax cuts to pay for this war he loves? No way. Funny thing, I haven't seen him since last July, despite phone calls and invitations. We used to debate politics. Now? He is a man without honor. And a former friend.

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3. these articles are very damning of military under BushCo & from a repug

newspaper, too

[Moderator]

4. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2282876