Army torments soldiers, Part II

This Washington Post story is really sticking in my craw. If you’ll kindly look at the photo above, you’ll see a picture from Yahoo Maps. The crosshairs are on Martin Army Hospital. North of the hospital is Columbus, GA. The buildings to the east (your right) across the highway are the PX and Commissary. The buildings southeast and southwest are family housing (where I lived) to the west is the horse stables. Now where is the firing range “across the street…200 yards away”?

I’ve emailed Ann Scott Tyson, the author of the Post article earlier this morning. I passed out from holding my breath awaiting a reply, so I stopped doing that. Instead I called the Fort Benning Public Affairs Office and spoke to Monica Manganaro. She tells me that the Warrior Transition Battalion is not located near the hospital, as Tyson claimed. It’s on Reagan Court near Building 4 (Infantry Hall for all you grunts),

Infantry Hall is that long building in the center top of the photo . The barracks of the WTB are in the lower left corner. Yes, there are firing ranges, but Ms. Manganaro tells me they are only M16 and M4 ranges and are not used often at night – The ranges are generally used 8 am – 2pm (although there is occasional night firing).

The nearest machinegun range is 2km away and the nearest mortar range is over 3km away. She also explained that the quarters are only temporary. Fort Benning is in the process of building a new $42 million complex for the Warrior Transition Battalion (WTB) near the Officers’ Club.

She also told me that some soldiers have complained in the past about the noise from the nearby range, and they’ve been moved to another set of barracks away from the noise. She mentioned a case where a soldier complained but declined to be moved. There are monthly “townhall” style meetings where soldiers are allowed to air their complaints about the facilities and there are two civilian ombudsmen who report directly to the Department of Defense for soldiers to talk to if they’re wary about complaining to their chain of command.

Ms. Manganaro told me that she told Ms. Tyson all of this but she said it seemed Tyson already knew how she was going to write the story.

Now, what made me do Part II of the story is the comments on the Washington Post article. Comments like these;

ridagana wrote:
I’ve seen too many soldiers in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Their IQ is about 80, they love to brag, show their weapons, even in the office sitting at the computer they carry their guns, bulletproof vests and helmets, etc. while other folks like me sitting right next to them just have regular cloths and no guns. They can not communicate at random or discuss a variety of issues and perspectives. They either take orders or they give them. This goes all the way from a 19 year old soldier to a 4 star General. Certainly they get mentally sick when shot – quite frankly they already were mentally shaky the day they were born. The problem is integrating them with regular society both while at war but most certainly when back with society.
6/3/2008 11:40:21 AM
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wgriff3245 wrote:
As a Vietnam Era vet, I shudder everytime someone says “The best and the Brightest”. You go into the army to either avoid jail and working at Mc Donalds. This also applies to the upper eshelon. This is just another example of the mentality of the leaders of this country. They are all idiots.
6/3/2008 10:36:58 AM
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hotezzy wrote:
If this isn’t the stupidest thing I have ever heard — you place wounded soldiers trying to recover from PTSD (usually resulting for bomb blasts and the sights and sounds of war and death) in a facility about 200 yards from the Army firing ranges so they can hear that each and every day. Is this what their doctors recommended as an appropriate treatment plan for these soldiers??? If so, then they definitely need to be stripped of their medical licenses. No medical, rehabilitative, or recovery facility should be anywhere near a firing range and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that fact. But once again the soldiers who go to war and get wounded are pretty much tossed aside once they get wounded physically and/or mentally in regard to their care and treatment upon their return to this country as we can see with the care that went into this decision. But I am sure it was some general’s dumb decision resulting in building this facility in the worst possible location on this planet, but rank doesn’t ususally result from great intelligence just butt kissing of the highest order.
6/3/2008 10:20:36 AM
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loewsing wrote:
That’s what you get when you have these chickenhawk, armchair, spend my all tax dollars republicans in power. The country is broke and they want to bring down veterans. It’s amusing to see republicans with their support the troop banner on the back of the luxury automobile. What a bunch of cowards.
6/3/2008 9:59:41 AM
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mhoust wrote:
Let me tell you something about PTSD and the military hierarchy. Even today, most of the people in the chain of command are, at best, clueless about PTSD; and most of the rest are outright derisive of it or deny it exists. The only fortunate thing for them is that most sufferers of PTSD are not malevolently violent; otherwise there would be a heck of a lot of dead officers, and maybe a few politicians.

These men, and women, are hurt. They are crippled. But because their wounds are not visible and in your face, denial of the problem is rampant.
6/3/2008 8:12:02 AM
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OldProgessivefromWisconsin wrote:
Just one more example of the crass disregard the U.S. Military has for those who have served to the last inch of their lives. Holding them in a continuing nightmare of gun fire while they attempt to recuperate is something only Satan could think up. Well, I guess they say war is Hell. Will these poor souls never be released?
6/3/2008 7:02:51 AM
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Deadline wrote:
PTSD soldiers shouldn’t be even allowed to handle weapons. I know it was just a movie but Full Metal Jacket is very plausible I think. Wouldn’t surprise me if someone with severe PTSD snaps one day while handling weapon. It’s already happended in Iraq but could almost as easily happen here at home.
6/3/2008 4:18:21 AM
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And after I left my comment criticizing the commenters for swallowing the WaPo story without questions, the response was;

DEFJAX wrote:
99% of the idiots complaining about this article have never been anywhere near combat and are nothing more than tough talking cowards.

..
6/3/2008 1:50:54 PM
Recommend (2)

shipfreakbo214 wrote:
defjax comment
I applaud your comment, these back room soldiers making comments they know nothing about. When I was in the Army we called them draft dodgers, they love there country but wont fight for it.

Their only combat experience is from playing video games and their understanding of soldiers comes from watching Hollywood’s versions and they don’t listen to anyone who gives them reasons to think differently. Well, that’s Washington Post’s audience.

Category: Media, Politics, Support the troops