Ex-soldier takes hostages at Fort Stewart
Yesterday, an unnamed former soldier walked into the hospital at Fort Stewart armed with two handguns and two semi-automatic rifles and took hostages according to the Savannah Morning News;
An Army psychiatric nurse spotted the gunman and approached him to talk, Phillips said. That nurse was then taken hostage along with a behavioral health technician who refused to allow the gunman through a locked door to the patient area.
Still, the nurse — an Army major — was able to start calming the man.
“Working together, they maintained the situation, kept the gunman out of the territory where he could harm someone else and bought time for someone else to get there,” Phillips said.Military police soon arrived and surrounded the hospital. Army investigators trained in hostage negotiations worked their way to the floor.
In less than two hours, they persuaded him to put down his weapons and surrender.
According to news reports, the former soldier was upset at the quality of care he was receiving at the Army hospital.
“He broke the law, obviously, and he threatened people” and would have to face the consequences, [fort spokesman Kevin] Larson said. “But we are going to get him the help for behavioral health.”
In no way do I condone this soldier’s methods, however it seems to me that Army mental health professionals should have seen this coming and done something before it reached this point. I agree that the soldier needs to be punished, but I don’t think jail time will help anyone.
Category: Veteran Health Care
An act of desperation, perhaps? Maybe he had no intention of harming anyone, but was rather trying to get attention for his issues, since he felt that the normal ways weren’t getting it done. So, I agree with Jonn that jail time may not be the answer in this case.
I hope he gets the help he needs now.
Debriefing this morning for entire staff, followed by many of meetings regarding everything from the mental health casework loads to hospital security.
We know that the mental health caseloads are swamped. And as troubling is the mental health stigma is something not shaken easily: it deters people from getting help, and drives them to desperation. In addition, hospital violence in the U.S. isn’t uncommon. Coming from the private sector of large county, and private hospitals, I’ve often marveled at the lack of implementation of security measures. Winn isn’t any different in this regard, and it has been pointed out to them before.
Most of these events end badly. It was a real stroke of luck that the right person with fortitude and skills was on duty at 4 a.m. Because he could have killed a lot of people.
Yes, he’ll get help. A huge tragedy, but I think with the right integrated therapy, he can make the steps back to wellness. Two articles to consider: No Hospital Is An Island and Getting rid of mental health stigma
There is a VET CENTER in Savannah and a VA Out Patient Clinic. I wonder if he has tried either of these two venues open to him as a veteran. It would seem from the article that I read in today’s local fish wrap that one of the Generals stated he was a combat veteran. We all know the frustrations of dealing with the VA but he should be having no problem getting the treatment unless both the Vet Center and the OPC are letting him down, which could be possible. I hope we are able to get the whole story as many times when I was in the Vet Center program I was able to get those in the most need into an inpatient PTSD program fast getting past the red tape. Old Trooper and John are right, if this is what it seems to be, it sounds like a huge cry for help, the last one before he uses the weapons on himself.
Having been out of the Vet Center Program since 1991, can anybody here tell me if the program is still working like it used too? Most of us that worked there were either Combat vets or at least VN/VN Era vets with proper degrees and license. I know you don’t have to be a cow to know where milk comes from, but are they still manned/womaned but vets mostly?
Honor and Courage
With the half ass mental health treatment many guys receive, I can sympathize with the guy. Rather than work with patients, the routine is give out some meds and tell them to go to group counseling.
The only decent mental health treatment I got at BAMC was sitting outside the barracks with other guys, drinking some beer, then late late at night maybe talking about things.
With the waiting list to get help, it’s either that or attempting to self-inflict to get seen now.
Aircav, I agree wholly. The problem with the Vet Center is that many won’t go because of the aforementioned stigma.
I just wish it weren’t so, but I know we won’t stop until they’ve all gotten tha care they need.
*The, too.
I think about the confusion, pain, and sense of desperation this guy was in for so long, and really –I cry. On my blog post about mental illness stigma, I’ve listed a bunch of organizations in order to bring about an integrated approach to help the men and women who are serving our country. My focus is trying to clear the way for an integrated approach to mental health care, so that over the next 30 years, our men and women can lead productive, happy lives. And I use the word “happy” seriously.
Kanani….went to your website. Please continue the great work that you are doing. I burned out totally 3 years ago after 27 years of doing therapy with PTSD patients. In my Vet Center alone I was seeing 40 to 60 patients a week. When we would beg for more therapists, the standard answer was, no money for it…try and do quality and quantity. Thank you and the men and women in the profession for picking up the guideon I had to pass on. Be careful, it almost killed me. When I first read about the incident at Ft. Stewart my first thoughts were that I must drive there and offer my services. My second thought was that I had to get out because I just could do no more. Hoping for someone like you to take care of this man and all the men and women like him. I am so proud of all the men and women that serve and have served this country, I could cry if I had any tears left.
Honor and Courage