That Bales crap as part of the PTS discussion

This is hard to write because it’s about a video that I can’t get embedded, so you have to go the website to see how this ditz screwed up a perfectly good interview. And oh, you have to sit through an interminably long ad to get to the interview. Trang Do of this local TV station will probably forever remain at the local TV station because she’s about as competent as a reporter as me.

The interview is with American Legion’s National Commander Fang Wong and it’s about the American Legion’s efforts to help veterans deal with the stresses of returning home from the recent conflicts. I don’t usually have to post an entire article, but I do this time to illustrate my point because the dolts won’t let me embed their player;

MIDDLETOWN, DAUPHIN COUNTY—

American Legion National Commander Fang Wong is touring posts across the country and at each one, he makes sure to emphasize the need to reach out to veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“They will actually have over a thousand days in combat,” Wong said. “Whereas in World War II or back in the Vietnam time, the total number of combat days is much lower.”

The toll of war and multiple deployments can lead to post traumatic stress disorder. The attorney for Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, the man accused of a shooting rampage that killed 16 Afghan civilians, says his client may have PTSD.

Wong says there aren’t enough facts out about the case for him to comment, but that PTSD is a real problem for combat veterans.

“We need to be proactive,” he said. We need to reach out to them, just check on their well-being. And see if there’s anything we can do to help them.”

Thomas Heffelfinger served in the Marine Corps from 1994 till 1998, before the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. But he says transitioning back to civilian life can be difficult for any service member. For him, the local American Legion post helped ease the process.

“They open up their arms to you. They’ve been there, done that before you,” Heffelfinger said. “So they know what you’re going through, anything you want to talk about, they’re there.”

Now, overall the interview went well, but Do inserted this shit in there for no good reason;

The attorney for Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, the man accused of a shooting rampage that killed 16 Afghan civilians, says his client may have PTSD.

If you watch the video, they also insert pictures of Bales, the same pictures we used here as if it’s a foregone conclusion that Bales’ actions were the result of PTSD, when you and I know that’s NOT reason no matter what his fucking idiot lawyer says. Commander Wong was making the point that it’s too soon to tell if Bales’ murderous shooting spree had anything to do with his mental problems, but that idiot ditz had to insert pictures of Bales and his lawyer’s wild ass conjecture.

I was so blind with rage, I almost missed the end of the video in which Thomas Heffelfinger tells the crew how the American Legion helped him adjust to civilian life – probably the most important part of the whole video.

I’m a big proponent of veterans helping veterans, because I’m convinced that dealing with most civilians is what brings on episodes of Post Traumatic Stress. I know when I have to deal with non-veterans in the non-internet world, my stress meter pegs. And it’s precisely this kind of bullshit reporting I think causes more PTS than any amount of combat could. I’m no medical professional, but I know what pisses me off to the point of outward rage. But this blog is my therapy – interacting with you dickweeds all day.

But I guess my point is that the media needs to find something else to punctuate their reportage with other than pictures of SSG Bales.

Thanks to TSO for the link.

Category: Veterans Issues