Eusebio Lopez caught the TBI
We haven’t talked much about this, but you may have read elsewhere that Marine Sergeant Eusebio Lopez killed 19-year-old Lance Corporal Sara Castromata and Corporal Jacob Woolsey last year and now it turns out that he was suffering from a traumatic brain injury from an explosion near the vehicle in which he was riding in Afghanistan. Of course, if you don’t read the whole article from Associated Press, you’d think he was just abandoned by the Marine Corps, but buried in the story is;
Sgt. Eusebio Lopez was receiving treatment in North Carolina after his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device in Iraq, but his medical care stopped abruptly when he was transferred to Quantico in 2012, according to a report obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. The reason appeared to be two-fold: His new doctors didn’t know about his previous treatment and he didn’t speak up.
First of all, the individual is responsible for his own treatment; if you don’t speak up, no one is going to know you’re suffering. Secondly, thousands of troops who are suffering from TBI didn’t murder anyone that day, all of you forensic scientists at Associated Press need to keep looking for a reason.
Lopez shot Lance Cpl. Sara Castromata, 19, and Cpl. Jacob Wooley, 23, inside a barracks at the Officer Candidates School after a night of drinking. Lopez was upset Castromata had ended a relationship with him and had begun dating Wooley, according to the report obtained Thursday.
Yeah, well, that’s plausible. People kill out of jealousy regularly without having set foot in a combat zone. But, then, that doesn’t advance the “crazy combat veteran” meme. And, oh, yeah, the Associated Press also reports that Lopez didn’t turn his gun into his unit like he was supposed to do;
The report also found that Lopez should not even have been eligible to live in the barracks where the shootings took place and he and other Marines regularly disregarded regulations that required Marines to register personal firearms and store them in the armory when on base. Lopez used his personal handgun in the shootings.
The Officer Candidates School “was functioning in a climate lacking accountability, cognizance of and adherence to orders and personal responsibility,” according to the report.
So, let’s recap; Lopez had a TBI that he didn’t report to the gaining unit command and he had a gun that he didn’t turn in to the commander. Yet somehow, it’s the Marine Corps’ fault. Maybe they should administer truth serum and interrogate every service member when they change units. Or they can continue to treat the Marines like adults and accept the fact that sometimes bad behavior happens.
Thanks to JC for the link.
Category: Military issues
Traumatic brain injury makes people kill other people? Seriously?
OK, then how come all those pro football players with severe TBI don’t go around killing people?
Of course it’s someone else’s fault. Two entire generations of children are being taught to believe that if they do anything wrong, it’s someone else’s fault.
Who even thinks to submit a FOIA request for the report on this? And, worse, who has the unmitigated gall to contact a relative of one of the victim’s to inform him of some of the report’s contents and then seek his reaction? An asshole from the AP, that’s who. It would be nice if these AP stories carried bylines so we could learn the name of this particular asshole and send him or her a thank you note—or something like that.
“Lopez was upset Castromata had ended a relationship with him and had begun dating Wooley.”
Really!!! Who says that romance in the ranks of a co-ed force won’t cause problems.
Actually PH-2 why are so many football players killing themselves or remember the wrestler Chris Benoit who killed his son and wife. He suffered from TBI (degenerative brain disease) now I think this case was a love triangle and this cpl was pissed he got dumped. As someone who retired for TBI I can tell you once I left Walter Reed to go back to my unit it was very difficult to get any treatment before I retired. I waited 11 months to get in to see a neurologist and I retired 4 months later with only 2 neurologist appointments one of which was literally an introduction to the doctor with no treatment. The neurologist was a civilian and I was stationed at a smaller post with no TBI treatment program (this was 2007/2008). I can tell you from experience once you transfer it can become difficult to receive treatment. I had a broken arm and still had a cast on which was the easiest treatment to receive and burns. TBI was by far the most difficult to get any form of treatment once I left Walter Reed.
The only thing of merit I see in this report is that AP is now claiming to know how to do a FOIA.
@4-Most of the reports I’ve seen on football players with TBI is that they are developing senile dementia much earlier than they should. The suicides haven’t been reported on as much on my news stations.
@ PH-2 Junior Seau committed suicide last year, he was one of the most reconizable San Diego Chargers of all time. Chris Benoit the double murder and suicide after the extracted his brain said he had the brain of an 85 year old dementia patient. The brain is too complicated at this point in our research to understand. It depends on the severity of the concussion. I think this marine got dumped and he was pissed from the sounds of it.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sports/league-of-denial/timeline-the-nfls-concussion-crisis/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Benoit_double-murder_and_suicide
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/26/opinion/kristof-veterans-and-brain-disease.html?_r=0
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/17/us/brain-disease-is-found-in-veterans-exposed-to-bombs.html
Haterkid, the majority of servicemen and Hockey,Boxers and NFL players are not out killing people.I would wager that not 1% of these injuries commit murder. Think Ali,Roach etc.. Joe
The “night of drinking” was more likely to be responsible for his murdering his ex than the TBI was, although I doubt his TBI was improved with alcohol use.
“Yet somehow, it’s the Marine Corps’ fault. Maybe they should administer truth serum and interrogate every service member when they change units.”
Or, maybe intellectually inbred, thumb sucking idiots of “the press” should be dragged out into the nearest public square, stripped, tied to a post then striped with a flog every time they play their ideological propaganda games.
We have a free press. It’s made to be free for a reason. Indocing the gen pop to alien, destructive and degenerate ideology ain’t it.
If they aint gonna do their damned jobs, they should loose the damned perks and privileges.
@ The idiot known as Faggot Joe Williams who sucks a monster dick in his off time. I never said it justified the crime you faggot. I said that former football players, hockey players, ect have been known to go off the deep and commit acts of violence against themselves or others. The data shows they are more likely to commit acts of violence. So here is a data sample you can comprehend. Joe “The Faggot/Cocking Sucking Homo” sucks a dick therefore he probably his more likely to swollow than someone who does not suck a dick. It also depends on the number of concussions and how it affects the brain. Maybe you should have read my statement that said the brain is too complex for us to currently understand. Wait why am I aruging with you because I am currently getting an MA in Neuroscience right now. A tad bit better than you associates degree from some shit community college.
Damn. That’s the biggest twist I’ve seen in knickers around here in a long time.
No you are not getting any degree with a name calling attack like yours,teenager. The numbers does not support your theory plain and simple.With the attitude you have now.I would not let you remove a thorn from finger. Reread what you wrote,you claimed a whole group of people were murderers or sudical. This is the same broad brush strokes type casting as to PTSD. Little mind go back to 4chan. Yes,we know school’s out for the Holidays. Joe
@11 HaterAid, a little harsh don’t you think? People get TBI from many sources, car accidents, work related injuries, etc. It does not give them a free pass or excuse to kill people, regardless. The vast majority do not in fact kill people. Most highly paid professional athletes involved in violence against others are not sufferers of TBI. They are simply over paid individuals, with a sense of self privilege that they are above the common man. Therefore they act accordingly. I am glad you are getting you degree in Neuroscience. However, if you are trying to compare brain pans, on this board, you may want to reconsider. There are some pretty smart people posting here. Also, I am sorry you have TBI. I know the military and VA are not always the best places to be treated. So take it easy and be a polite commentator. Joe is as entitled to his comment as you are yours. Without the nasty hyperbole.
@11 For what it’s worth NFL players commit crimes out of proportion to the rest of the population before they retire as well. They are a violent group of people often from backgrounds where violence is part of the daily living structure. For those of us who don’t much care for watching millionaires playing games for billionaires the name National Felons League resonates rather clearly when you read the statistics.
Sadly our society worships these overpaid 4ssholes and forgives them of their sins on a regular basis. I’ve no sympathy for someone who uses their head as a sledgehammer for 14 years having a problem with cognitive ability in their later years. If one can make the connection as clearly as you are that in addition to starting out as violent people their participation in post career violence becomes even more likely I would suspect you were making a case for banning football as a danger to society.
I would support your effort to do that, Ray Lewis and Ben Roethlisberger are prime examples of scumbags with great marketing people, many in the NFL have similarly good marketing people and talented handlers. Their brain injuries however are not the root cause of their criminal behavior their natural scumbag instincts are.
The NFL hires violent people who are often scumbags before they report for training camp, the Patriots recent experience with Aaron Hernandez is indicative of the type of people the NFL is looking for. As long as they can sell product they don’t really care if the people doing the work are sht1bag criminals or not. It’s only when the bottom line is potentially negatively impacted that you see any type of action on the part of the billionaire management .
This fellow is trying to mitigate his potential life without parole by claiming something untrue. Even if it were true it doesn’t change the fact he’s no longer fit for participation in society at large, so f@ck him I hope he rots in prison.
@15 Thank you and well said, VOV. Your comments are the reason I do not follow professional sports at all. It is all money and thuggery to me. Very little sport anymore. I like our local high school sports and some college sports but that is the end of it. I hope Hernandez does the rest of his life inside. He was a thug and criminal when he was drafted and the big money only made him think he was more entitled to live above the law.
Degrees do not justify rude behavior. Potential degrees do not either.
Meanwhile, some of us here have been around folks with TBI. It sucks, big time. We can only hope that there are some serious scientists studying it instead of folks who are as obviously self absorbed as the nut case who showed up here a bit ago.
There ARE some serious scientists studying TBI, OWB:
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tbi/detail_tbi.htm
Hey, HaterAid, just go Fuck Yourself. What say? Can do? Asshole.
You know you little prick, Joe here is a decent fellow, doesn’t do the bully and bluster thing like you or treat people indecently. He is what he is and does not pretend otherwise. Thus, in view of your comment in 11, you surely can go screw yourself and THEN apologize to Joe. Dick.
@ 2/17 I know who you are and I was in Iraq with you. Remember how you never left the wire? Big tough guy now.
HaterAid: I’m pretty sure you’re mistaking 2/17 Air Cav here for someone else, fella. But I’ll let him confirm that – if he so desires.
FWIW: you’re also acting like an spoiled brat. Recommend you try acting like an adult instead.
@21 You wouldn’t know “the wire” if you fell over it.
Seriously? It shows up here acting like a jerk and expects to be treated like something other than a jerk??
(Ooooh. The old, “I know who you are” routine. What, are you 9??)
Hateraid: I have TBI and I think it causes people to be violent.
Joe: I disagree
Hateraid: FUCK YOU!! FAG!!11 RAAAAWR!?!?!
I may actually agree with HaterKid on this one.
Mike: apparently it also causes one to forget what type of degree it is they’re pursuing. Last time I checked, a master’s degree in neuroscience typically is a “Master of Science” (MS) vice a “Master of Arts” (MA).
Maybe in his studies he can learn about variables. Then he can look in to the link between steroids and violent behavior before using Chris Benoit and professional athletes as examples. But as you said, he’s working towards the ARTS and that whole Scientific Method thing is old and dated anyway.
“Catching” the TBI and PTSD seems to be the latest trend. Both are serious medical issues that are hard to prove or disprove in most cases.
You have Veterans from all the conflicts from WW2 on that have had their quality of life severely affected by both who never applied for or got a dime for it. Then you have shit-bags that are able to scam 100% for merely being in country or within 100 yards of an explosion. Then there are guys like this who try to use it to excuse being a drunken jealous animal who kills two people, Death Penalty.
@29 Thank you and well said. No excuse for Marine Sergeant Eusebio Lopez’s behavior. My uncle from WWII was never the same the family said after an explosion that killed several and wounded him in the head in France. His life was relegated to simple work of no complexity and no tolerance for stress. He was a good but sad man. He never received anything from the VA or the government. When they cut him loose after the war and his time in the hospital he was just sent home for the family to care for. I am glad there is better treatment today but I think there are a lot of people riding the TBI and PTSD train who shouldn’t be. It only makes it worse for those who are truly suffering.
For what it’s worth: Lopez doesn’t seem to be using any excuses these days. The AP article indicates he offed himself after murdering his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend.
You know, I can get some statistics about traumatic brain injury and corresponding acts of violence from my sister. She teaches pre-med students at a major midwestern university. I think she’d have something pertinent to say about it, and would be more likely to confirm the connection between violent acts and ‘roid rages, which is documented.
But since there is, as someone else pointed out, a large population group (that’s a demographic, for the haterbrat) that has suffered TBI and has NOT displayed violent behavior as a result, the conclusion that hatertwit is trying to draw will, in all likelihood, be wrong.
OH, yeah – this one is for you, haterfuckstick. Posting raging and asinine entries as you did @11 and @21 shows a level of immaturity that is more likely to get you dismissed from and post-graduate program than anything else. I doubt seriously that you have ever met 2/17AirCav or know anything about him.
What are you going to do if your department head disagrees with your conclusions? You gonna shoot him? And would that be before or after you get through spitting vile names at him? I’m sure the cops would be interested in anything you think you have to say.
But if you want to take me on, you little fuckstick, just try.
Hateboy, you really need to pull the sand spurs out of your pantyhose and look at reality. I myself have been diagnosed with TBI after serving in the Middle East, I’ve been told that I qualify for disability for that as well as other issues, but I don’t take them, I still have too many productive years left. I enjoy adult beverages as well, and I have NO thoughts of or urges to hurt or kill people, save for the desire to nutpunch shallow, thin-skinned turds like you! And yes, I went outside the wire, I did close to two hundred missions my first tour!
@21. I like that, posing as a poser. It’s a new one on me. Silence is good, in the absence of an apology to Joe. I’m no tough guy. Just a guy BUT when I see somebody go off undeservedly on someone else, yeah, I tend to get a tad pissed off. That’s not tough. That’s just right. Deal with it or don’t.
Hater was one of the Jersey Kids – you remember the crowd that spams us from time-to-time.
Mike, I suggest you reread what I wrote. I said not all are violent.I then asked 4chan for proof that all TBIs are vilont. Mike or Haterkid,I have been dealing with issures longer than you have been on this Earth. In high school I played football and boxed in the Golden Gloves. I have yet to murder anyone since leaving Nam. Joe PS hondo does hateraid and Mike have the the same ISO? Joe
WTF Joe! I have no idea what you’re jumping on me about. I was on your side. Maybe you should reread what I wrote.
@ #36 and #37: It seemed like you two were on the same side, but there might have been a word or two left out in one or more of the posts earlier? I dunno. Maybe?
(Of course, I have never left anything out, or misspelled anything, or come off sounding other than what I intended. Naw. Not me. /sarc 😉 )
OWB: Probably needed a sarc tag on that last line. I’d hate to think anyone actually thought I actually agreed with that guy.
Yeah, Mike, that would have helped… lol
No sweat Mike. I have to admit the spamer pissed me. It had me thinking about knots all over the head. The old beat some sense into approch. Joe
Speakin’ a’ which, the little thumbtacks-in-his-pantyhose hedwetter hasn’t crawled back yet, it must be gone!!
He might have been blocked. Or maybe we got lucky and aliens took him away for one of those probe deals.
No, he hasn’t been blocked. He just quit commenting when he noticed what a jerk he was being.
Wow… Dude went from making absolute sense to being a flaming asshole in .2 Seconds. That had to be a new record here.
Not all TBI cases result in suicidal or even homicidal behavior though I have not seen much to indicate that they become homicidal.
The Marine in question disregarded his diagnosis and neglected to continue treatment. His doing, not the USMC.
He killed his Ex girlfriend because he was a jealous and controlling prick, not because of a head injury…
No intent to defend HaterAid (who was acting like a major-leage jerk above and owes pretty much everyone here an apology), but in one respect he does have a point. TBIs – especially a repeated pattern leading to CTE – can under some circumstances make some individuals with the condition more impulsive. You see the same thing in Alzheimer’s/other dementia patients as they lose cognitive function.
However, unless the injury/deterioration is so extensive as to cause significant loss of cognitive function, such impulsiveness is also virtually always controllable by the individual. If Lopez had been so adversely affected he could not control his impulses, my guess is he’d almost certainly have been medically discharged or retired vice retained on active duty and assigned duties as an instructor at USMC OCS.
Bottom line: IMO rb325th has this one pegged. This seems to me to be simply a case of an unfortunately fatal mix of jealousy, excessive alcohol, and opportunity. I rather doubt Lopez’s history of TBI had much if anything to do with it.