A question about PTSD to our Military members

[Echo2]

How many guys coming out of the service...are signing up for PTSD benefits? This being inclusive of the disability end of it.

I know some need it....and I have the greatest respect for those who have served and are have issues dealing with what they experienced and dealt with in combat situations.

However....this is a double edged sword....if you look at it from a "gun control" POV.

I've been watching the news and reading interviews....and a common theme coming up is "mental competency".

One of the things that can make owning a firearm illegal....is a prior record of "mental instability"...and the stricter enforcement of such regulations is being pushed.

The question:

Are many service members are going to loose their rights to keep and bear arms due to the allure of a small payment from the govt?

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

Well you hit the preverbial (if that's how it's spelled) nail on the head friend. No one is for sure the #'s of who has it or how many "claimed" they have it. Then there is the one's that actually do have it and don't want to claim it for normally a couple reasons. Pride, "I can handle it", repercussions, continued service, loss of family, rights, job opportunities. Does that clear the fog any?

PTSD has suddenly became really popular because of this particular war. Not so much the others. There are alot of false claimers out there right now. But yes, staying on topic. If you read the paperwork when buying guns you could be "I guess" DENIED your purchase couldn't you? But just wait till they pass a new bill, then what are they going to come knocking on every vets door with a PTSD claim and take their guns? Now you will have a civil war on your hands because they will fight back! So yes, I see a problem here. What happens to a PTSD sufferer who owns a weapon.......most of the time? They commit suicide, 99% they don't harm anyone else but themselves and that's it! The don't shoot up schools or malls or theaters..............because they have morals.

[eagle326]

I'll try to give you my view. I'm 100% because of P.T.S.D. I served with the 101st. Airborne in Nam from Aug.70 to Aug. 71 up in I-corps. now to give you a little background.
I was a Hvy. Equip. operator ; I operated a D-5 dozer but was cross trained on all equipment. We worked the lowlands of I-corps but mostly the high mountain areas. Double to triple canopy jungle was standard geography. Dozers were broken down between chassis and body. Then flown out seperately. Myself & Mark hicks the operators of said dozer would fly out on a slick with the Grunts to secure and prep area for re-assembly of dozer. More brothers would follow after A.O. was secured to help in assembly. And then we would begin mission while they flew in smaller dozers and other equipment.

When Hicks was operating I was his point man and immediate security as he was mine when I operated while the grunts took the outer regions.When the dozer wasn't working you reverted back to being a grunt. You would help them in guard duty ; listening post ; patrol or whatever came up.
Now in that 12 months we did as trained and lost some brothers thru it but never much gave it a long thought because we were mission oriented and grieved very little. We were living to keep on living. Now to some that may sound cold hearted but you were always working in some way and your 6 senses were on double overtime for the simple fact that charlie could be right next to you and never see him or her.

But it was a way of life you quickly came embrace because you needed to survive and it actually became an addictive way of life in the sense that living on the edge was intoxicating to an extent. You learned the true meaning of ( You could die any moment.) but didn't dwell on it. You actually in a sense became like the animals in the jungle keeping a weary eye out for any danger to present itself.

Then after 12 months you're flown home ; given 30 days leave before reporting back to base. You don't realize it at the time but your mind and body are still in Nam and your senses stay on high alert. To you you're normal but everyone around you tells you to relax and after telling them you are for the 100th. time you tend to drift away for solitude and you end up working all the hours you can get . I did this from 73 after I got out until 1996 when the V.A. and steel mill said I was unfit to work with people.
Younger people I worked with thought it was funny to throw strings of firecrackers ; m-80 and such near me to watch me react. But after I about killed a few due to what I now know to be flashbacks I was told I had P.T.S.D.
I was sent to Brecksville V.A. for 10 week in house group therapy with 14 other vets and weekly follow ups with my psychologist and many insuing battles with her. But she taught me ways to control my surroundings and people. I ended up seeing her 1 or 2 times a month from 1996 to 2010 when she retired. Now I see no one.

People with P.T.S.D. aren't mental ; As she said ; We are people who've seen the true nature of man and ourselves and know what both are capable of. As she said that's why many of us don't go out anymore amongst people than we have to. We'll always be on high alert and controlling our surroundings as best we can. It's not curable ; It's a way of life you live to maintain control of yourself and still be able to function. You learn to look at ease and even smile; laugh or joke after some practice. All the time meanwhile your senses are ever watchful for anything out of the ordinary.

Now that I've learned to control my surroundings and people in my life after many years of practice I lead a pretty quiet life even while on a lower alert at home because of a smaller area to watch. But as soon as I leave my property I feel the old ways take the lead until i reach home again. Plus I have 2 brothers from Nam who I talk with about things we did and it helps because they were there.
I've never had trouble buying a firearm because of P.T.S.D. Now if they were to change it and say I'm mental and want my weapons that'll be something I deal with when word comes down.

Bottom line ; No it's not a mental illness. Actually I believe we're more normal than the so called everyday normal people out there because in my way of thinking we know what the real world is like.

Sorry if I ramble too much. Hope this helps.

[rentprop1]

Well you hit the preverbial (if that's how it's spelled) nail on the head friend.

No one is for sure the #'s of who has it or how many "claimed" they have it.

PTSD has suddenly became really popular .

you could have stopped right there

[2die4]

Although I have seen more than anyone should see in their lifetime I know there are other brothers suffering much more than I am. The solution to PTSD from the VA is a crock of shit. Give us sleeping pills and Xanax and some egghead who has never been to war and expect to talk our issues out to them. For what? To gain a dependency on pills and possibly get my gun rights (I'm a CCW holder in my homestate) taken a away? No thanks. I find it more therapeutic to sit with other war vets drink a few beers, share our highs and lows to people that actually understand.

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

I'll try to give you my view. I'm 100% because of P.T.S.D. I served with the 101st. Airborne in Nam from Aug.70 to Aug. 71 up in I-corps. now to give you a little background.
I was a Hvy. Equip. operator ; I operated a D-5 dozer but was cross trained on all equipment. We worked the lowlands of I-corps but mostly the high mountain areas. Double to triple canopy jungle was standard geography. Dozers were broken down between chassis and body. Then flown out seperately. Myself & Mark hicks the operators of said dozer would fly out on a slick with the Grunts to secure and prep area for re-assembly of dozer. More brothers would follow after A.O. was secured to help in assembly. And then we would begin mission while they flew in smaller dozers and other equipment.

When Hicks was operating I was his point man and immediate security as he was mine when I operated while the grunts took the outer regions.When the dozer wasn't working you reverted back to being a grunt. You would help them in guard duty ; litening post ; patrol or whatever came up.
Now in that 12 months we did as trained and lost some brothers thru it but never much gave it a long thought because we were mission oriented and grieved very little. We were living to keep on living. Now to some that may sound cold hearted but you were always working in some way and your 6 senses were on double overtime for the simple fact that charlie could be right next to you and never see him or her.

But it was a way of life you quickly came embrace because you needed to survive and it actually became an addictive way of life in the sense that living on the edge was intoxicating to an extent. You learned the true meaning of ( You could die any moment.) but didn't dwell on it. You actually in a sense became like the animals in the jungle keeping a weary eye out for any danger to present itself.

Then after 12 months you're flown home ; given 30 days leave before reporting back to base. You don't realize it at the time but your mind and body are still in Nam and your senses stay on high alert. To you you're normal but everyone around you tells you to relax and after telling them you are for the 100th. time you tend to drift away for solitude and you end up working all the hours you can get . I did this from 73 after I got out until 1996 when the V.A. and steel mill said I was unfit to work with people.
Younger people I worked with thought it was funny to throw strings of firecrackers ; m-80 and such near me to watch me react. But after I about killed a few due to what I now know to be flashbacks I was told I had P.T.S.D.
I was sent to Brecksville V.A. for 10 week in house group therapy with 14 other vets and weekly follow ups with my psychologist and many insuing battles with her. But she taught me ways to control my surroundings and people. I ended up seeing her 1 or 2 times a month from 1996 to 2010 when she retired. Now I see no one.

People with P.T.S.D. aren't mental ; As she said ; We are people who've seen the true nature of man and ourselves and know what both are capable of. As she said that's why many of us don't go out anymore amongst people than we have to. We'll always be on high alert and controlling our surroundings as best we can. It's not curable ; It's a way of life you live to maintain control of yourself and still be able to function. You learn to look at ease and even smile; laugh or joke after some practice. All the time meanwhile your senses are ever watchful for anything out of the ordinary.

Now that I've learned to control my surroundings and people in my life after many years of practice I lead a pretty quiet life even while on a lower alert at home because of a smaller area to watch. But as soon as I leave my property I feel the old ways take the lead until i reach home again. Plus I have 2 brothers from Nam who I talk with about things we did and it helps because they were there.
I've never had trouble buying a firearm because of P.T.S.D. Now if they were to change it and say I'm mental and want my weapons that'll be something I deal with when word comes down.

Bottom line ; No it's not a mental illness. Actually I believe we're more normal than the so called everyday normal people out there because in my way of thinking we know what the real world is like.

Sorry if I ramble too much. Hope this helps.

Bullseye...........thank you. I really didn't want to talk about anything personal but just all I can say is "Bulls eye" Brother.....

[realist]

There are some vets who are coming back have been told that since you spent x amount of time over there you qualify for x amount of disability benefits. So they sign up and get their benefits which I have no problem that they get them. The problem develops when they put in for something like a law enforcement job. There is the potential for being disqualified due to their disability. We have found that if they go back to the VA they can sometimes be cleared allowing them to pursue their new career. Some thing to think about, I just thought I would pass this on.

[Grumpy Old Man]

Eagle thank you for your service!! My cousins James O Blankenship (panel34E line 4) gave his life that we may be free! Many today look for a free ride. That is not to say that PTSD is not valid, but rather that some are looking for a cheap way out. Those who have this disability deserve to be treated with greatest respect; those who are scamming need their asses kicked!!There is no free lunch!!!

[eagle326]

Understood Grumpy. And no thanks is needed ; but truly appreciated from one such as yourself.

[bacpacker]

Eagle, BWRR, 2die4, and all you other VETS. Thanks to each of you for what you have sacrificed. It means a huge amount to me My prayer is that each of you can find the peace you deserve.

Grumpy, my thanks to you and your family as well. I know what that means, My dad Sgt jesse J Coffey is listed on Panel 6E, line 71. I agree that ALL who are afflicted by PTSD deserve the care and treatment they have available to them. I have no doubt it is something most difficult to deal with. And like Eagle said, everyday to some degree.