Marines Claim Stress Made Them Do It
Draft Dodgers And Misfits
When President Carter pardoned the draft dodgers that went to Canada I was one of the few marines that supported that decision. I felt that anyone with the convictions to go and live in a foreign country deserved a break. I am often asked how I feel about marines who get bad discharges – then claim it was the stress that made them f*** up? Well, the jury is still out on that one. Marines these days get a lot of support. The military has moved more aggressively in this (Iraq) war to increase awareness and treatment of combat stress than in previous conflicts.
Mental health teams have been sent to Iraq and Afghanistan. Soldiers and Marines are asked about their mental and physical health before and after their tours." Thank God that Chesty Puller isn't around to see this! If the Marine Corps wanted you to have a shrink – they would have issued you one!
The argument stresses that either the Pentagon or VA should revise it's policies so that these combat veterans are not stripped of the medical care they need to get better. I can't say whether or not this is a good idea but it doesn't feel right. If these guys are let back into the family what about all the other guys who were discharged for misconduct? How far back do we go? This 1,019 Marines from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts are a drop in the bucket! One grain in a bucket of Iwo Jima sand. The VA has to beg for money now, congress can vote themselves generous pay raises but when it comes to vets the money just isn't there. What happens when we add a few million mis-fits to the mix?
It's been said that "PTSD does not force anyone to do an illegal act. The consequences to the Marine Corps of not upholding those standards of behavior would be a much greater tragedy. It would dishonor all those Marines who have not broken the rules." Mental health experts say that this problem certainly occurred in prior wars. But combat-induced mental disorders and how they may contribute to bad behavior were not as well understood. Most Marines do their jobs in a quiet and efficient manner, some just can't hack it.
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