PTSD. Disorder or Order

In view of the fact that there is really no active debate over PTSD, I thought I'd start one. I've been stimulated to do so by a recent article stating that Veterans are considered as a somewhat dangerous group, especially those who are classified as "suffering" from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

As a primary step, I would like to familiarize those of you who have no military service by outlining the terms that have been used throughout history to describe the effects of war on man. George Carlin did this years ago when he said that MAN has complicated the situation by changing the phrases used to describe it.

It began as a two syllable phrase called "Shell Shock" but that changed after World War 1. During the Second World War, it became a 4 syllable phrase: "Combat Fatigue".  The term used today has 8 syllables: "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder".

I will attempt to address these things with a simple question that addresses Order or Disorder.

Is it DISORDER to watch your brothers die in combat and remember it?  Is it DISORDER to kill another human and remember it?  After you consider those two questions, ask yourself if the recollection of the horrors of war is something that the mind puts into proper ORDER by classifying it as Traumatic? I say: "Hell yes, it is in perfect ORDER when you classify it as Traumatic".

I say that all of those recollections are in their proper order and that those who do not do so, those who simply dismiss it as nothing, are the ones suffering some kind of DISORDER.

If you have no combat experience, have never killed anyone or watched your buddy die, ask yourself this: Why didn't the civilians who watched the victims of the attack on the Twin Towers as they jumped out of the windows to their death on 9/11, forget that picture and act as if nothing happened?

One of my comrades states that the definition of Disorder has a component part to it that describes it as "A disturbance of normal functioning".  Thanks to Mark for that one.

I'll buy into every bit of that and totally agree that war and it's effects on man and his normal function in life, is definitely disturbed when he goes to war. Despite that, let's look at the origin. Shouldn't the cause and effect issue be discussed?

I was in college when I went 1A in the draft. I had surgery during finals and the "Incomplete" grade that came with "not even taking finals", took me out of the grade point requirements to maintain my student deferment. FWIW, I'm not looking for the guy that broke my nose. He wasn't the reason I was drafted and went to Vietnam. The guy that started the war isn't on my list, either. The way I see it, I think the guy that involved the Armed Forces of the United States is the one that needs to answer a question or two.

Some say that turning down my appointment to attend West Point, was crazy. Some say that volunteering for flight school to fly  helicopters in a helicopter war, was even more crazy. I say that it was the most logical thing for me to do.

I was in the Army and even though I was drafted into service, I accepted that and started to do everything I could do to get on board with my service and do the best I could do to find a home in the Army and operate from an area that I dearly loved. I'd always wanted to be a pilot and to me, it was a perfect fit. Did that thought process mean that I had some kind of DISORDER?

Did the draft dodgers possess some kind or ORDER by hauling ass to Canada and escaping the draft? In either of those questions my answer is simple. "I don't think so".

With all the years that have passed, some say that the draft dodgers were visionaries and that they knew that going to Vietnam was crazy. I agree that it was crazy but I don't agree that going to Canada was the right thing to do or the proper way to address the situation.

 Draft Dodging didn't seem to reflect anything to me except the fact that there were many who simply refused to accept their duty to their Country, right, wrong or indifferent. We didn't get to make the rules. We only had to make a choice as to whether we would live by them or not.

Under the circumstances, I completely accept the amnesty given to all those who ran away. What I don't accept is this: They were given amnesty but they were never treated differently than those who did the right thing and served their Country. I think the guilty should have been subjected to a "Draft Dodger's Tax" and pay a higher rate that would specifically been ear marked as a FUND to help pay for the expenses to address the "service connected issues" of all of those who served.

Is that thought process ORDER or is it DISORDER? I think they should pay and I think that I can substantiate the logic of that by reciting an old saying. "You do the crime, you pay the time".

I guess I'll have to take a break here as I have to go to the VA to help a Vietnam Veteran buddy of mine who is undergoing chemo therapy. I guess I can leave a question for you to ponder while I'm gone. "How many Draft Dodgers suffer from any of the cancers that came from Agent Orange?".

More later. Thanks to Mark, hello to Bernie and friends.