In a horrific and developing news story from the battlefields of Afghanistan, a 38-year-old United States staff sergeant is suspected of slaying 16 Afghan villagers. Some news reports suggest that the unidentified Army sergeant is from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, a sprawling installation located near Tacoma, Washington that has earned a reputation “as the most troubled outpost in the U.S. military.”
With all of the facts and evidence yet to be made public, it would appear that a US Army staff sergeant (now in custody), killed 16 Afghan civilians in a village near Camp Belambay located some 15 miles from the city of Kandahar in southern Afghanistan. According to the New York Times – in a remarkable piece of skewed reporting that does little credit to their editorial staff – 11 of the 16 victims came from the same family, including 8 children from the ages of 2 to 12. Some reports suggest that the accused Army sergeant is a is a trained sniper who had suffered a traumatic brain injury and had serious marital problems.
Whatever the reason(s) that led up to this tragic massacre, it seems clear that we have a deeply troubled young man and that the military chain of command was negligent in deploying this sergeant in perhaps one of the most dangerous war zones in the country.
If the initial suggestions of traumatic brain injury (“TBI”) or post traumatic stress disorder (“PTSD”) are confirmed, the tragic Afghan massacre takes on added significance as we consider the tens of thousands of brave veterans walking the streets of AnyTown USA who may suffer from similar afflictions.
Make no mistake, President Obama and others are quite right to condemn this senseless and tragic act of violence. As we seek explanations and look back at the set of circumstances that drove this veteran warrior to take this terrible course of action, we all need to take a long look in mirror and consider what we have done or are doing to help others who suffer the “invisible wounds of war.”
The 2008 Rand Study on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (“PTSD”) entitled Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery, indicated that roughly 1 in 5 veterans suffers from PTSD. The potential cost to our society is immense if we don’t take action now to help these brave young men and women rebuild their lives.
If you feel strongly about this issue, you may wish to consider making a donation to SFTT’s “You Are Not Alone” Campaign to help our brave warriors get the treatment they need to regain their lives.
Stand For The Troops (“SFTT”) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Educational Foundation established by the late Col. David H. Hackworth and his wife Eilhys England to insure that our frontline troops have the best available leadership, equipment and training.
Includes rare footage from Hack's memorial service at Fort Myers Chapel and burial in Arlington National Cemetery.