For the past several years, as this Army installation in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains became a busy way station for soldiers cycling in and out of Iraq, the number of servicemen implicated in violent crimes has raised alarm.
Nine current or former members of Fort Carson’s Fourth Brigade Combat Team have killed someone or were charged with killings in the last three years after returning from Iraq. Five of the slayings took place last year alone. In addition, charges of domestic violence, rape and sexual assault have risen sharply.
Prodded by Senator Ken Salazar, Democrat of Colorado, the base commander began an investigation of the soldiers accused of homicide. An Army task force is reviewing their recruitment, medical and service records, as well as their personal histories, to determine if the military could have done something to prevent the violence. The inquiry was recently expanded to include other serious violent crimes.
I’d venture to say socio-economic status and individual mental health are the more pertinent factors here.
I believe the current moral/social culture is vastly different than it was in the aftermath of WWII/Korean Wars. Today’s moral and social fabric is simply screwed up. We may be at war but the country is not on a war-footing where every community is touched by the casualties of war and as such there is no network of support.
Given the huge number of Soldiers rotating in and out of the combat zone, this number is incredibly small. Methinks Senator Salazar is gesturing for the cameras to gain political points at the expense of America’s finest men and women I’ve ever known.
-Jim+
I agree with Jim+. This looks like a dog-pile at the expense of our heroes. Shame on Salazar!
Agreed.
Senator Salazar’s motives not withstanding, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a very real and very large problem in our veteran communities. Yes, murders are rare; however, a non-trivial number of combat and non-combat troops will show signs of PTSD in their life times: often decades following the triggering trauma.
Importantly for pastors of churches, these veterans will more often admit signs of PTSD to their local clergy than to their health professionals, so trivializing the stresses of returning veterans is doing YOUR congregation, YOUR flock, a great disservice.
I encourage anyone who cares about our returning veterans to become familiar with the signs and dangers of PTSD. A good start is to review the website of the Veteran Affairs National Center for PTSD: http://www.ncptsd.va.gov
Will +, PhD
Former Chaplain, Veterans Affairs Healthcare System/Pittsburgh
Thanks for this post, Kendall. As with many of the problems we face today, the answers are not always simple or one-size-fits-all. But, it can’t hurt to bring this stuff out into the light of day, as long as it’s not sensationalized or exaggerated. I think it’s commendable that the Army is taking a close look to see if something can be done to prevent these tragedies. Thanks, Will+ for posting the link to that PTSD resource.