FormerHorseGuard
Sr. Member
- Reaction score
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I am putting this here just to get some feedback back, not to take away from those who suffer or are living with this mental and physical issue every day we have named PTSD.
History, I had a great uncle, lied about his age to get into WW2, he was 11 when he tried, he failed, he was caught. At 16 he lied and got into the PPCLI and went to Korea, he was a sniper at age 17, from all accounts I learned upon entering the service myself , my uncle was very good at what he did. He was sent home when they found out his real age, sent back to Korea after he turned 18. Former PPCLI vet one Remembrance Day told me about my great uncle and first hand stories. I heard stories from relatives, but never from anyone who served with him, till that day.
He was messed up, he would forget that the war or the western on tv was just that, not the real thing. My uncle would start shooting his unseen weapon, yelling at the TV for the guys to take cover, he would dive behind the sofa, and spray machine gun fire to cover the troops on TV. All very entertaining as a kid to watch, made the movie much more fun, to watch this interaction. Never realized he was suffering from flashbacks, they called it shell shock back then.
My uncle was never the same, lived in isolation, drank a lot, never had a normal type job,always up North away from every day people. He never got over it, never recovered, never blamed anyone or anything for this life he had. He helped family get jobs in the North, always tried his best to be the relative you could count on, and be kind in his own way.
Earl died alone, from a combination of life style, smoking too much, drinking way too much, and other life style choices.
Here are my questions.
1) Are we blaming too much on PTSD, everything negative in a life iso being blamed on it, meaning in my mind, service in combat, or peace keeping operations when something goes bad in operationall zones, we blame later actions on it and it excused by having PTSD?
2) Do we have to accept personal responsibility for our actions sometimes and forget the blame game?
3) Do soldiers, sailors, airforce persons, other first responders require a better mental training, and strengthing before they sent into action ? I know one shoe does not fit all.
4) Do we as friends bare any blame for letting our buddies suffer in silence and not say anything beyond, have another beer?
5) Does the media own any blame for pushing the PTSD headlines, "Combat vet does.............., PTSD to be blamed"?
6) Does anyone besides us, being in the CF, or former CF members really care of those who have this mental health or physical illness or is just lip service?
7) Does the person have to accept any personal blame for problem, or does it just happen?
8) Last question is too many people using this as a cover for their actions? I did x and it not my fault I have PTSD from work related events?
I do not expect anyone out there to have all the answers for my questions. I never saw any action personally. I did not mean or want anyone to think I am making light of this serious issue. Just in the last few weeks I have thought about this and been wondering. If the moderators want to block this or put me on warnings , I understand that I might have pushed the limits here.
Thanks in advance
Opie
History, I had a great uncle, lied about his age to get into WW2, he was 11 when he tried, he failed, he was caught. At 16 he lied and got into the PPCLI and went to Korea, he was a sniper at age 17, from all accounts I learned upon entering the service myself , my uncle was very good at what he did. He was sent home when they found out his real age, sent back to Korea after he turned 18. Former PPCLI vet one Remembrance Day told me about my great uncle and first hand stories. I heard stories from relatives, but never from anyone who served with him, till that day.
He was messed up, he would forget that the war or the western on tv was just that, not the real thing. My uncle would start shooting his unseen weapon, yelling at the TV for the guys to take cover, he would dive behind the sofa, and spray machine gun fire to cover the troops on TV. All very entertaining as a kid to watch, made the movie much more fun, to watch this interaction. Never realized he was suffering from flashbacks, they called it shell shock back then.
My uncle was never the same, lived in isolation, drank a lot, never had a normal type job,always up North away from every day people. He never got over it, never recovered, never blamed anyone or anything for this life he had. He helped family get jobs in the North, always tried his best to be the relative you could count on, and be kind in his own way.
Earl died alone, from a combination of life style, smoking too much, drinking way too much, and other life style choices.
Here are my questions.
1) Are we blaming too much on PTSD, everything negative in a life iso being blamed on it, meaning in my mind, service in combat, or peace keeping operations when something goes bad in operationall zones, we blame later actions on it and it excused by having PTSD?
2) Do we have to accept personal responsibility for our actions sometimes and forget the blame game?
3) Do soldiers, sailors, airforce persons, other first responders require a better mental training, and strengthing before they sent into action ? I know one shoe does not fit all.
4) Do we as friends bare any blame for letting our buddies suffer in silence and not say anything beyond, have another beer?
5) Does the media own any blame for pushing the PTSD headlines, "Combat vet does.............., PTSD to be blamed"?
6) Does anyone besides us, being in the CF, or former CF members really care of those who have this mental health or physical illness or is just lip service?
7) Does the person have to accept any personal blame for problem, or does it just happen?
8) Last question is too many people using this as a cover for their actions? I did x and it not my fault I have PTSD from work related events?
I do not expect anyone out there to have all the answers for my questions. I never saw any action personally. I did not mean or want anyone to think I am making light of this serious issue. Just in the last few weeks I have thought about this and been wondering. If the moderators want to block this or put me on warnings , I understand that I might have pushed the limits here.
Thanks in advance
Opie