AltWeeklies Wire
Still at War, the Army Opens a New Front: Against Soldier Suicidenew
In 2008, 140 active-duty soldiers committed suicide. That's 75 percent more than the number in 2003 and the highest rate since the Army started keeping track three decades ago. Jim Haus was almost one of the casualties.
Book Excerpt: 'Shake the Devil Off'new
In this exclusive excerpt from his new book Shake the Devil Off, Brown examines the last hours of the life of Zackery Bowen, who killed and dismembered his girlfriend, bartender Addie Hall, before leaping to his death from the top of a French Quarter hotel in October 2006.
Soldiers Committing Suicidenew
The US military is experiencing a troubling uptick in suicides -- both with active-duty troops overseas and with returned vets. The culprit is post-traumatic stress disorder, and the Pentagon has neither the money, the know-how, or the will to stop it.
Boston Phoenix |
Jason Notte |
03-12-2009 |
War
Sending Troubled Soldiers Back into Battle: A Recipe for Suicide?new
More than 717,000 soldiers have deployed at least twice to the war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some, like John Fish, have been ordered deployed for a second tour even after telling military doctors they're thinking about committing suicide.
San Luis Obispo New Times |
Aaron Glantz |
02-23-2009 |
War
Gang Leader Blames PTSD for Killingsnew
Defense attorneys will argue that a violent upbringing left Down Below Gang leader Emile Fort, who is accused of 30 federal crimes, with cognitive defects and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which positioned him to commit and attempt murder in self-defense.
SF Weekly |
Ashley Harrell |
02-18-2009 |
Crime & Justice
Vets with PTSD Tackle the Scars You Can't Seenew
New cases of PTSD are flooding the VA system. Some veterans of earlier wars know what those Iraq and Afghanistan vets are in for.
Andrew and Freddy Velez, the First Brothers to Die in America's War on Terrornew
Carmen and Roy Velez lost two sons to the War on Terror -- one to the invasion of Fallujah and the other to suicide, which is on the rise in the Army.
Dallas Observer |
Megan Feldman |
10-06-2008 |
War
Tags: Iraq, War on terror, Army, PTSD, death, soldiers, war & peace, Andrew Velez, Freddy Velez, soldier suicide
Go to War, Get Traumatized, Get the Bootnew
Like many Iraq combat vets, Mark Siegel had trouble coping back home. So the Army kicked him out.
Seattle Weekly |
Nina Shapiro |
09-29-2008 |
War
Students Connect with Those Touched by the Horrors of Warnew
UCSB Students who sign up for RS-155 find that it’s neither a history class nor a religion class, but an emotional journey through the psyche and experiences of real live veterans.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Ben Preston |
07-08-2008 |
War
What's Being Done, or Left Undone, When Soldiers Come Home with Problems?new
Hundreds of local soldiers are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, many of them on extended tours and second or third deployments. The longer the wars continue, the higher the probability of more cases like Matthew Sepi's.
Las Vegas Weekly |
Damon Hodge |
07-07-2008 |
War
Tags: Iraq, PTSD, veterans, Afghanistan, murder, mental illness, war & peace, combat trauma, Matthew Sepi
What About John McCain's Mental Health?new
While some worry about the impact of McCain's age on his physical health and his potential longevity in office, others are more concerned about his mental health.
Providence Phoenix |
Mary Ann Sorrentino |
07-07-2008 |
Commentary
Minnesota Offers Treatment to Vets Who Commit Crimesnew
Minnesota became the second state in the nation to pass a sentence-mitigation bill for veterans facing criminal prosecution who suffer from combat related mental health disorders.
City Pages (Twin Cities) |
Beth Walton |
05-23-2008 |
War
The War Vet Generation Gapnew
Camaraderie is in short supply between Iraq returnees and older veterans.
Seattle Weekly |
Nina Shapiro |
04-21-2008 |
War
Crime & PTSDnew
Pending legislation would help veterans get treatment instead of prison time.
City Pages (Twin Cities) |
Beth Walton |
03-26-2008 |
War
Veterans Are Killing Themselves in Record Numbersnew
But at the VA, not much has changed.
City Pages (Twin Cities) |
Beth Walton |
03-26-2008 |
War
