My son has recently returned from a year long tour of duty in Iraq. He did take fire and witnessed/participated in close contact combat. Since his return home, he is not the same person. He drinks heavily, he is very short tempered.He has nightmares that haunt him regularly. He was sent to an "anger management" class by the miliary last month...4 months after his return home, which he was asked to leave because of his outburst. He was simply instructed that he would have to repeat the class. This boggles my mind. I am told by his chain of command that nothing can be done until HE asked for help. He is not going to. I think he will slowly drink himself to death or die in a drinking related accident, but he is not going to turn to the same people who have spent the past 3 years drilling "Be Army strong" and "kill, kill, kill" into his head and have a deep meaningful conversation about his feelings. I have read many articles about how much more sensative the Army is now to a soldiers needs, but I simply dont see it. I have read that there are steps being taken to decrease the suicide rate among our soldiers returning home...I simply dont see it. I have spent time on the phone literally crying and begging for help for my son and only received "he has to ask for it". Doesnt anyone understand that the fact these soldiers are holding this all in and trying to be strong, trying to deal with it alone is what is killing them to begin with? Im at a loss,I dont know where to turn for help. I have never felt so helpless as a mother in my life.
