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Signs of argument before Fort Hood shooting: commander

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“We have very strong evidence that he has a medical history that indicates an unstable psychiatric or psychological condition,” - Lieutenant General Mark Milley

How it was possible for this mentally ill to bring his personal weapon on base remains unexplained. Also, how 'strong evidence' is so quickly available that would likely disqualify Lopez from access to weapons is unexplained. Some indication of this soldier's troubling mental health must be in the medical history General Milley reports. Sadly the depth of loss only seems enhanced as these facts come to light.

Others may also suffer mental disturbance yet uncovered. If any good can come from this a more serious review of military medical standards must be engaged. As yet, three major incidents resulting in needless loss seem only cause for regret and little indication of real prevention.

Thankfully, the US Speaker of the House has firmly stated his concern that anyone with mental illness should not have access to weapons. If these, and other truths, prompt feelings of nauseous discomfort the individual may have to accept for themselves that they are truly sick and need professional care. Hopefully, they will find that before another tragic event robs so many of so much.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Thankfully, the US Speaker of the House has firmly stated his concern that anyone with mental illness should not have access to weapons.

The weapon the person had was his personal firearm, In his current position, unless he was on a securitydetail he would not have access to any military weapons.

Before the anti-gun crowd jumps all over this, I think the bigger question that needs to be asked is what are the affects of all these drugs like Ambien and others that are prescribed for mental issues being given when there is a long list of cases of where people using these drugs have done bad things. From people like the former Congressman from RI (A Kennedy) who drove to DC in the middle of the night to go "vote" on legislature while he had been taking one of these types of drugs to the other shooting cases where we see the shooter had been on some type of psychotropic drug, that really needs to be looked at.

They tell us in the military that seeking counseling for mental health issues is not a career ender. I hope that in the wake of this reactionary measures are not enacted that are going to make people who may have mental issues not come forward.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The peripheral damage from the US's insane "war on terror," is huge and insidious. Non-combatants who got hit by cross fire in Iraq, slowly dying from their wounds or from starvation because they cannot work. People who get hit when a drone kills a suspect just because they happened to be in the next room or in the street when it went off. And all the thousands of mental cases like this guy.

They spend weeks in boot camp getting brainwashed.

Then they spend a tour of duty under fire, not knowing if they will live or die.

They come back mentally shot to pieces, unable to sleep without medication. And a certain percentage, like this guy just flip.

Psychs can do nothing to help. All they can do is prescribe tranqs.

It would have been better not to have started these wars in the first place, wouldn't it?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

This soldier had a clear history of minor issues. Millions of us do. What sets him apart from the general population which will never do this sort of evil violence is unknown.

Removing guns will not stop such a evil violent act as we saw recently in China which is severely freedom controlled. It would become more difficult to perform these acts of selfish evil violence.

As for the mental issues we have closed institutions decades ago. Mildly imbalanced individuals take medications or not every day. What nudges a person like this over the edge? Did he feel entitled to commit a vengeful killing spree? When will it happen again? Is the statistic 1 in 10 million? 1-100M? Is there a number? Can we ever know?

What about the accepted violent behavior in USA? Unfortunately many don't seem to see that daily evil violent street fights in the cities. An honorable fistfight is long gone. Its use weapons, friends jump in, continue a beating when the opponent is down. With a society accepting such behavior we deserve the next step from time to time. And that is sad to say. I live in USA!

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Observations and recognition of the deadly toll poorly regulated weapons have had in this instance, the presence of a personal weapon, and the emphatic response of Speaker John Boehner are matters that cannot be separated into neat definitions or separations. Specialist Lopez had access to his personal firearm as others have in similar tragedies.

Mental illness is treatable. The regulation of fire arms at Hood is essential. The impact of loss, illness and the deadly force of firearms do not begin or end at the gate of Fort Hood as too many have seen, too often and for too long. Clearly larger and smaller are not common denominators but the presence of firearms whether at a military installation or school house.

Some learn from events that may be distant or close by. Others never learn and spend their time looking for reasons not to. That is also something learned here.

Somehow the suffering of Army specialist Ivan Lopez was turned towards his fellow soldiers and that shows how much ignorance can fail all of us as we cling to stories or vague justifications that keep deadly weapons present in exchanges that might be resolved rationally if it were not for the dependence on worn out catechisms.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Americans don't want to hear the truth. It hurts and its inconvenient. This is just more chickens coming home to roost. Biggest surprise of all is that it does not happen more often.

At least it was not civilians paying the price for what the military and government do. Civilians may vocally support them and these wars for dollars, but they have no choice but to pay taxes. But everybody who joined up had a choice and all the evidence that near all of these wars of the last 50 years had nothing to do with defense or freedom was out there. And the politicians definitely had a choice but it seems its never them to take a bullet for it anymore.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

People want to blame all the military instead of the actual person, well lets look at the shooter some. He was a 15 year vet, and only was an E4 (Specialist). FOr those who don't know, if you have been in the miltary for 15 years and only at the E4 level, then that person has a lot more issues that are in play than supposed PTSD. Also, as the wars draw down and Army begins to downsize and cut back, it would be persons like the shooter who would be the first to go. Reviewing what records there are of him on the net, yes he was in Iraq, but he didn't see any combat. Listening to a radio show host in the states who has served, and is a disabled Vet from IED's, he surmised that this guy was out trying to "fake" a claim to get a rating for a VA pension since he wasn't going to get one from the Army.

Whatever the case, it is a tragic event, this had nothing to do with the US Global war on terroism or any of the other poster comments on the US Foreign Policy. It was just another case of a nut job, who was on some mental medication going off.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

And the politicians definitely had a choice but it seems its never them to take a bullet for it anymore." ......FYI its always the pawn paying the big price.

Is it the entitlement society diverting personal blame on themselves if something does not go there way? In 1945 to 1955 I would like to know what number of vets had issues then. And they saw much worse than the last 40 years of military involvements. WW2 vet dealt with it. No options otherwise I suspect. Unlike today we have syndromes for everything. Way to many excuses to allow yourself to fall off the turnip truck.

Does China have issues similar today? Russia? Developing nations? I think the lack of freedoms do not allow the citizens to claim a syndrome for this that or the other thing.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Then they spend a tour of duty under fire, not knowing if they will live or die.

I find it interesting that when you deploy to places like Afg or Iraq, everyone is armed. You carry your weapon with you all over the bases, when you eat, when you shop at the Exchange, office clerks, mail orderlies, even when you go to Chapel services you go with your weapon on you and rounds nearby.

Yet when you fly back to the States from deployment, your weapon is taken away from you, and you are deemed not capable of being able to carry your weapon around. There haven't been mass cases of shootings going on overseas at the bases where everyone has weapons. There was a case, but the guy had turned into a so called "jihadist" and wanted to pay back America for its wars.

Just saying.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Removing guns will not stop such a evil violent act as we saw recently in China which is severely freedom controlled. It would become more difficult to perform these acts of selfish evil violence.

Removing Guns will not stop violent act. However it will reduce the casualties. In China, more people die with lung Cancer rather than being shot by lunatic people. Back in 2009, the same old drama killed many and wounded others in the same Fort Mont. The problem of US is too many guns which are owned by crazy and confusing people. The more freedom for carrying the gun means the more body bags because of angry gun shots.

It is sad to see soldiers are killing soldiers. If the trend can not be reversed, it will be nightmare for national security. It is heart breaking for the land of free, proud and brave has become the land of wild west which are killing kindergarten kids, movie goers, fellow service men at base and shoppers in the mall.

It does not make sense for allowing someone who has post traumatic disorder should be allowed to have a gun. Even professional Psychiatrist can became crazy and killed others due to his religious extremist view. Once or twice tragedies are excusable. However US has got countless tragedies due to lack of anger management and mental instability. Many parents of youngest victims are still mourning for their loss and they are frustrated about lack of progress for making safer and calmer USA.

The land of free killing field should be changed as the land of tolerant, co-operative and law abiding society like Singapore or Switzerland. Otherwise, countless tragedies are everyday breaking news for media.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Alphaabe.

Different mindset and stress-level, hard to understand unless you served yourself.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Treatment for mental health issues but still got the okay for a gun. American, when are you going to wake up?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

@Alphaape

There haven't been mass cases of shootings going on overseas at the bases where everyone has weapons.

There have incredible amounts of mass shootings on American bases, but as far as I know its either Taliban doing the shooting, other guerillas, or Afghani's who were on the coalition side but turned on their pork eating foreign companions. Thus the justification for troops carrying guns on bases in war zones. I assume they weed out the grunts with more-than-usual mental issues a bit faster over there and send them to a stateside base.

Also, as far as I know, America is not technically a war zone. So imagine if any of these war volunteers had access to a gun at any given time. You think the threat of getting shot by all the other wannabe mercs milling around is going to deter them? Imagine if Milley did not need to get his personal weapon. This probably would have happened a long time ago.

About the only plus would have been that he would have been gunned down with maybe one fewer death and maybe 10 fewer injuries. But since this would be happening more the bodies would be piled ever higher, especially if you consider that one dude in camo looks much like another, and people will get shot as they attempt to shoot the shooter. Not that I personally mind that more people who volunteered to support and perpetuate the slaughter in Afghanistan got shot, but, just laying down the obvious outcome of guns all over the base.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The peripheral damage from the US's insane "war on terror," is huge and insidious. Non-combatants who got hit by cross fire in Iraq, slowly dying from their wounds or from starvation because they cannot work. People who get hit when a drone kills a suspect just because they happened to be in the next room or in the street when it went off. And all the thousands of mental cases like this guy.

You have absolutely NO idea of what you are talking about! Most of MY family served and a third in my small neighborhood and everyone is fine. You're completely painting a broad brush over grossly exaggerate the issue. Enough already!

They spend weeks in boot camp getting brainwashed.

No one is getting brainwashed.

Then they spend a tour of duty under fire, not knowing if they will live or die.

Before you sign up, voluntarily as we do in the U.S., since NO ONE is forced or has to do mandatory service, they are made aware before they enlist and knowingly that if called to duty and there is a war, they could get injured or lose their lives, they all know this as EVERY other soldier does.

They come back mentally shot to pieces, unable to sleep without medication. And a certain percentage, like this guy just flip.

Some do sadly, but thank God, the vast majority do NOT

Psychs can do nothing to help. All they can do is prescribe tranqs.

It all depends.

It would have been better not to have started these wars in the first place, wouldn't it?

Better yet, it would have been better if the Tyrant was properly dealt with in 1991 and we would have gotten the other guy back in the late 90's then both wars could have avoided, but needless to say, the world is a much better place without either of them.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Those that survived came back to a glutted job market, with no more "salable" skills than they went to war with. And the VA, which was originally set up to help those veterans most in need, just has not been effective in dealing with some of the most pressing needs of returned vets: like drugs, medical care, Post-War Struggle, education and jobs. And depression is one of the leading problems of veterans. Others have turned to drugs, which are readily available in VA hospitals and on the streets. VA hospitals have uncovered horror stories of disabled vets using heavy drugs to fight off the repressive atmosphere in the hospitals. Besides, the VA does not acknowledge that there are any psychological problems that stem from the war. The VA puts the blame on "bad childhoods," not on the contradictions of fighting an unjust war.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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