Comments on: "They Broke Him," Accused GI's Dad Says

Soldier Who Allegedly Killed 5 Comrades Had Been "Harassed" And "Threatened" By Superiors, According To Father

[sandy19731]

The guy shot people he didn't have to shoot. I feel for his dad, but his dad needs to blame his son for killing his fellow soldiers because sure enough soldiers are dead and his son killed them.

I agree Tanker144, it is pretty obvious that the Dad was no help to his son with an attitude like that.

[sandy19731]

I don't know about you but I always kill 5 people when I "snap".
Posted by valh1 at 8:35 AM : May 13, 2009

Yep, and when I'm trying to "break" somebody I send them for mental health help.

I think we are on the same page here.

[NancyLou9]

I'll match my Military Service Record against yours anyday, NancyPants.
Posted by DaVicar5 at 7:15 AM : May 13, 2009
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So now I'm faulted for opting to leave the military in order to support a husband who served his entire adult life and to raise two sons who are currently serving? Wow, you need to take your meds. You're obviously a narcissist who believes the world should bow to you because you deigned to serve. I bet you told your wife all the time (assuming one lasted longer than 10 minutes with you) to put on her "big girl" panties and "suck it up" when you were being deployed.

You might be a Veteran but you're no Patriot if you believe this poor guy did what he did because he was lucid and of sound mind following three tours in a war zone. I believe someone called you a "Walter Mitty" soldier and I think that's apt. Go back to your desk and stare out your window, Walter, and let the real Americans take care of things.

[valh1]

I don't know about you but I always kill 5 people when I "snap".

[NancyLou9]

Was this person forced to do three tours in Iraq, or did he volunteer?
Posted by credibility2 at 7:58 AM : May 13, 2009
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He volunteered for the military. He was forced to go to Iraq three times. Had he refused to go even once, his career in the military would be over.

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I went to West Point back in the early 80s and if you want to talk harassment, go there. Talk about being broken down. go there.
Posted by tanker144 at 8:11 AM : May 13, 2009
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While at West Point, were you getting shot at day after day after day? Did you have to watch for IEDs when you walked along the sidewalks? Was there someone hiding around every corner with the intent to kill you given the opportunity? Did you live in a tent or a dorm? Did you sleep in a comfy bed or a cot with a sleeping bag on it? Did you carry around 70 ounds or more of gear on your back daily in 100+ temperatures? Did you get to go home for holidays and summer break? Were you able to call your family whenever you wanted? If a family member passed, were you given leave to be there? Had you been married and a birth was imminent, did you have th confidence in knowing you'd be there for the birth? Did you get to watch your kids grow up and attend every birthday, every recital, every baseball game? Did you make NEAR the sacrifice these guys are doing?

Sure you did. You just did it from the comforts of an air conditioned office, a warm, cozy bed and your living room.

To even begin to COMPARE West Point to three tours in Iraq tells me you're one of the commanders I was talking about earlier. You think your life was so hard at West Point so you tell your soldiers, you know, the ones who actually do the work, to "Suck it up" and this is the result. You don't have a clue and if you think West Point is anything like being in the sandbox, you need to grow a pair.

[daffy64]

This is obviously a sign that the Brady Campaign needs to push for a gun ban on our military. After all this had to be the guns fault.

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What a crass political statement.

[tanker144]

Oh, I know, let's blame it on "Full Metal Jacket". Or better yet, the Recession. The guy shot people he didn't have to shoot. I feel for his dad, but his dad needs to blame his son for killing his fellow soldiers because sure enough soldiers are dead and his son killed them. I went to West Point back in the early 80s and if you want to talk harrassment, go there. Talk about being broken down. go there. And yet, I never wanted to kill anyone there, but I did learn that I didn't like that leadership style so I was never a yeller. And no, not everyone there yelled at me, just a few.

I'm not a shrink and I don't know why people snap, but they do. Some softie will say, "Oh, it's OK, they made you shoot them." Yeah, I'm so sure. "Hey, dude, Shoot me, shoot me now! " I don't think so. Whatever happened to resolving problems with fists. This guy could have gotten a lesser punishment and our soldiers would still be alive had he just walked up and clocked the main guy who was giving him issues. Same result, he'd have felt better, but he wouldn't be facing a death penalty now, and we'd have five soldiers still alive. And... this guy is 44 years old. 44!?!. That old and quite a few years of military experience under his belt. It's unlikely at his age and his MOS that his superiors were tasking him to 'take that hill'.

The Army is pretty wise in its knee-jerk reactions, and this week I'm sure that pretty much every unit around the globe will brief ALL of their soldiers on stress, and what to do about it if it's getting to be too much. See the Chaplain, talk it out, or what have you in an effort to try to head-off something like this happening again. The Army as a whole is not a non-caring shoot first and worry about the soldiers later as some would think. But our business is to be the US' hammer, and that's a very violent business, and it's works best if we kill the bad guys, not our own. This guy should be either executed or put away for the rest of his days, bottom line.

And the real funny part about these posts is some dude blamed Obama, now that's funny. Then again, I say stupid stuff all the time too. :o)

[winchester70]

Granted, it is an overworked cliche, but those of us who haven't "been there and done that" should ****.

[credibility2]

Was this person forced to do three tours in Iraq, or did he volunteer? It's tragic that this person snapped and murdered five innocent victims. That the father believes his son wasn't capable of this is a standard reaction from a loved one. The father also admits that his son had scrapes with the law and was divorced. Maybe these latent occurrences indirectly contributed to the son losing it and murdering the five. Of course, trying to make any sense of this will never bring back the murdered, nor give comfort to their families and loved ones. Maybe all incoming troops need to be psychologically certified as fit to serve.

[Questionews]

If the guy wanted out of the Military maybe he should declared that he was Gay? Trying to kiss your CO will get you sent home much faster that committing violence upon him. Too bad he didn't choose that path instead of murder.