BAGHDAD, May 12, 2009
Baghdad Shooting Spotlights Combat Stress
Suspect In Murder Of 3 Soldiers, 2 Doctors Was On Third Tour In Iraq, Sources Tell CBS News
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Play CBS Video Video U.S. Soldier Kills 5 Americans An American sergeant opened fire at a combat stress center in Iraq, killing five American soldiers before being subdued. David Martin reports.
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Video Camp Liberty Shooting Update "Only On The Web:" Bob Orr reports an update in the deadly shooting at Camp Liberty, Iraq. The shooter has been identified as Sgt. John Russell and has been charged with five counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault.
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In this undated file photo provided by the U.S. Navy, licensed clinical social worker Cmdr. Charles Keith Springle is shown. Springle died May 11 from a non-combat related incident at Camp Liberty, Iraq. (USMC)
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Attacks on fellow soldiers, known as fraggings, were not uncommon during the Vietnam war but are believed to be rare in Iraq and Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
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Photo Essay Week In Iraq Photos A daily diary with scenes of the latest attacks and snapshots from the effort to rebuild a nation.
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In The Spotlight Iraq War + 6 The end of the U.S. mission in Iraq is in sight; less clear is the country's future.
The suspect had been disarmed after an incident at the center but returned with another weapon, according to a senior military official in Washington, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation into the shootings was ongoing.
The U.S. military charged the suspect with five counts of murder, and one count of aggravated assault in the killings. Maj. Gen. David Perkins told reporters Tuesday that the charges were filed against Sgt. John M. Russell of the 54th Engineering Battalion based in Bamberg, Germany.
Perkins said the dead included two doctors, one from the Navy and the other from the Army. The other three dead were enlisted personnel.
Sources tell CBS News correspondent Kimberly Dozier the suspect was on his third tour of Iraq.
A recent Army study found soldiers on their third or fourth deployment are twice as likely to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Caught early enough, the symptoms including nightmares, sleep disturbances and rollercoaster emotions and hypervigilance, can be treated. But often troops won't ask for help, reports Dozier.
Attacks on fellow soldiers, known as fraggings, were not uncommon during the Vietnam war but are believed to be rare in Iraq and Afghanistan.
A brief U.S. military statement said the assailant was taken into custody following the 2 p.m. shooting at Camp Liberty, a sprawling U.S. base on the western edge of Baghdad near the city's international airport.
President Barack Obama, who visited an adjacent base last month, said in a statement that he was "shocked and deeply saddened" by the report, adding that "my heart goes out to the families and friends" of all those involved "in this horrible tragedy."
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Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
After a meeting with Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Mr. Obama said he would make sure "that we fully understand what led to this tragedy" and will do everything possible "to ensure that our men and women in uniform are protected as they serve our country so capably and courageously in harm's way."
It does speak to me about the need for us to redouble our efforts in terms of dealing with the stress.
Adm. Mike MullenChairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The military statement in Baghdad said nobody else was hurt, but military officials in Washington said one person was wounded.
Pentagon officials said the shooting happened at a stress clinic, where troops can go for help with the stresses of combat or personal issues. Soldiers routinely carry weapons on Camp Liberty and other bases, but they are supposed to be unloaded.
The military official told The Associated Press that the sergeant had been involved in a verbal altercation at the center. His service weapon was taken from him for his own protection and he was driven back to the center later in the day.
The official said that when the sergeant returned he had another weapon. It was unclear whether he was returning under orders or of his own volition.
Another senior military official said the shooter was a patient at the clinic. The official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity because of the probe, did not know what relationship the shooter had to those he killed.
The network also aired video of the stress clinic it said was taken just days ago. It showed the clinic's commander, Lt. Col Beth Salisbury, giving a tour of the clinic and describing certain areas where people cannot carry weapons. Salisbury is from the U.S. Army Reserve 55th Medical Company based in Indianapolis.
At the Pentagon, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the shooting occurred "in a place where individuals were seeking help."
"It does speak to me about the need for us to redouble our efforts in terms of dealing with the stress," Mullen said.
The U.S. military is coping with a growing number of stress cases among soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan - many of whom are on their third or fourth combat tours. Some studies suggest that about 15 percent of soldiers returning from Iraq suffer from some sort of emotional problems.
With violence declining, many soldiers face new challenges trying to shift from fighting a war to training and mentoring the Iraqis - tasks that often require skills in which they have not been trained.
Adding to the stress, there have been several incidents recently when men dressed as Iraqi soldiers have opened fire on American troops, including an attack in the northern city of Mosul on May 2 when two soldiers and the gunman were killed.
Rep. Harry Mitchell, a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, said the Camp Liberty shooting underscores the "critical need" to reach out to soldiers "suffering from the effects of combat stress and post-traumatic stress disorder."
The death toll from the shooting at the counseling center was the highest for U.S. personnel in a single attack since April 10, when a suicide truck driver killed five American soldiers with a blast near a police headquarters in Mosul.
"Any time we lose one of our own, it affects us all," U.S. spokesman Col. John Robinson said. "Our hearts go out to the families and friends of all the service members involved in this terrible tragedy."
There have been several previous fragging incidents in the Iraq war.
© MMIX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Add a Comment See all 51 Comments
- bonjour,
ce qui est arrivé dans ce centre est tres triste, la guerre n'a jamais été une partie de plaisir.... la mort est là omniprésente au quotidien...elle n'a jamais fait de différence entre noir et blanc, ils subissent tous les meme tracas, stress ..dangers.
"crime racial "non je ne le pense pas..pourquoi est ce qu'un soldat afro-américain tuerait.-il ses camarades blancs...le contraire pourrait se produire ..un blanc tuant des noirs...donc pas de conclusions hatives..il faut chercher, la vérité est ailleurs..au revoir - Reply to this comment
- Where do people like get their information? Faux News? Rush Limbaugh?
Anonymous sources are often anonymous for a reason. To escape responsibility for their ridiculous statements. They trust that some idiot will take their remarks no matter how stupid and run with them and that uninformed & brainwashed people in Rush land will believe them.
By the way I saw a picture of Sgt. Russel and he appeared to be white. Not that it should matter. The story was not about race.
The story should be about the sacrifices our soldiers are making for us and the stress they are under and what the nation can do to help them before another tragedy like this occurs. - Reply to this comment
- CURRENT CBS News Headline: "Baghdad Shooting Spotlights Combat Stress"
NEVER CBS News Headline: "Millions of Combat Soldiers and Veterans Commit no Crimes, Spotlighting Fantastic Ability to Cope With Combat Stress" - Reply to this comment
- Posted by familyguy38
Thanks,....that was a well thought out...factually correct post.....well done!! - Reply to this comment
- More bad results of chicken hawks sending our military into endless war,for their cowardly stupid "crusade".
- Reply to this comment
- elbuitre bloviates again.
- Reply to this comment
- Once again, Obama was "SHOCKED"....lmao, that's another way of saying he's unprepared and hasn't got a clue. If Obama and the dems had allowed our troops to do their job without interference, they would have all been home years ago. They would be going to PTA meetings, Iraq would be paying us a miilion barrles of oil per dya in reparations and the Taliban would be a bunch of long forgotten corpses rotting in mass graves.
It is unconscionable the way our troops have been kept in harms way because people like Obama and Pelosi don't have the stomach to do what is required.Had we done things right without interference from Washington bureaucrats many of our kids wouldn't have had to die.
We traded our kids lives for the lives of people who hate us. Shame!!!
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Yeah. It's all Obama's fault that this "war" has not been "won". Just like it was hippies fault that the USA lost in Vietnam.
The US military WAS operating without "interference" while the Republicans were in charge of congress and the white house. And it wasn't exactly a cake walk for the troops.
It's an unjust invasion based on false evidence and outright lies. It is unconscionable the way our troops have been PUT in harms way IN THE FIRST PLACE.
Oh, and pssst...the Taliban are in Afghanistan, not Baghdad. - Reply to this comment
- Well two wrongs don't make a right, Joe.
Posted by daffy64 at 9:18 AM : May 12, 2009
Daffy64, very true, but my problem is the hypocrisy of the left, on one hand they are cheering the drone strikes, which certainly kill immediately with Hellfire missles, but they have a problem when the actual 9/11 mastermind is interrogated......so in a way, it's ok to destroy them with a missle, but not ok to get information out of them, and crying torture, by splashing a wet towelette in their face......I just don't get how they rationalize this in their minds......(what's left)
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Joe, the 911 mastermind was waterboarded OVER A HUNDRED TIMES. Sheesh, by the tenth one, you'd think the interrogators were thinking "okay, this isn't working".
Torture is NOT an effective means of getting info. Just ask John McCain that.
Besides, it is immoral. The US sent Japanese soldiers to twenty years hard labour for waterboarding. Let's stick to the moral high ground. - Reply to this comment
- schoollord - How come there is such an easy access to guns in "stress control center"?
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I'm a soldier who's been there twice so I'll answer that for you. First, your in a combat zone so every where you go there are guns and ammo. You eat, sleep and shant with your weapon and at least one mag of ammo. Second, even if youre not allowed to take a weapon into the hospital, like the post I was on, within 2 seconds of leaving you could have it back. Its just the nature of being down range. Now this kid had some deep issues and we'll probably learn more about them once the 15-6 investigation is done and some measures will be put in place but the fact remains that youre in a combat zone and you need to have weapons and ammo close at hand at all times. We have had Iraqis turn on soldiers from time to time so its just smart to keep them close and not locked up. Sounds to me like this kid had some on going problems so why he wasnt on the first thing smoking back to the rear is beyond me. Thats what really needs to be looked at in my opinion. - Reply to this comment
- Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios.
- Reply to this comment
- There are two common denominators in most homcides. Some sort of grudge and access to firearms. It is very hard to control grudges because they could happen in a second. But we can control access to guns. How come there is such an easy access to guns in "stress control center"? Did you watch the documentary "Bowling for Columbine" in which they were giving rifles away in a bank and Moore asked the bank manager "Do you think it is a good idea to give rifles away in a bank"?
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- Shouldn't you be teaching youngsters that slamming drone missles into women and children in Pakistan is A-OK for you, but don't dare put a wet toilette in the face of the 9/11 mastermind, or the Liberals will call it torture......you guys have your priorities straight !
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Well two wrongs don't make a right, Joe. - Reply to this comment
- You are a hypocrite at best, lady.
Posted by bthomascoope
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I am not a hypocrite, I am a republican.
Posted by mrs_trepidatious at 5:33 AM : May 12, 2009
Same thing. You are an embarrasment to your party. - Reply to this comment
- Good grief! Can those of you who cannot focus on the issue at hand and have nothing better to do but throw insults around just go away?
daffy64...Thank you. Yeah, not all of humanity is lost. There are lots of good folks out there still. :)
goldstarfamilysupport...I'm so sorry for your loss! I can't imagine going through what you have although since I have two US Marine sons the fear of having to go through it has crossed my mind on many occasions. I don't know how I would go on. Thank you that you've not only gone on, but have helped bring together those who need support more than ever after the loss of a loved one.
bigmo47...I especially loved the last line of your post! Thank you for your service!! I appreciate you and all of our service members who have our backs....
:) - Reply to this comment
- We are shouldering our soldiers with multiple combat tours because the vast majority of our people of combat age do not consider these military adventures to be worth their lives. The military can crow about "meeting their enlistment objectives", and the jobless can be bribed into joining up, but our young people are voting with their feet to go anywhere but the military. Also, the very people who support these wars are not enlisting themselves, and their children are not enlisting.
We are leaving these people holding the bag, just as my Army buddies and I were put in the same position in the Vietnam debacle. We want these wars, until we decide we don't.
We did not question the objectives, the reasoning and the mission enough as citizens. We let our politicians get away with this. Perhaps it's because we see soldiers as somebody else's kids, instead of as our own. War is never the fault of those on whose shoulders we place it.
Vietnam, Class of 68
member, Veterans for Peace - Reply to this comment
- And...gwb is living it up, but being extremely quiet and close mouthed.
- Reply to this comment
- I am a Gold Star Mother. For those not familar that is a mother of a Fallen Soldier or someone who died while in the service of their country. When my son was killed on November 12, 2006 I thought the world had ended. No one could help me through my grief and so I started an online support group for Families of the Fallen. In this time I have come to know many across the United States and also know their loved ones and how they died. Many have been killed in war, others took their own life in desperate act, others died while active duty and still others were actually murdered.
Our military has long turned their heads to the fact that the young men and women who now join the service need counseling and not made to be afraid of seeking this counseling because of the LABELS that come with needing help. My own son came back from his first deployment in 2004 a completely different person. He saw people being killed and had buddies of his blown up in front of him or gunned down. Like so many that come back the military doesn't make it mandatory for them to get counseling. He was killed on his second deployment four months into his tour.
I talked to many who had different positions and they would have gotten couseling but knew that they couldn't continue their career. The amount of suicides in the military shows that our young men and women are equiped for what they see and endure. The long deployments without friends and family are extremely hard on them. They come home different and forever changed. I was talking to a soldier when another soldier came in with a gun in a very unstable state last year. They talked to him and then set him back out to fight. WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT PICTURE.
I BEG our military officials to change THEIR THINKING AND POLICIES. It's time that we focus on those who have volunteered to service and protect our country and actually help them. WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR ONE OF YOU TO MAKE THAT CHANGE AND HELP OUR MEN AND WOMEN TODAY?
I can't imagine what this young man who had 3 tours already, was going through and I know that our PUBLIC doesn't understand. They see numbers of death and suicides and just think that's it NUMBERS. WELL it's not numbers THESE MEN AND WOMEN ARE REAL PEOPLE AND HAVE REAL FAMILIES. You don't get over the death of a child and you grieve eternally for that death. This young man needs our help and the families that are now going through another CASUALITY OF WAR needs our support. - Reply to this comment
- As a Soldier on active duty I am appalled and somewhat disheartened by many of the comments. Despite what many may believe, we currently have the most educated military in U.S. history. Not conjecture, just going by the number of officers and enlisted personnl that have attained degrees and also by the average scores on the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery).
The issue is really not about having a draft. This is the first war that we have tried to conduct without significantly increasing the end strength of the services (number of personnel). There are still many roadblocks for personnel that volunteer to serve. Ones that would not be there in a draft. The result is numerous combat tours. That is an issue that President Obama has addressed and there is a plan in place to increase personnel in the Army, Navy and Marine Corps.
As for PTSD, it is a horrible illness. It has nothing to do with being weak or afraid. If you take a look at people in N.Y., just a few weeks ago, DoD made a very bad decision to fly one of the Air Force One jets low over the city. People were scared and were fleeing buldings, because of 9/11. Just imagine being a Soldier and seeing death and destruction on a fairly constant basis, and due to your occupation and the laws that govern it, you dont have an option to flee. You are required to face the danger head-on. This can take a toll on the mind and right now there is no training that can prevent this. I have seen Soldiers that were heroes in battle and they get home and may sleep 1-2 hours a night because of the nightmares. They are patriots and because of their commitment to the country the have an illness that may never be "cured". So for all of the individuals that use this tragedy to insult Soldiers, remember you can be against a war but please don't disrespect the warrior. - Reply to this comment
- mrsrite, thanks for the thoughtful comments.
You've kind on renewed my faith in humanity. - Reply to this comment
- We are bogged down again in a war with no end in sight. The servicemen and women have almost no hope to serve a tour and go home. They cannot leave the military and are subjected to multiple tours that put their lives at risk.
We should not be surprised at what happened. God help us all. - Reply to this comment
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