More on Stolen Valor
Charles G. White
chapter by chapter review as dino did, my only comment is that I wish I had
read the book when it first came out.
One of the fakes disclosed in the book was Jack Maslin, a member of our
battalion in Vietnam. After Vietnam he represented himself to be the
recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross and numerous other medals. Of
course, he was periodically diverted from his clerk's job to perform secret
missions for the Special Forces and CIA. He continued to served in the
Delaware National Guard after Vietnam and was named the most highly
decorated soldier from Delaware. Twenty years later he was brought up for
court martial for his fraud. He resigned and forfeited all retirement
benefits. Needless to say he will not be welcome at our battalion reunion
this summer.
Charles G. White
whit...@abanet.org
8th Bn 4th Arty
http://www.amarillo2000.com/audacia/index.html
dino
If you read the book and you agree with it, then you MUST believe as Burkett
does that there is no such thing as PTSD. Do you agree with that?
dino
In article <7NLN4.72$M5...@newsfeed.slurp.net>, "Charles says...
Charles G. White
> Charles
> If you read the book and you agree with it, then you MUST believe as
Burkett
> does that there is no such thing as PTSD. Do you agree with that?
The most impressive part of the book is the coverage of frauds and wannabees
in high places. I admit that Burkett goes to great lengths to diminish
PTSD. Yes, there is PTSD, but in my life time, most of the genuine PTSD
that I have observed has come from Bataan Death March veterans that I knew
and visited. Will you admit that there are a lot of PTSD frauds. Surely
you have met a least one. My opinion is that the Vietnam experience
generally should make one mentally stronger -- not weaker -- with that
concept I am in complete agreement with Burkett. I have met phoney
malingers and I don't like it, because they decrease the availability of
funds for those who need it. It still bothers me that a guy that I know
served as a clerk and was shelled near Saigon draws 100% for PTSD while
another that I know draws only partial disability for a lost foot. [Yes, he
has a job]. In summary, we don't need anymore Mark Heinneman's.
Perry
>Charles
>If you read the book and you agree with it, then you MUST believe as Burkett
>does that there is no such thing as PTSD. Do you agree with that?
>
>dino
Burkett didn't say that.
Carl Hatchell
and find Dean's original.
I'm going to dispute the contention that Burkett says that there is no such
thing as PTSD. If you look on page 139 he starts a description of the history
of what later became PTSD and how it got it's name. This is how it starts:
Emotional and mental reactions to combat have been obvious since antiquity;
the condition cuts across cultures and generations. An Egyptian warrior named
Hori wrote about the fear of going into battle some three thousand years ago:
"You determine to go forward. Shuddering seizes you, the hair on your head
stands on end, your soul lies in your hand".
In the Civil War, it was called "soldiers heart." Military records of that terrible
conflict indicate about twenty soldiers per thousand suffered from "paralysis"
and about six per thousand from "insanity."
"Shell shock" was the term used in World War I to describe the disorienting
effects of combat............................................
Does this sound like he doesn't believe in PTSD?
He goes on describing it and then tells the story of how the Military decided
to define it and finally how to deal with it. I can find no mention of him saying
that PTSD does not exist. I think you skimmed over that part and zeroed in on
the part where he takes the phonies to task. That's the central point of his
book. PTSD exists and pretenders have used it without experiencing it.
They stole the image of PTSD and used it in such a way as to cause true
sufferers of PTSD to be ashamed of it. Thus the title "Stolen Valor."
Rather than listening to me rant, I would suggest that anyone that has
an interest in this book, look on page 139 and start reading. What you'll
find is the history of PTSD and how it got it's name and the politics involved
in changing it's name and definition. And how the Valor was stolen from the
true sufferers. Remember, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
Go to page 139 and read for yourself. He might have made mistakes in individual
cases and he needs to correct those, but his central theme is correct.
Carl Hatchell
Charles G. White <whit...@abanet.org> wrote in message news:mnNN4.167$M5....@newsfeed.slurp.net...
> "dino" wrote in message
> > Charles
> > If you read the book and you agree with it, then you MUST believe as
> Burkett
> > does that there is no such thing as PTSD. Do you agree with that?
>
dino
I agree with you. Before I had read the book, I didn't realize there were so
many fakes. One psychiatrist told me that with some of his patients - getting
rated at 100% PTSD has harmed them more than it has helped them. I believe
that. I do think that one thing that Burkett does not make clear in his book is
that the psychiatrists have little to do with PTSD ratings. A psychiatrist will
submit his medical opinion but the rating board decides on the percentage of
disability.
Its difficult for me to relate to how easy it is to be rated with PTSD because
it was such a struggle for me and years in the process.
I guess now damn near anyone can get rated and yes, that pisses me off! I was a
combat vet w/Purple Heart and was so ill that I couldn't work, and I managed to
get 30%. I appealed and was denied any higher percentage and later was reduced
to 10%. I appealed that and now am back to 30%, so how do these cooks and paper
pushers get 100%? I just don't understand how to play the system, I guess.
And, if the system is that easily manipulated then it should be corrected.
And if you run across that wannabe, give him a snub for me also.
dino
In article <mnNN4.167$M5....@newsfeed.slurp.net>, "Charles says...
Chandler Knowles
that these fakes have stolen from the legitimate vets and the ones with the
legitimate problems. Get mad about that -- not the book.
"dino" <dino_...@newsguy.com> wrote in message
news:8e96vq$23...@drn.newsguy.com...
> Charles
Greg Linscott
> experience
> generally should make one mentally stronger -- not weaker -- with
> that
> concept I am in complete agreement with Burkett. I have met phoney
> malingers and I don't like it, because they decrease the
> availability of
> funds for those who need it. It still bothers me that a guy that
> I know
> served as a clerk and was shelled near Saigon draws 100% for PTSD
> while
> another that I know draws only partial disability for a lost foot.
> [Yes, he
> has a job]. In summary, we don't need anymore Mark Heinneman's.
Charles,
I agree. I have vague recollections of survivors guilt and may have
suffered from PTSD, but got over both of them way back when. My unit
was mauled and remauled. Traumatized and re-traumatized. Keep repeating
the process and the trauma becomes "normal".
I think an individual makes a conscious decision about a traumatic
event. You either let it defeat you or you defeat it. You will become
either stronger or weaker. I chose the former (as did many, many
others).
Greg
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Charles G. White
<snip>
> I think an individual makes a conscious decision about a traumatic
> event. You either let it defeat you or you defeat it. You will become
> either stronger or weaker. I chose the former (as did many, many
> others).
> Greg
Some call it the power of positive thinking. If one has seen the elephant
(or experienced the ultimate pucker factor), then, when put into the proper
perspective, hopefully he will adapt so the remaining stumbling blocks of
life will seem trivial and will present no significant barrier. With that
advantage, we hope that he may gain an edge over others who were not there.
Stated in another manner - "When possible, one should convert his
liabilities into assets".
Edward Combs Jr.
to be...control over Body, Mind and Emotions(I'm not sure about Sprit). This
is a trait that men like to feel that constitutes a man and those that does
not have complete control over all these matters are less of a man. Like G.
Gorden Liddy kept putting his cigarette out in the palm of his hand. I must
have had 15 large infected blisters in my hand for trying that....I did
learn to quit!
Some people have more nerves than others. I was having a "root canal" done
on one of my teeth and the dentist called in another dentist and they got a
medical TV camera and told that I would be in the Journal for dentist for I
had TWO nerves going to each root of the tooth. I saw the gums jump at two
places inside each root.
I always wondered when I got a bad tooth ache everyone said "Its only a
tooth ache".
Now, wasn't that interesting? It just goes to show no two people are alike
and you(pl) should not expect everyone else to have your exemplary talent.
......................................................
"Greg Linscott" <grglnsct...@cs.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:176f8e61...@usw-ex0106-048.remarq.com...
> > My opinion is that the Vietnam
> > experience
> > generally should make one mentally stronger -- not weaker -- with
> > that
> > concept I am in complete agreement with Burkett. I have met phoney
> > malingers and I don't like it, because they decrease the
> > availability of
> > funds for those who need it. It still bothers me that a guy that
> > I know
> > served as a clerk and was shelled near Saigon draws 100% for PTSD
> > while
> > another that I know draws only partial disability for a lost foot.
> > [Yes, he
> > has a job]. In summary, we don't need anymore Mark Heinneman's.
>
> Charles,
>
> I agree. I have vague recollections of survivors guilt and may have
> suffered from PTSD, but got over both of them way back when. My unit
> was mauled and remauled. Traumatized and re-traumatized. Keep repeating
> the process and the trauma becomes "normal".
>
> I think an individual makes a conscious decision about a traumatic
> event. You either let it defeat you or you defeat it. You will become
> either stronger or weaker. I chose the former (as did many, many
> others).
>
> Greg
>
>
>
Charles G. White
> Yes! You both are examples of what all American boys would like to grow up
Why not --it's better than living a life crying over spilled beer.
<snip>
> Some people have more nerves than others. I was having a "root canal" done
> on one of my teeth and the dentist called in another dentist and they got
a
> medical TV camera and told that I would be in the Journal for dentist for
I
> had TWO nerves going to each root of the tooth. I saw the gums jump at two
> places inside each root. I always wondered when I got a bad tooth ache
> everyone said "Its only a tooth ache".
> Now, wasn't that interesting?
Ed, I damned sure did not intend to include dentists in "mind control over
matter". As far as I am concerned, a visit to the dentist is another trip
to see the BIG ELEPHANT. <g>
Greg Linscott
> elephant
> (or experienced the ultimate pucker factor), then, when put into
> the proper
> perspective, hopefully he will adapt so the remaining stumbling
> blocks of
> life will seem trivial and will present no significant barrier.
> With that
> advantage, we hope that he may gain an edge over others who were
> not there.
> Stated in another manner - "When possible, one should convert his
> liabilities into assets".
Charles,
You got it. That combat experience gave me a lifetime of energy and
"can do" enthusiasm. No stressful, difficult, hard tasks since I got
back. Everythings a piece of cake. I see people whimping about all
kinds of trivial issues and I just gotta laugh.
It's a jungle out there, eat or be eaten.
Best Regards