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LTC Psychological Operations Officer
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Edited >1 y ago
This is a sad story, but I don't actually like the idea of a green alert. IMO this just further reinforces a negative stereotype about veterans in general. Now vets need a category to themselves that essentially declares them as helpless as children and seniors with dementia? And then we wonder when employers are hesitant to hire a vet with any level of PTSD? I think the real problem lies with the standards that police departments use for taking action on missing people in general. For example, if the parents of a missing civilian with some mental problems comes in, they shouldn't be entitled to the same level of urgency as a vet with PTSD? We need to re-examine when police should be required to give urgency to missing persons requests in general, rather than stick another helpless label on vets.
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SSG Warren Swan
SSG Warren Swan
>1 y
Sir this is a two way street. Some vets with unseen and some seen injuries can/are on the same level mentally as a senior citizen with Alzheimer's/dementia. In that case, a "green" alert is not a bad thing. Also if you're going to look for a thief, who is better suited to find that thief than another thief? Same with a vet. We know and recognize most of the symptoms that would be seen in each other much faster than anyone else, so if this alert went out, we could go to places where there's a heavy concentration of vets, or where a large homeless concentration of vets are (have one near me now), and hit those with the knowledge and background to relate and not berate. On the PTSD thing, I don't think there is a true vet alive who is "proud" of having that moniker next to his/her name. Once it really sink in, it's not something to be "proud" of, just something one has to accept. When you see the proud to have PTSD vets, they don't have a damn thing other than a high VA rating.

As many cops there are that are prior service, in my particular area, there are twice as many who have no clue as to being military other than a friend, family member, or bad TV shows and movies. The stigma is real, but only enhanced through BS court cases where PTSD is thrown around like candy to excuse bad behavior, tv making us look like total buffoons, and my favorite; a former Alaskan Governor blaming Obama for her son's PTSD triggering him to commit domestic violence. His DD214 was the first one I've ever seen posted online and shared openly just to show that he never saw combat, has no CIB (MOS 11B), and was a radioman in a TOC for a year. He was also charged last year with beating his own father up. Thanks Obama.

We are not "special" or "Heroes", but we shouldn't deny ourselves the chance to make it easier to help one another in any situation as long as it's honest.
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SPC Joel Willman
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I will say this does not reflect the entire MPD. There are many veterans on the force that this story bothered them. My dad is a USMC NAM VET, & retired homicide detective that worked many high profile cases, after 38 years has told me some of the officers who haven't served or know truly what effects PTSD/TBI has will not treat the missing person report the same.
I say if an alert is needed to save 1 persons life then let it get passed.
Sorry for the loss of a comrade "Chip"!
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SSG Warren Swan
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I’m sorry for the family, but in his death, a bigger good can happen and maybe a national alert can be made to made to protect the ones who need it most.
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