War Crimes.

Many of us know about post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD, but do we really understand the real dangers? If left untreated, PTSD opens up a world of violent acts committed  by soldiers. These man are thrust  into danger, and then re thrust  back into a normal life as though coming back from camp expected to be just as they where when they left. In a recent study done by  King' college in London, researchers have found that soldiers in combat roles are fifty percent more likely to commit a violent crime than those in non-combat roles to commit assaults or threaten violence after returning.  Men who had multiple traumatic combat experiences had a 70 to 80 percent higher risk of becoming violent criminals. David Forbes, an expert in post-traumatic mental health from the University of Melbourne, Australia, said this study showed for the first time the link between combat and interpersonal violence, and the need for better understanding of the mechanisms behind how combat enhances the risk of violence.  These acts of violence are no small crimes, such as in the case of Dwight L. Smith Jr:  a soldier charged with kidnapping, raping, and murdering a local woman last year is now claiming in a letter that he killed innocent men, women and children overseas and that his combat service got him "addicted to killing people."  In the letter, Smith writes, "I am going to be honest with you dad. I have killed a lot men and women and children. Some that didn't even do anything for me to kill them. Also some that begged for mercy. I have a problem. I think I got addicted to killing people." "I could kill someone, go to sleep and forget that it ever happened," Smith writes. Of course not all returning soldiers suffer from PTSD, but the ones that do are plagued every day with disturbing memories, terrifying flash backs, night mare dreams, crippling depression, and many more unsettling symptoms. Although the subject has to come to light much more over the years, people are still left untreated and this can have damaging effects on the soldier and every one around him. Post traumatic stress disorder should not be taken lightly and it should be tested and treated as soon as they are dismissed home. Our returning heroes deserve at least that much.

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