Trump appointee shows his support for our troops, and is forced to resign.

[The Grand Nudger]

Higbie derided members of the military suffering from severe PTSD as having "a weak mind" and said 75% of those afflicted were either lying or milking it for federal money.

http://www.cnn.com/2018/01/18/politics/k...index.html


Just a small taste of this shitweasels mindset, and not even the most disgusting thing he said. 

Yeah...so, that's the ticket...bunch of scammers.  We're swimming in all that sweet, sweet federal money. Totes worth for a lifetime of wondering whether you'll strangle your wife..or worse, in your sleep.  Fuck off. As a factual counterpoint, soldiers routinely -resist- diagnosis and treatment of and for PTSD. It remains under-diagnosed and..when diagnosed, under-treated.

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As of September 2014, there are about 2.7 million American veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars (compared to 2.6 million Vietnam veterans who fought in Vietnam; there are 8.2 million "Vietnam Era Veterans" (personnel who served anywhere during any time of the Vietnam War)
According to RAND, at least 20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have PTSD and/or Depression. (Military counselors I have interviewed state that, in their opinion, the percentage of veterans with PTSD is much higher; the number climbs higher when combined with TBI.)
Other accepted studies have found a PTSD prevalence of 14%; see a complete review of PTSD prevalence studies, which quotes studies with findings ranging from 4 -17% of Iraq War veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder).
A comprehensive analysis, published in 2014, found that for PTSD: “Among male and female soldiers aged 18 years or older returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, rates range from 9% shortly after returning from deployment to 31% a year after deployment. A review of 29 studies that evaluated rates of PTSD in those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan found prevalence rates of adult men and women previously deployed ranging from 5% to 20% for those who do not seek treatment, and around 50% for those who do seek treatment. Vietnam veterans also report high lifetime rates of PTSD ranging from 10% to 31%. PTSD is the third most prevalent psychiatric diagnosis among veterans using the Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals.”PTSD and comorbid AUD", Subst Abuse Rehabil. 2014; 5: 25–36, Ralevski, et al.
50% of those with PTSD do not seek treatment
out of the half that seek treatment, only half of them get "minimally adequate" treatment (RAND study)
19% of veterans may have traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Over 260,000 veterans from OIF and OEF so far have been diagnosed with TBI. Traumatic brain injury is much more common in the general population than previously thought: according to the CDC, over 1,700,000 Americans have a traumatic brain injury each year; in Canada 20% of teens had TBI resulting in hospital admission or that involved over 5 minutes of unconsciousness (VA surgeon reporting in BBC News)
7% of veterans have both post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury
rates of post-traumatic stress are greater for these wars than prior conflicts
in times of peace, in any given year, about 4% (actually 3.6%) of the general population have PTSD (caused by natural disasters, car accidents, abuse, etc.)
recent statistical studies show that rates of veteran suicide are much higher than previously thought, as much as five to eight thousand a year (22 a day, up from a low of 18-a-year in 2007, based on a 2012 VA Suicide Data Report). (See suicide prevention page). Contrary to the impression many media articles give, veteran suicide rates, although definitely higher, are not astronomically higher than civilian rates. See New York Times 2013 article, "As Suicides Rise in US, Veterans are Less of total," by James Dao.
PTSD distribution between services for OND, OIF, and OEF: Army 67% of cases, Air Force 9%, Navy 11%, and Marines 13%. (Congressional Research Service, Sept. 2010)
recent sample of 600 veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan found: 14% post-traumatic stress disorder; 39% alcohol abuse; 3% drug abuse. Major depression also a problem. "Mental and Physical Health Status and Alcohol and Drug Use Following Return From Deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan." Susan V. Eisen, PhD
Oddly, statistics for veteran tobacco use are never reported alongside PTSD statistics, even though increases in rates of smoking are strongly correlated with the stress of deployment and combat, and smoking statistics show that tobacco use is tremendously damaging and costly for soldiers.
More active duty personnel die by own hand than combat in 2012 (New York Times)
According to September 2015 New York Times articles, some branches of the military do not keep fine-grained data, or any data at all on the suicide rates (and this must mean on the mental health as a whole) of their veterans. There are "battalion epidemics" of suicide in the military, which much higher rates of suicide and mental health problems.

http://www.veteransandptsd.com/PTSD-statistics.html

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[Minimalist]

The WLB is just the tip of the shitberg.  He has placed these idiotic motherfuckers all through the government.  The damage they do will be incalculable.

Yeah, snowflakes.  No difference at all between Hillary and the Orange Turd.

[The Industrial Atheist]

This guy is an odious and ignorant asshat. I wish he could be sent back to the 1950's where his views belong.

He thinks if people on government assistance can't vote it will help the right. Laughable. Red states receive more welfare money because they're usually poor as fuck.

It's hard for me to believe he's really stupid enough to think that people that go out to war don't get PTSD.

[The Grand Nudger]

Well, he is a navy boy...blow me down sailor!  They only account for 11% of diagnosis at last check, compared to 67% for Army.  It's almost as if different branches exert greater or lesser pressure due to the nature of their daily workloads and level of deployment.

[The Industrial Atheist]

Well, he is a navy boy...blow me down sailor!  They only account for 11% of diagnosis at last check, compared to 67% for Army.  It's almost as if different branches exert greater or lesser pressure due to the nature of their daily workloads and level of deployment.

It's a sign of ignorance when someone assumes life is the same for others as it is for them.

[Jackalope]

Fuck that ignorant shitweasel.

[LadyForCamus]

Sickening.