Combat vets are being denied employment for fear of PTSD!

Ralphy1

Ralphy1

Well-known Member
According to an NPR report this seems to be quietly happening as employers fear the vet may have a violent outbreak at some point and put other employees or customers at risk. This gave me pause as to what I would do as an employer. What about you?
 

Maybe fear of not being able to get a job when they come out will cause fewer young men and women to sign up for the wars that governments start so casually.

As to your question Ralph, I think if I was an employer, I might be reluctant to hire an ex-soldier.
 
You may have a point there Ralphy.

I sometimes wonder if some of them may be "faking" PTSD to "enjoy" the benefits to which they're entitled.
 

Falcon said:
You may have a point there Ralphy.

I sometimes wonder if some of them may be "faking" PTSD to "enjoy" the benefits to which they're entitled.
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Perhaps... Probably due to the fact that the majority of enlistees are minorities and from poor or lower middle class families. The alternative to having these folks volunteer to fight and die for the US is to reinstitute the draft... that way EVERYONES son or daughter might be called to serve. We all know that rich kids would never "fake" anything.
 
The problem with the draft is how many deferments the rich and the connected can get. Remember Dick Chenney? He racked up seven as I recall...
 
From what I just read, PTSD can happen to civilians as well, due to........rape, car accident, witness a murder/shooting or anything traumatic. Not just post-military/combat people.

As far as not hiring them, tough decision, perhaps very tough.
 
Personally.... I think it's a disgusting decision. not tough...

And YES CR.. PTSD happens to anyone.. Last weekend a deer ran in front of my car and we knocked it to next tuesday.. Screwed up my car pretty bad.. Just the shock and fear of that incident has had me sick all week. I have trouble sleeping and see that deer when I close my eyes and I feel really jumpy.. I know it's temporary and I'll get over it... but what I'm saying is if a thing like that can cause symptoms... Imagine what being in full out and out combat can do. The speculation that some are simply "faking" it is offensive.
 
When I got back from my first WesPac Cruise (Nam), I was ok.........even though there was one night, when we were sitting off the coast of South Vietnam, and either the North Vietnam Army or Viet Cong were shooting a ground-mounted Machine Gun at us, but not reaching the ship. We could see Tracer Bullets being fired at us. We were not under General Quarters/Combat, b/c the ship was so far from shore, but not far enough we couldn't see these bullets in the air. It was sort of scary for this 19 year old (at the time), but I just continued smoking the cigarette that I had and "bs'ing" with other guys.
Of course this wasn't "combat" or seeing my fellow Servicemen blown to pieces either. The Navy was a part of Vietnam, but not like the other "ground" and "air" Services or the Gun Boats out on the Delta's.

I didn't have a problem getting a job after the Navy/Vietnam......not at all.
 
I would hire them for sure! After all they've been through, I wouldn't want to be giving them another kick in the teeth by denying them a job and an opportunity to support themselves. You know how many are living in the streets of America, a lot!

Quicksilver, thank goodness you're okay! We live in a state where there are a lot of deer, but all these years I've been lucky. A few close calls, but no hits. As you say, anyone can get PTSD, I think it's just a fancier modern name for shell shock for the Vets. Someone I know was attacked by a friend just out of the blue. This friend had no beefs with him, he was on anti-depressant mood altering prescription drugs and he just snapped. He chased him relentlessly through the house with swords in hand, and then tried to get ammo for the rifle on the wall. The cops came after a 911 call, and he's now behind bars, being mentally evaluated. He never served his country either.
 
ClassicRockr said:
When I got back from my first WesPac Cruise (Nam), I was ok.........even though there was one night, when we were sitting off the coast of South Vietnam, and either the North Vietnam Army or Viet Cong were shooting a ground-mounted Machine Gun at us, but not reaching the ship. We could see Tracer Bullets being fired at us. We were not under General Quarters/Combat, b/c the ship was so far from shore, but not far enough we couldn't see these bullets in the air. It was sort of scary for this 19 year old (at the time), but I just continued smoking the cigarette that I had and "bs'ing" with other guys.
Of course this wasn't "combat" or seeing my fellow Servicemen blown to pieces either. The Navy was a part of Vietnam, but not like the other "ground" and "air" Services or the Gun Boats out on the Delta's.

I didn't have a problem getting a job after the Navy/Vietnam......not at all.
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Thank you for your service CR. My son did two WesPac tours. One during Afghanistan and one during Iraq. He was on the Destroyer the USS Elliot.. with the John C Stennis battle group. He was a Sonar Tech.. (ping jockey) But they actually boarded merchant ships looking for smugglers and whatever. So there was some danger involved.
 
re:Combat vets are being denied employment for fear of PTSD!

I would that depending on what type of job they are seeking and how does it affect the rest of present emplyees.

Bottom line it always been company stocks/profits first.

It stinks I know but thats the way it is today and

its stinks no matter which way you look at it.
 
Davey Jones said:
re:Combat vets are being denied employment for fear of PTSD!

I would that depending on what type of job they are seeking and how does it affect the rest of present emplyees.

Bottom line it always been company stocks/profits first.

It stinks I know but thats the way it is today and

its stinks no matter which way you look at it.
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You're probably right to a degree that the company is thinking of stocks and profits but maybe those people who are making the decision might also be thinking of the last time they heard about an ex-soldier hurting people because of PTSD and about the people who will be working with that guy if it were to happen again if they hire this guy. I would think that would colour their thinking at the time they're sitting there looking at this guys application.
 
QuickSilver said:
Perhaps... Probably due to the fact that the majority of enlistees are minorities and from poor or lower middle class families. The alternative to having these folks volunteer to fight and die for the US is to reinstitute the draft... that way EVERYONES son or daughter might be called to serve. We all know that rich kids would never "fake" anything.
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I think you're jumping to conclusions there QuickSilver. Nobody is insinuating that it's only the poor who would fake anything. Lying and cheating isn't a rich man/poor man issue. It's a human issue. And not that everybody will cheat, but there's too often some who will. And saying that isn't casting aspersions on any except the ones who might try. And yes, where someone is legitimately having problems because of being over there, then definitely get them the help they need.
 
My first instinct would be to hire but monitor how he was settling in. A bit of extra TLC and concern might be appropriate but I speak as Australian who doesn't have to worry too much about said vet being a gun owner. It is one question I would be asking though. I'd prefer a vet who wanted to leave conflict behind him.
 
My natural father was a prisoner of war of the Japanese. My mother was a survivor of nazi germany. My brother, 11 years older than me, told me they were a "volatile pairing." I remember my natural father but was raised by my step father.

I'm going to just take a guess here that they both had PTSD. *insert a little sarcasm* My mother had severe emotional problems. But.....they both worked and never broke the law or shot up the work place. I'm wondering if this has become a newer phenomenon.

I can't tell you the bad memories I have. Yet I function very well in a stressful work environment. Even when I'm stressed to the max inside. Having trouble getting a job is no help to anyone. It could, in my opinion, cause more problems. People need to work to support themselves and feel they are worth something.
 
People need to work to support themselves and feel they are worth something.
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That's why I'd be more inclined to give them a start than not.
The phrases "do unto others... " and "there but for the grace of God ..." would be ringing in my ears.
 
This whole post makes me cringe. We ask these men and women to put their lives on the line to fight for their country... then when they suffer the consequences... we won't give them jobs.... When we won't give them jobs, they have no choice but to seek public aid and food stamps and veterans benefits... when they seek assistance we belittle them as "takers" and 'Moochers" and want to take these benefits away. What is it that is wanted from these people? Seriously.. It's truely messed up.
 
Hopefully we will have fewer cobat vets in the future, but I wouldn't bet on it...
 
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