A marksman in Iraq; No gun permit in Omaha

This is one of the biggest problems the veterans have in seeking help for PTSD. Congress in their usual lack of wisdom and consistent short sightedness, passed this bill thinking it would prevent PTSD veterans from committing suicide. The problem is, all it ended up doing was keeping veterans with guns from getting help so they can keep their guns. It has prevented many veterans from seeking the help they need because they served and their service required them to not only use weapons, but their lives depended on those weapons. Smart people would rather have a veteran with PTSD and a gun getting help than have a PTSD veteran with a gun and getting no help at all. As a matter of fact, any moral person would. I don't have a gun, never shot a gun and would never buy a gun, so for me to turn into a gun rights advocate shocks even me. But considering that responsible gun ownership should include responsible people wounded by PTSD getting help, that seems to be a better solution. If they want to kill themselves, the gun is not the problem but the system is. If they want to commit suicide a gun is the usual means but if not, then they find another way to do it. I've talked to too many veterans to know this keeps them from getting help and does more harm than good.

Published Thursday March 5, 2009

A marksman in Iraq; No gun permit in Omaha
BY KEVIN COLE
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

Sgt. Tim Mechaley trained fellow Marines to fire .50-caliber machine guns. He qualified as a marksman. He fought in the battle for Fallujah, Iraq, and received a combat medal with a "V" for valor.

Yet, when Mechaley sought to buy a 9-mm Ruger pistol for protection at his midtown apartment, the Omaha Police Department rejected his application for a gun permit.

"I was trusted by the government to carry a loaded weapon, but now I am not allowed to purchase one by my local government," he said.

Mechaley, 32, has received counseling for post-traumatic stress disorder related to his service in Iraq. While completing an application for a gun permit, he responded "yes" to a question that asked whether he was being treated for a mental disorder.

"I circled yes because I wanted to be completely honest," he said.

As explanation, he wrote "PTSD from Iraq Marine combat veteran" on the form.

Mechaley's application on Jan. 10 was rejected, he was told, because of that answer.

After talking with police, Mechaley said he had been "too truthful" on the application. click link for more