"War is hell" - and so is the aftermath

Dealing with troubled vets crucial
Aug 26, 2010

Veterans who served in combat in Iraq or Afghanistan are offered mental health care upon re-entry to American communities, but the possibility of tragedy remains. Last Friday's double-murder and suicide by a Hawaii veteran treated for post traumatic stress disorder is an extreme example of the need for more perceptive -- even aggressive -- measures to prevent violent outbreaks.

Clayborne Conley, a former Hawaii Army National Guardsman, shot and killed acquaintance Kristine Cass and her 13-year-old daughter, Saundra, before turning the gun on himself. Conley had been afflicted with insomnia, combat nightmares, morbid ruminations, suicidal thoughts and alcohol abuse upon his return to Hawaii from deployment in Iraq in 2005, according to court records.

In the years following his discharge, Conley was convicted of misdemeanors of assault and terroristic threatening. He was acquitted by reason of insanity in January 2009 of burglary and criminal property damage after entering a stranger's apartment and throwing furniture off the lanai two years earlier. Conley was committed to the Hawaii State Hospital and released in May of this year.

There were a lot of comments left on this but this one stands out.

kamaainaintx 23 hours ago

This editorial is tragically on the mark for our family. I was in combat in Korea and 'Nam, our grandson was in Gulf War II. He took his own life three years ago after struggling with the demons of war that still were with him. He took no one 'with him' but the result was devastating to us, nonetheless. There were few signs that we saw along the way - he had been participating in a VA program where he lived - to no apparent avail.

Some have said (cruelly, we might add) that 'he must have had those propensities before he enlisted'. If so, they were well-hidden for many years. He showed no such traits. It has been said that "War is hell" - and so is the aftermath.

We encourage all who have loved ones who may struggle with PTSD to heed the warning signs (if there are any that are visible) and be proactive in getting all the counseling and assistance that may be available.


Read more: Dealing with troubled vets crucial

Last weekend I posted the stories from Wisconsin and Hawaii. Both about National Guardsmen coming home with PTSD and both killing others before taking their own lives.

There was a comment on this blaming Democrats as if any of this is new. All wars produced emotional damage done to other humans but someone decided that this had to be made political. Guess it didn't matter that the numbers have been going up while political hacks stuck their fingers in their ears and said this country couldn't afford to increase funding for the DOD and the VA to care for the wounded because there were "two wars to pay for" at the same time neither war was included in the Presidential budget until Obama added them in. Just a shame all the way around but if people want to turn everything into some kind of political finger pointing, they should at least know what they are talking about.