Family talks about ex-Marine charge with shooting deputy and PTSD

This story has so many twists and turns it is hard to keep up. First we have this to contradict what the spokesman from Tampa VA had to say about staff. More wounded coming home, Tampa VA cuts jobs This was said later in the article below. Next twist comes from Buendia's girlfriend. Some may be stunned that she said Buendia had a PTSD episode when he attacked her, but that is only if they don't have a clue what combat PTSD does to someone. Thankfully she understands why he did what he did, which has been known by other significant others since wars began. We can be ignorant and simply blame them or we can be informed and know the help they need just isn't there. It is our fault for allowing all of this to go on as long as it has without the proper response to it. We will keep reading more and more stories about domestic violence, crimes and suicides until everyone is doing everything possible to address it. Cutting staff at the very hospital Buendia was treated by opened the door for more needless suffering.

Then we have the Deputy shot while responding to the domestic violence call. More and more law enforcement officers are responding to crisis situations that didn't need to happen, risking their lives facing off with combat veterans suffering from where they've been. The truth is hard to take but what makes it worse is the fact all of this could have been avoided if the DOD and the VA were prepared ahead of time to address the psychological impact of repeated deployments. The Army released a study in 2006 about the increased risk of PTSD but the DOD and the VA did not gear up to take care of the men and women we sent accordingly.

PTSD raised in shooting of deputy

By HOWARD ALTMAN
The Tampa Tribune
Published: October 04, 2011

TAMPA --
Friday night, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Matthew Lane Buendia began beating up his girlfriend after an argument. Investigators said he tackled her as she tried to flee, punched her, slammed her head on the floor, grabbed her by the throat and slapped the phone away when she tried calling 911.

When Deputy Lyonelle De Veaux, 35, responded, Buendia shot her twice in the leg and once in the shoulder, the sheriff's office said. De Veaux, a five-year veteran of the sheriff's office, was recuperating in the hospital Monday after surgery to remove a bullet from her shoulder.

Buendia is a former Marine who served two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. His family said he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and wasn't getting adequate treatment.

The argument that Buendia's actions can be at least partially attributed to post-traumatic stress disorder divides some local therapists. One calls that rationale "overblown;" another says that Buendia might not even have realized he was shooting at a deputy.

The former Marine has an unexpected defender.

"It's hard to explain," his girlfriend posted Sunday when asked by a friend whether she and Buendia had been fighting. "He was having a really bad Ptsd episode."
read more here

Family says former Marine accused of shooting Hillsborough County Deputy suffers from PTSD
By: Sarina Fazan
TAMPA - Matthew Buendia's family describe him as a proud Marine, joining the service after graduating Leto High School and serving three consecutive tours in Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We don't know what it does to you," Matthew's older brother Zach said.

Matthew Buendia had been home for about a year and half and Zach could sense something was not the same.

"I know he had PTSD issues."

Zach said his brother was trying to get help through the VA hospital. Because of strict privacy laws, James A. Haley Veterans Hospital could not confirm if Buendia was a patient.

But Dr. Carri-Ann Gibson, who specializes in combat veterans going through Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), said they are seeing more and more patients suffering from PTSD.

"Our staff has more than doubled."

While Dr. Gibson could not comment directly on the Buendia case, she stressed it's a real illness that needs to be treated.

"It's a real disorder that people have," Dr. Gibson said. "People with PTSD may misperceive their environment, so they may respond to potential threats or there may not be a threat and they may perceive a threat."

read more here

Suspect in Hillsborough deputy shooting a former Marine

3 Tour Ex-Marine arrested in Hillsborough County deputy shooting