Veterans fear being stigmatized in wake of shooting

Veterans fear being stigmatized in wake of shooting
By WASHINGTON POST
September 21, 2013

Will Simmons felt a sickening sense of familiarity when news bulletins scrolling across his computer screen Monday identified the Washington Navy Yard shooter as a veteran.

“I thought, 'Here we go again,' “ recalled Simmons, 31, an Iraq war veteran who was at his pharmaceutical office job in New Jersey that day. “It's going to turn into a disgruntled veteran story. It was like a punch in the gut to see it was a vet.“

Many veterans groups and advocates complain that news media portrayals of onetime Navy reservist Aaron Alexis as a troubled veteran plays into a stereotype that causes problems for former members of the military.

“They talk about it like it's some sort of explanation,“ said Tom Tarantino, chief of policy for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “It perpetuates the stigma of the ticking time bomb or disturbed vets. To talk about it as relevant is not only insulting, but it also does a disservice to hundreds of thousands of veterans.“

Some warn that calls to clamp down on security clearances for federal workers and contractors who have mental-health issues could discourage veterans from seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered a broad review of the security clearance procedures.

Simmons said he was concerned about assumptions that the attack was tied to Alexis' military service and speculation about possible post-traumatic stress. Alexis did not deploy for overseas service.

“As someone diagnosed with PTSD, that was pretty offensive,“ said Simmons, who served at Balad Air Base in 2007 with an Air Force Office of Special Investigation unit that came under fire during counterterrorism operations. “Shooter-veteran-PTSD - it all gets lumped together.“
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PTSD trauma survivors are on the job every day, actions of one not all