Reservist's Shaken Baby Death Puts PTSD on Trial

There are many quotes that could have been used on telling the story of what happened to a family after deployment including this one.

"Therefore, the number-one thing we can do to help vets is to prevent avoidance," said Phipps, who admitted that she's not offering a magic bullet. "They don't need to hear 'Get over it,'" she said. "We should be saying, 'Get through it.'" Kelly Phipps, Ph.D.

Jerry Davich wrote Blaming war for actions at home elicits different kind of anger October 11, 2104 with this quote.

I have no pity, compassion or explanation for monstrous abusers — let’s face it, they’re accused of killing babies. That’s not acceptable anywhere and most people would agree that people convicted of that should first rot in prison and then rot in hell.

I’d be surprised if Duron’s attorney doesn’t use the PTSD claim as his lead defense strategy in court. Then again, as one full-blown PTSD sufferer told me for this column, even combat-related PTSD does not remove the ability to distinguish right from wrong.

Felix Duron is accused of shaking his baby to death

There’s a telling line that jumps off the page in the probable cause affidavit against Felix Duron, regarding how he allegedly shook to death 2-year-old Bentley Mihal.

“Duron admitted he was in a state of extreme anger and resentment and shook B.M. (Bentley Mihal) like he would ‘shake a man,’ ” the Sept. 25 affidavit states.

What is missing, perhaps the most important fact of all is what else was happening when Duron was deployed.

Such violent anger couldn’t be seen in Duron in 2011, when the then 24-year-old U.S. Army Reserve soldier returned home from a year in Afghanistan. Along with 160 other soldiers, Duron smiled broadly while cradling his infant son for the first time.

This was three years after the DOD told the entire country they were training servicemen and women to be "resilient" with their Comprehensive Soldier Fitness on the heels of Battlemind.

14. Januar 2008
Battlemind: Preparing Soldiers for combat, home life
By Susan Huseman USAG STUTTGART
STUTTGART – Today, every Soldier headed to Iraq and Afghanistan receives Battlemind training, but few know the science behind it.

Dr. Amy Adler, a senior research psychologist with the U.S. Army Medical Research Unit-Europe, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, visited Patch Barracks to break down the program, which is a system of support and intervention.

Not every Soldier who deploys downrange is at risk for mental health problems. The main risk factor is the level of combat experienced, Adler explained to her audience, comprised predominantly of medical, mental health and family support professionals.

Army studies show the greater the combat exposure a Soldier encounters, the greater the risk for mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anger and relationship problems. When Soldiers first return home, they may not notice any problems; sometimes it takes a few months for problems to develop.

It turned out that most did not know what they needed to know about Combat and PTSD.

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of the families surveyed were not told about the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Ninety-two percent (92%) of the Servicemembers surveyed were not tested nor had no knowledge of being tested for PTSD.

Sixty-five percent (65%) of the Servicemembers surveyed either suffer from PTSD or are unsure if they suffer from PTSD.

Forty-one percent (41%) are not getting treatment for PTSD

Battlemind came with a warning that it could cause problems back home.

'Battlemind' is the Soldier's inner strength to face fear and adversity with courage. Key components include: - Self confidence: taking calculated risks and handling challenges. - Mental toughness: overcoming obstacles or setbacks and maintaining positive thoughts during times of adversity and challenge.

Battlemind skills helped you survive in combat, but may cause you problems if not adapted when you get home.

In other words, unlike Davich's attitude, the fault belongs to the military. What they claimed they were doing is being proven all over the country as more and more of these men and women change from being willing to die for the sake of someone else, into someone accused of harming someone else.

They don't get the help they need while in the military and they don't get what they need when they come home.

Duron needs to stand trial for what he is accused of doing. When does the DOD stand trial for what they failed to do? When does Congress stand trial for what they failed to pay attention to repeatedly? When do military families get the information they needed and were promised by the DOD?

A veteran harming someone else is rare considering there were over 2 million serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. A veteran taking their own life happens more often.