Democracy Now! Summaries

Angelina Garcia

Soc 122 M, W, 3:30-4:45 PM

April 6th, 2014

Word Count: 447

Democracy Now! Summaries

The first story that I read was called “‘The War Comes Home’: Deadly Fort Hood Shooting Raises Questions About Treatment of Returning Vets.” It discusses the recent shooting in Fort Hood military post; four people were killed, including the shooter, and sixteen people were injured. The shooter was an Army Specialist who was being tested for PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; he had never been in combat. This incident is known as the second largest mass shooting in Fort Hood in only five years. The program is joined by Malachi Muncy and Ryan Holleran, two Army veterans who are a part of the group Iraq Veterans Against the War. Aaron Glantz, a reporter who covers veterans and domestic military issues, also joins. Muncy talks about the language used by the military in trying to explain this tragedy; he says that they talk about symptoms that are synonymous with PTSD but do not refer to it directly. He says that it is hard to get diagnosed with PTSD. Holleran spoke about the heightened security and high suicide rate at Fort Hood. He also talked about the trauma spectrum and his own struggle with being diagnosed with anxiety and depression, but not PTSD; he mentions that Department of Defense physicians are hesitant to diagnose PTSD. Holleran also says that although available, access to healthcare is limited; he talks about the stigma attached to receiving mental care. 

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/4/4/the_war_comes_homes_deadly_fort

The next article that I read was titled “Drugging America’s Veterans: Painkiller Abuse Spreads as VA Becomes Vets’ ‘Drug Dealer of Choice’”; it also featured Aaron Glantz as a guest. Glantz, of The Center for Investigative Reporting, has covered the Irag War for almost ten years. He recently won a Peabody Award for reporting on how in the past twelve years, veteran prescriptions for opiates have surged 270 percent. They show a clip of Glantz’s “Drugging America’s Veterans” where Glantz reports on the death of wounded vet Jeffrey Wagoner. Wagoner developed and addiction to painkillers after he was injured in Afghanistan in 2007; after a 2 month stay in a VA hospital he was released with a prescription that included 12 oxycodone. Greg Wagoner, father of Jefrrey, believes that the VA has some part in Jeffrey’s death as he was found dead in a motel room after consuming two beers, 8 oxycodone pills, tranquilizers, and muscle relaxants; the medication was all courtesy of the VA. Besides addiction, Glantz reports of other side effects of painkillers including violence. Fortunately, Glantz does report that this issue is making a way into politics; there have been two congressional hearings on the topic. He also reports that VA’s are looking for alternatives to opiates, like therapy.

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/4/4/drugging_americas_veterans_painkiller_abuse_spreads