Army Psychiatrists: PTSD & Major Hasan - Retread

(MOLALLA, Ore.) - The Fort Hood Massacre leaves many questions in my mind. I can look at this and think about it from several viewpoints. I did have a year of psychology in college and a course of psychiatry in medical school. By any standard that is not enough.

I did have advanced psychology courses in the Infantry as a Private Combat Infantryman. I was convinced that most of my sergeants, junior officers and even farther up the brass chain were off kilter.

When I got home and through medical school and started practicing medicine I was convinced that my previous observations were correct.

Then I started reading about the SNAFU’s at Walter Reed Army Hospital about five years ago. According to T.V. and newspaper stories it was as bad as the stables of Hell and the two top dogs got fired (maybe more?). Then this latest Ft. Hood Massacre comes up with the information that Major Hasan had a POOR PERFORMANCE RECORD. Yet he was not only retained but promoted. Not only did he end up in the wrong place but his associates and supervisors were in the wrong places and made a serial sequence of totally wrong decisions about him.

I had heard as an Infantry Dogface that my officers going through Fort Benning OCS were graded by each other and if an OCS Officer Recruit was felt by his peers NOT to be officer material he was WASHED OUT. It sounds like it worked fairly well but I was still astonished how many got the “stuff on their shoulders”.

Getting back to Major Hasan. How in Hell did he get through his Psychiatry Residency and how did he pass the Boards to become a shrink?? If he had a POOR PERFORMANCE RECORD why wasn’t he stopped or in any event why was he considered to be “competent” to counsel battle scarred PTSD Combat Veterans when several of his peers KNEW he had a few screws loose. (typical shrinks??)

Somebody should be checking out the Psychiatry program at Walter Reed before any more goofies get turned loose on the troops.

Dr. Phillip Leveque has degrees in chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and minors in physiology and biochemistry. He was a Professor of Pharmacology, employed by the University of London for 20 years, during which time he trained the first doctors in Tanzania. After training doctors, he became an Osteopathic Physician, as well as a Forensic Toxicologist.

Do you have a question, comment or story to share with Dr. Leveque?
Email him: ASK DR. LEVEQUE
More information on the history of Dr. Leveque can be found in his book, General Patton's Dogface Soldier of WWII about his own experiences "from a foxhole".

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Frances November 17, 2009 11:23 pm (Pacific time)

WAKE UP AMERICA. They needed another terrorist to scare us with. The Patriot Act needs to be voted on again.

Engle November 18, 2009 8:11 am (Pacific time)

From what I've read lately, this terrorist never did get involved debriefing returning vets dealing with PTSD, who knows? Like most major stories, it seems to take a while to get all the info out. It's reported this individual had a big time connection with radicals. In a few more weeks we'll even know more, probably usurping current info. Also notice that quite a difference of info from the different media sources. I would like to note that during my time in the military, OCS usually put out some pretty decent officers, especially compared with ROTC and the military academies. For example many top officers I knew had served some time as enlisted personnel, with some even having served in combat as NCO's. They knew the ropes. These of course were officers that were in essentially combat-type units: Infantry/Tanks/ Artillery.

John Byrnes November 18, 2009 4:46 am (Pacific time)

HOW TO PREVENT FUTURE NIDAL HASANS We have read with concern the many signs Major Hasan provided which would indicate an unstable and potentially dangerous frame of mind. Our concern is that those who actually saw and heard the signs and those to whom the signs were reported did not act upon them. From Hasan’s contact with a radical imam, to the initials SoA (Son of Allah) on his business card, to his comment that he was a Muslim first and a soldier second – there is no doubt the signs that he was potentially dangerous were there for all to see. Furthermore, he was under surveillance by two Terrorist Task Forces, one with Department of Defense oversight and the other with FBI oversight. So why wasn’t he stopped? The answer is quite simple – The military does not have an objective and culturally neutral system that collects information and evaluates it to determine the degree (or level) of aggression an individual is displaying, nor has it people who have a clear responsibility to observe and report this information within an objective system nor a team who is responsible to evaluate it and respond. The military does not have the AMIS solution and it desperately needs it! Major Hasan has illustrated out vulnerable we are, learn more about the problem and the solution by reading our Blog: http://Blog.AggressionManagement.com

Susan Tackitt November 18, 2009 3:39 am (Pacific time)

What I dont understand is why isn't there much talk about this guy being forced to serve against his will after he willingly served on his own? This practice is common with these wars and until they stop forcing troops to serve against their will we will see more and more melt downs like this. Its not right! If anyone does not want to serve again they shouldnt have to. Besides, if I were there I dont think I would feel comfortable with them watching my back. How many more events such as this is America going to have to go through before someone wakes up and stop forcing anyone to serve against their will. Just stop and think, those lives that were lost and those lives that have been affected by this ugly event could have been prevented if the Military didnt practice this. I say shame on us for not speaking out against this.

Winder November 17, 2009 11:37 pm (Pacific time)

Another astute observation, Doctor Phil...the Army (and all the other branches of service) needs to weed out the whacked-out to prevent other such disasters in the future. They're too quick to promote away or reassign away their problem children, much like certain church hierarchy relocates problem clergymen to the detriment and dismay of the rest of society.

Frances November 17, 2009 11:21 pm (Pacific time)

WAKE UP AMERICA. They needed another terrorist to scare us with. The Patriot Act needs to be voted on again.

Osotan; November 17, 2009 10:17 pm (Pacific time)

Zinger Doc!,I got small elephant shivers while reading it, time to medicate!

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