Judge to Soldier: "Your time in Iraq makes you a threat to society"
Stress of combat left soldier a nervous wreck
Adan Salazar

A former soldier who conducted two tours of duty in Iraq gave a Tedx talk last month from prison where he described how the army taught him to harness an uncontrollable rage and how it ultimately led him to become, what one judge termed, a "threat to society."

In an October video posted of a TEDx correctional facility talk, Army veteran Andrew “Sarge” Chambers gave a heartfelt account of his difficult transition to civilian life after the events of 9/11 convinced to march to war.

Chambers, who is from Pickerington, Ohio, depicted one memory in which he awoke to a chaotic battle scene and gunfire, and remembered being astonished to hear someone laughing through it.


"In the middle of all this chaos, I could hear somebody laughing and I thought to myself, ‘Who could be laughing at a time like this?’ and then I realized it was me laughing," Chambers said. "I felt like I was finally losing control of that rage they taught me to harness."


Following his first tour, Chambers says the Army asked for volunteers to stay for an additional length of time, for which he says he volunteered as he was not married and did not have children.

Chambers recalled losing seven fellow soldiers during his second tour, in which he and others would find and neutralize roadside IEDs.

He says when he returned to the United States, the stress of combat left him on edge.

"I was paranoid. I carried a pistol on me at all times. I assessed the threat level of every person or place I came in contact with," he stated. "Driving through my family’s neighborhood, I drove in the middle of the street in fear that the side of the road was gonna blow up and kill me."

Chambers recollected seeking help from the Veterans Administration and being prescribed a sleep aid, but says the medication did little to quell his inner rage.

Then one night, an argument erupted over a girl. "Someone pulled out a knife and I snapped."

"I pulled out my pistol. The prosecutor said I moved through the room in a tactical manner, clearing the room, laid everybody on the ground I took the knife from him and I began beating him."

The army vet was charged with attempted murder, as well as other charges. "When I went in for sentencing, my judge told me, "Mr. Chambers, your service is a double-edged sword. Your time in Iraq makes you a threat to society and I have a civil obligation to lock you up. I received ten years and here I am today."

The veteran’s story shines light on how many enlistees consider suicide as an alternative to coping with pent-up rage. It also shows how the establishment casts the mental health needs of returning veterans by the wayside, and deems them threats once their honed warrior instincts surface.

Chambers says he hopes his story brings insight to the mindset of military veterans, and urges people to "Find a veteran and listen to his story. A lot of us just need someone to talk to."

The speech was given as part of a TEDx correctional facility series, which showcases stories about “incarceration and reintegration.”

http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=45535

Amazing we still have a country after WWII.

You would think all those million+ soldiers (esp the Pacific guys) would have been all stressed out and started killing everyone when they got home.

Oh and I'll say this now...This idiot's reasoning sounds like a load of bullshit.

Quoted Text

"I was paranoid. I assessed the threat level of every person or place I came in contact with," he stated.

This behavior is exactly what the government expects from ALL americans. They have successfully instilled the fear of God in everyone. To look over your shoulder, to scan the areas you are in for anything suspicious!!! To report anything that doesn't appear to be normal.

And that is why half of the american population is on mind altering drugs!!!!

Quoted from bumblethru

This behavior is exactly what the government expects from ALL americans. They have successfully instilled the fear of God in everyone. To look over your shoulder, to scan the areas you are in for anything suspicious!!! To report anything that doesn't appear to be normal.

And that is why half of the american population is on mind altering drugs!!!!

Bumbler's post explains a lot...
Bumbler posts he has "The fear of God" and he's "looking over his shoulder" for "anything suspicious".
Apparently, bumbler is in that "half or our society" who's using "mind altering drugs".

You know Bumbler... you've been slamming vets (except for your dear ole departed grandpa) for
a week now.  The least you can do is stop lying about it.  

Get your FACTS (if you even know a fact when you see one) before you post.

If you even care, you can find the FACTS at:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/guns/feinstein.asp

Or at:
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/f/Senator-Feinstein-Vets.htm#.UolidMR2GTM

At a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on Thursday, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California) opposed an amendment to her Assault Weapons Ban legislation that would allow military veterans to continue to buy the firearms that would be banned. Feinstein says a veteran may be mentally ill and should be prevented from purchasing firearms.

Quoted from Libertarian4life

At a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on Thursday, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California) opposed an amendment to her Assault Weapons Ban legislation that would allow military veterans to continue to buy the firearms that would be banned. Feinstein says a veteran may be mentally ill and should be prevented from purchasing firearms.

Another FALSE statement from the Ignornant Hater 4 Life.  
FACT IS:

Quoted Text

Senator Feinstein stated neither that "all vets are mentally ill" nor that "the government should prevent [veterans] from owning firearms"; that claim is a highly exaggerated paraphrase of her remarks. What Feinstein did do was express her opinion that creating an exemption in an assault weapons ban (not a general firearms ban) for retired military personnel might was inadvisable due to both the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among that group and the difficulty of verifying that a potential gun purchaser was in fact a veteran, and that the proposed amendment should therefore include a provision for screening out "mentally incapacitated" veterans
Read more at http://www.snopes.com/politics/guns/feinstein.asp#3blBk9x4zqahtM3t.99

Quoted from Box A Rox

You know Bumbler... you've been slamming vets (except for your dear ole departed grandpa) for
a week now.

Never 'slammed' vets.........just don't honor the 'willful' killing of the innocent (both American/foreign) in the name of country and flag. 'Willful' wars that are political. 'Willful' wars that we have NO business being involved in. Offensive wars....not defensive! No one in their right mind would take part in such atrocities unless they were 'forced' to....such as my grandfather. For them I have nothing but remorse!

Quoted Text

for retired military personnel might was inadvisable due to both the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among that group and the difficulty of verifying that a potential gun purchaser was in fact a veteran, and that the proposed amendment should therefore include a provision for screening out "mentally incapacitated" veterans

She believes that ALL veterans are 'mentally incapacitated'. You can't murder innocent men, women and children and come back the same person you were before. They train military folks to be KILLERS/MURDERERS. And unless you were born to be one, they will create one! The created ones are the ones that come back damaged. AND THEY KNOW/KNEW that.....and don't give a sh!t!

Quoted from bumblethru

She believes that ALL veterans are 'mentally incapacitated'. You can't murder innocent men, women and children and come back the same person you were before. They train military folks to be KILLERS/MURDERERS. And unless you were born to be one, they will create one! The created ones are the ones that come back damaged. AND THEY KNOW/KNEW that.....and don't give a sh!t!

Please provide a link to prove your claim, because as I posted,
"Senator Feinstein stated neither that "all vets are mentally ill"
nor that "the government should prevent [veterans] from owning firearms";",
and I find NOWHERE that she makes the statement you claim!!!!

Quoted from joebxr

Please provide a link to prove your claim, because as I posted,
"Senator Feinstein stated neither that "all vets are mentally ill"
nor that "the government should prevent [veterans] from owning firearms";",
and I find NOWHERE that she makes the statement you claim!!!!

The bill in question exempted 100% of retired law enforcement from the assault weapons ban.  A military veterans advocate wanted to give that same exemption to military veterans.  But Feinstein wasn't willing to exempt veterans like law enforcement, because she makes the assimption that returning vets may have PTSD, but she doesn't make that same assumption with law enforcement.  So she is able to determine ALL law enforcement do not and will not suffer from PTSD, but she can't make that determination for military veterans.

It's about her giving the blanket exemption to law enforcement, but not military.

Quoted from CICERO

The bill in question exempted 100% of retired law enforcement from the assault weapons ban.  A military veterans advocate wanted to give that same exemption to military veterans.  But Feinstein wasn't willing to exempt veterans like law enforcement, because she makes the assimption that returning vets may have PTSD, but she doesn't make that same assumption with law enforcement.  So she is able to determine ALL law enforcement do not and will not suffer from PTSD, but she can't make that determination for military veterans.

It's about her giving the blanket exemption to law enforcement, but not military.

Fine, you have offered your interpretation of the bill. Doesn't address the claim made by
Bumbler....So I'll ask again...
BUMBLER, PROVE YOUR CLAIM!!!!!!!

Quoted from bumblethru

Bumbler's poster is pure political BS!
When their agenda doesn't match the FACTS, they change the FACTS!

As I've posted on this issue several times before, If all you read is Right Wing BS, all you will
know is Right Wing BS.