Treating PTSD - Soldiers Placed In Barracks Next To Firing Range?

Nearby Firing Ranges Complicate Soldiers' Recovery From Stress

Firing Range a Reminder for Soldiers with PTSD

Army Sgt. Jonathan Strickland sits in his room at noon with the blinds drawn, seeking the sleep that has eluded him since he was knocked out by the blast of a Baghdad car bomb. Like many of the wounded soldiers living in the newly built "warrior transition" barracks here, the soft-spoken 25-year-old suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. But even as Strickland and his comrades struggle with nightmares, anxiety and flashbacks from their wartime experiences, the sounds of gunfire have followed them here, just outside their windows.

Why are they even using Benning as a Treatment Center?

Soldiers interviewed said complaints to medical personnel at Fort Benning's Martin Army Community Hospital and officers in their chain of command have brought no relief, prompting one soldier's father to contact The Washington Post. Fort Benning officials said that they were unaware of specific complaints but that decisions about housing and treatment for soldiers with PTSD depend on the severity of each case. They said day and night training must continue as new soldiers arrive and the Army grows.

tressing that the battalion's mission is "getting those soldiers to heal."

Right!! Healing Soldiers is the last thing on the minds of these leaders!!