Alleged murderer was diagnosed with ‘homicidal ideations’

[spindrifter]

January 09, 2007

By Ryan Lenz
The Associated Press

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. — An Army private charged with the slaughter of an Iraqi family was diagnosed as a homicidal threat by a military mental health team three months before the attack.

Pfc. Steven D. Green was found to have “homicidal ideations” after seeking help from an Army Combat Stress Team in Iraq on Dec. 21, 2005. Green said he was angry about the war, desperate to avenge the death of comrades and driven to kill Iraqi citizens, according to an investigation by The Associated Press.

The treatment was several small doses of Seroquel — a drug to regulate his mood — and a directive to get some sleep, according to medical records obtained by the AP. The next day, he returned to duty in the particularly violent stretch of desert in the southern Baghdad suburbs known as the “Triangle of Death.”

<snip>

Sending troops already in Iraq who have been diagnosed with mental illness back to combat duty — often under medication that has not been prescribed long enough to have provided relief — has been a particular criticism.

<more>

http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-2471826.php

[ck4829]

1. Gee, what a nice way of saying "Homicidal Maniac".

[ShortnFiery]

2. I would like to know if there was any true guidance as to follow-up

his leave away from the combat zone. It stands to reason that the Military Psychiatrists should not arrive at such a Dx as “homicidal ideations” and conclude that a few treatment sessions would wash such deep seated and disturbed thoughts out of his system.

IMO, be prepared as an society to see many discharged troops suffering emotionally due to lack of proper mental health follow-ups. Unfortunately, such illnesses will only be revealed to society by an increase in alcoholism, drug addiction, suicides and homelessness within our Gulf War Veteran population. Tragic and preventable if given appropriate mental health follow-ups, medication (if needed) and ongoing treatment in the civilian community. :(

[Jackpine Radical]

3. "Homicidal ideations" isn't a diagnosis. It's a description.

[ShortnFiery]

7. I stand corrected.

Yes, you are absolutely right. However, when someone emits the desire to harm and kill others, the mental health community is suppose to pull out the stops. Although I was in the little league section of Addiction Counseling, they should have had developed an ongoing treatment plan and, of course, not send him out in combat but rotated him back to the states.

Thanks for keeping me square. :hi:

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. They just popped some antipsychotics into him and called him good enough.

x(

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

6. Really!

Seroquel is just not some drug to make you sleep better, it's what they give you when you are evincing schizophrenic or schizoaffective symptoms! Sweet Bleedin' Jeebus on a Garage Creeper! Who are they arming and sending out on patrol over there?

If the guy qualified for Seroquel, he also qualified for removal from theater and placement in a nice hospital, for care, titration and medication assessment.

Unfuckingbelievable. Off the map.

[Jackpine Radical]

9. Inappropriate use of antipsychotics has a long

and "honorable" history in the military. In Vietnam it was massive doses of chlorpromazine (Thorazine) to "snap 'em out of" what was in those days called "combat reactions," which would today be called acute traumatic stress reactions. When a guy snapped, we would evac him in to the division field hospital, shoot him up with 300 mg Thorazine, let him sleep off the resulting jag, & send him back to the field within 24 hours.

[GreenPartyVoter]

12. Seroquel is on my list of "try next" for my bipolar

[Guaranteed]

11. Well, he was supposed to be killing people anyway, so they figured

he was close enough.

[stillcool]

5. so shocking....

who would think that soldiers in the middle of a war zone, watching people getting blown up every day would have homicidal ideations. I'm having some right now, as we speak.

[spindrifter]

8. More people need to know

this is happening. I was blown away by the story appearing in Army Times.

[Lilith Velkor]

10. Who knew being trained to kill would give one "homicidal ideations"?

:eyes:

[Guaranteed]

13. I was so surprised.

;)