The publication of these accounts on Salon is an all too rare example of what it means to actually provide support for returning soldiers.

The stories don't fit with right-wing mythmaking and will never be accepted into the mainstream narrative about the war, at least not without a fight, but I hope that Salon will continue regardless.

All of these stories are heartbreaking and infuriating. I sincerely hope that all of the officers responsible for treating these soldiers so poorly are all court-martialed and dishonorably discharged. They are all disgraceful and aren't fit to serve our country. My heart goes out to all of the soldiers and their families that are suffering due to inhumane treatment by those scumbags.

Terrible story, and no surprises there - but I have to tell you - a Staff Sergeant is not an officer - he's an enlisted man.

A Staff Sergeant is a non-commissioned officer.

is an enlisted man - he's not an officer - it's a sop to the plebs. First real officer rank is Second Lieutenant - ask anyone who's served (and no, I wasn't an officer..)

is just tripe. This is the reality. The army thrives on cruelty and ridicule. Somebody with PTSD is as good a target as any.

Why just go ahead and title the article for what it is, "I will break your fucking face".

PTSD is very real and very serious trauma.

Why *not*

With these two pieces, the author has brilliantly dangled the bait for you lefty wing-nuts.

I'll check back but to be sure, in no time this page will be replete with vitriolic assessments of the U.S. military in general and on George Bush specifically.

No matter what is said, there is one immutable fact...war is hell. It always has been, it is now and it forever will be regardless of the political affiliation of the Commander in Chief. Stories like this are sadly par for the course.

The only pussy on this battle field is the author, who on the one hand will loathe the military and its mission for which this particular soldier volunteered, while on the other will sanctimoniously use this soldier's unfortunate circumstance as fodder for the piranhas in his audience.

Oh, yeah, all of us lefties couldn't possibly care at all about the troops. See, in your puny mind for anyone to disagree and loathe the mission means that they must loathe the troops. And it couldn't at all be possible that some of us were in the Marine Corps or other branches of the service. If you support the troops, then you should be fucking pissed off that some were treated like this when they have issues and illnesses stemming from combat.

See, the truth is, you and people like you are just sad, little sick caricatures of an unimaginative Limbaugh listener and I'd like to just be pissed at you and your type, but really, I just feel sorry for you.

What a nice sentiment jcjcjcjc. The authors, plural, of the article are badasses. It is too bad that military culture doesn't educate on myth and its gross misuse. Your machismo is worthless, more than worthless.

"No matter what is said, there is one immutable fact...war is hell. It always has been, it is now and it forever will be regardless of the political affiliation of the Commander in Chief. Stories like this are sadly par for the course.

The only pussy on this battle field is the author, who on the one hand will loathe the military and its mission for which this particular soldier volunteered, while on the other will sanctimoniously use this soldier's unfortunate circumstance as fodder for the piranhas in his audience."

Um-hum. Mistreating our psychologically wounded soldiers is just "par for the course". They knew what they were signing up for. Fuck 'em.

Right-wingers treat soldiers like Needham with callous indifference when they need help -- but it's the Left that "hate the troops?" What a hilarious lack of self-awareness.

Here, let's try a little test statement out:

"Where do you snivelling half-wits get off crying that, back in the Sixties, those big bad libruls....spit on vets and called them names? Suck it up, you candy-assed, whiny little pussies. You knew what you were getting into, right?"

Are you ready to salute my masculine fortitude, my take-no-prisoners attitude and clear-cutting sarcasm, JC? Or is it (as I expect) going to go right over your pointy little head?

Hey, JC4, I spent 4 years as an infantryman - not in the US army. Frankly, every British and Australian soldier I have ever met who has seen how the US army treats its soldiers has come away disgusted. Its downright fucking unprofessional, thats what it is. You have hard men throughout the British and Australian armies, theyre no angels but they dont treat their men like this. There's something sick at the heart of the US military system and soldiers of foreign countries can almost smell it, its that bad. You would be surprised at some of the conversations I have heard about this subject amongst foreign soldiers. This shit is substandard and unacceptable.

They send him over to Iraq to commit murder but when he gets sick from doing things he's knows are wrong and falls apart back home, THEN they charge him with murder. I know who the insane ones are: Dick Cheney - high performing psychopath, Donald Rumsfeld - low performing psycopath, George W. Bush , 'c' student, retard and compulsive liar. The lesson is simple: don't listen to fascist bullshit and don't join the army.

It indeed is. And part of this hell was unnecessary -- the treatment given to this soldier.

We read complaints about exaggerated hazing in the Russian army (leading to deaths and maiming) and we tsk-tsk them, saying they don't know any better. We read about children being recruited into armies in Africa and sigh, thinking at least in our country we know how to support and respect the troops.

And then there come people like jc, who seem to believe that war is not enough of a hell for troops to deserve a decent treatment from their superiors. No, we have to make it worse.

Jc, you are a shame to your country, to every war that it has fought, and to every soldier who risked his life to save yours. You should be stripped of your citizenship.