Army kept whistle-blower in locked ward - Psychiatric ward

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20040525-111343-1697r

WASHINGTON, May 25 (UPI) -- The Army kept a soldier whistle-blower in a locked psychiatric ward at its top medical center for nearly two weeks despite concern from some medical staff that he be released, according to medical records.

The Army then charged him nearly $6,000 for the stay at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, billing records show.

"They are definitely retaliating against me," said Army Reserve Lt. Jullian Goodrum, a 16-year veteran of the Gulf War and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Doctors say Goodrum suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, or combat stress, from Iraq. Last summer Goodrum asked for an investigation into the death in Iraq of a 22-year-old soldier in his 212th Transportation Company. He was also quoted in a United Press International article about poor medical care at Fort Knox, Ky., that helped spark investigations in Congress.

more

[demnan]

1. It's getting to the point

where stories like this don't even surprise me anymore.

[maddezmom]

3. just read it...and can't think of a reply

all the stories are flowing into each other....

[monkeymind]

2. I surprised she is alive

usually whistle blowers get fragged.

[Oaklander]

10. Or they commit "suicide".

[MisterP]

31. or have accidents on lonely roads or get shot by unknown assailants

like many members of a troop who were with Jessica Lynch

[TheWraith]

21. He, not she. NT

[UpInArms]

4. the cover-ups continue

on every level with this mal-administration.

Supporting the troops? Nah - just use them and throw them away :grr:

UPI published a series of stories last fall about poor medical care for soldiers on "medical hold" at U.S. bases, including many who served in Iraq like Goodrum. In response, the Pentagon announced a series of new polices and has pledged $77 million towards fixing the problem.

On Oct. 29, 2003, Under Secretary of Defense David S. C. Chu drafted new health care rules that said soldiers should be referred to private doctors if needed. When Goodrum could not get care at Fort Knox, he went to a private doctor instead. His medical records show that Fort Knox officials considered that "unacceptable."

"They are totally violating their own policy," Goodrum said. He said he has complained about his treatment at Fort Knox to his congressman, U.S. Rep. John J. Duncan, R-Tenn. A spokesman for Duncan said he is aware of Goodrum's complaint but couldn't comment on it.

Goodrum was named the 176th Maintenance Battalion's "Soldier of the Year" in 2001. He has received a host of awards, including the combat action ribbon, and positive reviews from superior officers.

[Dhalgren]

5. "I can hear it on the rails,

Because of all we've seen,
Because of all we've said,
We are the dead"

[al bupp]

22. Now You've Done It

Gone and betrayed your age by a reference to an old David Bowie album. Diamond Dogs stands as one of the classics of R&R, IMHO. Here's another eerily relevant quote from another cut on that record (which is full of them):

"Someone to claim us, someone to follow
Someone to shame us, some brave apollo
Someone to fool us, someone like you
We want you big brother, big brother"

Cheers from an old hippy

[Dhalgren]

23. Yeah, I confess - another old hippy, here.

But so much of what we lived seems much more relevant now, than just 4 years ago.

"I'll make you a deal
Like anyother candidate
We'll pretend you're walking home
'cause your future's at stake"

Man, it goes on and on...

[crossroads]

33. One more old hippie here

History repeating itself---and the beat goes on...
:shrug:

[no_hypocrisy]

How capitalist: paying for your own gulag!

[Ripley]

6. And the story about the soldier yesterday...

who was "playing the part of a detainee" in an exercise at Gitmo and was almost killed. His story needs to be on mainstream TV.

Anyone of these HORRORS should be enough to get Rumsfeld fired, but nooooo he's is Superb and the Best Sec of Defense....EVER.

:nuke: :grr: :nuke: :mad:

[ret5hd]

7. hmmm...shades of stalinist russia, don't you think? (nt)

[truthspeaker]

8. I thought the same thing. Not just Stalinist Russia

they were putting dissidents in mental hospitals through the Brezhnev years.

[enough]

13. Yes, in many ways, we are becoming the old Soviet Union

Putting your enemies away in psychiatric wards is just one particularly colorful example.

snip>

But records show Fort Knox officials contacted Walter Reed on Feb. 18 and said to keep him in the locked ward. "Contacted by DCCS at Fort Knox ... who provided additional information and expressed concerns regarding potential discharge of LT Goodrum," the records show. "Currently, due to legal/admin concerns the patient should remain on ward 54," the the locked ward. "Patient states that he is doing 'a little bit better' ... Pt is scheduled for intake (for outpatient therapy) tomorrow, however due to recent admin developments concerning command at Fort Knox this may need to be postponed."

His records show that Goodrum was held in the locked psychiatric ward for the next 13 days. His health appears to have deteriorated some because of that confinement. "They hurt me, in terms of my recovery. I was doing fine, then 'bam,'" Goodrum told UPI.

On Feb. 21 his record states: "Per chief of psychiatry patient will need to be (in the locked ward) because he has charges pending ...

snip>

[amber dog democrat]

17. That was my response too. We are imitating the Soviet Union

Have we learned nothing?

[abelenkpe]

24. I work with a guy from Russia

and he has commented several times over the past few years that this country is becoming similar to the USSR. I try not to take him seriously, but with stories like this it is getting more and more difficult.

[ithacan]

25. the Neocons learned a lot from the Soviet experience!

Remember, most of them used to be Trotskyites, then they became right wingers, but the way they understood politics remained the same: dogmatic, authoritarian if not totalitarian.

They truly have learned much from the Soviet experience, unfortunately all negative however.

This is just one more example.

The flag lapel pins is another minor but very telling one.

[ChickMagic]

29. Now it makes sense!

I always wondered why they picked Condileeza Rice as National Security Advisor since her expertise is Soviet Union related.

[othermeans]

9. He lodged a complaint with his Republican Congressman

What do you think his chances are of getting heard?

[gratuitous]

11. The congressman can't (or won't) comment

This is what passes for "supporting the troops" in Republicanland. Have a complaint? You must be nuts. Lock him up in the psych ward for a month or two. Want a second opinion? Okay, you're a danger to yourself or others. Maybe three months dancing with thorazine will straighten you out.

This does look like Stalin. And since he's still the conservative's favorite dictator, I fully expect to see Safire, Will, and The Dean trot out the comparisons. Or am I bucking for a berth in the psych ward?

[lostnfound]

12. Sgt Massey, DN! yesterday --also ordered for psych therapy for PTSD

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/05/24/148212
"We had just lit up a vehicle, a red KIA, the Korean-made passenger vehicle, and we had just lit it up. They failed to stop at our checkpoint. Three of the men were fatally wounded that were in the vehicle and one -- the driver, had survived without any damage. As we were pulling the bodies out of the vehicle, of course, we're searching and we find nothing, and these were young -- these were young men. They were in their mid 20's. The one that was unscathed, he looked up at me and he goes, you know, why did you kill my brother? We didn't do anything to you. We're not terrorists. So, I have three dying men with bullet holes from our weapons, and this gentleman asking me why I killed his brother. That's a tough pill to swallow, and that continuously happened the entire time that we were in Iraq. After we left the city of Anu Mannia, it just became utter chaos. It sickened me so that I had actually brought it up to my lieutenant, and I told him, I said, you know, sir, we're not going to have to worry about the Iraq -- you know, we're basically committing genocide over here, mass extermination of thousands of Iraqis, and with the depleted uranium that we're leaving around on the battlefield, we're setting up genocide for future generations within Iraq. He didn't like that. He immediately went to my commanding officer, Captain Schmitt and proceeded to tell him about how I felt about Iraq. Word spread pretty quickly and I knew that my Marine Corps career was over. I knew that the statement that I had just made was going to bring about the blackball pretty quickly. So, I was scurried out of Iraq quickly, and ordered to report back stateside to receive psychological therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder and major depression. When I got back stateside, that's when things really became ugly. I felt like the staff sergeant that just received the prison sentence for a year. I had to hire a lawyer because they were trying to pin me with conscientious objector, and basically, they were doing everything in their power to threaten me and to intimidate me so that I would go U.A. "

Guess it looks like SOP.

[Athame]

16. I was just going to post this

The advantage of this strategy is that even when they get out, their testimony is tainted with "mental illness."

Stating the obvious, I know, but it has to be done...over and over.

[amber dog democrat]

18. I can not see being Diagnosed for PTSD and charged for therapy.

As if its that soldiers responsibliity? Hell , I would have to face years of legal battles fighting charges for thearpy. It used to be that was treatment you were entitled to.

This is insane and I am not even touching on the criminal and irresponsible aspects of this invasion and occupation. Too bad Iraq was cursed with such huge oil reserves.
Oh well, that's progress for you.

[catzies]

28. They charge for meals, so why not?

:shrug: This is your new, improved Privatized Military. God Bless 'Murka.

[amber dog democrat]

30. Do you remember Milo Minderbinder?

From CATCH 22 ?
That is what the privatization makes me think of - down to the charging for medical and food service? Maybe I was not paying attention, but I honestly don't think I was ever charged for meals when I was in the Navy.

If you want quality of life , it won't be in the lower echelon of the armed forceds.
And now it is questionable if sevice is something to be proud of.

[indie_voter]

14. Is this the twilightzone? Are we in the USSR? WTF?! n/t

[DBoon]

15. Worse than the Soviet Union

At least when they locked THEIR dissidents in psychiatric wards, they did not then charge them for their own imprisonment.

[nolabels]

20. Another fine example of American ingenuity

:crazy:

[Jacobin]

19. How KGBesque

Military industrial complex is really completely and utterly out of control

[baldguy]

26. "It would be a lot easier if this was a dictatorship."

Looks like Bush is trying to make his wish come true.

[Ganja Ninja]

27. This administration shares all the despicable traits of every ..

tin horn dictatorship I've ever seen.

[WillyT]

32. Kick !!!

:argh::kick: