Written by Scotty Keister
In the film Patton, George C. Scott (as Patton) while touring an army medical tent famously smacks a GI in the head. The soldier is recovering from what was then called “shell shock” and Patton thinks he’s just malingering. In the military it was generally considered that having an emotional or nervous reaction to anything in war was simply weakness. Psychology has come a long way since then and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is now widely recognized as a serious result of combat, frequently resulting in suicide. As of 2016, suicides by veterans were averaging 6,000 per year. The VA has now made suicide prevention its highest priority. Continue Reading
