Mental health problems still stigmatized in the military

Mental health problems still stigmatized in the military
By Dana Priest and Anne Hull
Washington Post / December 2, 2007

WASHINGTON - In a nondescript conference room at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, First Lieutenant Elizabeth Whiteside listened last week as an Army prosecutor outlined the criminal case against her. The charges: attempting suicide and endangering the life of another soldier while serving in Iraq.

Her hands trembled as Major Stefan Wolfe, the prosecutor, asserted that Whiteside, now a psychiatric outpatient at Walter Reed, should be court-martialed. After seven years of exemplary service, the 25-year-old Army reservist faces the possibility of life in prison if she is tried and convicted.

Military psychiatrists at Walter Reed who examined Whiteside after she recovered from her self-inflicted gunshot wound diagnosed her with a severe mental disorder, possibly triggered by the stresses of a war zone. But Whiteside's superiors considered her mental illness an excuse for criminal conduct, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post.

At the hearing, Wolfe, who had already warned Whiteside's lawyer of the risk of using a "psychobabble" defense, pressed a senior psychiatrist at Walter Reed to justify his diagnosis.

"I'm not here to play legal games," Colonel George Brandt responded angrily, according to a recording of the hearing. "I am here out of the genuine concern for a human being that's breaking and that is broken. She has a severe and significant illness. Let's treat her as a human being."

In recent months, prodded by outrage over poor conditions at Walter Reed, the Army has made a highly publicized effort to improve treatment of Iraq veterans and change a culture that stigmatizes mental illness.


Rest of article at: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2007/12/02/mental_health_problems_still_stigmatized_in_the_military/

Recurring mental health problems are cause for separation from service. Many diagnoses, such as bipolar disorder, are viewed as "incompatible with service." Anything other than brief, situational depression? So long, Charlie.

The military doesn't find it cost-effective or prudent to rely on people who have mental health challenges. I doubt this will change all that much in the future. It may be that they behave more compassionately towards those with these illnesses, but I don't see integration as an option anytime soon.


This case might be helpful in pushing these issues to the forefront, even if the poor First LT has to be the guinea pig. Right now, it's true, the Services - all of them, not just the Army - handle mental health problems in an ad hoc manner.

Under military law, soldiers who attempt suicide can be prosecuted under the theory that it affects the order and discipline of a unit and brings discredit to the armed forces. In reality, criminal charges are extremely rare unless there is evidence that the attempt was an effort to avoid service or endangered others.

At one point, Whiteside almost accepted the Army's offer to resign in lieu of court-martial. But it meant she would have to explain for the rest of her life why she was not given an honorable discharge. Her lawyer also believed that she would have been left without the medical care and benefits she needed.

No decision has yet been made on whether Whiteside's case will proceed to court-martial. The commander of the US Army Military District of Washington, Major General Richard Rowe Jr., who has jurisdiction over the case, "must determine whether there is sufficient evidence to support the charges against Lieutenant Whiteside and recommend how to dispose of the charges," said his spokesman.

In the future when you see articles like this, would you please post in this forum?