Bad enough you're fighting in a war. Then this ...

Soldier's daughter allegedly killed by another soldier. Sorry if it's a d_b (did a quick search and didn't see anything) but it stings a little here because my brother, who is stationed at Fort Bliss and is currently in the middle east, apparently knows the accused. Man, my kids make me mad a regular basis, but how someone could do this is beyond me.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/military/ci_8897057

 

And that there's another child involved, as well as an ugly custody battle...ugh. Rather than take sides, I just pray for the child still living.

 

The Army REQUIRES everyone with children to fill out and file a form (can't remember the name or number, right now) planning for the care of your children while you're deployed. If I'm not mistaken, the form plans for a number of scenarios -- from a short-notice movement to a long-range deployment for extended periods of time.

This is really, really sad.

Almost as sad as the soldier in Tacoma who killed another couple to take their baby.

 

I'm not sure how relevant the fact that this guy is a soldier is.
I'm wary about "crazy vet" stories and the effect they have generally.

 

I think it's pretty damned relevant and I don't see the "crazy vet" has any role in this whatsoever.

 

AA --
I did a lot of reporting on Vietnam vet stories in the 1970's. A lot of the mainstream coverage was of freakish crimes and weird suicides and the like, and I think it gave an unfortunate stigma that those guys didn't need, given everything else that was going on. Maybe I'm just gunshy about this stuff.

 

I don't know about the crazy vet part, but I do know that no small number of them have difficulty supplanting the intensity of the situation they live with daily in a battle zone, which is why many request to go back, and why , while perhaps not clinically crazy, some exhibit erratic behavior. This situation is beyind merely erratic. I also know the military has enough image problems without something like this happening. I think my brother is ticked because that and because this makes it a trifle more difficult for an in-country soldier to feel at east about his familiy's well-being.

 

It's the dreaded "kin" form ("The 2-1-4").
We had it in the Corps, too. It's a DoD form, not specific to the Army.

 

That may be the case. I have no doubt on the validity of the "crazy vet" aspect, in certain regards. Just don't think it plays a role in this case.

 

OK.