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....VAN SUSTEREN:I mean, I've heard the post-traumatic stress discussion. I've heard all that. But here's a guy who at least is accused tonight of gunning down12 innocent people. So you know, I'm just curious how -- you know --you know, how this -- how there was no red flag.

SCALES:Greta -- Greta, here's the deal. I've known dozens of soldiers who are legitimate sufferers of PTSD. These are soldiers who've had a buddy die next to them, who had an IED go off underneath their vehicle, who've had an AK-47 put in their face. That's called -- those are motives for PTSD.

VAN SUSTEREN: And...

SCALES: But I'm sorry, but...

(CROSSTALK)

SCALES: ...in a psychiatrist's office, listening to a guy tell war stories to me is not a reason to claim that you're suffering from PTSD. That's totally ridiculous.

VAN SUSTEREN: General -- General, thank you.
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Notice there in the end what I put in italics.  We all don't know the shooter's story or history, and more than likely we won't until further down the road, if we even will at all.  What we all should know by now is that NONE of this was the Army's fault, and the Army did everything it could to prevent this.  I said that last sentence in sarcasm, of course.

Everyone on TV I've heard talk about Fort Hood so far has done nothing but praise it beyond belief.  I've heard it regarded as "one of the best installations in the U.S." and many other bogus statements.  I was only there for 3 months last year, but I can tell you most of what I heard made me laugh out loud, or lol.

While I was there, I was briefed multiple times about all the male-on-male rapes that go on there.  The male victim would be seduced by a female, drugged, and then get raped by the female's male friend, and there were multiple accounts of rapes on both sexes.  Traveling with a buddy was HIGHLY encouraged at this post.  I know there are drugs running around on most military installations, but it was really bad on Ft. Hood (One of my buddies was directed by one soldier who was stationed there on where to buy weed just walking down the sidewalk).  For the 3 months I was stationed at North Fort Hood, the "internet" they provided was pathetic.  You would think the internet stateside would blow away that overseas, but not at Fort Hood.  Also, read these clips taken from army.mil:

"Fort Hood Soldiers and civilians have survived the highways for 100 days and earned a training holiday.

In last week's Fort Hood Sentinel, III Corps and Fort Hood CommanderLt. Gen. Rick Lynch announced Soldiers would receive a training holidayif they reached 100 days without a traffic fatality. The holiday wasthe result of a Soldier's suggestion to Lynch and is now scheduled forApril 27...

...The most recent time Fort Hood came close to 100 days without a trafficfatality was 98 days from Oct. 5, 2007, to Jan. 12, 2008."

A training holiday (a day off) because they didn't have a traffic fatality for over 100 days?  Seriously?

So does Ft. Hood really sound like the best base ever, as they seem to be claiming it to be?

How dare the General jump out and say in the same day "listening to a guy tell war stories to me is not a reason to claim that you're suffering from PTSD."  Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't, but how dare anyone try to claim PTSD for a lot of things. Do you have any idea how many soldiers out there are claiming PTSD for matters blown way out of proportion, and they receive monetary compensation for it?  I understand that certain things effect people on different levels, but being stationed in Kuwait or Qatar hardly even begins to initiate a PTSD case, yet SO many claim from those posts.  I was stationed in Kuwait last year, and I had never been under so much stress in my life, not too mention my peers in Kuwait were leaps and bounds more stressed out than my peers for the year I spent in Mosul.  If I couldn't do anything because of my profession about all sorts of wrong doings, I may go a little nuts as well.  I wouldn't be gunning people down, but I don't know how else I'd deal with it.

If this guy was truly disturbed by hearing "war stories" from all the service members he talked to, I wouldn't doubt it.  The military, especially the Army especially now, is one bad place.  Lots of bad things happen (murders, rape, drugs, hazing, worthless leadership, fraternization, accidents, etc) go on, yet most soldiers are told to keep "hush hush" about these incidents, as I'm sure many are threatened to remain quiet.  He may have been overloaded with more than just "war stories."  Even when I think I've had it bad in the military, I continue to run in to more people who have more stories about what they've been through, some of it even shocking me.

So be prepared for an onslaught of how amazing the Army and Ft. Hood are. Show me a soldier who is not in a high ranking position who loves Ft.Hood and thinks it is the best installation in the U.S. and I will give you a mirror so you can see a liar.  Hopefully the media starts reporting some of the truth and not justwhat the people/army wants to hear.

You can't fix a mistake if youpretend it doesn't exist.