Fort Hood Report Reveals Deeper Dilemma

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It's hard to address a problem when you're not allowed to use the terms that describe it.
In this way a problem can slip through the cracks of any organization. It seems that political correctness has blinded an entire system to something that should have been addressed.
It seems logical that the system needs overhaul and soon.
If blame is to be placed, then those in charge of establishing and promulgating a "correct think" policy in the mental health division of our military have something to answer to, too.
Let us hope that political correctness is speedily erased from the vocabulary of all those upon whom we count to keep our country safe.

Judy Starr of CT 7:06PM February 01, 2010

The military may be short of psychiatrists, but the real reason Major Hasan was tolerated is very simple. It can be summed up in two words: Political correctness. Any other explanation is more political correctness, an excuse or rationalization for tolerating the man's behavior and anti-American views.
I served in the Navy 21 years and I can tell you that worst possible thing you can be accused of is racism. Being accused, rightly or wrongly, of racism in the Armed Forces is a career killer that follows you every where. The men and officers supervising and working around Major Hasan would have been terrified of saying anything about him or his reamrks for fear of being labeled anti-Muslim or, worst, racist.
Racism should never be tolerated, but political correctness does not foster diversity. It divides people and it is a dangerous policy.
Does it surprise anyone that a 70 year old, blue eyed grandmother of Swedish descent is subject to the most intrusive search, but a 20-something year-old Muslim, African male is allowed to board an airlane with a bomb in his underwear?

jimonthebeach of FL 6:26PM February 01, 2010

There is one common thread that runs through all of the terrorist activities from 9/11 right on through the murders committed by the Islamic coward Hasan at Ft. Hood. That thread is ISLAM. It is a dirty ideology bent upon murdering each and every Christian, Jew and unbeliever and subjugating the world under the yoke of this fraud perpetrated on the world by a pedophile, murdering fabricator and liar.
Everyone of these Muslims should be removed from the Armed Forces so they will not be in a position to sneak up on unarmed men, women and children and shoot them to death.
If that is not to be the case, then Sec. of Defense Gates and the rest of the Armed Forces officers should be required to have a Muslim accompany him 24 hours each day to see what it is like to worry about being assassinated by someone who is supposed to be on your side.

Don Ror of TX 2:19PM February 01, 2010

Muser of NM, you again don't quite understand the totality of the question here. We may be fighting radicalized Muslims in Afghanistan and Iraq; but most Muslims in the USA are not that much different from average Christians in the USA except for their nebulous religions beliefs, including the "one God" belief.
Since we have soldiers fighting for the USA in Muslim countries I think the need for Muslim psychiatrists (who aren't nuts) would also be a good thing. The best thing we can do to rid the world of whack job Muslims is to have Americanized Muslims serving and working in our armed services. (Well there are probably other, better things; but this is the subject now.)
There is a GENERAL shortage of psychiatric health workers in the military. Much of the reason for this is in the two wars (one illegal) with extended and repeated tours of duty. We can do better than this for our soldiers. We need to find a way to get good mental health care for soldiers AND their families.

Mike Mansfield of KY 3:34PM January 31, 2010

If there is a shortage of Dr.s in the VA system,one would assume civilian specialists would be called upon by the Defense Dept. to assist.Since their patients ,our sons and daughters ,are in a position where establishment of trust is vital to effective treatment-can there be guarantees of thorough vetting implemented this time?Aside from an anomalous event such as the Ft. Hood tragedy-civilian Dr.s spinning their personal views about the war,"d.a.d.t." or the price of coffee would be of questionable value.

Paul of TX 7:24PM January 30, 2010

You may think Muslims are a "race", but I happen to know they are not. They are followers of a mindset literally meaning SUBMISSION to an Allah cooked up in the mind of some 5th-century "prophet" who has somehow convinced many people that no other writings or thoughts can supplant his----NONE and NOT EVER. That is not a race.
As for "nutball" treatment (BEFORE the shootings), it says right above in the article that colleagues and patients found Major Hasan "unprofessional, erratic, and disturbing". Clearly, they kept him, not because of "shortage" as alleged here, but because nobody wanted to confront the issue of him likely screaming about religious discrimination. Well, it's one thing not to worry about the religious leanings of a bricklayer. It's quite another when the guy is there to mess with the minds of United States soldiers.
The Pentagon is caught with its figurative pants down on this.
As for, "don't ask, don't tell", however, I do agree with you.

Muser of NM 11:54AM January 30, 2010

So because Hasan was a Muslim, he must inherently have been giving "nutball treatment" to his patients, and no Muslim psychologist could ever properly treat a patient engaged in the current wars with Muslims. What about Muslim soldiers? It's not like we don't have them in the army.
And the fact that a shortage of psychiatrists in the army was the reason for his inflated evaluations is yet more evidence that the military can no longer afford Don't Ask Don't Tell.

Kevin S. of OH 1:30AM January 30, 2010

but, honest to goodness, folks, was there EVER any sense in having a Muslim psychiatrist for treatment of soldiers engaged in two wars involving Muslims? Did we have German or Japanese psychiatrists for WWII? Or Vietnamese psychiatrists in the 60's and 70's? Hasan got where he got because of a lapse of common sense somewhere at the Pentagon.
Yes, his shootings are another matter. But, another burning question before that was "What kind of nutball treatment was this guy already giving his clients?"

Muser of NM 11:53PM January 29, 2010