San Antonio Express-News
(c) Copyright 2002 San Antonio Express-News. All Rights Reserved.
Wednesday, September 4, 2002

Editorial

Soldiers must seek help on, off the battlefield ; The slayings of four soldiers' wives at Fort Bragg demand prudent change.

Last week, the Pentagon announced that soldiers returning from Afghanistan will undergo mental screening before going home.

This is in response to the slayings, in just six weeks, of four soldiers' wives at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. In every case, the husband was a suspect.

The Army is rightfully alarmed by the killings, especially since three of the men - including two who took their own lives - had recently returned from Afghanistan as part of Special Forces units.

In light of the outbreak of domestic violence, the Pentagon's decision to screen returning soldiers is prudent.

In addition, the Defense Department has sent a 16-member team to Fort Bragg to investigate the slayings.

That team has a number of working theories. One is that the stress of combat led to the death of the women, and this is why returning soldiers will be screened.

The other theory is related to possible psychotic side effects from the anti-malaria drug Lariam, which is given to soldiers in Afghanistan. However, the connection to Lariam seems remote -thousands of soldiers at other bases have taken Lariam without resorting to violence.

What is apparent is that soldiers - like other people - need to seek help from mental health professionals when experiencing severe stress.

Counselors who work with active-duty military say that soldiers are trained to maintain control and iron-clad discipline at all times.

While these attributes are necessary in combat, they can lead to emotional distress and problems at home. Seeking help is not a sign of weakness for soldiers. On the contrary, it's a sign of strength.