WHAT MAKES ME KNOW, NOT THINK, THE POST COMBAT STRESS DISORDER (PCSD) CONCEPT, INSTEAD OF PTSD SHOULD BE ADOPTED BY OUR MILITARY AND VETERANS ADMINISTRATION?
BECAUSE A LIFETIME OF EXPERIENCING AND SUFFERING IS A PROFOUND, POIGNANT TEACHER!

Now, to convince you... answer this one question: What do victims suffering PTSD from natural disasters, crime and accidents have in common with PCSD warriors wounded by the enemies of the United States of America on the battlefield?
You are exactly right...NOTHING! The Veterans Administration's purpose and motto is, "To care for he who bore the battle...", why then, are those brave GIs who went toe to toe with our nation's merciless enemies in bloody, horrific, repeated and highly contested combat being lumped together with victims of PTSD? It is terribly wrong and needs to be corrected to save warriors lives! To assist in the healing of PCSD wounded warriors and reduce the appalling numbers of 22 suicides a day in their ranks, we must remove the stigmas! That is the only way to solve this unnecessary and tragic enigma! PCSD is a honorable enemy inflicted wound and must be treated as such!
PLEASE ADOPT THE PCSD CONCEPT AND SAVE THESE HEROES LIVES! ONLY BATTLE RECOGNITION, DIGNITY AND HONOR CAN REMEDY THEIR DESPONDENCY, MISERY AND DEATH!

SILVER ~ STAR MEDAL ORDER

CLICK PHOTO!

I HAVE BEEN WOUNDED BY THE ENEMY, I HAVE PCSD!

OUR GOVERNMENT DENYING THIS FURTHER HARMS ME!

© As surely as those who lost their lives on the battlefield need to be remembered, those who survived need to be understood! -Grif

PC SD
JUSTICE DENIED OUR HEROES DIE!

©Pride Courage Service Dedication!
UNTIL THOSE IN AUTHORITY
TREAT WARRIORS HONORABLY
AND NOT AS WEAK MENTAL CASES
PCSD SUICIDE RATES WILL ESCALATE!

PLEASE ADOPT THE PCSD CONCEPT AND PHM PROPOSAL NOW!

© GRIFFIN'S LAIR'S
~ WARRIOR'S CONCEPT OF POST COMBAT STRESS DISORDER ~
TO CARE FOR, RIGHTFULLY, PROPERLY AND PROFICIENTLY BY THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION AND SOCIETY THROUGH RECOGNIZING THE CAUSE OF, THE DIGNITY, HONOR, SACRIFICES AND SUFFERINGS OF ALL WHO BORE THE BATTLE BRAVELY AND WERE GRAVELY AND PERMANENTLY PSYCHOLOGICALLY WOUNDED BY THE ENEMY IN MORTAL COMBAT; NEVER AGAIN TO BE RESTORED TO A NORMAL PEACE-OF-MIND EXISTENCE!
"PCSD" ~ Restoring Warrior Pride to Save Heroic Lives!
Is it not right that those brave warriors who went to the front in battle, be at the front of the line at the VA?

Yep, I've have been seriously wounded by enemy inflicted PCSD and I AM VERY PROUD OF IT! Why shouldn't I be? I got it from fighting BRAVELY for my country. SO DID YOU! BE PROUD AND LET THE WORLD KNOW IT! SHOW YOUR TRUE, HONORABLE AND BRAVE COLORS BY WEARING OR DISPLAYING THEM! LET ALL KNOW YOU SUFFER GRIEVIOUSLY FROM THIS ENEMY INFLICTED WOUND AND MANY WARRIORS LIKE YOU ARE DYING BY THEIR OWN HANDS WAITING TO BE UNDERSTOOD RESULTING IN PROPER TREATMENT AND RESPECT... by the VA, mental health professionals, the general public, the military and politicians, the press... all who want to help close this open, festering wound which is potentially, very dangerous to the warrior him or herself! Theirs and your lives depend on it! These wounded warriors have earned UNDERSTANDING, DIGNITY, HONOR, RESPECT, JUSTICE AND PROPER TREATMENT!
PCSD comes from the ENEMY and IGNORING FEAR constantly and fulfilling one's duties bravely and conscientiously, despite the ever present danger that surround you every minute in the combat zone! There is NO ROOM FOR FEAR ON THE BATTLEFIELD! If you let fear control your actions you would be an easy, trembling, pitiful, harmless prey to any enemy or hostile action by them, unable to perform your duties as a warrior! In other words you would be a coward! I ask you this… how can any combat decorated warrior or a combat veteran with an Honorable Discharge be classified as unable to cut the mustard or too afraid to perform adequately in combat and most probably... heroically as those with valor awards are most likely to be wounded by enemy inflicted PCSD and suffer a higher degree of severity! THINK! JUST THINK! That’s all it takes to come to this common sense and accurate, indisputable conclusion? WANT TO REDUCE THE HIGH SUICIDE RATE FOR MILITARY AND VETERANS? THEN, RENDER JUSTICE ONTO THE PCSD WOUNDED, BRAVE WARRIOR, NOT CONTEMPT, INSULTS, REJECTION, RIDICULE AND SCORN! HELP HEAL THEM NOT DESTROY THEM! They absolutely do not deserve misunderstanding, scorn, rejection or any stigma misapplied to them by anyone, especially by those who treat them or are beloved family members or true friends! That WRONGFUL INJUSTICE has gone on far too long... to their dismay, isolation, despair, despondency and suicide! Negative misunderstanding and undeserved or IMPROPER treatment pushes the enemies bayonet deeper into their already bleeding heart and you are providing the power to push it to the point of their succumbing by their own hands! -Peter S. Griffin, "Grif"

WANT TO SOLVE PCSD WARRIOR SUICIDES?
RESTORE AND MAINTAIN SELF PRIDE IN THESE BRAVE WOUNDED WARRIORS!

In order to end warrior/combat veteran suicides we must remove every stigma and restore dignity, honor, respect and pride to every brave combatant WE continue to fail miserably! They desperately need immediate JUSTICE AND UNDERSTANDING! The only way they are going to achieve peace of mind and peace in lives is by all of us, (society, the military, medical and mental health professionals, VA, VAMCs, VA outpatient clinics, law enforcement and politicians) recognizing, accepting and treating PCSD as the very serious, perpetual life ruining or tragic, unnecessary and premature end of life by suicide ENEMY INFLICTED WOUND that it truly is!
These brave warriors deserve the Purple Heart Medal (PHM) as much, if not more than, those who suffer from blood wounds (blood wounds heal, PCSD is an ever present festering wound that never loses the potential TO KILL! Award the PHM to them NOW! They earned it... not scorn and rejection and IMPROPER TREATMENT from US exacerbating their chronic and unending despair, despondency and possibly, death by their own hands!

THEY PRESERVE OUR LIVES!
WHY WON'T WE HELP PRESERVE THEIRS?

They do not want a free meal on Veterans Day or ten percent off their orders, they want and can not live with our misconception of what PCSD undoubtedly is caused by, THE ENEMY!
UNDERSTANDING, JUSTICE and PROPER TREATMENT is the answer to solving this tragic fatal enigma! We must acknowledge the true CAUSE OF PCSD - combat, highly contested battle, blood, gore, constant threat to life, limb and MENTAL HEALTH administered by the enemy! PROBLEM SOLVED!

© Wounded by Post Combat Stress Disorder you will never be out of the fight but with God at your side and Saint Michael as your guide you can and will survive! Never doubt it for a minute, with you as a member of this sanctified fire team you will surely win it! -Peter S. Griffin

© A lifetime of suffering, a lifetime of fighting, a lifetime of experience, a lifetime of daring, a lifetime of caring, a lifetime of sharing... a destiny evolved, forever at my brothers side, courageous warriors so daring, those men ignoring every fear, to battle at the tip of the spear!

NOW, LET'S GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT!

SAVE OUR SOLDIERS!

POST COMBAT STRESS DISORDER
~ "PCSD" Definition ~

POST COMBAT STRESS DISORDER - THE MOST SERIOUS FORM OF WAR RELATED PTSD: "PCSD" is a very serious enemy inflicted wound in the form of a severe psychological disorder resulting from the direct clash of arms; the individual active participation in intense, prolonged, highly contested battle on one or more military operations; i.e. kill or be killed; direct engagement in the raw, bitter, bloody nature of war.
To suffer from PCSD one must have actively engaged the enemy in bloody, life and death combat. Merely witnessing combat while protecting oneself from battle or just observing the aftermath of war does not merit the designation or Diagnosis of Post Combat Stress Disorder!

THE CONCEPT OF "PCSD"
And Purple Heart Medal Proposal
THE WARRIOR STANDARD
~ BASIS ~
"To care for him who shall have borne the battle..."

President Abraham Lincoln
~ SUGGESTED CRITERIA ~ 1) Only combat arms, hard core, tip of the spear, front line fighters are to be classified as suffering from PCSD. In short, those warriors whose mission it is/was to seek out and destroy the enemy and did so! Even if the individual is only temporarily thrust into that status due to widespread hostilities and satisfactory combat performance is witnessed and documented by at least two supervisors and entered into unit records: Examples - Presidential Unit Award, Valorous Unit Award and/or personnel records. Documented individual battle histories, combat awards and decorations stand as testament to honorable individual actions and behavior exhibited while engaging our nations enemies on the battlefield.
It is suggested that those warriors suffering from PCSD (because of direct engagement of the enemy on the battlefield) rated 70% or higher disability because of said PCSD, be awarded the Purple Heart Medal as a result of this very serious, intentional, enemy inflicted battle wound. (The reason being that warriors rated PCSD 70% or more service connected disability can be declared 100% disabled based on unemployability by the VA.)

Address the cause and treat the symptoms!
SEPARATE WARRIORS FROM VICTIMS!

In this concept only combatants can suffer Post Combat Stress Disorder!

It is imperative that the cause of PCSD, COMBAT, be addressed (awarding the Purple Heart Medal) to remove unwarranted stigmas from the individual soldier's "military mind set"!
In the other two categories listed below, i.e. GIs suffering from combat-related PTSD, and people suffering PTSD are victims, caught in circumstances beyond their control.
Those suffering PCSD are the only ones who fight/fought courageously for their nation, God, people and beliefs. PCSD is the only category of stress where a warrior may have (had) to take the life (lives) of another/other human being(s). Killing, even in battle, has its cross to bear for most individual warriors and if one is worried about their soul it can exacerbate stress in that person, greatly. These distinctive facts demand separating PCSD from other types of traumatic stress and merit adopting this concept and proposal ASAP! Please honor those who deserve to be recognized for risking their life, limbs and mental health on the battlefields of freedom! Thank you!

SAVING LIVES BY FOSTERING DIGNITY, HONOR, UNDERSTANDING AND PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE is the major goal and objective of conceiving and presenting this concept and proposal.
THE AWARDING OF THE PCSD PURPLE HEART MEDAL WOULD BRING WELL DESERVED DIGNITY TO THE WARRIOR'S ENEMY INFLICTED COMBAT WOUND, HIS NEVER ENDING SUFFERING AND SAY "THANK YOU!" FOR BRAVELY FACING AND FIGHTING OUR NATION'S ENEMIES ON THE BATTLEFIELDS OF FREEDOM CLOSE UP AND PERSONAL!

2) GIs exhibiting combat-related trauma and stresses (ors) not resulting from direct kill or be killed battle (the individual did not directly engage the enemy with return fire, he/she merely sought cover and protection) would still be rated from 0 -100% service connected disability, the same as PCSD, only their category, (classification, cause) i.e. Combat-related PTSD and their ineligibility for the Purple Heart Medal would be different. These personnel do not meet the criteria to be classified as warriors! Understandably, if they receive an eligible physical wound, inflicted by the enemy, they could be awarded the Purple Heart for that specific wound.

3) The term Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) should refer only to non-war related trauma and stress inflictions such as those suffered as a result of crime (examples - assault, rape), accidents - (examples car wreck, helicopter crash), and natural disasters (examples - hurricane, earthquake, tornado). These people are victims, not warriors!

It should be understood without saying that the nature of the wars we are fighting, long occupations of embattled countries, extended and repeated deployments, family separations, broken and failed marriages all exacerbate the symptoms and severity of PCSD and combat related PTSD in the individual GI.
This concept/proposal is simple, common sense logic and it is sound. It is not meant to be a "cure all" but it would go a long way in easing the sufferings of our warriors and support personnel. If only those in power would adopt it! It could and would work by distinguishing and addressing causal reasons of stress (combat being the pinnacle of the pyramid concerning the military's and VA's priority in treatment, compensation and RECOGNITION) and provide relief dramatically reducing grief to sufferers (and all who love them) at all levels of severity and nature, as well as instill pride and honor thus effectively lessening depression, despair, despondency and all too often, (death) suicide in those warriors who fought the hardest and bravest for our people and nation! To those who say a medal would not cure their stress issues, I say, neither will it grow a new limb, restore blindness, cure TBI or restore life to those KIA. That is not the purpose of the PHM or any medal, it is recognize and honor the recipient for their dedication and sacrifice to our nation and people, the PHM is awarded for "military merit." In the case of PCSD IT CAN AND WOULD, ALONG WITH PROPER VAMC TREATMENT, CUT THE SUICIDE RATE OF THESE BRAVE WARRIORS THUS SAVING MANY LIVES! MILITARY MEDALS ARE HOW GIs ARE REWARDED! THEY ARE ALL ABOUT HONOR AND RECOGNITION OF A JOB WELL DONE!
As well as the psychological benefits of implementing this concept and proposal is the undeniable fact that it would encourage all non-combat personnel to pick up a weapon and join in the fight instead of merely hunkering down seeking protection and cover! After all, the main reason our military exists is to destroy our enemies on the battlefield! Well… this policy would help get the job done!

HONORING THE MANY GALLANT WARRIORS AND VETERANS WHO GO TO HELL EVERYDAY SO YOU REMAIN FREE! ISN'T IT TIME YOU ENLIGHTENED YOURSELF... BY LEARNING THE COMPLEXITIES OF PCSD AND UNDERSTANDING THOSE WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM IT?	PATRON OF PARATROOPERS & POLICE ~ SAINT MICHAEL PLEASE HELP US ~ AIRBORNE & ALL ELITE ~ We Must Again ~ DEFEAT THE BEAST! STAND IN THE DOOR AMERICA WOULD NOT BE THE LAND OF THE FREE IF IT WAS NOT THE HOME OF THE BRAVE! TO FINISH THE CHORE! WE MUST CUT PCSD FROM SATAN'S EVIL CORE! ~ END OUR PRIVATE, HELLISH WAR! ~

The last valiant actions of young G.I.'s before their deaths remain alive in the minds, hearts and souls of eyewitness survivors - America's combat veterans.
A profound chronicle of war-related experiences can be discovered in the poetic work titled, "Thoughts, Memories and Tears - An Anthology of War, Death and Remembrance," by Peter S. Griffin.
Griffin, a veteran of the Vietnam War, opens his heart and soul to the reader; yet his deeply personal accounts are representative of a generation of unsung warriors. He vividly translates the horrors of war, describes the ravages of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (P.T.S.D.), shares the value and support of his family, wrestles with the society that disowned its own servicemen, and honors America's soldiers from different generations.
His unique poetic style rises and falls with a rhythm all its own, first lifting you boldly through war's hellish gate, then lowering you gently to contemplate a delicate expression - all with amazing clarity and passion.
The legacy created by the consequences of war and combat, preserved in our nation's veterans, is like a precious jewel - having borne the weight of the world to obtain its invaluable form.
It is the hope of the publisher that Griffin's work can be used as a helpful key for opening doors of communication among soldiers and civilians, as well as between veteran parents and their grown children.

© THE TRUTH FORCEFULLY AND STRONGLY VOICED IS NEVER A RANT! -Peter S. Griffin
Liberals rant - warriors grant!
Liberals deceive - warriors achieve!
God reigns - liberals defame!

© THE TRUTH IN ALL THINGS IS THE CORNER STONE OF TRUST! -Peter S. Griffin

© Sacrifices in vain exacerbate disdain in PCSD WOUNDED WARRIORS and add to their demise; in their eyes there is no greater defilement of honor than betrayal and lies! -Peter S. Griffin

© Although the symptoms of PCSD vs. PTSD may appear the same in the mind of a civilian, they could not be more different based on frequent causal factors where traumatic amputations, mutilations, terroristic murders and violent death are the norm in combat operations! PTSD is based on or caused by FEAR, all sufferers of PTSD resulting from such calamities as crime, accident or natural disasters are VICTIMS! It is acknowledged that in such chaotic circumstances victims can perform heroically and first responders often do perform their duties courageously and all should be honored for such actions. However brave these acts are they do not meet the criteria of everyday routine rigors and danger of day to day battle or the possible likelihood of intense combat in a theater of war for long, extended or repeated tours of duty.
On the other hand, PCSD is caused by IGNORING life-threatening FEAR constantly, repeatedly and often with little concern for self on the battlefields of freedoms! PCSD ENEMY INFLICTED WOUNDED WARRIORS are heroes who perform courageously and admirably repeatedly despite the many inherent natures of prolonged, bloody battle with little or no concern for themselves. They endure all for God, family, the sake of others, for flag and nation! They suffer all... the exhaustions, animals, insects, diseases, deprivations of all kinds and variations and never-ending nerve wracking deadly enemy threats behind every tree and bush, IEDs, booby traps, snipers, the brutal agonies of hell all for the freedoms and liberties Americans enjoy every day across this "ONE NATION UNDER GOD" with little or no thought of the men and women defending them 24/7!
© For paratroopers who eventually experience highly contested, bloody combat “Jump School” are not only the birth place of the Airborne, but also the “birth of the Airborne Spirit” (ignoring fear indoctrination). This Airborne Spirit Doctrine will stay with the ex-paratrooper and especially, the ex-combat paratrooper for the rest of their days. For those who do not go into battle the “Airborne Spirit” is in many ways, a blessing… For those who are baptized in the fires of heavy combat it can, and often does evolve into a living nightmare that will last the remainder of said paratrooper’s life. For warriors such as these Infantry ex-paratroopers The Grim Reaper will never come as “a thief in the night”… For we have been expecting him to call yesterday, today or tomorrow! This full blown metamorphosis I call Post Combat Stress Disorder, “PCSD.” Now, you can clearly see, this is the proven warrior’s everyday reality… We will always have The Airborne Spirit; we will always live as we did yesterday, as we will today and forever. We will forever ignore fear… we have no fear. The Grim Reaper’s sickle holds no sway over us. For you see we are The American Spirit… we are your sons and daughters. –Peter S. Griffin

RESTORE HONOR AND DIGNITY TO AMERICA'S WARRIORS BEFORE MORE PREVENTABLE SUICIDES OCCUR! IF OUR GOVERNMENT & MILITARY ADOPTS THIS "PCSD" CONCEPT AND PURPLE HEART MEDAL PROPOSAL IT WILL REDUCE OR END THIS HORRORIFIC INJUSTICE AND DIRECT INSULT TO OUR NATION'S BRAVEST SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN!

"The current criteria for "PTSD" is a disgrace and would be hilarious if the stigmas, including the unjust, extreme embarrassment and shame inflicted by ignorant bureaucrats on our courageous warriors wasn't contributing immensely to the unacceptable, staggering and outrageous high number of suicides condemning America's bravest GIs!
The current prerequisites to file a claim for "PTSD" is ridiculous and clearly is the main reason while the wait list for treating warriors takes forever and has dismally proven to be and still is, fatal to so very many of our true, virtuous heroes, unnecessarily!
Obama's "PTSD" criteria is "FEARING A TRAUMATIC EVENT EVEN IF IT DOES NOT OCCUR!" He and our other idiotic politicians are treating our military like the bunch of wussies they are purposely creating to fill their ranks! God help us all for without a change to such governmentally insane "Political Correctness" America is doomed to fall! SOON!

© Griffin's Lair is a God fearing, NON-politically correct PARATROOPER based website! The first step is a long one... because it deals directly with a LIFE AND DEATH SITUATION, i.e. severe combat stress and the resulting life shattering or life ending consequences! The Lair's first two pages are long purposely so your concentration will not be broken. This subject is a matter of life or death and you need to think about it long and hard, comprehend it and retain it to help restrain it! It is meant to save warriors lives so please prepare yourself to campout for a while to read, be enlightened, and help in any way you can. Your support, in any form, will save lives!
I also find it cathartic for myself, as I too, suffer terribly from these, potentially deadly invisible wounds of prolonged, bloody and deadly combat.
Should you desire you can skip these vital first two pages, and I hope and pray you don't, just fast scroll to the bottom of this page and click the box to go to the table of contents page. Thank you!

© Post Combat Stress Disorder
"PCSD"
A WARRIOR'S WOUND AND SHOULD BE HONORED AS SUCH!
THERE SHOULD BE NO SHAME FOR HAVING "THE INDELIBLE BLOOD OF WAR ON THE BRAIN!"

NO NON-VIOLENT COMBAT VETERAN DIAGNOSED WITH "PTSD" HAVING A "CLEAN" RECORD SHOULD BE PREVENTED FROM OBTAINING A CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT IF THEY SO DESIRE! THEY FOUGHT FOR THEIR RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE SECOND AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION! AND THEY WILL PROTECT AMERICA'S CITIZENS AND BACK UP ANY POLICE OFFICER IN DISTRESS, THREATHENED WITH DEADLY PHYSICAL FORCE OR AN INNOCENT THIRD PARTY!
POST COMBAT STRESS DISORDER, "PCSD" SHOULD NEVER BE A CATCH ALL, BLANKET EXCUSE TO DEPRIVE THEM OF THEIR GOD-GIVEN RIGHTS! ANY POLITICIAN ATTEMPTING THIS DOES NOT HAVE A CLUE REGARDING THIS ENEMY INFLICTED BATTLE WOUND THAT IS CAUSED BY IGNORING FEAR AND PERFORMING HONORABLY AND BRAVELY IN FREQUENT AND REPEATED CLOSE COMBAT DESPITE THE INHERENT DANGERS! IT IS NOT AN INHERITED OR GENETIC CLINICAL MENTAL DISORDER! -GRIF

The wounds of “PCSD”, Post Combat Stress Disorder,
Leave a warrior seeing darkness down all life’s corridors…
Harsh battles have stolen the joy of life from his soul,
For he knows in this world evil has come from far below…

He fought bravely though Hell, through its feared Valley of Death,
He did not blink, staring Satan in the eye, smelled his rotten breath!
But still he did his job, fighting like the demons trying to end his life,
He slashed his way through wickedness with righteous knife…

Machine guns roaring, bombs exploding, bullets flying, men are dying,
The screams of the wounded, but still all fought, no one hiding!
When it’s over, he looks around; so many torn bodies lying all around,
Sights he will forever see, sounds he will forever hear, gory death forever abounds!

Now, his war over he comes home to recuperate, rest and heal,
The Thousand Yard Stare, noticed, people ask how he feels?
There are no words to explain, for inside he was told to take the pain!
It is a dishonor to show emotion, to shed a tear is his biggest fear…

His mind is confused, his body they repair but his soul is in despair,
Evil lurks wherever he goes, terrorists hide in the open until they explode…
Still he remains ready to fight, for Duty, Honor and Country, all that is right,
He wonders why those he protects, his attempts at friendship they reject!
It’s OK, for he and Saint Michael, America, they will forever protect!

Peter S. Griffin
Company A, 2/502nd PIR
101st Airborne Division
Distinguished Member of the Regiment
Inductee Regimental Hall of Fame
Silver Star Medal recipient
Vietnam, 1965-66
Griffin’s Lair - http://www.grifslair.com

Our proven warriors, those who dared, the American people have nothing to fear!

Twenty two combat stress suicides every day,
What an outrageous price our heroic warriors have to pay!
They served in battle, repeatedly and gave nearly their all,
Why then won’t our government permit them to stand tall?

They defeated the enemy at every turn,
Many murderous terrorists fill crematory urns!
Al Qaeda, ISIS, Hamas, Hezbollah and Somalis alike,
Elite warriors caught them in an unescapable deadly vice…

Defeating them far from home, on harsh, unfamiliar enemy ground,
They killed and maimed our enemies, round after round!
Heroes all they looked evil and death straight in the eye,
So very many terrorist dead, “Unfair” The Grim Reaper cried!

“Doing jobs few Americans want”, they volunteered for hazardous duties,
Into enemy territory they forced their way, little pay and no conquerors booty!
Patriotic men and women risking all so at home we all stay safe,
Every day they march into the hell of war, not knowing their fate!

Then the day comes, they make it home, but never have they felt so alone…
Their minds won’t rest, intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, nightmares of combat zones!
Awake or asleep they find no peace, self-medication offers no relief,
The VA is there but the wait is too long, pain, death and sorrow keep up its tortuous song!

No one to talk to, no brothers around… all they can hear is screams of despair,
Despondency fills every minute, every gasping breath, to end it all they long for death…
Dead buddies call your name, everyone blown to hell they found no fame,
One shot, one kill though their own tortured brain will end this blood-soaked game!

If we, the public will not demand prompt and proper care before it’s too late,
These scandalous, shocking and unnecessary suicides will certainly escalate,
Our government must keep their promise, for as it is now it could not be sorrier!
“To care for he who bore the battle”, no more excuses, NO MORE WASTED WARRIORS!

Griffin’s Lair for those who dare because we care!
A Post Combat Stress Disorder, “PCSD” Website – DIGNITY NOT DEATH!

Please get a big mug of coffee and settle in... keep an open mind and search your heart and soul before coming to any conclusion.
I know what I'm talking about. Besides myself I had two brothers who were infantry paratroopers. One was KIA In Korea two days after jumping in behind enemy lines at Munsan-ni, South Korea in heavy fighting with his unit, Company G, 2/187th ARCT, another brother died at age 57 after spending 25 years as an "Atomic Veteran" in-patient at the VA hospital in Canandaigua, NY. He and his unit, Company A, 1/188th PIR were guinea pigs during Operation Buster/Jangle at Camp Desert Rock, Nevada in Sept/Oct 1951. They dropped seven nukes in close support of those ground troops, making the troopers eventually go to "Ground Zero!" The USA was thinking about nuking China for their intervention in Korea.
Then there is me... I've been 100% for combat stress for over 25 years and treated for it by the VA for more years than that. I have written two books and have this website to help save the lives of our brave warriors suffering from this deadly, enemy inflicted wound... I will never get my investment back money wise, don't want it but I have helped keep some of our brothers from killing themselve because of PCSD. That is the only "reward" I sought or ever wanted but I need your help to get the job done! 22 suicides every day is a national disgrace and no one is doing anything in government about it! PCSD IS NOT CAUSED BY FEAR, IT IS CAUSED BY IGNORING IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND STILL PERFORMING BRAVELY IN COMBAT REPEATEDLY. IT IS AN ENEMY INFLICTED WOUND! You do not have to bleed to be combat wounded i.e. traumatic brain injury, concussion, blindness just to name a few. Let's prove we are a "Band of Brothers" and LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND and save some fellow warriors as is our rightful duty to them!

© PTSD VS PCSD - PTSD = SHAME - PCSD = DIGNITY!
PTSD STATUS JUST MAKES YOU ASHAMED!
POLITICIANS DON'T CARE - VA HAS NOT A PRAYER!
IF ALL YOU DO IS WAIT, THIS HEADSTONE BE YOUR FATE!

"To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan." -President Abraham Lincoln and the Veterans Administrations motto and mission!

If you suffer from Post Combat Stress Disorder, “PCSD”,
You upheld the honorable Warrior’s Creed…
You defeated every vicious enemy,
You forced the barbarians to their knees…

Brave soldier’s each one of you!
You fought every mission through!
Uncle Sam would keep his promise to one and all,
If wounded, the best medical care, you'll not fall!

PCSD, a life-ruining, deadly enemy inflicted wound,
Uncle Sam knows it has the potential of killing you!
You and your loved one’s lives torn through and through,
No happiness or joy, spirit broken, your life lay in ruins…

Government vows must not be just empty chatter,
For in war you fulfilled another victorious chapter…
You defeated the enemy every time you met,
With courage enemy soldier’s blood you let…

Now alone, worn down, emaciated, so very thin,
PCSD, VA professionals, wonder where to begin?
Twenty two heroes take their lives every day,
Empty rhetoric and flimsy excuses newscasters say…

“To care for he who bore the battle”… promises not kept,
Widows or orphans, fears and tears flow turn numb and unwept…
Solving this enigma requires removing negative stigmas,
Dignity, honor, pride and recognition help heal in stride!

No more broken lives or endless funeral processions,
Government must admit mistakes and make concessions…
Combat stress we'll defeat, no more destroying hero's peace,
A simple, effective plan readily lay at authority’s feet…

Combat stress an incontestable enemy inflicted, deadly wound,
Born from demonic psychological enemy's scheming womb!
To kill, maim and inflict horrendous pain is the enemy’s game,
To torment warriors minds day and night, their path to drive insane!

The PCSD Concept and Purple Heart Medal Proposal disrupts the path,
To bring our brave warriors home with sanity intact!
With dignity in place, Uncle Sam can wage effective war!
With deserved honor and recognition wounded minds will be restored!

© I pray not... but could our government's current dilemma of daily mass suicides by combat veterans simply be for officials to ignore this catastrophe to save the expensive and prolonged cost of treatment and compensation? Obviously current programs are doing nothing to lessen the body count. I offer a simple, effective multi-pronged attack to thwart this deadly enemy inflicted wound that would prove beneficial, at very limited cost by simply eradicating the enigma by eliminating the negative stigmas associated with this psychological killer, if coupled with professional care and treatment now employed by doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers at every Veteran Administration Medical Center in our national system! If only they would adopt the Post Combat Stress Disorder, "PCSD" Concept and Purple Heart Medal Proposal detailed at Griffin's Lair - http://www.grifslair.com by doing so our VAMCs would provide our warriors with dignity and honor instead of depression, despair, anxiety, despondency and death! It’s simple and it would work! Our government would end this senseless and avoidable slaughter if only the American public would demand it! This healing, effective, proper and long overdue medical, psychological and justifiably honorable solution would provide relief replacing grief to those "who bore the battle" and those who love them! Peter S. Griffin – Griffin’s Lair – http://www.grifslair.com - 5/18/2015

My Fellow Warriors: Suffering from PCSD? If so be proud of it! It is an honorable enemy inflicted wound you suffered fighting bravely for Uncle Sam! Now, with this plan Uncle Sam can heal with untied hands!

The Devil loves our governments foolish PTSD Policy, it keeps on killing our bravest warriors (22 a day) and allows every rear area crying powder puff Sad Sack draw benefits and clog the system, delaying treatment to the worthy, regardless of the fact Sad Sack never fired a shot but claims he was SCARED! Yes, SCARED! SO CRYING SAD SACK's CLAIM and ACCLAIM is approved! Now he can wear false awards and be a successful "wanna be" why our true warrior’s blood flows free! How can our government leaders and even misguided fellow warriors (no blood-no PHM) let this be? They scoff at Purple Heat Medal parity for Post Combat Stress Disorder, "PCSD" and allow "band aid' PHM awardees with no scars or disability pretend they are Audie Murphy! This policy is a disgraceful sham for bleeding hearts who know nothing of toe-to-toe, intense mud and blood combat and those who truly bear the burdens of battle and hellacious war! The VA's motto directs from President Lincoln, "To care for he who bore the battle, his widow or orphans!" The VA and all in authority must correct the current policy which is a miscarriage of justice and IS KILLING OUR NATION'S HEROES BY PROXY, DISGUSTINGLY AND OBSCENELY SLAUGHTERING OUR WARRIORS, BY DESPAIR AND DESPONDENCY UTILIZING THE WARRIOR’S OWN TORMENTED MIND AND HANDS AGAINST THEMSELVES! IT IS DRIVING THEM TO DISGUST AND SUICIDE! SOLVE THE ENIGMAS BY REMOVING THE STIGMAS CURRENT POLICY PREDICATES! NOW, BEFORE ONE MORE HERO IS WASTED!

GRIFFIN'SLAIR - A Post Combat Stress Disorder Website "PCSD" for warriors suffering from all symptoms of PCSD, including Survivor's Guilt, Despair and Despondency because they risked all for those they love and hold so dear and for their beliefs and patriotism. Now is the time for their families, friends, loved ones and all Americans to come to their aid and show they truly care!
Griffin's Lair exists to bring honor to our military and veterans of all eras. Its main thrust is to assist those brave souls suffering from PCSD by replacing undeserved ridicule, dishonor, misunderstanding and fear with well-earned and much deserved honor, respect, dignity, effective care and treatment as well as long overdue justice and fairness by establishing parity with all other honorably, enemy inflicted wounds through the awarding of the Purple Heart Medal.
Griffin's Lair PCSD Concept and Purple Heart Medal Proposal, if enacted would establish a strong foundation and basis to removing the stigmas of combat stress and solve the enigmas and puzzlements of ineffective treatments and dramatically reduce or eliminate the outrageous and unacceptable numbers of combat caused and torment driven service connected suicides plaguing our military and veteran community. In regards to the medical aspects of comparing PTSD to PCSD the symptoms are admittedly similar, if not the same, but the cause and military mindset of our nation's bravest demand a far different approach for effective treatment of our warrior population. Military personnel are honor, unit and pride driven. If you strip them of these essential characteristics they would fail in vicious battle through individual defeat and unit disintegration. Likewise, to strip these courageous, proven warriors, after the guns are silenced, of these essential ideals destroys their self-pride, self-worth, personal dignity and reduces them to self-loathing, despair and despondency which could result in the taking of their own lives by their own hands! Admittedly, many contributing factors in negative personal actions and misbehavior all exacerbate these deadly wounds. We need a new approach, both militarily and medically to replace despair and suicide with dignity and respect. The military espouses "DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR!", while PCSD causes DISHONOR BEFORE DEATH! PCSD LITERALLY TURNS THE BRAVE WARRIOR'S WORLD UPSIDE DOWN! We must replace despair with hope and death with dignity before we can salvage and save these broken lives! They deserve a chance at a bright, happy and prosperous future; after all they gifted it to you in a free, safe and sound existence!

~ THE WARRIOR PRIDE, DEVOTION AND PASSION OF SUFFERING POST COMBAT STRESS DISORDER, “PCSD” ~ The birth, longevity and severity of Post Combat Stress Disorder, “PCSD” is a direct result of repeatedly ignoring intense fear which then evolves into severe and chronic despair and at its worse, despondency and death by one’s own hands. PCSD is not caused by fear, quite contrary it is a result of bravely performing extremely dangerous activities repeatedly that would cease the activities and prudence of reasonable, ordinary men. In short, you looked the Grim Reaper in the eye repeatedly and told him to go to hell! HOOAH!–Peter S. Griffin

The first two pages of this website are extremely long, purposely, so as to not distract your concentration from having to turn page after page. They are chock full of vital information presented to assist warriors, combat veterans and their loved ones to better understand and battle the ravages of Post Combat Stress Disorder. Griffin's Lair is a God-fearing website which seeks His blessings and guidance for all who seek peace of mind and on earth by taking the time to purview these pages.

As surely as those who lost their life to battle need to be remembered, those who survived need, and deserve to be understood.
Peter S. Griffin - "Grif" is a veterans advocate who has dedicated many years and ways to help and honor America's combat veterans. He considers this quest a great blessing from God Almighty.

TWENTY TWO (22) warriors and combat veterans commit suicide every single day, 24/7! This unprecedented and unacceptable death toll must stop immediately! The call for action is way past do, our government has failed dismally; it is up to me and you!
After decades of suffering from PCSD, and many years of self-examination and talking to other PCSD wounded warriors I have come to recognize many constructive ways to combat this enemy inflicted wound and The "Hellacious Beast", Satan himself, who instigates and prolongs the many symptoms, stigmas and sufferings until the warrior's life is completely devastated or he/she kills oneself.
To defeat this evil wound warriors must have a strong belief and faith in God Almighty. There will be no healing without His Divine intervention! His blessings, wisdom, comfort and healing is tantamount to regaining a full, content and meaningful life for the warrior and those who love and care about them!
Not only does the Christian warrior desperately need Christ in his life but without a doubt, so do our American society, our news outlets and our whole political system and individual representatives. "Political correctness, "PC", negative fads, trends, the many abuses (drugs, alcohol, sexual and psychological assaults) and all sinning must be confronted and overcome. America cannot survive if we are not one people and one nation under God. We can no longer take our God-given blessed rights and freedoms and turn them into serious sin, mocking all that is holy and our Lord God and Savior.
The Christian soldier kills in war defending the principles of righteousness and decency and to stamp out evil which offends God greatly.
On the other hand, Islamic terrorists are barbarian butchers who brutally kill all who oppose them and their twisted evil beliefs. They have no morals, decency or mercy. They kill randomly, no one is immune, and they do it with vigor, blood lust, shock value and great personal pleasure! The mass killing of innocents is especially desired and committed by them all in the name of a perverted prophet and corrupted deity!
The liberals, democrats and left wingers are right in one respect, "War is hell!" But many of them profit from it one way or another, while the true patriots fight, suffer and/or die from it and then have their faces smeared in the mud and blood of hellacious battle by those who profess to be above it all and who stigmatize those true, courageous, loving and caring Americans who put others above self and who are willing to risk all for their beliefs, love of God, country and even those who loathe them and label them mentally ill, unconscionable animalistic killers, to be feared and avoided while they, those self-anointed dignified (know nothing) critics go about their normal, prosperous, snooty, selfish, narcissus, above it all way of life ignoring the actual, dedicated and ruthless enemies in the real world, who would like nothing better than to destroy, our way of life and our nation! They need to realize the true facts, change their ways, and no longer put the almighty dollar above God Almighty! Real, true warriors and combat veterans do not want your ten percent discounts or free meals, they want justice, respect, a simple "thank you", and most of all they want your understanding and assistance in righting the wrongs, broken promises and injustices presently being committed against them. PCSD wounded warriors want parity with all honorable wounds inflicted by America's enemies on the many battlefields of freedom! Please SUPPORT and PROMOTE the PCSD Concept and Purple Heart Medal Proposal presented further down this page. WE NEED YOU AND WE DESERVE YOUR HELP TO DEFEAT PCSD AND END THE TRAGIC COMBAT STRESS SUICIDES! THANK YOU!

PCSD - IT'S COMPLICATED! BUT THE PCSD CONCEPT JUST BELOW MY BOOK IS NOT! IT'S SIMPLE AND WILL SAVE MANY LOST SOULS FROM SUICIDE! THESE BRAVE WARRIORS SURVIVED THE BATTLEFIELDS, DON'T LET THEM DIE AT HOME DESPONDENT IN DEEP DESPAIR! SPREAD THIS COMBAT CONCEPT BOTH FAR AND NEAR!LET EVERYONE YOU KNOW HEAR IT LOUD AND CLEAR!

In order to heal our nation, defeat our enemies and eradicate PCSD we must re-ravel "the American Conscience!" The following book is very affordable, in printed copy or as an E book that reveals the complex issues of all the variables that profoundly affect involvement in our nation's foreign wars, including terrorism, our liberal society and its trend to abandon God and His Commandments and why and how these issues affect and complicate the complex combat stress issues of our nation's bravest warriors.
Experience a year's worth of intense battles fighting in Vietnam's dense jungles as a "mud and blood" Infantryman/Paratrooper and then face the devastating effects of Post Combat Stress Disorder, "PCSD" as an aggressive, "GUNG HO!" Police Officer in a vibrant upstate New York municipality bustling with thousands of amorous and thirsty transit construction workers, town’s people and college students all partying hardy and passionately protesting the war in Vietnam!

When will our government, military and Veterans Administration leaders realize our warriors cannot be treated successfully for combat stress without recognizing and addressing the cause? "Combat" stress is an enemy inflicted wound and should be treated as such! Warriors thrive on "Duty - Honor - Country!" Give them what they earned and deserve, DIGNITY... instead of stigmas and death! Award them the Purple Heart Medal!

© What a freaking joke! Read below and tell me that Griffin’s Lair PCSD Concept and PHM Proposal is not sound logic and in need of immediate implementation! No wonder those warriors needing help with severe combat stress the most cannot even get in the door at the nearest VAMC! The whole system is clogged with frivolous claims that are resulting in twenty three (23) combat stress suicides daily, from those who need help the most! This is disgraceful and flies in the face of common sense and simple, basic logic! We do truly have liberal fools ruining this government and the doctors are forced to follow these ridiculous claims as are the adjusters at the Veterans Administrative Offices as well as Veteran Service Officers (VSOs) of all major service organizations such as the VFW, DAV, American Legion, etc. whose duty is to assist all veterans in pursuing VA disability claims! Please help do away with this stupidity and help those true warriors suffering terribly from combat stress. This asinine situation makes a mockery of all that is honorable and courageously awarded for life-threatening battles and personal, distinguished actions on the battlefields of freedom! –Peter S. Griffin

“PTSD Disability Rolls Skyrocketing - VFW Magazine NOV-DEC 2014

VA disability compensation for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has increased nearly five times in the past 13 years, reports the Los Angeles Times. Over that period, the number of vets receiving it increased from 133,745 to more than 656,000.
PTSD payments have doubled, surpassing $49 billion since 2002. A veteran can collect as much as $3,000 per month for such a claim. These claims are the biggest single contributor to the growth of VA disability compensation. New PTSD claims rose 60% to 150,000 a year, according to the Los Angeles Times, after the VA ruling in 2010. A “credible fear” of being attacked – without it actually happening – became sufficient. Documentation was no longer required, either. Henceforth, a veteran’s word would suffice.” BULLSHIT!

WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL TWENTY THREE (23) COMBAT STRESS SUICDES DAILY ARE "NEVERMORE!"

LTC (Ret) Kenny Allred has sent you a message.
Date: 7/23/2012
Subject: RE: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, SIR!
Many thanks, Peter for your service your passion for veterans and your great ideas. We will continue to move forward as a team for our brothers and sisters in arms.
Kenny
LTC Kenny Allred
US Army (Ret)
NVMC Chair

On Sun Jul 22 2012, Peter Griffin wrote:
©Lets’ refer to residual combat stress for what it truly is: Post Combat Stress Disorder, “PCSD!” PCSD is a significant element of proficient armed, deadly enemies wounding and killing each other violently, traumatically and intentionally, inflicted in battle, usually not realized by those thus wounded (affected) until well after the life and death struggles end. Such enemy inflicted wounding results in a severe psychological disorder manifested as a result of intense, highly contested battle on one or more occasions. Against mistaken, popular belief… PCSD is not caused by fear, but rather from ignoring fear, despite repeated threats against one’s personal health, well -being and life, and/or the safety of others. Despite the inherent, multiple dangers of combat the warrior repeatedly performs efficiently, bravely and honorably time and time, again. To battle hardened warriors/combat veterans, the two most important words describing PCSD is that it is a serious, enemy inflicted psychological “WOUND” resulting from direct participation in the life and death struggles of bitter, intense and personal “COMBAT”, on one or more occasions. There is no discerning degradation to the warrior or his performance in battle by continuing to use the word, “DISORDER.” The term “disorder” is an already widespread acceptable term in the medical, insurance and legal industries and trying to change it would only confuse the issue. And quite frankly, the phrase PCSD accurately describes combat stress for what it truly is, i.e. a serious enemy inflicted, HONORABLE wound, manifested in the form of a severe, psychological disorder resulting from intense personal combat worthy of the awarding of the Purple Heart Medal.
As surely as those who lost their lives in battle need to be remembered, those who survived need to be ethically and accurately understood! –Peter S. Griffin , 22 July 2012 Copy to Ms. Jean Moore

Dear Ms. Moore,
21 July 2012
I just want to take a brief moment of your time to express to you my heartfelt gratitude for allowing me to address LTC Allred and the other expert and dedicated members of NAMI. I am so honored that you permitted me to take part in it (conference call) and to have had the opportunity to try and help achieve justice and perhaps, ease the suffering of our nation’s brave warriors struggling with severe combat stress issues. Please, if there is any good that you and LTC Allred, or anyone at NAMI can glean from my comments on your website, or anything that I have posted on my website to help you in NAMI’s noble cause and efforts on behalf of all combat veterans, including myself, please feel free to use it. If it happens to be copyrighted material from my books or whatever, you, LTC Allred and NAMI have my permission to use whatever you think may help you in this urgent and serious matter. I pray that you, LTC Allred... and all NAMI members are successful in helping to end the tragic suicides plaguing our military and combat veteran communities, and to achieve justice for all of America’s bravest. May God bless you and all the dedicated staff at NAMI.
Sincerely and Respectfully Yours,
Peter S. Griffin

ATTN: All combat veterans of all wars
RE: Combination Combat Disabled and War Medal License Plate
Please know NC State Representative Bryan Holloway has honored North Carolina's veterans by making this combat disabled veterans license plate available to all eligible disabled combat veterans. Please consider petitioning your own state reps to follow suit and honor all combat 100% VA disabled recipients awarded individually specific combat medals and decorations. Let's make this go viral nationwide and honor all of America's true heroes! God bless you all and thank you for your brave service to our nation's colors!
In Brotherhood, Peter S. Griffin

The PHM is the only combat award that the “wounded” warrior can submit himself/herself! Give me a break… all you need is a buddy that is a medic or corpsman to verify that you bled, ever so little and poof, like magic… a readymade genuine hero! Sad isn’t it? Band-Aid PHMs belittle the award and those who truly earned and deserve the medal!
The recipient of a trivial or embellished award presents his documentation and instantly joins the Military Order of the Purple Heart and gets implied verification he/she is a war hero… and the gullible public believes it! Well, I don’t, and many think like me! Ask a warrior who lost both his legs in combat what he thinks and feels about this self-made false hero… treated and honored at parity with real heroes! It’s insulting and a farce that needs to be stopped, the sooner the better!
Think about this: some physical wounds that meet the criteria for the awarding of the PHM are so minimal that they rate zero "0" degree of assigned disability by the military or the VA. Some do not even leave a minor scar on the "damaged" flesh. Yet... there are countless numbers of these awards having been, or being presented in every war since the inception of the medal. I am not trying to "play down" any of these awards or those who received them. I am pointing out some concern that even PHMs for physical wounds need to be revisited, re-thought and perhaps require a more stringent criteria or prerequisites! For the sake of fairness, let’s propose that PHMs for physical wounds CANNOT be awarded for less than 10% permanent disability assigned by the military or VA medical authorities? This would end the awarding of the PHM for trivial, exaggerated or frivolous physical wounds. Look at the money saved for the production of the award, the issuance of the award, ceremonies to present the award and just the paper work alone... quite a tidy sum, I imagine! Now, I am not advocating this should happen but I do want to accent the fact that the proposed PCSD PHM would not be awarded to anyone with less than 70% total and permanent disability that would have to be increased by severity (prognosis) to 100% or assigned 100% based on un-employability. Is this not much more stringent than the PHM for physical wounds criteria that is in effect at the present time? Please, lets’ clarify the PHM criteria that would be fair to all wounded warriors! Do not PCSD wounded warriors deserve to be recognized and treated at parity for their “military merit”? I think so and I hope you do too!

FACTS FOR THOSE AGAINST THE AWARDING OF THE PURPLE HEART MEDAL, (PHM) to our “Band of Brothers” seriously wounded by enemy inflicted Post Combat Stress Disorder, (PCSD) to consider:
1st - The PHM is not awarded for or valor or bravery, it is awarded for, as engraved on the reverse side of the medal, “For Military Merit.” Many recipients of this award were physically wounded while seeking cover and protection, or by snipers, or by booby traps, or anti-personnel mines, or punji stakes… the list goes on and on. If they committed acts of bravery or valor they would have received an additional award such as Bronze Star Medal with “V” device for valor, Army Commendation medal with “V” device, etc.
2nd – There is no parity in the awarding of the PHM in regards to the seriousness of the physical wound, i.e. one man gets the tip of his little pinky blown off… no permanent disability from the VA, but he is awarded the PHM by the military. All ok, but… what about the soldier who gets his head blown off? Yep, the same award, only his is posthumously awarded and presented to their parents or spouse. He does get a military honor guard at his funeral, if requested. Is that parity? I think not!
What about the awarding of the Prisoner of War Medal? Some people, such as I, think they more than earned it by suffering at the hands of their merciless, sadistic captors and prison guards! But… wait a minute, what about the people who think prisoners of war deserve no such medal? Their attitude being, there are only two ways they became a prisoner, they either surrendered or were captured! Where is the honor in that? Do they deserve a medal for that? Unfortunately, some think not! Our government thinks so and so do I. What about those prisoners who were ordered to surrender such as in the Philippines during WW II? Is that their fault? Hell, no!
The point I am making is important! There are gray areas in the awarding of any military medal. Should a warrior receive a Silver Star Medal, or a Distinguished Service Cross, wait a minute, maybe he meets the prerequisites for the Medal of Honor? Better check! Veterans of WWII who earned the Combat Infantry Badge (CIB) were subsequently awarded the Bronze Star Medal (BSM) WITHOUT “V”, on request, for meritorious service, not for valor. Why, because the military unconscientiously set the same criteria for BOTH the meritorious BSM and CIB Awards! These soldiers therefore could not be denied both awards… but neither merited awarding for bravery or valor. Yes, you can be acclaimed a proficient combat infantryman without being a hero! YOU MUST DISTINGUISH YOURSELF above your peers (And that is not easily done when you are fighting alongside of America's bravest!) to be awarded a valor medal.
No one is seeking glory or recognition for valor for those suffering from combat stress! We are seeking parity with those awarded the PHM for physical wounds, some wounds terrible and horrific, some partially disabling and yes, some just plain trivial… all for meritorious service, not bravery! We are seeking justice! We are seeking to end the stigmas that lead to our PCSD wounded warriors taking their own lives after suffering the “undoing of character” because of unfamiliarity by the general public, the uneducated and the non-compassionate who think because PCSD wounded warriors did not bleed, they don’t deserve the PHM. Personally, I believe, people who think that way must still be living in the Stone Age! Let me tell you something! These wounded warriors are bleeding at the rate of twenty two (22) suicides per day! Their wounds are serious, life threatening and the wound affects another “gray area”, i.e. their brain, and it is proving fatal for far too many. Clarify the criteria for the awarding of the PHM for our PCSD wounded warriors before another soul is lost because no one cares enough to change archaic, outdated and erroneous beliefs! In this time of advanced technology and remarkable advances in medical and psychiatric sciences no one needs to exercise “their gray area” too much to see this wrong, and to make it right by restoring dignity and honor to these warriors and help prevent these unacceptable, unwarranted and tragic suicides! Do the right thing… grant them justice and a chance for brighter future! They earned it and they deserve it! Thank you!

QUOTE FROM THE NOT TOO DISTANT PAST (July, 2010)
FROM MILITARY ORDER OF THE PURPLE HEART "Today, as a ‘Band of Brothers,’ we must withstand courageously, any attempt at degrading our most prized Purple Heart Medal, said MOPH’s National Service Director Jack Leonard. Leonard also concludes that PTSD and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) are issues that merit heightened attention in the medical and mental health communities, but not for the issuance of a Purple Heart Medal."

A few tiny specs of blood can be a combat wound?
Yet combat stress lays a warrior in his tomb…
Some believe this to be justice at its very best,
And proudly wear a Purple Heart upon their chests!

I'm just trying to help Mr. Leonard bring MOPH'S most prized Purple Heart Medal to a higher, undefiled standard!
And to teach him not to betray or alienate any faithful and brave member of America's Band of Brothers!
I hope he appreciates it and learns from it!
Peter S. Griffin

~ A BAND OF BROTHERS ~
THE TRUE MEANING!
(From following page)

SOLDIERS - warriors belong to "A BAND OF BROTHERS." Their dedication, protection and support of each other are paramount and vital! Individuals interacting on a daily basis together... in small units such as a squad, develop the "tightest bond." All depends on this undesignated, but considered near sacred, informal unit. This "banding" doctrine extends from the smallest to the largest formal units as their very survival depends on each other in major combat situations.
WAR - it starts for the band when the first brother is killed or wounded. That loss becomes their primary "cause" and supersedes all other reasons for their participating in the war. For the band there is no substitute for victory! If they do not "win"... the loss of their brothers, their extreme, exhausting efforts, and at times, inhuman conditions, their severe deprivations, sufferings, enduring of foreign diseases, bloody sacrifices, as well as their many worries are... all for nothing!
POLITICS - if forced to abandon their cause (loss of blood/brother) because of weak-kneed politicians or lack of support by the American public, THAT DEGRADING ORDER will cause severe depression and become a major factor complicating PCSD and combat PTSD... PTSD that your warrior/veteran will never overcome... EVER! Additionally, in their minds, betrayal by politicians and lack of support on their HOMEFRONT strips them of their honor as a band and steals their dignity as an individual! Do not do this to them, they do not deserve it! You ask them to accept the possibility of making the supreme sacrifice... loss of life and/or limb as well as their mental health, and put them in harms way. They accept their sworn duty... courageously, vigorously and wholeheartedly and complete their missions successfully! There is nothing they will not accomplish or endure for YOU and OUR NATION! They have always done what they are asked to do! When they receive news from home the last thing they want to hear is that their nation and the public is war-weary! What a wimpy thing to say to those you expect and demand constant, repetitive heroism from... think about it! DO NOT DENY THEM THEIR VICTORY AND HONOR! Our people must realize that the only way WE will win against guerilla warfare and terrorism is by becoming one nation under God! We must all become a patriotic, dedicated, tireless, gallant member of...

Suddenly, you realize… stress, stress is your friend, it keeps you alert, keeps you alive to see the morning sun rise. And another day is 24 hours closer to home. Then you'll be able to leave all this behind you... life will be all steaks and gravy then! Just wait, you'll see. Too bad it turns on you... and no one told you about PCSD! Together we can drag the beast out into the light and kill it! You helped save lives on the battlefield, now you can do it here at home! Lets stop the bloodshed! No more PCSD suicides! Support Griffin's Lair PCSD Concept and PHM Proposal! Adopt them, make them your own, and buy the books, they were written for us and those we love! They will help you, and them, heal! Spread the word share the books! No more despair and death! All we had was each other in combat... and we got the job done, big time! We can win this fight at home like no one else can, for we are, and always will be...

Griffin’s Lair PCSD Concept and Purple Heart Medal Proposal would put every category of traumatic stress in its proper perspective and bring dignity to everyone suffering from it, especially those brave souls who risk life, limb and their mental health fighting toe-to-toe with America’s enemies.
The recently passed, shameful PTSD criteria of "... fearing a traumatic event even if it doesn't occur”, lowered the threshold for PTSD claims by acknowledging and accepting “FEAR” as a legitimate basis… and worse yet, legitimizes the inability to perform their sacred duty because of said “FEAR”… is a direct insult to every warrior in the Combat Arms of the United States Military! No wonder everybody and their distant cousins are rushing to the nearest VA to file a claim! All of which clogs the system and hard fought warriors who need help the most is at the back of the ridiculously long line!
No one can deny there is "big bucks" involved in turning the flood gates of "PTSD" wide open (even if unintended)... every professional remotely serving in the field of traumatic stress is being enriched by it. A steady flow of victims fill the spillways and pockets... but the high cost of doing this is being paid by our warriors who do the brunt of the fighting, and unfortunately, suffer the most, with many of their lives ending in suicide!
Has the VA forgotten their motto, "To care for him who shall have borne the battle..." because of misguided bleeding hearts, thick wallet lobbyists, slanted politics and the almighty dollar? The beast of war is burden enough for our true warriors to carry... they should not be made to suffer more by the nature of the insatiably corrupt beast sometimes appearing in the legislative chambers of our government! Our warriors are guided by "duty - honor – country!" They must not be subjected to, and demoralized by the special interests of biased, big money political action committees (PACs) and the extreme left onslaught of liberal-thinking agendas forced on them by the whims of a permissive society and their distorted, government sanctioned mandates! Our military and political leaders need to RESTORE THE DIGNITY OF OUR WARRIORS BY ENACTING THIS PCSD CONCEPT & PHM PROPOSAL!
If you steal their pride, you destroy their fighting spirit and doom their souls... and our country in the bargain!

When applicable, the military and Veterans Administration routinely classify and denote on their official medical reports the cause of a warrior’s combat stress as “battle” why then, do they refuse to award those such wounded warriors/veterans a Purple Heart Medal?

If a warrior/veteran is classified as 100% service connected, permanently and totally disabled because of stress directly caused by his/her honorable and brave participation in mortal combat against America's enemies, why then, in this age of modern medical science, is he/she not considered and declared combat wounded by our military and Veterans Administration? Griffin’s Lair addresses this vital question and is committed to correcting this critical injustice and hopes that you will join our “band of brothers” fighting to right this terrible wrong that is killing our nation’s heroes! I ask you, if a warrior or combat veteran commits suicide because of said stress, is he not a casualty of war, albeit indirectly, combat? Of course he is! He did not suffer the stress because the enemy was handing out coffee and donuts, as one of my VA doctors so succinctly put it! Furthermore, how does the government think the families of these fallen warriors feel after suffering such a terrible, perhaps preventable loss by suicide? Why is it these families do not have an honorable and tangible testament and symbol to recognize the bravery and suffering that caused their fallen warrior’s many sacrifices, and ultimate waste of life that resulted from his/her courageous actions against America’s deadly enemies on the battlefields of freedom? Does our governmental and military leaders think the stigmas of shame, dejection, isolation, depression and other agonies are a fitting tribute to these fallen heroes? I certainly hope not! PCSD is enemy inflicted, without doubt! Why then does our government and military not admit it and do what is right? The awarding of Purple Heart Medals to these warriors may very well reduce the severity of the psychological wounds these warriors are suffering from, and may also reduce the appalling number of suicides plaguing our military and veteran families. It is a national disgrace that our leaders are doing nothing to eliminate this unacceptable situation! In the past, and unfortunately presently, our government is blindly exacerbating the problems of these terrible wounds by only treating the symptoms and not recognizing and addressing the cause! Combat stress does not result from an individual's weaknesses! PCSD is caused by direct, intense combat! Where is the “hue and cry” of the public… hell, where is the OUTRAGE! You can be part of the remedy! Please, speak out people! Write or call your representatives and tell them to support the PCSD concept and Purple Heart Medal proposal outlined further down this page by introducing/co-signing a bill to make it law. The life you save may be you’re own, or that of your loved one!

1 : an injury to the body (as from violence, accident, or surgery) that typically involves laceration or breaking of a membrane (as the skin) and usually damage to underlying tissues
2 : A MENTAL OR EMOTIONAL HURT OR BLOW!
One man's stream may be another man's river, but... a wound is a wound is a wound!
Is not the inexcusable number of suicidal bullet holes through our distressed warriors' brains proof enough that PCSD is a genuine wound? IT SURE AS HELL NEEDS TO BE! ASAP! END STIGMA – SOLVE ENIGMA!
PLEASE HELP END THE SUICIDES!

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PCSD stems from the intentional, constant threat of, and employment of deadly enemy force and evolves by consistently overcoming said threats and actions by performing bravely and admirably in battle effectively engaging the enemy (i.e. killing, wounding, capturing, causing them to surrender and/or retreat) despite the associated, natural worries. It is not caused by fear! Fear is suppressed and ignored!
"IN HIS STRENGTH HE GOES OUT AGAINST THE ARMS OF WAR, TURNING NOT AWAY FROM THE SWORD." NOW, IN HIS NEED, DO NOT TURN YOUR BACK ON HIM!
"THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HERO AND A COWARD IS: A HERO CONTROLS HIS FEAR!" - A common 101st Airborne saying. And they should know, as they are a division of heroes! HOOAH!
Address the cause and treat the symptoms!
SEPARATE WARRIORS FROM VICTIMS!

© Do not accept with open arms what should not be tolerated for the sake of political correctness for you shall certainly find yourself in an uncontrollable fall to Hades! -Peter S. Griffin

©YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO TO WAR TO BECOME AN AMERICAN HERO!
PREVENT WARRIOR SUICIDES;
SCREAM UNTIL CAPITOL HILL HEARS YOUR HUE AND CRY!

Under this PCSD Concept, I ask all who read these criteria, what are the statistics of suicide for VICTIMS of PTSD? Meaning all who suffered a stress disorder caused by trauma from accidents, crime and natural disasters combined. I assure you it in no way, shape or form can compare to twenty two cases per day of suicide by combat personnel and/or combat veterans! “Fifty-eight-thousand-plus Americans died in the Vietnam War. Over 150,000 have committed suicide since the war ended!” In the last twelve years more warriors have committed suicide than were killed in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars! “The suicide rate among veterans who have completed the local VA program is estimated at 2.5 per hundred!” Don’t these figures alone scream out for a fresh, new perspective at the CAUSE of combat suffered stress and demand a concept where warriors (who are not victims – stress is inherent to the profession) are separated from the VICTIMS of other causes and forms of stress. PCSD, in this concept has nothing to do with the other three categories mentioned! There are some who will claim that the figures are relatively the same for PTSD from non-military, INHERITED mental illnesses, long term mental and physical abuses, degree of severity of exposure to trauma and circumstances, etc. in the civilian population. All well and good…. but this only proves that all people are at risk for suicide from certain types of severe traumatic exposure… and statistics can be manipulated and applied to support or detract a certain stance as one seems fit… there are simply too many variables to establish complete validity to the numbers! The applicable and apparent difference is the trauma of combat is part and parcel and is INHERENT only to the occupation of serving as a warrior, in the military… not the genetics of the individual! PCSD is the “nature of the beast” i.e. THE ENEMY and must be assumed that those thus affected would not suffer the enemy-inflicted wound of PCSD if they never joined the military and went into battle! All GIs are examined by medical and mental health professionals when entering the military and at that point are adjudged as “fit for duty” or rejected and sent on their way! Thus establishing the fact that warriors are of “good stock” at the time they entered the military, which demands and end to the argument that PCSD is no different than PTSD! And that is the reason why the military and the VA acknowledge combat stress and care for and compensate those warriors so wounded! The military’s current stance of indifference and implied “weakness” (well-meaning or not) of these wounded warriors only leads to, and exacerbates “the undoing of character” in the individual and makes them more susceptible to other contingencies inherent to modern day military service such as repeated and lengthy deployments, the stop loss policy, separation from family, drug and alcohol abuse, criminal activities, accumulation of debt, divorce, risk of demotion, premature end of career, loss of personal pride and honor, and worst of all, self-destruction of an otherwise good person and admirable warrior. One of the saddest things in life to see is a principled and brave warrior in the gutter. I believe our military and society will not let this continue to happen knowing that this despicable condition does not have to be…. by just doing right by these brave men and woman who give/gave so much of themselves, protecting us, our freedoms and our nation. All we have to do is recognize that not only do they risk life and limbs… they also risk their mental health… FOR US! They too, deserve an even footing in their pursuit of happiness and the American dream. I believe if the PCSD Concept is adopted by the military it will establish a basis of honor for the profession and dignity for the individual, thus creating a foundation of acceptability that will encourage warriors to admit they have been thus wounded and seek out professional treatment before the downward slippery slope of misconduct can begin or continue, therefore preserving both the ability of the warrior to continue in the military and the well-being and self-pride of the warriors themselves. Lastly, for the sake of justice and non-discrimination, the military should adopt the PCSD Concept for military purposes (even if the medical & psychiatric manuals are not changed) because all who suffer disabling wounds should and must be honored and awarded to preserve the principles and dignity of the profession and the warrior, “DUTY – HONOR – COUNTRY!” They must grant parity for all wounded warriors!

GOOD NEWS! - RECOGNITION FOR ENEMY INFLICTED COMBAT BLOODLESS WOUND! NPR - March 17, 2011: "Acknowledging that commanders have sometimes wrongly denied the Purple Heart to soldiers who suffered battlefield concussions, the Army plans to issue new guidance to clarify when such recognition is warranted, Army officials said Wednesday."
PCSD HAS BEEN DENIED TOO LONG!
NOW IS THE TIME TO RIGHT A TERRIBLE WRONG! "Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body." - Ephesians 4:25
IN WAR ALL COMBAT WOUNDED MUST BE INCLUDED TO PRESERVE UNITY, HARMONY AND IMPARTIALITY IN OUR BAND OF BROTHERS!
"...seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand." - Matthew 13:13
I pray those in authority see, hear, understand and have the wisdom to adopt and enact this concept before more lives are ruined or lost!

A simple little device, a silent, "thank you" and long overdue respect could reduce so much pain and save so many precious lives...
Post Combat Stress Disorder is an honorable enemy inflicted wound.
It is time it is treated as such!

COMBAT STRESS?


ABOVE THE REST!

PLEASE HELP STOP THE SUICIDES!

©Nothing is more intense than fighting for your life for the sake of your country, its people and your beliefs. Every aspect and moment of it is ingrained in your being and the fervor of it touches your very soul. In no other situation is the difference between life and death, for self and others, determined by the immediate actions of those involved in the struggle for survival in the heat of battle. The chaos, immensity and passion of it all overwhelm the senses and time stalls in the reality and memory of it. One’s actions and deeds are entwined with the sacrifices and sufferings of everyone at hand. All… all is endured for the sake of something bigger than self. All is for your God, family, freedom, country and the love of your fellow man. This is the sanctified nature of Post Combat Stress Disorder (PCSD) and that is what separates it from all other anxiety disorders.
From a medical standpoint, in my opinion, there is little, if any, significant difference between combat related PTSD (not PCSD) and PTSD manifested as a result of traumatic events that occur in the “civilian” world.
However, victims of crime, natural disasters and accidents (PTSD) are caught in circumstances beyond their control. Police, (Of course, stress disorders resulting from police combat should be referred to as PCSD.) fire, EMT, first responders, etc. volunteer to rescue and treat such victims and should be lauded for their courage and selflessness.
A most important fact to remember: through the eyes of our nation's warriors and the proud, gung-ho military mind-set, only they are called upon to fight in far away lands, endure many deprivations, Spartan living conditions, constant threats to life, limb and mental health and last, but not least, take the lives of enemy combatants in protection of our homeland, national interests and freedom. This is the bloody nature of war and is the reason PCSD should be classified separate from other stress related or caused disorders (including the less severe form of combat related PTSD - i.e. hunkering down but not fighting back) and considered a psychological, enemy inflicted wound.

“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life.” - James 1:12

Until the Armed Forces, the Veterans Administration and political leaders recognize, respect and acclaim those brave warriors who are most likely to suffer from PCSD… those who distinguished themselves in battle and shouted, “Follow me!” … Despair and suicide will continue to reduce their ranks… at the expense of us all! Officials must admit that PCSD affects the bravest of the brave and remove the injurious stigma of perceived and mistaken weakness! The demoralization and dejection of them must end now… before more warriors are victimized or lost!
It is up to the government “to separate the wheat from the shaft” by identifying and punishing those who fraudulently claim to have served our nation and our people so valorously and loyally! Not only are these imposters discrediting our true warriors, they are impairing the prompt and proper treatment of those who need it the most, at the cost of some of the lives of our nation’s heroes!

KEEP IN MIND
ONLY 15% OF U.S. TROOPS IN VIETNAM ACTIVELY ENGAGED ENEMY!
VFW Magazine - February 2010 Think about it... why would any reasonable and prudent GI volunteer for hazardous duty in an elite force and constantly put their life on the line if any “remf, ghost or slacker” could obtain the same recognition, medical treatment and “earned” benefits easily obtained by any “chairborne commando” who claims he bore the brunt of the battle? Yes… warriors receive medals and recognition for completing a job well above standard! They put great value on these awards for they earned them the hard way. Everything that graces their uniform and enhances their esprit de corps has great meaning to them and the military... because the military knows the value of keeping morale and standards high to achieve and maintain exemplary performance… through individual and unit recognition! Never forget... our military exists for one reason and one reason only... and that is to seek out the enemies of our people, our way of life and our nation and destroy them! Those suffering from PCSD did exactly that! They did the grunt work, and they are paying a very high price for going where others feared to go and doing what others feared to do! Because of these facts they and PCSD, itself, deserve to be placed in the highest valued category. Why? I’ll say it again… because warriors got PCSD fighting bravely for their country, they suffer terribly because of it and they deserve to be lauded and be proud of it! Our daring warriors suffering from PCSD will forever sacrifice and suffer for your freedom… it is the nature of war and the resulting, inevitable PCSD. Can you find it in your heart to grant them the dignity they have truly earned? All who love the freedoms they secure for this great nation owe them that much! Support The Lair's PCSD Concept and Purple Heart Medal Proposal! Please provide them this opportunity for a brighter tomorrow, thank you!
Just over 58,000 U.S. combat troops in Vietnam were killed-in-action.
TO DATE: 120,000 plus HAVE COMMITTED SUICIDE DUE TO PCSD!

GREAT NEWS! On 5 December, 2010 I sent letters to Senator Burr, Senator Hagan and Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (all NC) asking them to sponsor/cosponsor a bill supporting the Lair’s PCSD Concept and PHM Proposal and to form a bi-partisan committee to make it law. Yesterday, 3 February 2011 I heard from Senator Burr’s Office that he is presently considering my request. Senator Burr is the ranking member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. So… there is hope, please keep up your support and prayers for this effort. Thanks, Grif. TOGETHER WE CAN SAVE SOME LIVES!

©If my mental health is anomalous because I fought bravely for my country, My God, my beliefs, my family, my friends and for caring about my fellow man, I humbly pray my mind will continue to decline everyday, for the rest of my life! Grif

The mission of Griffin's Lair is to assist all in need of understanding Post Combat Stress Disorder "PCSD", combat-related PTSD, and PTSD (not war related) in a cathartic manner which benefits all afflicted by way of an informative, comprehensive (30+ pages) website which offers two compelling and poignant Post Combat Stress Disorder books, written by one who has suffered grievously, and continues to suffer through the ravages of this serious, life-ruining or life-ending disorder. These two books are from the heart, from warrior to warrior, to all those who suffer, or may suffer from combat stress in the future, and to all who love and care about them. To this end Griffin's Lair has also conceived, developed and is pleased to present a PCSD Concept and Purple Heart Medal Proposal that forms a common sense basis and easily definable levels of causal types of stress that coupled with professional care would aid and expedite the healing process and satisfy the rigidly proud, “military establishment and military mindset" as well as satisfy all victims of stress related trauma, not necessarily caused by direct, kill or be killed, combat exposure. The end results bringing dignity and inner peace to those who fought for our nation honorably and bravely by eliminating the undeserved stigmas presently attached to such serious, psychological wounds that all-to-often end so tragically.
Warriors suffering from PCSD deserve to be recognized and treated promptly with dignity, respect, and courtesy and receive the professional care they were promised by our government, during and after military service. Griffin's Lair is committed to seeing that long overdue honor and recognition is someday achieved for our courageous PCSD battle wounded and the plague of warrior/veteran suicides so painfully evident today comes to an abrupt, positive and final conclusion!
Your interest is appreciated and your support is solicited. Please, I ask you, again, to contact your political representatives and ask them to support Griffin’s Lair’s PCSD concept and Purple Heart Medal proposal. May God bless those who risk all for the sake of others... and may He bless you, you patriots who care about them!

THE TRUE ACCURATE DEFINITION AND CAUSE OF PCSD IS: ©COMBAT STRESS is a significant element of proficient armed, deadly enemies wounding and killing each other violently, traumatically and intentionally, inflicted in battle, usually not realized by those thus wounded (affected) until well after the life and death struggles end, i.e., PCSD! -Peter S. Griffin

that fights for the only MINORITY GROUP in this country whose voice is not heard and heeded by our military, political leaders and press: AMERICA'S ELITE WARRIORS! The United States military consists of less than 1% of more than 308 million Americans. Warriors, those who do the fighting up close and personal, make up only 1/8th of that one percent!
NEVER HAVE SO FEW PROTECTED SO MANY! PTSD and PCSD may share the same symptoms but the cause of those symptoms is vastly different for those suffering from PCSD! Those suffering PTSD are victims who surrender all because of their fears! Those with PCSD are brave warriors who ignore their fears, repeatedly, and get the job done and the battles won! THAT IS ONE HELL OF A DIFFERENCE! Warriors must be made proud of their enemy inflicted PCSD wounds! They exposed themselves for the sake of others, our country, our interests and our way of life!
HEROES ARE NOT VICTIMS!
GRANT THEM THE DIGNITY THEY EARNED!
THEY DESERVE TO BE AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART MEDAL!

"HOOAH!"
PCSD WARRIORS ARE HEROES, THEY ARE NOT WEAK!
"...HE WHO SPREADS SLANDER IS A FOOL." - PROVERBS 10:18

PCSD REVEALS A BRAVE WARRIOR'S COMBAT HISTORY!

Post Combat Stress Disorder is an honorable battle wound, inflicted by our nation's deadliest enemies! All battle wounds… both physical and psychological are a sign of a warrior's love for his people. Both should be treated with respect and dignity. Our government and people must realize and accept that PCSD is a very serious wound resulting from toe to toe… up close and personal combat before the plague of suicides affecting our military community and courageous veterans will subside!

~ Statistics from the U.S. Infantry Museum ~
IN WW I, WW II, KOREA AND VIETNAM
INFANTRY SUSTAINED 80% OF ARMY CASUALTIES!
Only one out of every 7.5 active duty soldiers are in the infantry!
More than half of all Medal of Honor recipients are infantrymen.
70% of all Army decorations for valor were awarded to infantrymen.

"On average 18 veterans commit suicide each day. Five of those veterans are under care at VA.” VA Secretary Eric Shinseki
Dear Mr. Shinseki, if Post Combat Stress Disorder is not a wound, why does it put so many warriors in their tomb? Grif

CONQUERING PCSD TOGETHER!

WARRIORS HELPING WARRIORS!
"Only the dead have seen the end of the war." Plato
DIGNITY, NOT DEATH!

PCSD warriors, willingly, you risked your all,
Not many others, brave enough to answer that call…
For risking life, limb and your mental health,
In Heaven, God has reserved your place and wealth!
Because you were willing to lay down your lives,
So unselfishly, for the sake of others…
Know that I am proud to be your friend and brother!

"The Mercy of God enlightens and strengthens."
Quelling the inner strife of
© P ost C ombat S tress D isorder
CHANGE THE NAME TO EASE THE PAIN!
"To care for him who shall have borne the battle..."
President Abraham Lincoln

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JUSTICE SOUGHT!
REMOVE STIGMA SOLVE ENIGMA!
MAKE THE CHANGE TO END THE SHAME!

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"The news that 22,000 veterans called the military's new suicide hotline in the past year was somewhat disturbing. Even more troubling was the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' estimate that 6,500 veterans actually commit suicide every year."
The Seattle Times - August 28, 2008

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"Know this: wisdom is not knowledge. A lot of brilliant people have no wisdom at all. Wisdom is the ability to assimilate that knowledge to make decisions that are right, wise, and best for all concerned."
I pray our nation's leaders have the wisdom to implement the following PCSD Concept and Purple Heart Medal Proposal before many more lives are lost. These numbers demand that positive action be taken immediately! We have to change the way we look at combat stress to lessen or end the epidemic of suicides plaguing our military and combat veteran population. The solution is fundamental… we have to take something terrible and turn it into something better… we must turn it into something our heroes can live with! GOT A BETTER PLAN? LETS HEAR IT!

After you review concept below: grifslair@embarqmail.com

TO DO NOTHING IS SHAMEFUL - SLACKERS ACT OR PACK!

To ignore this calamitous situation is tantamount to negligence, ignorance and incompetence and should provoke the ire of every freedom loving, fair-minded American to demand that impeachment and dismissal from elective or appointed office be taken against those who bury their heads in the sand regarding these matters! Loss of office is a trivial price to pay for forsaking the lives of American heroes the government is duty bound to care for! Our warriors and combat veterans deserve a bright and promising future! Lets make sure they have a fighting chance at getting one!

Political leaders, I ask you...

© Of what value is the power of the mighty, the riches of the treasury and the lessons of the ages without fear of the Lord in thy mind, courage in thy heart, goodness in thy soul, others before thy self, dignity in thy office, virtue in thy rulings, worthiness in thy subordinates and honor in thy name? It is always better to be morally right than to be politically correct! Govern thy people well and they will serve you and the nation for the betterment of the entire world.
HONOR LEADS – RESPECT FOLLOWS – RIGHT PREVAILS!
Support PCSD Purple Heart NOW, please!
Our troops don't deserve them posthumously!
They go through hell for you, all I ask is you cross the aisle for them!
~ Grif ~

"The Purple Heart recognizes those individuals wounded to a degree that requires treatment by a medical officer, in action with the enemy or as the result of enemy action where the intended effect of a specific enemy action is to kill or injure the service member," Defense Department Eileen Lainez said of the decision. "PTSD is an anxiety disorder caused by witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event." It is not "a wound intentionally caused by the enemy from an outside force or agent," but is a secondary effect caused by witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event."
Lair reply: This might be true for rear echelon PTSD folks - "who might get bombed", but it certainly is not PCSD! Let Ms Lainez go a few rounds, toe-to-toe with hard-core enemy soldiers... I bet she'll change her wimpy attitude, ASAP! Post Combat Stress Disorder comes directly from intense, bitter, and bloody combat! And the enemy does it intentionally... and so do we! These people talk out both sides of their blowholes! They believe psychological warfare is a useful tool and that is all there is to it? Baloney! Don't Ms Lainez and her cohorts think our gallant Medal of Honor recipients and equally brave combat units inflict psychological wounds on surviving enemy soldiers who witnessed these magnificent warriors kill and physically wound their comrades despite many enemy advantages on the battlefield? Well... they do! Ask any defeated enemy soldier or force! Intense combat and the inherent, intentional psychological effects (warfare) result in both physical and psychological wounds! How come most warriors who get seriously wounded and bleed profusely suffer PCSD symptoms, also? I'll tell you why... because physical wounds affect the body and at the same time, psychological wounds can and do inflict the mind, and you do not have to be physically wounded to be psychologically wounded in intense battle where people are being killed and torn to pieces all around you! DUH!
FOR DECADES the criteria for awarding the PHM was simply "Any wound inflicted by the enemy." It has changed over the years to suit the whims of those in authority.
RECENTLY, the criteria for issuance of the PHM require that the wound must be treated on the battlefield by a medic or medical officer. I wonder what part of "Post" Combat Stress Disorder they do not comprehend?

I ask Ms Lainez and the "Pentagon" the following pertinent questions:
Besides signaling messages, maiming and killing what is/was the purpose of:
Ancients - beating on personal shields?
Wanted posters - dead or alive?
Placing a bounty on individuals - monetary rewards?
Native Americans – war cries, war paint, scalping, and torture?
U.S. WW II Paratroopers - "Mohawk Indian haircuts?"
The Confederate Civil War “Rebel yell?”
Mines and booby traps?
Killing helpless enemy wounded?
Letting the wounded enemy moan in agony for comrades to hear until death silences them?
Mutilating corpses?
Leaving "death cards" on dead enemy bodies?
Utilizing loud speaker systems?
Blaring "classical" music on attack helicopters?
Dropping leaflets with enemy soldier grasped in the talons of a eagle?
Shock and awe bombings?
"Storm" troopers?
Japanese "Kamikaze" pilots?
Terrorists and suicide bombers yelling “Allah Akbar!” and the like?
Islamic women warriors screeching?
Japanese "Bonzai" yell and charge?
NVA blowing whistles and bugles?
Suicide bombers?
IED's?
NVA dragging off their dead so their opposition could not get an accurate body count and think they were invincible?
NVA sappers tying a 15-foot rope on their ankle so if killed another sapper can pull their body back to retrieve satchel charge to try again? Now that’s dedication! And it had the desired intentional psychological affect on their enemies!
Snipers picking off officers and patrol leaders?
Darn right… these are “enemy” tactics and weapons used to instill psychological fear and stress and these are just "off the top of my head!" There are many more too numerous to mention here!
America’s enemies utilize every means and method available to them to wound and kill our warriors. There is no doubt that enemy strength, proficiency, commitment (willingness to sacrifice all), ingenuity, appearance, brutality - deployments (tactics), employments (weaponry), stealth, camouflage capabilities, geographical knowledge, influences over the indigenous population, terror and the success and frequency of military operations all combine to skillfully and intentionally impose instability, worry and stress in the minds of their adversaries by constantly presenting real or perceived threats of danger and doom, that, over time, frequency and exposure inflicts the psychological wounds that eventually evolve into full blown PCSD thus disabling or killing (proxy - suicides) their victims.
HOW CAN THE PENTAGON (OR ANY WARING FACTION) EMPLOY THE TERM, TACTICS AND PRACTICE OF "PYSCHOLOGICAL WARFARE" (i.e. the use of psychological weapons) AND CLAIM THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS PSYCHOLOGICAL WOUNDS? PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE IS AS OLD AS WAR ITSELF AND SO ARE ITS ENEMY INFLICTED WOUNDS!
COMBAT AND DEADLY THREATS ARE "UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL" THEREFORE NO TWO INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCE THE SAME EXACT ACTION. THE REASONING THAT TWO WARRIORS EXPERIENCING THE SAME TRAUMA RESULTING IN ONE INDIVIDUAL SUFFERING PCSD FROM IT AND THE OTHER DOES NOT IS NOT A VALID ARGUMENT REAGARDING THE AWARDING OF THE PURPLE HEART MEDAL! BOTTOM LINE - PCSD stems from enemy inflicted, horrific suffering, violent death, and the constant threat thereof!

For these reasons and more I respectfully disagree with Ms Lainez and the Pentagon’s findings and decision in this matter. Evidently, Ms Lainez is not a student of “Psychological Warfare!” Instilling fear, terror and stress through barbaric and horrific means is as old as war itself… and it is intentional! During the Revolutionary War, British Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, commander of the notorious Tarleton’s Legion was merciless when it came to utilizing horrific tactics to instill psychological terror purposely in our forces by every ruthless means he could imagine. All to great success, I might add. In recent history, only our nation has consistently restrained it’s military by abiding by the Geneva Accords! And we restrain ourselves in applying psychological means to entice our enemies to surrender by promising good treatment and fair dealings. Any violation is dealt with in accordance to law! During WW II our enemies did not abide by “civilized” standards. The same can be said about our enemies in the Korean War and the war in Vietnam. The enemies of our nation and our people in this modern age are even more brutal… in every aspect of warfare, not to mention the killing and maiming of the helpless and innocent! Terror has no limitations! Our enemies are smart, cunning and inventive! And their intention in every action is to kill, maim and cripple as many of us as possible, on and off the battlefield by every means imaginable… including the psychological disabling and the “proxy killing” (suicide) of our warriors and combat veterans! I assure you that when a combat veteran suffering from Post Combat Stress Disorder violently commits suicide by “eating his gun” or “kissing a train”… it is not a “secondary effect” to him or his loved ones! I rest my case! Those in power, please, please, reconsider this unjust, poorly thought out decision! Thank you!
(1-11-09 I have asked (then) President Elect Obama, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx, Senator Richard Burr, Senator Kay Hagan and the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs to overide the Pentagon's decision.) ~ Grif ~

REMEMBER, HEROIC WARRIORS CONTROL THEIR FEAR! THEY WILL REFUSE TREATMENT IF EMBARRASSMENT AND INSULT TARNISHES THEIR RIGHTFULLY PROUD REPUTATION, CODE OF CONDUCT, VALOROUS ACTIONS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS! FRIVILOUS "PTSD" CRITERIA ONLY OPENS THE FLOOD GATES FOR TRIVIAL COMPLAINTS, FRAUD AND RIDICULE! CRY BABIES WILL OVERWHELM THE VA SYSTEM!

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24au09-15]
From Article:
“PTSD is a recognized anxiety disorder that can follow seeing or experiencing an event that involves actual or threatened death or serious injury to which a person responds with intense fear, helplessness or horror, and is not uncommon in war.” (This is a direct insult to brave warriors suffering from PCSD! Grif)

WHAT IS DESCRIBED ABOVE IS VERY MUCH IN NEED OF CLARIFICATION! IF SUCH BEHAVIOR/REACTION OCCURS DURING OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER BATTLE IT IS COWARDNESS! IT DEFINITELY IS NOT POST COMBAT STRESS DISORDER! PCSD WOUNDED WARRIORS DO NOT RESPOND IN SUCH A MANNER! THEY CONTINUE TO FIGHT THE ENEMY EVEN AFTER A LONG SERIES OF THE BLOODIEST OF BATTLES! VERY OFTEN, COMBAT OPERATIONS INVOLVE MANY BATTLES… ONE AFTER THE OTHER FOR WEEKS, EVEN MONTHS, AND ONE OPERATION FOLLOWS CLOSELY BEHIND ANOTHER… AND ANOTHER! PCSD WOUNDED WARRIORS HAVE ALWAYS PERFOMED BRAVELY AND ADMIRABLLY DURING VERY LONG BATTLES WITH LULLS IN BETWEEN!
I ASK YOU… WHY ARE SOME TWO AND THREE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE AWARD RECIPIENTS (THEY FOUGHT DIRT LEVEL IN 2 - 3 WARS!) ONLY DIAGNOSED WITH PCSD WELL AFTER RETIREMENT FROM THE MILITARY? BECAUSE… THEY ARE TOUGH-AS-NAILS HEROES WHO REPEATINGLY IGNORED DANGER WHEN IT THREATHENED FOR DECADES! THIS IS THE CHARACTER OF THE AMERICAN WARRIOR! HOWEVER, SUCH REMARKABLE RESPONSES TO ENEMY ATTACK IN ACTIVE COMBAT, CAN EVENTUALLY SERIOUSLY WOUND HUMAN NERVOUS SYSTEMS. ONE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A PHYSCHIATRIST TO REALIZE THAT! WE ALL HAVE OUR LIMITATIONS. THE BRAVEST OF THE BRAVE CAN SUFFER FROM PCSD! WARRIORS WHO WERE AWARDED NUMEROUS VALOR MEDALS ARE PROBABLY THE MOST LIKELY TO SUFFER FROM PCSD THE WORST! YES, EVEN HEROES ARE FLESH AND BLOOD, AND NERVES… AND NERVES CAN BE WOUNDED! AN OFTEN ARE!
BRAVERY VERSES COWARDNESS REQUIRES BOLD DEFINITIONS AND A VERY CLEAR DEMARCATION LINE! THAT FEDERAL REGISTER STATEMENT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED VOID FOR VAGUENESS... IT DOES NOT ACCURATELY DESCRIBE PCSD AND IS A DIRECT, RUDE AND ILLITERATE INSULT TO OUR NATION'S WARRIORS! HOW CAN SO CALLED PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE BE SO UNEDUCATED IN REGARD TO OUR MILITARY AND ITS QUALITY OF WARRIORS? IT BOGGLES THE MIND! Grif

SOME SHOULD THINK BEFORE THEY SPEAK!
"...HE WHO SPREADS SLANDER IS A FOOL." - PROVERBS 10:18

Griffin's Lair is a God fearing website that is proud to present a Post Combat Stress Disorder/Paratrooper theme that promotes patriotism by honoring America's veterans, armed forces, Gold Star Mothers, our fallen heroes and all who suffer from the ravages of Post Combat Stress Disorder. This presentation features heartfelt poetry, true combat experiences, military history, and military related links of excellence.
For those thirsting for more “inside” knowledge about war, it's many horrors, devastating consequences and the hellish symptoms of PCSD that follow our brave combat veterans home, Griffin's Lair highly recommends the poignant Anthology of War, Death and Remembrance, ©"Thoughts, Memories and Tears", and the compelling, epic autobiography, ©"When You Hear The Bugle Call", subtitled Battling PTSD and the Unraveling of the American Conscience. Both books were written to benefit combat veterans agonized by severe and chronic PCSD. Their intention is to help these brave veterans, their loved ones (Secondary PCSD) and true friends, as well as the general public, to better understand this devastating, potentially disastrous psychological, mechanical, and common response to repeated, life threatening situations. You will have several opportunities to order these books, from various sources, throughout your visit to "The Lair."
All PTSD victims... police, fire, rescue, EMT, doctors, nurses, security, first responders of all kinds, as well as terror and natural catastrophe victims would benefit by reading both of these cathartic, in depth, heartfelt and caring presentations.
As for my military counterparts, fellow police officers and all public service wounded PTSD victims... a sincere well done! Thank you for your brave service to our nation's colors, our communities and for risking all so others may live... in freedom and safety! God bless you!
All accounts were written in the indomitable, unflinching airborne/warrior spirit... No matter where, no matter when, no matter the enemy, no matter the odds, no matter the weather, no matter public support... No matter Post Combat Stress Disorder!
In order to fulfill The Lair's mission of enlightening all who need to understand the complex, nightmarish world of Post Combat Stress Disorder to expand their personal quest for internal peace, there are several portals, which will bring them and all who truly dare to care...