British 'world-record sniper' says he can still see and smell the people he killed

[Reptile]

British 'world-record sniper' says he can still see and smell the people he killed in his nightmares

The British sniper who holds the world record for the longest confirmed kill has said he has been "hung out to dry" by the Army since being discharged.

Sgt Craig Harrison, who served in the army for 23 years, told ABC news that he felt like he was “hung out to dry,” when he was discharged. “They didn’t even say thank you,” he said.

Over the course of his career, Sgt Harrison completed multiple deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans, the latter of which caused him to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Sgt Harrison said that his nightmares were related to the people he had killed, that “I can smell them, I can see them. Every person who I have taken their life”.

During the Balkans conflict, which saw Sgt Harrison deployed to deal with the aftermath of mass murders, he described in an interview remembering the grim task of identifying the dead how “we had to put an arm to a body and match it”.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-army-after-23-years-of-service-10302952.html

---
Interesting article about this sniper.

 

[Martlet]

He should sue them. Forcing people to be in the military for 23 years is just wrong.

 

[daekken]

Sounds pretty different from Simo Hayha. That dude dropped over 500 Soviet soldiers and didn't seem too bothered by it.

 

[bigblue]

I wasn't aware of "thank you" letters other than your discharge papers. This guy seems to think he is entitled to something more than what everyone gets. I'm not clear on what or why though?

 

[Wendell]

A worker who suffers from PTSD as a direct consequence of their employment deserves more than just a discharge. In many places, a worker who suffers injury in the course of their employment is eligible for workers' compensation; in many places, the injured worker will continue to be eligible for benefits for as long as the disability exists. If PTSD is a real thing - and it is - and if PTSD is a disability - and it is - a worker who suffers from PTSD as a direct consequence of their employment should expect continuing financial and medical support from the employer.

 

[crazymjb]

PTSD is weird because it varies so widely in who and how it manifests. I sleep like a baby and never have more than the occasional dream, which makes sense to me because frankly I didn't really do all that much. Only once did I ever have an abnormal reaction to something, and frankly I think given the circumstances it was understandable (transformer blew up a block away 3 months after I got back). On the other hand people who were next to me the entire time have various issues, which in retrospect isn't surprising since they never were able to relax the entire time we were there.

On the other hand, I know people who were involved in some insane heavy fighting and have issues, and those in the same situation who don't. Also, how greatly these issues impact peoples lives varies greatly. Occasional annoyances are different than insomnia, etc. Also, I know a lot of people who have had delayed onset issues.

I feel for the guy, and I have ZERO idea how GB is with treating their vets as far as healthcare, etc is concerned.

Mike

 

[jkelly1229]

I mean they should be taken care of but it's part of the risk you run too. Ptsd has gone by a lot of names in its day but there are well documented cases going back to the Romans and before. Killing another human is an unnatural act. It's been programmed into us as wrong since birth basically and it's for the betterment of the species. So yes 9 weeks of basic to undo 18 formative years of being told not to kill. Tough to reverse that programming.

 

[josh2600]

I mean they should be taken care of but it's part of the risk you run too. Ptsd has gone by a lot of names in its day but there are well documented cases going back to the Romans and before. Killing another human is an unnatural act. It's been programmed into us as wrong since birth basically and it's for the betterment of the species. So yes 9 weeks of basic to undo 18 formative years of being told not to kill. Tough to reverse that programming.

If you haven't already, read "On killing". Very interesting.

 

[Wrench75]

Suck it up buttercup.

 

[mclina]

I always assumed those jihadis smelled pretty bad, but from 1000 yards?