Terrorist Events Difficult for Veterans

Michael is a Purple Heart recipient who attends a local college in San Bernardino California. He was a combat medic for two tours during Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran (OIF). He has Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD) from when his Humvee was attacked using an improvised explosive device (IED) on a bridge in Iraq. Months prior to the terror attacks in San Bernardino Michael saw a (mine-resistant, ambush-protected truck) MRAP at a stop light in San Bernardino. The sight of the truck in his city caused him to freeze; when the light changed, he just sat there. He was confused for a second and thought he was back in Iraq. At the time Michael was one of the biggest opponents of using military equipment by police in the United States I have ever met. At the time, he was concerned over the misuse of the equipment by police, after our discussion I found out he was not alone, many veterans feel the same way as Michael about the use of military equipment by police.

Over the past couple of months, before the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, the conversation over military equipment continued in the veteran’s center. Over time, veterans researched which local police forces had gotten military equipment. To their surprise, they found local police forces have gotten allot of military equipment. Since the North Hollywood shooting southern California cities and counties have received military equipment included three automatic rifles for use by the Baldwin Park CA. Unified School District. The city of Covina CA received night vision sniper scopes for their officers. Redlands CA received 32 automatic rifles and a mine resistant vehicle. San Bernardino County CA has gotten millions of dollars in air support, including helicopters and a transport airplane. It is my guess that San Bernardino CA and surrounding police forces used much of this equipment when the terrorist attack in San Bernardino occurred.

The use of this equipment and the tactics on American soil in San Bernardino caused some veterans and their family’s severe distress. Watching the incident unfold on television caused a range of emotions in veterans. Seeing the images on television of armored vehicles, assault weapons and military tactics caused some to feel they needed to protect their families and their country. Some went on with their lives, even driving in the assault area, armed with the gunmen at large. A couple of veterans indicated the sight of the police using their equipment and tactics caused them to have flashbacks. Another said, “The police looked like us when we were advancing into cities in Iraq. I now understand why the Iraqi and Afghanistan people were afraid of us. “I felt like an Iraqi kid”. Other veterans felt the need to be armed and ready. One carried his handgun with him when he left his home that day. Another barricaded his family in his house and went into full battle mode. A client wanted to get his gun and go looking for the assailants. Each veteran handled their feelings differently, some went into a defensive posture, others wanted to go into assault mode and some kept doing what they normally do. The sight of these tactics and use of military equipment is something they thought they left behind and would not have to see on American soil, they were wrong.

I saw a gamut of emotions from our veterans during the San Bernardino terrorist attacks. Some wanted to attack and others wanted to cry, others were in pure defiance mode, either way their lives were changed, and their training kicked in for some. This terrorist incident so close to home and the use of military tactics used in an American city is distressing to many citizens especially veterans. The actions by some of our veterans during the terrorist attack has caused discussions between them and their families that had not previously taken place. Some of these discussions could lead to problems between veterans and their families. When a veteran goes into “battle mode”, it scares their families and they start to question their loved one’s sanity. As a society, we cannot underestimate the impact this type of incident has on our veterans and their families. These necessary actions distress all of us but it affects our veterans differently. I talked to Michael a couple of days ago. He has started to look at the use of military equipment by police differently, but it still affects him.

For questions or comments, I can be reached at bo@afterdutyvets.com or visit our website at afterdutyvets.com.