Jacky Sam
Section A02
Response 5: "Empire of Death and the Plague of Civic Violence"

     Hamamoto addresses the strong connection between  military service and the rise of serial killers and cases of mass murders. Cases mentioned in the article include Charles Joseph Whitman and John Allen Williams. Both were men with extensive military background who brought their skills into society and terrorized innocent lives. Such actions could have been prevented following their return from service. It should not be the person's decision to receive treatment, but a requirement. Studies have shown that often times, psychological issues are not apparent in veterans following their return, but some have some type of post-traumatic stress and depression some time in their lives. 20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Depression and 50% of those do not seek treatment. Treatment can prevent mass murders, in addition to saving veterans from taking their own lives.

Question: Should the U.S. government require psychological treatment for military veterans?