[RogHammon]

To be explicit, instead of toying with you:

My point was simply that homicide commission rates by Iraq & Afghanistan veterans in the US appear to be, if anything, lower than those of the average American (adjusted for age and sex).

This has nothing to do with the size of the sample or statistical uncertainties. These issues often arise, especially with very small numbers of events, but the problem here is more fundamental.

[Teareerah]

Not particularly. Maybe it points out a problem with the care at separation from military.

[DoctorDeryOne]

I'm not a ****ing moron who opines on stuff I just don't understand.

since when?

[NvrNoNowX]

While I generally think KH lacks some tact, his is quite right in this matter.

[gtyruzzel]

That would be interesting stats to compare. Murder rate of ex-soldiers during the 90's and now.

[layedgebiamma]

Granted. But whether you look at the story and say "the military needs to take better care of its vets at separation" or "man some of soldiers end up f*$(*d up" or whatever, it is a legitimate news story, contrary to what some others have said. No, you should look at the story and see that the murder rate is actually lower than average once you decipher the deliberatly detail deficient stats the guys published. The story here is that despite all they have gone through they are no more violent that the average citizen.

Also, is it really appropriate that former soldiers should conform to the murder rate of the general populace? Shouldn't their rate be lower -- discipline, honor and all that? There is indeed something wrong with the system when combat veterans don't perform better than average at not killing their fellow citizens. We recruit from the same pool of citizenry as everyone else, and from a far more diverse sample set within it than most. Our military should have ever societal problem that our society itself has, whether or not it is tempered by constant military supervision.

Veterans are not super human, you have an unrealistic expectation of what they should be.

[eduptultyt]

I'd expect returning vets to have far higher rates for violent crime. After all, times are tough, you've got a skill set geared towards violence, and crime is a pretty good career path in the short term.

This sounds like good news to be honest.

[Gabbavnf]

I see Ben is on the idiot side (well duh!). That's because like KH I actually understand statistics.

As I said earlier, labelling us 'idiots' isn't exactly compelling.

[prpaims]

Veterans are not super human, you have an unrealistic expectation of what they should be.

No, I just have an extremely dim view of the general American population and its murder rate.

[Maymayfor]

since when?

Hi, Sava.



Please come up with more creative insults. Thanks.

[VitaliyMurnov]

You posted 4 in a row. Shouldn't Lori put you on your ignore list?

[luffyplayaz]

A "spate of five killings" allegedly committed by a single combat team isn't news?

It is news for those who died and their families. I'm not sure it is news in terms of being a statistical aberration.

First off, we need to know if these killings are in any way connected. Were some of them multiple murders? Murders committed by the same individual (or a small group of individuals)? Then we need to know the size of this "combat team" as well as the number of similarly sized units of veterans in the US.

I doubt that you know the answer to these questions.

[ancexiaepidge]

I've seen statistics showing that PTSD takes a toll on a large chunk of returning vets who have seen action. There is anecdotal evidence as well beyond Zaku's.

But as KH points out, this article suggests the opposite of what the writer appears to have intended to suggest.

[TagBahthuff]

I think that we agree that when the soldiers are returning, then they need a proper return.

Where did I say that they don't?

[minowz]

Do you mind explaining yourself, you Danish buffoon?

You disappeared after I pressed you for an explanation of why my comments in the other thread were so obviously stupid. Going to pull the same bullshit here?

Returning soldiers are not particularly violent, at least not by the measure of homicide commission. This is an extremely important comparison to make, as it gives the lie to the inference made by both the article posted as well as the individual who posted it.

Twit.

well, I do seem to remember you claiming rape victims intrude upon their attackers if they resist, that was damn near the most boneheaded thing I've seen at poly Or did you argue self defense is an intrusion? Oh well, same thing...

and I believe the article made a distinction between vets who saw heavy action and vets who didn't - that would dramatically reduce your starting pool of vets.