Which came first?

The criminal background or the PTSD? It seems almost axiomatic that if a veteran of today’s wars commits crimes upon his return, it must be because he suffers from PTSD. But very few PTSD experts believe that crime is a symptom of PTSD. It is more likely that these crimes are a function of the veteran’s pre-war life.

The Sacramento Bee continues its series on ‘moral waivers’ with a review of several returning veterans who have committed crimes upon their return to the U.S. Some served in combat, others did not. What they seem to have in common besides committing crimes is that the crimes they committed after their return were of the same type as those they committed before they enlisted.