Mount Rainier National Park Ranger Shot & Killed

[Wise Old Owl]

God bless the Ranger and his family and Lord heal whoever done that awful thing. This kinda tragic death always bothers me.

I was avoiding this ...because it terrible it's not HIS its HER ... yea She has 4 years on the job and set up a road block and - I have to ask don't they have access to a good bullet proof vest? I read several news stuff - I thought it was a woman ranger that was killed? She has two kids.

its crushhing...mentally.


And if I have the story wrong it really doesn't matter- its still awful.

[d.o.c]

wow im sad all i feel like sayig is ***

[squirrel bait]

Found dead of exposure.

[Shutterbug]

His prior service does not in any way make me feel different about him or his deeds. He's a cold blooded killer - he shot the ranger while she was still in her car.

You are right. His prior military service had nothing to do with this crime.

As a veteran of the Vietnam War, it always irritates me when the news media assumes a cause and effect relationship between military service and crime. The truth is that all kinds of people join the military. If they were "nut cases" when they joined, they will probably still be "nut cases" when they leave the service.

While this drama was still underway, the news media kept reporting that the gunman was a veteran with "survival training." The clear implication was that he was a Rambo type person -- a military trained killer. Compare that image to the facts as they were later reported. He fled into a rugged mountain area with two feet of snow in blue jeans, a tee shirt and tennis shoes. That doesn't reflect the actions of a person with any survival training.

My conclusion is that his military experience was irrelevant to this crime.

[4eyedbuzzard]

You are right. His prior military service had nothing to do with this crime.

As a veteran of the Vietnam War, it always irritates me when the news media assumes a cause and effect relationship between military service and crime. The truth is that all kinds of people join the military. If they were "nut cases" when they joined, they will probably still be "nut cases" when they leave the service.

While this drama was still underway, the news media kept reporting that the gunman was a veteran with "survival training." The clear implication was that he was a Rambo type person -- a military trained killer. Compare that image to the facts as they were later reported. He fled into a rugged mountain area with two feet of snow in blue jeans, a tee shirt and tennis shoes. That doesn't reflect the actions of a person with any survival training.

My conclusion is that his military experience was irrelevant to this crime.

FWIW, he was also discharged under less than honorable conditions (misconduct discharge). Apparently he ran afoul UCMJ on a DWI and a charge of illegally transporting personal weapons. I have this nagging suspicion there were likely other ongoing discipline issues, but that is just my personal speculation. I don't know how many or the severity of incidents it takes to get one's @$$ drumnmed out, and there's not a lot of detail out yet on this.

Now, in fairness, there are complaints that the armed services are discharging people with PTSD for charges those who are discharged are saying are caused by their service induced PTSD. Some say this is in order to simply drum them out and reduce both partial disability claims and VA's liability, but that is obviously an ongoing issue and debate. Clearly though, very few become murderers. The misconduct discharge, the Odin tat, the posing with guns, the restraining orders all point to someone with problems that appear to go way beyond just having problems adjusting to civilian life.

[Old Boots]

His prior service may or may not have had anything to do with his erratic and violent behavior. However, we need to be aware as a nation that when you send young people year after year into harms way and subject them to long term anxiety such as the soldiers and marines have experienced during the past decade in Iraq and Afghanistan, many will come home damaged mentally if not physically and we will have to lie with that. Maybe we ought to consider that the next time we decide to start a war.

[Guy]

You are right. His prior military service had nothing to do with this crime.

As a veteran of the Vietnam War, it always irritates me when the news media assumes a cause and effect relationship between military service and crime. The truth is that all kinds of people join the military. If they were "nut cases" when they joined, they will probably still be "nut cases" when they leave the service.

While this drama was still underway, the news media kept reporting that the gunman was a veteran with "survival training." The clear implication was that he was a Rambo type person -- a military trained killer. Compare that image to the facts as they were later reported. He fled into a rugged mountain area with two feet of snow in blue jeans, a tee shirt and tennis shoes. That doesn't reflect the actions of a person with any survival training.

My conclusion is that his military experience was irrelevant to this crime.

His wife said that his behavior was erratic and that he was suffering from PTSD. She's probably not a qualified shrink, but I think shes in a better position to judge his state of mind than you or me.

Trying to understand the circumstances that led to this isn't the same thing as forgiving him for it. Just heaping blame and forgetting is easy, but it all but guarantees that this or something like it will happen again.

[fiddlehead]

His prior service may or may not have had anything to do with his erratic and violent behavior. However, we need to be aware as a nation that when you send young people year after year into harms way and subject them to long term anxiety such as the soldiers and marines have experienced during the past decade in Iraq and Afghanistan, many will come home damaged mentally if not physically and we will have to lie with that. Maybe we ought to consider that the next time we decide to start a war.

What he said^

[Blissful]

...And the soldier that butchered his own at that military base at Fort Hood a few years back? What's that excuse? Because he joined?

I saw a picture of the brave woman ranger. She had a disfigurement on her face or maybe a big birthmark, not sure. For that guy to do what he in cold blood and to a woman, there is no excuse...
In murders, everyone blames the guns, the war, how someone was treated when they were younger, insanity, whatever. No one blames the person and say - Hey he's evil.

BTW I have a nephew who served bravely in Iraq. My daughter-in-law in is the Navy. You dishonor them and those who serve...and are serving..our nation's interests and protecting democracy...by dragging political opinions into this