Military service and PTSD do not excuse Graham Platner’s behavior

When I got back from Iraq, Facebook was still a new phenomenon. I actually signed up for it while on the Iraq/Syrian border as a way to better stay connected with all my family and friends. Upon coming home, like many Americans I connected with old friends, posted pictures of my food, bragged about the San Diego weather, and wrote random posts about random subjects. The best thing about it was I connected with all my fellow Marines and found groups, pages, and accounts where we could be ourselves.

In this atmosphere I found the good and the bad. I could keep tabs on my guys and watch as some continued their careers while others went out into the world. We could talk to each other and support one another. But I also saw the rise of what we now call the “bro-vet” and the toxic culture that grew among veterans. There was a race to diminish people’s service because they didn’t have specific ribbons on their uniform. People couldn’t talk about the war if they didn’t deploy. Even people that went to war, but didn’t have infantry jobs were talked down to and diminished.

Even worse, was the rampant misogyny toward female service members, racism toward fellow veterans, and a diminishing of people’s trauma because they didn’t have the same experience as others. I understood it then and still get it now. It was a place to vent your anger at the world, come to terms with your service, vent on your buddies or strangers, and find a community. But I also knew then it was not an excuse for saying vile things nor a solution for dealing with mental health, post-traumatic stress........

© The Hill