Where did you hear these stories? Please provide full details of these stories and how military service was the deciding factor. Or how military service in war was the deciding factor. How many Law enforcement officers misused their firearms? Military personnel (okay maybe not the Air Force...just kidding guys...thanks for the ride into Baghdad what a hoot!) are provided extensive training beyond the average two week course a civilian takes (or doesn't). They are exposed to constant briefings on safety. All in all they are better prepared to carry a firearm than the average non service member. I never stated you had to be military to serve your country....that is not the thesis.

Post-traumatic stress syndrome . Have you not ever seen the news about some returning military personnel coming back with issues that have led to people being harmed?

Again, not all suffer from this, but its estiamted that t least some 22% of personnel are effected. Please do your own research, I have, since I have a family member that is now serving his 4th tour of dutyp rotecting us at this moment. I think its a security risk to have possible armed citizens that are carrying weapons that don't have said legal documention to do so.

1 in 8 returning soldiers suffers from PTSD.

In the study of 6,201 service members, the researchers surveyed four different groups: Army brigades before they went to Iraq, after six months in Afghanistan and after eight months in Iraq; and Marine battalions after six months in Iraq.

The soldiers and Marines filled out anonymous questionnaires asking about their mental health, their use of mental health services and their combat experience. The returning troops took the survey three to four months after coming home.

Only active-duty combat troops were questioned.

Symptoms of major depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder were reported by 16 percent to 17 percent of those who served in Iraq, 11 percent of those who were in Afghanistan and 9 percent questioned before they left.

The differences were greatest for post-traumatic stress disorder with about twice as many with PTSD after Iraq (12 percent) than Afghanistan (6 percent). Before deployment, the rate was 5 percent, about the same as the general U.S. population.

The troops in Iraq saw more combat, including firefights and attacks, than those in Afghanistan. The Iraq units took part in the early fighting of the war.

Studies done years after the Vietnam and Persian Gulf wars showed the rate of post-traumatic stress disorder at the time was 15 percent for Vietnam veterans and 2 percent to 10 percent for Gulf War veterans, the researchers reported.

In the latest study, only 38 percent to 40 percent of those who indicated mental health disorders were interested in getting help, and 23 to 40 percent reported seeing someone for help. They cited concerns about how they would be seen by peers and potential damage to their careers.

The study points up the need to “reduce the barriers and make it more likely for people to come in and get the help that they need,” Hoge said.

none of those stats support your origional point that military personell are more likely to come home and shoot people. it just proved that there is such a thing as PTSD. yes that has happened in the past, but rarely and almost always at home. so a law exempting them from concealed weapons laws would have no bearing on this. Nor did your stats prove any relationship to gun crimes by vets and the concealed weapons laws in that area, so the stats were kind of pointless.

It amazes me on how someone with little or no combat experience can write paragraph after paragraph on the mental suffering endured by returning vets, with perhaps as many as two psychology credits to their name. Should all the statistical data you throw out be true, why is it that during 2003-2004 it was safer for a young man to walk the streets of Baghdad than Detroit? Chicago? New Orleans? Perhaps anyone reared within the bowels of a major American city suffers from PTSD.

You studies are mere opinions printed so that cretain idiots can gleen information and appear to look intellectual.

If you can't address points and argue with some basic respect, then spare me the typical lines of reply.. Sorry it amazes me that some people are quick to throw around words like " idiot " and think thats a reasonable response.

Btw, so she only medical professionals that have served treat military personnel? Following your line of whatever reasoning, thats what should happen. Perhaps you study the DOD own studies as it relates to stress and mental illness.

To serve or not to serve is a right, thats why its called a " All Volunteer Force " . Once doesn't have to wear a uniform to serve his country.

Serving was not your original point, are you now obfuscating?

Medical professionals in and out of uniform was not addressed by me, are you trying to speak for me?

My point to you was that without the firsthand experience of combat and armed with little or no psychological training, but after reading a few studies or periodicals relating to PSTD you become an expert on the subject. Obviously your stay in a Holiday Inn Express has gone to your head.

Stay on subject.

all that research data is more than likely not accurate. I believe that most uniformed personnel, when confronted with a survey or questionaire, just consider it another PITA and are very likely not to be completely honest or responsive. I know that's how I felt. You know those things are being conducted by someone who has been paid to obtain data to support--more than likely--a preordained conclusion.