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Pierce County Sheriff's Department via AP
Benjamin Colton Barnes in an undated photo.
The man who authorities say killed a ranger before dying in Mount Rainier National Park was in turmoil over developments in his personal life after his discharge from the Army, friends say, suggesting that his alleged actions over the weekend may have had little connection to his military service.
The man, former Pfc. Benjamin Colton Barnes, 24 — who was found dead Monday, apparently of drowning in a creek after becoming hypothermic — shot and killed park Ranger Margaret Anderson, 34, on Sunday. He is also believed to have shot and wounded four people, two of them critically, earlier in the day at a New Year's party in Skyway, near Seattle, authorities said.
Army records show that Barnes served in Iraq before returning stateside to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, south of Seattle. He was discharged from the Army in 2009 for drunken driving and illegal transportation of a private weapon.
In July, the mother of Barnes' young daughter said in court papers seeking a protection order that he "has possible PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) issues." News organizations — including msnbc.com — noted the court filings and reported that Lewis-McChord is considered one of the most troubled bases in the U.S. military, with an alarming record of violent incidents and suicides among veterans returning from Iraq.
But as more has been learned about Barnes, it appears that his troubles may have had little to do with his service in Iraq or his having been stationed at Lewis-McChord.
Military records show that Barnes served in a headquarters communications job in Iraq. A spokesman at Lewis-McChord told The Seattle Times there was no record of Barnes' having received a Combat Action Badge, indicating he probably never came under fire in Iraq.
There are also hints that Barnes was already disturbed before he entered the Army. Growing up in Riverside County, Calif., he was sent to a community day school for expelled and troubled students as a teenager, the Press-Enterprise newspaper reported.
A reconstruction of Barnes' life since his discharge by The Seattle Times indicates that Barnes' erratic post-discharge behavior didn't seriously begin until this summer, when his relationship with his ex-girlfriend collapsed.
Claiming Barnes was suicidal and had threatened her, the woman won a protective order that required Barnes to be supervised whenever he was with his daughter, according to court records reviewed by msnbc.com. A civil trial had been scheduled for Jan. 31.
The Times, meanwhile, quoting a friend, said Barnes recently traveled to the Riverside area for the funeral a close Army friend who committed suicide in October.
Another friend told the newspaper that "everything just got to him. Life got so hard. He was so stressed. He would say, 'I feel like nobody's trying to help me. I feel like everybody's against me.'"
Brandon Friedman, an Army combat veteran in Afghanistan and Iraq and author of the highly regarded memoir "The War I Always Wanted," told msnbc.com that it was wrong to link Barnes' alleged behavior to PTSD or conditions at Lewis-McChord, noting that the military "kicked Barnes out for misconduct."
While some soldiers return from overseas duty with PTSD, most aren't diagnosed with it, and misconduct by other troubled soldiers at the base doesn't necessarily mean Barnes' misconduct was service-related, he said.
Even if Barnes did have PTSD, as his ex-girlfriend says, "having PTSD doesn't signify a propensity to murder Americans," Friedman said, adding that he was concerned that depictions of Barnes as a sufferer of PTSD could fuel public perceptions that all Lewis-McChord veterans are "dangerous psychos."
"The stereotype of the crazy vet is something vets have had to deal with for years, and it's simply not backed up with hard data," he said.
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Leave a Comment:
Thanks for stating the point that this does not have to be service related.
I'm sure some who followed this story have already made us murderous heathens.
Of course it wasn't service related; a nut is a nut regardless of his profession.
The left wing media, however, does, and always has, hated the military. But at a time when soldiers and vets are so popular among the huge majority of Americans, the media has to carefully choose subtle opportunities such as this one to vent their left wing hatred for us "killers".
spider: I'm one of your so-called leftist/liberal/progressives and have been in journalism/the media for decades. And I'm a patriotic American who supports our military, and one of my proudest moments was when I attended ceremonies in Normandy for the 50th anniversary of D-Day and could personally thank our Allied vets for helping save the world. So, to summarize, shut the (bleep) up!!!!
No actually Spider has some facts to back up his claim, the article included as the writer's propensity to stereotype Barnes was instantaneous.
So Justme, Im glad you consider yourself the exception to the rule but unfortunately you sir, are the minority.
riley: if you are saying that the US media hates the military, that is plain bull. And in all my years, working on both coasts, most often with liberal colleagues, I can recall but one who was regularly, vociferously critical of the wisdom of some military actions, but even he was always supportive of our fighting forces. So if I'm the exception, I do not know where all the military haters are hiding. And the writer of this story was not stereotyping the killer, s/he was noting that others had connected dots that may well have been unrelated.
I come from a military family, my father was in Vietnam his father was killed during WWII. I had ancestors in the french indian war, the revolutionary, civil and mexican american wars. I don't for 1 minute blame the military or anyone else but the man himself for his actions. PTSD is horrible I care for vets who have occassional flashbacks etc.... and get mad at me if you like but quite a few admitted to "severe" drug use while over seas. One told me that the LSD there was the drug of choice. The majority of those who did drugs were wayyyyyy worse than those who didn't. Also PTSD shouldn't be blamed for homicidal or psychotic behavior not one person I have ever dealt with wanted to harm anyone else in fact they didn't want to be near anyone else. Plus the way our vietnam vets were treated didn't make it any easier. And judging from the young mans tats he already had a problem. There are systems in place for war vets THEY have to utilize them. I like most folks wish that war never happens... but it does and always has. I pray for his victims and their families as well as his. It really doesn't matter why someone kills someone. Its wrong no matter the reasons or excuses.
The writer of THIS story wasnt....the writer of the other 3 stories including updates WAS. Go back and read them. Military Vet was in the TITLE....how do you not pick up on that??????
And yes the second there are repercussions regarding a military duty, in other words the second this skill set pops up in the rear, CONUS or stateside as some call it - the liberal media loses their minds. READ ALL THE OTHER STORIES regarding aberrant military behavior....they DONT pull any punches.
Justme: as another vet whose been in the marine corps infantry and deployed in country twice... please. its no secret the media demonizes the military every chance it gets. the military has only gotten a break recently because of public support but the media still attacks any chance it gets. good luck trying to sit here and convince a bunch of vets of your bs.
The painting of returning GIs as dangerous psychopaths is nothing new. I'm 71 and got out in 1961. The people back home looked sideways at us even then. I never understood it, still don't. Maybe those who didn't serve feel guilty and looking down on those who did makes them feel better.
What else is new. The media always plays to sensationalism ever since they abandoned truth and impartiality....same thing occured after vietnam, every person involved in any violent encounter was labeled "former Marine" even if his service was 30 years prior.
Remember this is the same worthless media that thinks every firearm is an AK-47, three guns is an arsenal, and anyone with a tattoo is a gangbanger....
AMEN to that, I remember the term ,'Baby Killer' when we got off the plane in 71. It didn't matter who you were as long as you were in uniform. Thank-you impartial press!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Translation he was a FOBbit.
FOBbits probably received IDF depending on their location so maybe he saw some action.
The sound you hear it the Department of Defence and the Army scrambling to wash their hands of any responsibility. Like so many others he, according to DOD, was not affected by his tour of duty. What he did was completely wrong but the military is responsible on its own part. If he was a sociopath before he enlisted why was he accepted?
Probably because we have NO draft Don Mee and thus a lack of bodies for the military and when we are in a 2 front war either you can support the draft or the use of Private Military Companies and I am assuming you probably loathe both. Pick one or then keep mute about the relaxed standards for military selection...
Its called the americans with disabilities act. Sociopathy doesn't exclude you from military service because it doesn't mean your a "homicidal maniac" or a "schizo with homicidal tendancies" etc... get my drift? We The People are responsible for the law because we the people (the majority) have no idea what these psycological issues are and what they entail. We sat on our couches caught a news program and poor psychos are so miss understood. As a nurse I wish they would go back to forced medications. We didn't have near the violence commited on innocent people who were subjected to psychos because we felt sorry for them when you give them a shot to stop the behavior and the yoyo med taking you wouldn't even know they were the same person. Stop blaming the military or the general public for an individuals behavior. If you put the responsibility in the individuals lap then maybe just maybe the ignorance will stop.
He would NOT have been admitted to the armed forces if it was known that he had a serious mental issue. The military is not compelled to admit members with disabilites. Physical and mental fitness is a requirement for duty. Most likely, his condition did not show up through the standard screening.
With the number of young men and women who have been in the military over the last ten years and exposed to the level of violence that some of them have seen, there are going to be a small percentage of unstable individuals. This is not the last incident.
Wow, simply amazing. You read an article that says this incident was, in all likelihood, completely unrelated to his service, and then manage to conclude that this incident was a result of his service and will be part of a chain of event related to unstable servicement acting violently. It's almost as if you are impervious to facts.
justross
All the information indicating that this was not service related is coming from paid DoD spin doctors. The military has a lot to lose PR wise from this so I would take those "facts" with a big grain of salt
Let's not let facts get in your way, either, liberalgunowner. Per the article, the information indicating this was not service related comes from research done the Press Enterprise newspaper showing disturbed behavior before entering the army and by The Seattle Times showing that his post-discharge behavior didn't become problematic till nearly 2 years after he left. Oh, and the author and combat vet Brandon Friedman gets a reference in there too. Tell me, which one of those a "paid DoD spin doctor."
OMG... get off the Left-wing Liberal media bias cr^p. Media (period NBC, CNN and FOX) loves to hype everything they can as most Media no longer has News, it's all Infotainment. They need to get people to view their info, so they can get more money.
Here was a disturbed kid that, had some military hostory(so what). He was disturbed, and he shot someone. I'm socially liberal, and read this yesterday and didn't think twice about his military history as a cause.
Then you Mark -lasped Catholic and full-time Irish, are the minority. There is a sound reason the articles about the thrill killings done in Afghanistan by the 5th Stryker Brigade generated 117 pages of Newvine anti-war and a great deal of anti-military comments. A large percentage of people found the military and its mindset "disgusting". It causes one to wonder if people know that the military's job is to kill in order to stop or reduce a viable threat...
Oh Pul-eese!! Quit blaming the Military for this guy's misbehaviors. (To put it nicely) Seems he was discharged for very valid reasons before his tour was up? To blame it on the Military leads me to think that maybe I should blame a divorce or a possible speeding ticket on PTSD because I'm a Viet Nam Vet? Give me a break.
Don Mee.....the article says nothing about him being a sociopath.
God Bless our troops
The system is not perfect and dirt bags will slip trough the cracks.
I served most of my adult life as a Marine.
Don't judge the entire military by the actions of the few and don't put a lable on those that stepped up to the plate and served with honor.
Sorry GM, but a label for the folks who have stepped up is warranted: heroic.
Being an Iraq vet myself, I can say that a tour to Iraq or Afghanistan can definatly add to the stress of life, but this individual doesnt look like he would have had any reason to play the PTSD card. He was Commo, and didnt even receive a CAB. He most likely sat on a Huge FOB and got to eat Taco Bell and Burger King every day. He obviously didnt have a good head on his shoulders to begin with, and then a DWI and a possible divorce definatley didnt help.
God is Great, Beer is Good, and People are Crazy.
God Bless our Troops, Past, Present, and Future
Hope he's enjoying those flames in hell
I am authoring my comments as the wife of a combat vet with a 100% PTSD rating. I have dealt with way too many stigmas of PTSD, trust me, and propagating the stigma is the last thing I want to do. But this story reeks in so many ways.
Here are my thoughts:
I am actually not sure what to think about this case. If PTSD was involved, it was a recipe for disaster with his marriage falling apart and the loss of his friend. Add in the triggers of alcohol at a party and you are just looking at a ticking time bomb waiting to go off.
What I find interesting here is...where was the VA's role in his care? Was there any? And, if there wasn't...why not? My guess it is because he was dishonorably discharged, as certain types of discharges will deny you VA benefits.
Because I have seen internal documents from the Army that specify the cost savings of putting someone out of the military with a dishonorable discharge versus providing treatment, I tend to believe the Army knew what they were doing when they put him out.
Add to that...Brandon Friedman (quoted in this article) is paid by the VA to put a positive spin on the VA. Sounds to me like the VA may have let someone fall through the cracks and doesn't want any fingers pointing their way. You know... damage control.
Here's some inconsistencies that I see with this article: First, this quote "Barnes' erratic post-discharge behavior didn't seriously begin until this summer, when his relationship with his ex-girlfriend collapsed." is contradicting what was said earlier in the article "He was discharged from the Army in 2009 for drunken driving and illegal transportation of a private weapon."
Secondly, "A spokesman at Lewis-McChord told The Seattle Times there was no record of Barnes' having received a Combat Action Badge, indicating he probably never came under fire in Iraq." -- there are plenty of vets who were under fire every day, or the constant fear of being under fire, let alone actually SHOT or hit by IEDs who never got a CAB. When did a CAB define whether or not you were ever exposed to combat?
I think the part that really raised my eyebrows is seeing Brandon Friedman quoted. He did not disclose his ties with the VA, but instead, promoted his book. It just seemed like he was planted in the article for damage control purposes. Sorry, but this story reeks in many ways. Too many "spokespeople" quoted with an agenda.
I see this situation to be incredibly tragic, make no mistake, but the veteran is also a casualty here and we can't forget that.
Alex Horton works for the VA, and for Brandon Friedman. Draw your own conclusions after reading my comments above:
The focus of the media attention needs to be made on Ranger Anderson; She sacrificed her own life to save the lives of hundreds and the entire State of WA and all of the Law Enforcement authorities throughout the Nation are today publically honoring her as the TRUE HERO that she is.
Why did they let him in the military if he was already disturbed? There are no front lines in today's military! IED's, snipers, and terrorists slipping into a so-called safe area! The military doesn't want to take responsibility for the problems of PTSD or any other psychological problems! He was in a combat zone regardless if he was in a Headquarters unit or an infantry unit! They threw this soldier to the wolves and the higher ups think that is okay! Maybe if he would have received help instead of being kicked out of the military the ranger would be alive! If you have psychological issues they will tell you to soldier on or else! In other words don't be a weakling!
Maybe he had problems before he entered the military! Maybe those issues he had were not severe enough to be picked up in a general screening! Maybe he suffered no catastrophic events that would cause PTSD! Maybe, with his history, something like this would have happened regardless of his military service! Maybe the overuse and misuse of PTSD detracts from those truly suffering! Maybe a plain old period to end a sentence is nice.
Some people don't belong in the military, just like some people don't belong in a police force. But, they manage to get in anyways. Sgt. Joe
Sounds like Pentagon spin to me. They have a long history of denying benefits to vets who served in a combat zone!
I know nothing of the military life but as a mother my heart breaks for this young man. I've been through clinical depression more than once and know what a dark and lonely place it is. This guy was practically crying out for help and nobody, absolutely nobody came to help him. His friends knew he was depressed, his girlfriend knew he wasn't coping with life, and while she was right to get away for her and her child's safety, SOMEONE should reached out to this guy before he snapped. Preferably someone who's been there before. Now he's dead, another decent human being is dead, his daughter will grow up without a father, and two other little girls will grow up without their mother. It is a tragedy all around and should be a reminder to all of us that when you know of someone who needs help, you have a responsibility to do whatever you can for that person. You might just prevent another senseless tragedy.
"If it bleeds, it leads", the motto of all media, whether liberal OR conservative. This type of "news" attracts viewers, more viewers means higher ratings, and higher ratings mean more $$$ for advertsing slots. This sensationalism is about making money, not about the political beliefs of the purveyor of the news. My thoughts? If one doesn't like sensational journalism, then don't watch it. No one is making anyone read or watch this stuff.
That having been said, I don't agree with this article's original finger-pointing at the military. And I don't understand why this article included his ex-gf saying that she thought he had PTSD. Is she a doc? I doubt it, so how can her "diagnosis" be considered credible? More PTSD sensationalism, which unfortunately will lead some readers to wrongly conclude that vets with PTSD are just as dangerous as this crazy guy. And how is that right? It's not.
The media put out the facts and sources. He had served in the military with a deplyment to Iraq. His girlfriend made mention of PTSD in her restraining order. It was the public that quickly and eagerly jumped to the conclusion that the military had spit out an insane Rambo into our midst.