The Internet, PTSD and Keith Roberts

Just a weekend word on the power of the net and a story pursued on this site.

Here at MAL Contends, I have focused effort on veterans' concerns and one Wisconsin persecuted veteran in particular, Keith Roberts, among other political news and commentary.

Though the Roberts story has been pushed and advanced extensively on Wisconsin Public Radio (Gil Halstad), the Madison Air America-formatted radio station (92.1 FM) Lee Rayburn Show, and Harper’s magazine (Scott Horton), the viral power of the net, still, is a thrill to see in action.

Uppity Wisconsin (Steve Hanson's site that is pushing the story hard), connected to MyDD and Juan Cole makes any Roberts piece literally a click away from potentially 1,000,000s of readers. Combined with the power of veterans' online journals and other blogs like Daily Kos ... you get the picture.

Experiencing the commitment and intelligence of writers and Net techs is both humbling and inspiring.

This week, I want to recognize the work of the site, Crooks and Liars, a great political site that recognizes the PTSD issue and the Roberts case in particular:

PTSD: Given the underplayed, staggering numbers on veteran suicides, post-traumatic stress disorder, brain injuries and the like, it seems like awfully bad form to prosecute and imprison a veteran for pushing for PTSD benefits. While some innovative approaches for treating PTSD seem effective, replacing the VA’s ‘criminally negligent’ leadership might also help.

Vets for Common Sense Group Blasts Prosecution of Wisconsin Veteran

Wisconsin Public Radio runs a piece today on Wisconsin Navy veteran, Keith Roberts (1968-71), who ran afoul of the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the U.S. Attorney’s office by filing a claim for disability benefits.

Now, Roberts who has been forced to fight in two courts simultaneously (the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh District) has picked up the support of Paul Sullivan and the national Veterans for Common Sense, among other veterans' groups.

Roberts has been serving a 48-month sentence since March on wire fraud for, in essence, not documenting his claim to the VA's satisfaction and upsetting the VA by accusing the agency of fraud.

Wisconsin Public Radio reports:

A national veterans organization has taken up the cause of Wisconsin Navy veteran convicted of wire fraud for falsely claiming veterans benefits for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or P-T-S-D. The group Veterans for Common Sense says Keith Roberts conviction is part of larger strategy to discourage veterans from filing P-T-S-D claims.

Gil Halsted has the story.

The criminal case is scheduled to be heard before a three-member panel on Oct. 25, and is pending and briefed before the veterans' court, CAVC.

Legal questions and legal comments can be e-mailed to Robert Walsh at rpwalsh@sbcglobal.net.

###