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Ear to the Ground

A Warrior’s Tragic Downfall

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Posted on Apr 6, 2007
Sam Ross
nytimes.com

A munitions explosion in Iraq took away Sam Ross’ eyesight, left leg and half of his ability to hear. That trauma would eventually lead to 17 suicide attempts and charges of arson and attempted homicide.

New York Times:

Now Mr. Ross, 24, faces charges of attempted homicide, assault and arson in the burning of a family trailer in February. Nobody in the trailer was hurt, but Mr. Ross fought the assistant fire chief who reported to the scene, and later threatened a state trooper with his prosthetic leg, which was taken away from him, according to the police.

The police locked up Mr. Ross in the Fayette County prison. In his cell, he tried to hang himself with a sheet. After he was cut down, Mr. Ross was committed to a state psychiatric hospital, where, he said in a recent interview there, he is finally getting—and accepting—the help he needs, having spiraled downward in the years since the welcoming fanfare faded.

“I came home a hero, and now I’m a bum,” Mr. Ross, whose full name is Salvatore Ross Jr., said.

The story of Sam Ross has the makings of a ballad, with its heart-rending arc from hardscrabble childhood to decorated war hero to hardscrabble adulthood. His effort to create a future for himself by enlisting in the Army exploded in the desert during a munitions disposal operation in Baghdad. He was 20.

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By jemecilla, April 17, 2007 at 4:18 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

No dahwistler, I cannot accept that about “we the people who allowed this version of government to exist”.  Yes I believe the “general public” is responsible.  Controlling of the masses by lies, media control, downright manipulation of emotions.  I tried to get my family to see the path that this unelected prez was going to take and they ignored my warnings that he was dangerous.  This government is currently the part of the axis of evil trying to take control of countries they know nothing about. I was never a part of that.  I did my reading and passed on information to my circle, wrote congresspersons, responded to appeals to get these crooks out of office but as of today, to no avail.  I keep trying but don’t lump me in with the masses who are too busy to know the truth.  Some have their own agendas, beliefs, sways, whatever...I am a furious reader of as much as I can stomach because I do not understand how people have been deceived by this “MAN OF god” so he claims.  I will not take any blame.  My voice was suppressed like thousands of others in the 2000 election, 2004 election but 2006 is finding out what really was going on, thank whoever you believe in.  Some of us see more than others but that does not make us any better than another person.  We are where we are, for one reason or another.

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By Jim Hetler, April 13, 2007 at 6:47 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

I along with a good friend have spent almost two years with Sam.  We helped Homes For Our Troops raise money to build Sam a home.  I don’t regret any of the time and money spent doing so.  In all of the time raising money for the home the most shocking and unbelievable response came from the Army Veterans.  And also the American myth that the government would take care of all his needs.  Now its all coming out about their care at Walter Reed and also the VA Hospitals.

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By ShockandAwe, April 8, 2007 at 9:07 am #

I’m in Baghdad on my second tour and I don’t think I can be convinced that any of these soldier’s sacrifices have been justified.

Nor my own sacrifice be justified if I shouldn’t make it.

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By Rodney, April 7, 2007 at 4:05 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

This man will be fully supported by the Bush adminstration. They will give him two mouse traps and a can of roach spray during his next stay at a VA hospital. They will also extend his waiting time to see a VA doctor in order to give his body more time to heal. They will also extent the time he is eligible for disability payments so that by the time he receives them he will already have filed for bankruptcy and have bad credit so the lawyer representing him can get most of the money. George Bush takes good care of our troops. He treats them like he did the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

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By dahwistler, April 7, 2007 at 7:51 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Tragic as it is, it is not George Bushes fault…

I my self have friends from the first Bush War and also this most recent one.  They are physically injured and mentally teetering.  However it is the Apathy of the general American that lets leaders like this get into office.  It is WE THE PEOPLE who allowed this version of government to exist, even though our Constitution was written to protect us from this ever happening.

You may say, from a one to one perspective that “I never allowed this” But if we all look truly at the facts we DID.
I have never seen a man put in office by such blatant use of lies and trickery.  I mean come on...his car was egged on the way to the White House.

War sucks and Mr. Ross is finding out about that now.  When he joined he may have been seduced by the commercials, the clothes and possible status of being a soldier, he may even have been cohearsed by possible college money.

If we are honest we would look into the actual foundation of why Mr. Ross is the state he is in.  It is our fault, the general public for falling asleep at the switch.  We dont like to admit our own part in this whole damn nightmare but to borrow a phrase...In an avalanche each little snowflake feels no guilt

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By republicanSScareme, April 6, 2007 at 7:48 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

George W. Bush needs to visit this brave young man and explain to him why we’re in Iraq.

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By Quy Tran, April 6, 2007 at 4:47 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Only 24 years young ! Mr. Ross just asked himself that who did this damned thing to him ? Does he deserve it ? GWB and his criminal surroundings open their eyes/ears widely to see and hear the endless grumbles from the whole civilized world if those barbarous sub-humans still have a tiny bit of conscience !

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