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Veterans’ response to senator’s PTSD remarks mixed

FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2014, file photo, Sen. John Walsh, D-Mont., right, and his son Michael leave the Old Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, after a ceremonial swearing-in ceremony with Vice President Joe Biden. Walsh's thesis written for the U.S. Army War College contains unattributed passages that appear to be taken word-for-word from previously published papers. The Democrat is running to keep the seat he was appointed to in February. Walsh faces Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Daines on Nov. 4. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke, File)
FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2014, file photo, Sen. John Walsh, D-Mont., right, and his son Michael leave the Old Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, after a ceremonial swearing-in ceremony with Vice President Joe Biden. Walsh's thesis written for the U.S. Army War College contains unattributed passages that appear to be taken word-for-word from previously published papers. The Democrat is running to keep the seat he was appointed to in February. Walsh faces Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Daines on Nov. 4. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke, File) FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2014, file photo, Sen. John Walsh, D-Mont., right, and his son Michael leave the Old Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, after a ceremonial swearing-in ceremony with Vice President Joe Biden. Walsh's thesis written for the U.S. Army War College contains unattributed passages that appear to be taken word-for-word from previously published papers. The Democrat is running to keep the seat he was appointed to in February. Walsh faces Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Daines on Nov. 4. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke, File)

By Associated Press 1 min read

HELENA, Mont. (AP) – The talk among Montana veterans has been about U.S. Sen. John Walsh since the Democrat linked a cribbed research paper he wrote in 2007 to post-traumatic stress disorder.

How those veteran voters respond means a lot to Walsh. He has built his election campaign for the Senate around his 33-year career in the National Guard and his proposals to help veterans and their families.

The reaction so far has been a mixed bag of condemnation, sympathy and shrugs.

Former Army Capt. Dave Mihalic (mih-HAUL’-uck) says only the U.S. Army War College can determine whether PTSD symptoms are an excuse or a legitimate factor in the apparent plagiarism.

The college has launched an investigation into revelations that Walsh extensively used others’ work without attribution in the paper required for his master’s degree.