'The military should not be a predator on its own soldiers and their families,' says John Kindt, a business professor at the University of Illinois who has spent years studying the matter. The military says the revenue from the slots - well over $100 million annually - is used to fund recreation programs overseas, such as swimming pools, movie theaters and concerts.Ĭritics say it is an outrage that the military, which has a budget of more than $500 billion this fiscal year, takes money from the pockets of its troops and runs slot machines that generate revenues that equal a medium-sized Las Vegas casino operation. There are thousands of slot machines on military bases overseas. 'But it seems like when it comes to this, they just, you know, profited from his addiction and then threw him away.' 'The military has this culture of taking care of their own,' says Carrie Walsh. Then last fall, with his life in a tailspin, the 34-year-old walked into the Maine woods, put a gun to his head and killed himself - after what his wife says was one final 'gambling binge.'

It eventually ruined his military career. But years ago, Aaron Walsh started playing slot machines on military bases. BANGOR, Maine (CNN) - Carrie Walsh's husband was a decorated Apache helicopter pilot for the U.S.