During the Puppet War, the Squids would body snatch able bodied humans for their armies. The aliens Squids would force themselves down a human throat and control the body from the stomach. Those humans deemed "unfit," were denied the gospel and consumed as fuel for those converted. Every year, something like one percent of those body snatched would reject the Squid and vomit it back up. Of that one percent, only five percent survived being separated from the Squid for longer than 24 hours. That five percent could also, "hear," the hive mind, and could tell when a large group were in the area. Those survivors that made the dangerous trip to human lines were incorporated into United States Army as scouts and gave advanced warning, leading to several key victories in the war.
During the reconstruction period after the war, those with Post Squid Syndrome were seen as reminders of the Alien Invaders, and public sentiment turned on them. Radical politicians began using them as scape goats, telling people those with PSS were not only free loading off the government, but also using their abilities to spy on their neighbors and speak to each other about clandestine plans and upcoming attacks against normal humans.