The Army Is In Denial About What The Epidemic Of Suicides Is All About

http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=2824

That oughta do it. Thanks very much, Ray.
by: Brandon Friedman
Thu May 28, 2009 at 03:17:14 AM EDT


Faced with an alarming number of soldiers taking their own lives at Ft. Campbell, the commander of the 101st Airborne set out on Wednesday to put a stop to the suicides. To kick off a three-day "stand-down," Brig. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend essentially ordered troops on post not to commit suicide. While I don't have his complete remarks, here are some provided by CNN:







snip//

If I'm suicidally depressed over the fact that my wife just left me and took the kids after telling me she cheated throughout my entire third deployment, I'm just not hearing Brig. Gen. Townsend. This is just more evidence that the Army is in denial--at least publicly--over what this epidemic is all about. It's not something you solve with a "buddy system" or by telling soldiers it's "bad for the division."

These are deep-seated problems born of an organization that uproots it members every other year, takes them away from their families, and places them in life-threatening combat for 12 or 15 months at a time. I'm not suggesting these soldiers didn't volunteer for exactly that, but I am saying it shouldn't come as a surprise to senior leaders that this might be one effect. Of course, "winning" the wars may be another effect, so maybe it's worth it. I'm not judging. I'm just saying let's drop the denial and be up front about what the costs and benefits are to maintaining an op-tempo like this. And then, let's address them. Because only by getting to the root of the problem--the op-tempo--will we be able to lower the number of unnecessary deaths within the ranks.

Sort of like "Just Say No to Drugs", worked!

'shuddup or I'll give you something to cry about.'

Some brass need to be polished up just a wee bit. Not too bright.

the Army just doesn't know.

The medicated generation - riddalin, prozac, etc. - that is now in the military creates its own variables.

And the close combat of Iraq takes its toll also. This isn't plugging a shell into a howitzer and plugging your ears as someone ten miles away gets blown to smithereens. It's turning a corner, shooting and realizing that the blood on your uniform is that of a kid. It's a mindfuck.

As an Army person, have you any take on this? It's not something I've discussed at Walter Reed.

if the Army 'just doesn't know', shame on them. Funny that VetVoice, Paul Reichert, and a multitude of other voices have figured it out, but the Army can't?

I think resources are so scarce that this is their 'cheap fix'. Not good enough imo.

With the explosive devices in the wars people can seem fine and have no open head wound or loss of consciousness but still have a concussive tbi

Others might not even recognize it, the person themselves might not. They might just feel tired, depressed, not quite with it, short tempered and so on. They just think they have changes, that they are screwing up or screwed up....the chances of suicide increases as they feel out of touch with themselves. (I'm not describing that well)
Good to full recovery within months to a year is common....but if a person doesn't know it's an injury that can heal but thinks it is their new reality it can bring a hopelessness

"Hey soldier! Turn that frown upside down!"

And you can't get any help, then it's not always temporary.

I always thought that was a stupid saying.

but cannot spend even a little to help soldiers and provide decent mental health services.
fcking idiots! they wont release torture pictures because it might put soldiers at risk, they say..um, excuse me...we cant allow them to know someone is gay in their unit...um excuse me..
putting soldiers into 3-4-5- deployments over and over to occupied countries puts them at risk for death and suicide you moronic twits who run the military and the govt just whistles a happy tune with its fingers in its ears
remember..these kids are usually the poorest of the poor...the last people anyone cares about by the admin. the u.s. govt shits on its vets and soldiers, and for all of its chest beating about caring for them, it uses them like kleenex and considers them cannon fodder.
did I tell you these occupations are bullshit lately?

Thank you for this post, babylonsister.

The problem is terribly under-reported and needs much more attention.



http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b24_1212090060

:patriot:

That has to be the most uncompassionate, idiotic way to deal with this that I can possibly imagine in my worst nightmares. If it doesn't actually increase suicides I'll be surprised.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5679059

Army Forced Suicidal Soldiers To Wear Orange Vests That Advertised Their Depression

"suicide affects unit readiness"

The only solution is don't have a family or don't be a soldier.
I've seen tough, big, grown men standing at attention in formation waiting for deployment with tears streaming down their cheeks and them trying to cry quietly. Nobody gave them a hard time, everybody else understood.
And when that same man gets a letter from his wife telling him she can't take it anymore and is divorcing him while he is deployed his life falls apart.

Apparently, the problem is heaviest in the newest recruits. The theory being that the folks who hadn't had time to adjust to their new situation and hadn't developed coping mechanisms were having the most trouble.

I will say that it's one thing to tell the soldiers in his command to "seek help." It's quite another to set up a system that tries to reach each soldier where she or he is, and make sure they're not drifting away in the first place.

"SMILE, Goddamn you" "This is the best of all possible worlds, and to you has been granted the honor of bayoneting its children. Therefore be of good cheer, or I will shoot you in the face!"

That oughta hold em.

lose any benefits they are entitled to.

It is not about trying to prevent suicide, it is about the pocket book.

sick fucks one and all