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So I keep hearing about this but haven't had it really sink in until I read this article (by the Washington Post Jan.14)http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...ecd_story.html.
But apparently we loose more service people to suicide than combat. That's some cold hearted shit to hear. And I wonder how many people have even heard this let alone know it. Not many?
137 already this year, it's a fucking tragedy man.
Politicians do talk a lot about supporting the troops, but these numbers don't lie.
This should be all over the news.
Fucking tragedy! I have too many friends who have come home and drank themselves near to death or drove 100 mph down the center lane to try to kill themselves. I have had friends confess that they have held a gun to their head for hours because of their PTSD. We have a responsibility to these people as a country, a responsibility that we more often than not overlook.
This was me, my wife was still logged in lol.Quote:
Originally Posted by Angie Montalvo
This is exactly why I'm working with Congress now. Even if it doesn't do anything, because Congress if full of old pricks...I'm still gonna try.
I've been there. It's not easy.
The suicide rate in general is out of control. We need to take better care of each other. But then thats not really the winning mentality being spread around anymore in our culture.
I'm on the same page. It sounds cliche but i'm gonna start writing letters! ha... And making phone calls. It's our responsibility to hold our representatives accountable and make sure they actually represent us.Quote:
Originally Posted by K Madden
I have had to fight my friends for a bottle of Jack Daniels, flush their pills and be there while they couldn't control their anger and their wives and girlfriends leave them. Deployments change you, and most of the time it is for the worst. They think people can just get off a bus after 7-13 months (some of them being in constant threat of danger) and they can return to work like they never were there. They talk about readjustment but in reality you get 96 (4 days off) when you return from deployment and you go back to work. Four days to readjust from 7-13 months of continuous combat and work related stress. That is a slap in the face and the first 6 months are the most vulnerable periods for returning vets, but the sad reality is by the time they are settle in back home the are already working up for the next deployment. No wonder so many men and women commit suicide. I have lost 6 friends in 5 years in the Marines. Its a fucking tragedy!
Kyle, with your permission, I'd like to bring this to the congressman. this quote.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kyle Spalla
It does go through buddy. I've been in the offices as they read them. Keep it up :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Arthur
Why is this such a large problem? This is currently a volunteer military, everyone chose to go into it. I could understand the issue if they were conscripted, but it seems as though the issue is worse than conscripted US militaries had.
Just curious, not attacking or placing blame on anyone
It has nothing to do with how you got into the military. It is events that take place throughout the time one is in the military.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray
But they knowingly entered a career that would put them in those situations. Most of them probably joined since we have entered the iraq/Afghanistan conflicts too, so they weren't joining peace time military.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brandon Woolsey
It's something I have honestly wondered because my grandfather (world war 2 vet) constantly complains about it.
When people sign up for it, they have NO idea what they are getting themselves into. Nor should they know.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray
Its evil. Every little thing about it is evil. You can't explain that kind of evil to someone who hasn't seen it for themselves.
But, if you say that at the Recruiters Office...you're not really gonna get many recruits, now are ya?
So its more of an issue of disingenuous recruiting methods?
Was PTSD really not an issue pre Vietnam? My grandpa is like a Wyoming version of cotton hill, so I don't really follow his rants as truth
we need major improvements in mental healthcare in the U.S.
You absolutely have my permission Ken.Quote:
Originally Posted by K Madden
Because few people are ready for the realities of war.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray
It was always a factor. Some people think certain types of head trauma can be partly to blame.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSp8IyaKCs0
World War 2 vets just come from a generation where you don't talk about things like that. Back in their time no one really understood PTSD and having it was seen more as a liability than a diagnosed disorder. The combat tours were up 3-4 years!!! at a times and only the most debilitating cases of PTSD which was commonly refered to as Operational Exhaustion or Shell Shock were addressed. They saw it more as a temporary issue of the mind "adjusting" to combat. The truth is it can't and many of those vets my grandfather and grandfather-in-law were both full fledged alcoholics to worse degree upon returning until their deaths. I have sat down with Korean, Vietnam, WWII vets and they tell absolute horror stories with a profound sense of duty because they honestly believed in their causes and believed they would be seen as heroes how horrible for them (most Vietnam vets) to come home and be spat on and called baby killers by the people the swore to protect. Just because you can justify in your mind taking another mans life does change the fact that you yourself committed such an act. Watching another man die is something you dream about for the rest of your life. It's not that he isn't bothered by it, he just doesn't chose to talk to people about who don't truly understand.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gray
This is some if not most really feel. Not because want to but because we have to keep our sanity.
Attachment 1794
For the most part, people signing up for service within this global climate, at the very least, understand the ongoing battles against terrorism and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, have an idea what they're getting into. All you need to do is watch the news for five minutes, and I doubt there is a recruiter alive who can tell someone otherwise. Most returning for combat eventually adjust back to a "normal" life and are able to both emotionally and mentally process what they went through during their tour. However, there are some, and now a days we find more and more, come back still hurting from the mental and physical trauma undergone during combat. There are several factors that contribute to this...
1. With this war lasting over ten years, you find MANY Soldiers with several deployments within short amounts of time. There a number of guys in my platoon here in Afghanistan that this is their 3rd deployment in 5 years. Guys will come back and will redeploy within 12 months. This is not uncommon for many Army, and I'm sure other branches as well, units. They are not given the adequate time to recover from the combat stress they underwent.
2. For many years, the Army's mental health service were lacking in resources and quality. They have improved by leaps and bounds over recent year, but for some its too little, too late.
3. Combined with the reason stated above, many Soldiers feel a stigma towards reaching out for mental health assistance. They feel it makes them look weak, like they should be able to "Ranger up" and just push though it, when in fact it can compound problems and drive some to taking their own lives.
PTSD and other combat stress issues have been around since well before the War on Terror. It is only now in this day and age are we able to recognize it and get those vets who need help the proper care they need. There is an interesting article on this for anyone who may be interested.
http://progressivehistorians.wordpre...myth-of-ww-ii/
You guys rock. I'm glad to see that you are so informed. Although, I disagree on one part. No amount of YouTube videos or stories can actually help someone FULLY understand what they are getting themselves into in terms of Combat.
We try, damn it anyway do we try, but its not the same.
I just went into the VA today and they told me that they have had such a large influx of "youngins" that they really dont know what to do with all of them. People feel abandoned and trapped by situations, and without PROPER care- meaning medications, mental physical and spiritual rehab, people do feel "broken".
I don't know about you guys, but my back pain has got so BLINDING painful at times, I'd do just about anything to make it stop.
When the VA offers ONLY Pain Meds (what they call Pain Management) as a solution, you get discouraged.
What I personally believe needs to happen is a look into how we do things now.
We need them to treat the problem, not mask it with medications that can potentially cause more internal problems.
When it can take 6-9 months to get a Provider in your area, especially when battling PTSD and other Combat injuries...its just TOO long. You can't expect us to walk into the ER. Most of us just wont do it. Again comes the battle of "weakness".
God I feel like every service member suffers from crippling back pain, or knee injuries on top of PTSD. I have a friend that is getting discharged because he tried to commi suicide three times! The Marine Corps was all he had, he is not an Academic guy and won't make it in school and he is married. It was all he had and because of the economy and the downsizing they bared him from reenlisting, instead of getting him the help he needed. His unit turned his back on him. He isn't the only one they have done this too.Quote:
Originally Posted by K Madden