Suicide in the military

[TehLlama]

Take a bunch of adolescent folks from varying (but generally less than idea) backgrounds, put them somewhere new, and then send them to the crappiest parts of the planet. Mix in the organizational ass-hattery any large bureaucracy is known for, especially the military, and the stressors are there.

I'm not saying we can't do a better job, but there are only so many that are really preventable from an organizational standpoint.

[120mm]

With any luck, we can eat up more training time with mandatory briefings, and possibly trash veterans' privacy even more.

While we are at it, we can treat Military vets like children and/or dangerous threats to society.

****ing panty-wetting sensationalists need to STFU.

I've seen more stupidity related to so-called "suicide prevention" in the .mil to last a lifetime.

How about we start treating military folks like grown-ups for once, instead.

[Iraq Ninja]

In Iraq I have noticed that the PTSD/Combat Stress counseling advertisements are virtually gone, compared to a few years ago.

Here is an interesting Army video on the subject:

http://bcove.me/l3hkvtpy


On a related note, the suicide rate among PMCs seems to be extremely low. Maybe this is related to age, maturity, a desire to actually be there, and financial nirvana? Having an average of 90 days off a year might also be important.

[TehLlama]

Hmm, just my luck. Got to spend an hour and a half today at a briefing on this very subject.

[kry226]

I am sure all of this has absolutely nothing to do with the incredibly unhealthy lifestyles these people are living nowadays.

While not a universal truth, reason stands to say that, if one lives a healthy, positive life pertaining to relationships and typical life choices, they have a much better chance of successfully dealing with the stressors and hardships that one faces in combat or elsewhere.

Live on the fringes of life, poor companion choices, poor financial decisions, poor lifestyle choices, and those stressors are going to eat your lunch.

[Iraq Ninja]

I am sure all of this has absolutely nothing to do with the incredibly unhealthy lifestyles these people are living nowadays.

While not a universal truth, reason stands to say that, if one lives a healthy, positive life pertaining to relationships and typical life choices, they have a much better chance of successfully dealing with the stressors and hardships that one faces in combat or elsewhere.

Live on the fringes of life, poor companion choices, poor financial decisions, poor lifestyle choices, and those stressors are going to eat your lunch.

So you are saying it is all their fault because of their life choices?

Problem is, many of the factors you listed make for a great war fighter. Most of the guys I work with would not pass your test, yet they are top rate operators.

With all respect to you, I would rather fight along someone who spends more time in the bars, then in the churches.

[ChicagoTex]

I am sure all of this has absolutely nothing to do with the incredibly unhealthy lifestyles these people are living nowadays.

While not a universal truth, reason stands to say that, if one lives a healthy, positive life pertaining to relationships and typical life choices, they have a much better chance of successfully dealing with the stressors and hardships that one faces in combat or elsewhere.

Live on the fringes of life, poor companion choices, poor financial decisions, poor lifestyle choices, and those stressors are going to eat your lunch.

What on earth are you talking about? Who are "these people" exactly and what "incredibly unhealthy lifestyles" are they living?

[armakraut]

If it's anything like the non-military suicide rate, it's primarily due to divorces, with undiagnosed mental illnesses running a close second. Schizophrenia really kicks into high gear in a persons late teens and early 20's, people go from normal to crazy/delusional pretty quick, a matter of months. A lot of people in the service get served divorce papers a couple weeks after they ship out, a really rank thing to do to a person, but loyalty is a four letter word with generation me.

[kry226]

So you are saying it is all their fault because of their life choices?

Problem is, many of the factors you listed make for a great war fighter. Most of the guys I work with would not pass your test, yet they are top rate operators.

With all respect to you, I would rather fight along someone who spends more time in the bars, then in the churches.

What on earth are you talking about? Who are "these people" exactly and what "incredibly unhealthy lifestyles" are they living?

First, Gentlemen, I'm not blaming anyone- AND this has absolutely nothing to do with religion, churches, or the like. Don't go there, not the point.

Second, "top operators" has nothing to do with "suicide" or my presupposed "healthy lifestyle." But what I am saying goes more along the lines of the certified fact that the physically fit survive physical injuries better than the fat and out-of-shape. Mentally, it's the same way. If you have a healthy "mind" (contributed to by lifestyle), you're in a much better position to deal with "injuries." And sometimes, the injuries still win.

I said this wasn't a universal truth and I am not Monday morning quarterbacking in order to establish my own home brewed theories. But I've seen it time and again. The dude who cannot manage his finances and drinks his paycheck every two weeks who goes downtown on a Wednesday night and picks up a chick who's cheating on her man with him. He falls in love, then he goes downrange, only to find out that our lovely vixen has drained his bank account of his tax-free re-up bonus, sold his truck, and is now screwing half of Rear-D.

Getting continuously kicked in the nuts due to pretty poor choices doesn't make for a healthy mental condition to go downrange and witness a shape-charge rip your battle-buddy in half. Easy to see why he'd eat a 5.56mm, isn't it?

Honestly, I am in awe of the guys (top operators) you speak of. I have met many and have several friends who are current or former operators. But these guys are different and not really part of the general population. They tend to be much more mature, level headed, and are the best at what they do, probably like yourself, Ninja. And they deal with it.

At the end of the day, it's not about blame. I consider myself to be a pretty "healthy" guy in mind, body, and spirit. And it's still tough to deal with what a lot of folks have had to. I feel that if I had what I would call an unhealthy lifestyle, I wouldn't stand a chance.

YMMV.

[Mac5.56]

I am not Monday morning quarterbacking in order to establish my own home brewed theories.

Yes actually you are.