Posted on 05/28/2009 8:10:22 AM PDT by xzins
Bragg = Fayetteville = 1st sitting of the signers of the Declaration of Independence = Unbelievably Patriotic support of the US military!
What are your thoughts on a stand down in this situation? My gut tells me that folks suffering from depression are better off keeping busy than “standing down”.
I believe men in general are likely more depressed now that the presidency and senate are led by men who loathe manly men and the house is led by a feminist harpy.
It's the same reason many single women are ecstatic: they have a femininist-loving community organizer in power who shares their feelings of antipathy toward men and manly pursuits in general.
Morale in the military is entering a period of steep decline.
Congratulations on your infantryman going to the 101st!
My son was a Screaming Eagle too (in the unit that nailed Saddam’s sons)and is confused about this new statistic. From a closer look- several of these suicides haven’t even been deployed in combat yet- so it doesn’t appear to be based on numerous deployments.
Thanks to you, your son and your family, you are in the prayers of more than you’ll ever know...
SE (Screaming Eagle) Mom
While I agree wholeheartedly with your ‘analysis’, your conclusion ‘steep decline’ ain’t necessarily so! In fact, as long as our military knows it has the full faith and support of a large majority of the country (including a huge Democrat contingent), it will more likely mean growth not decline. (See history) The failings of Democrat policies usually mean more ‘battles’ to warm the hearts of soldiers than fewer ‘battles’. just sayin’
At the installation where I serve, the leadership from top down is engaging the issue. The 3-star garrison commander here is open and upfront about his problems with PTSD. It seems to be working. We've seen 2 suicides all year, in an installation with 60k soldiers.
Not very many — they’re a low-density faith group
I’d say on the order of half of ALL problems I ever encountered as a chaplain were alcohol related. And that includes suicidal behavior (ideation, gesture, attempt, completion).
But, that doesn’t explain why Campbell and not Bragg or not Riley or not Hood, etc. Deployment doesn’t answer it, because they’ve all deployed.
If alcohol’s more an issue in one than the other, then that’s definitely a leadership issue.
One of my major missions the last 6 years of my military career was suicide innoculation briefings. I sympathize with anyone having to listen to them once or twice a year, every year.
Yes, but is alcohol the symptom or the cause? I've seen E6's who started abusing drugs well into their career. What sparks that?
But, that doesn’t explain why Campbell and not Bragg or not Riley or not Hood, etc. Deployment doesn’t answer it, because they’ve all deployed.
True. When you see non-deployed personnel committing suicide too, that says that the deployment is not the sole cause, if indeed it is even a cause, of the epidemic.
It all goes back, in my opinion, to isolation. A person who feels like he has the support of his comrades, his family, and his chain of command is not as likely to turn to drugs, alcohol, or criminal activity and is not as likely to harm himself by suicide. Whenever that support system breaks down in any area, that's when we have to worry.
Again, are we saying that Campbell, by sheer randomness, has managed to draw more of these isolated types?
That’s entirely possible, but it does require us to admit a statistical anomaly is the difference, and given the small sample size, that’s probably where this ends up.
However, isolation is the same as the symptom/cause question regarding alcohol. Which came first, the isolation or the personality that tends in that direction?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.