There have been four suicides in the Houston Recruiting Battalion alone, including three in the past 18 months. Recruiters Describe Brutal Working Conditions They Say Led to Soldier Suicides
This is so disturbing that men who have served their country offing themselves because of the pressure put on them to recruit people who know the war is bullshit. This is what you get when you go to war on lies and Bush is responsible.
I was here this morning looking at this! Suicides are up in the military across the board. You have to wonder in that since Recruiters are senior enlisted and at this point have done multiple tours at war if that is why the suicides.
ReplyDeleteYou might have been one I was talking to about one of my sons who admitted to having PTSD but he worries me. He would never do that but even before all the death and tours he was unbending and confrontational!
Long story there but I will shut up. Take care!
As AAP says, suicide rates are up generally in the armed forces these days. It's part of the stress of combat, I suspect. There may be special pressures in certain roles, like recruiting, but it isn't just about the pressure of recruiting.
ReplyDeleteCujo
ReplyDeleteOne of my sons on the ground on the cusp of all this loves the action for some reason but last year after Afghanistan I thought he was showing PTSD. Now after more Iraq he admits it but will not say anything and threatens violence if anyone gets in his way but he would never commit suicide. Everything else concerns me like buying my 5 year old granddaughter a pink 22 rifle.
AAP, I have no idea why some people get PTSD and some don't. The only thing I think can be said for sure is that the more people are exposed to the sorts of stress that PTSD causes, the more likely they will be to get it.
ReplyDeleteI suppose if everyone got it, then people wouldn't be able to kid themselves that they won't be the ones who do.
I wish your son and you the best.
Thanks Cujo! I really do not know, it is your mental mechanization to me and can eat you up or dismissed if you are set up that6 way. The son in question called yesterday and sounded fine but you can feel the tension in the background.
ReplyDeleteI will continue to work with him and hope for the best with him arming his family. My 5 year old grand daughter with a pink 22 rifle doesn't hit me right but what can you do?