Posted on 11/13/2009 10:00:24 AM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON – Morale has fallen among soldiers in Afghanistan, where troops are seeing record violence in the 8-year-old war, while those in Iraq show much improved mental health amid much lower violence, the Army said Friday.
Soldier suicides in Iraq did not increase for the first time since 2004, according to a new study.
Though findings of two new battlefield surveys are similar in several ways to the last ones taken in 2007, they come at a time of intense scrutiny on Afghanistan as President Barack Obama struggles to come up with a new war strategy and planned troop buildup. There is also perhaps equal new attention focused on the mental health of the force since a shooting rampage at Fort Hood last week in which an Army psychiatrist is charged.
Both surveys showed that soldiers on their third or fourth tours of duty had lower morale and more mental health problems than those with fewer deployments and an ever-increasing number of troops who are having problems with their marriages.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
when the chapter on Obama and his war-time leadership is written .. it will likely be close to blank..
Troops being shot at are under more stress then those who are not.
Uh DUH, it is called WAR for a reason AP.
I just figured it out. 0 thinks CIC means Clown in Charge.
US President Barack Obama speaks during a joint press conference in Tokyo. Obama is leaning towards a compromise strategy on troops to Afghanistan, officials said, amid a fierce debate over whether more soldiers should be sent to back up Kabul's flawed government. (AFP/Mandel Ngan)
why the hell wouldn’t their moral be suffering when our ‘commander in chief’ has ordered them NOT to defend themselves IF they even suspect civilians ‘may be in the area’ when they get into firefights with the Taliban? That would crush ANYONE’S moral- not beign able to properly defend yourself when attacked BY THE ENEMY!!!
I very, very rarely watch ABC news. Last night though, while flipping through the channels, I watched as they had videotape from the Taliban insurgents’ side. In the video, several hundred terrorists attacked a small group of Marines from four sides. They surrounded the Marines’ remote outpost at night and attacked at dawn.
I believe seven Marines were killed, maybe a few more. They were vastly outnumbered.
And Obama is in Japan, continuing his apology tour, and making speeches. It is now 3 months since McCrystal requested additional troops, and it is 9 months since Obama (with great fanfare and upraised chin) triumphantly announced to the Nation his “new comprehensive Afghanistan strategy.”
This man should be impeached for dereliction of duty. Our soldiers are secondary considerations to Rahm Emmanuel’s and Axelrod’s political calculations.
Are we surprised? Find out your commander in chief doesn’t give a rip about you, or winning the victory you have been working your butt off to achieve. A CiC that changes the rules of engagement to bind your hands so you can’t shoot back if there is any chance of civilian casualties doesn’t help either.
Hi Troops!
PRESENT!
Department of Defense announced today its recruiting and retention statistics for active and reserve components for October 2009. “Goals were met or exceeded for all four active duty services in both categories.” Recruiting and Retention Numbers for October 2009
http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=13116 For members of our military stationed around the globe, receiving holiday gifts can be a big morale boost. This year the U.S. Post Office is offering big deals on military mail. U.S. Post Office offering deals on military mail http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/story?section=news/local&id=7116333
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