you've GOT to be kidding me...So, “in an effort to remove the stigma,” they are going to relax the rules. Gee, wonder why the rules are there in the first place. Could they possibly serve the national interest. And isn’t that more important than “removing” stigma? Perhaps we should also “remove the stigma” that is causing unfair discrimination against PEOPLE WHO WANT TO KILL US.
you've GOT to be kidding me...Of course most people who have had counseling or hospitalization lie and say they haven’t hoping that the background check won’t turn anything up ala Oliver North on his application to work in the White House at the NSC.
Does a Temporary Bush Derangement Syndrome disqualify me?
For those on this forum that are making light of this I have one question. Have you gone from a combat zone back to civilian life within a 48 hour period?
I had just come off a 30 day combat patrol when I was informed I was going home. Within 72 hours I had been processed and found myself standing in the San Francisco airport waiting to fly home.
Unless you are a psychopath, killing another human being is a difficult thing. To actually see a human face as you pull the trigger and then see the effect your bullets have on a human body, and to see that individual fall, and lay bleeding at your feet dying while you move on looking for others to kill takes a lot out of a person. It is not normal, and in order to function a person needs to "justify" the taking of another person's life. You also need to shut down some emotions that if allowed to remain would get you killed.
It takes a bit of time to resolve all of these internal emotions. Pulling a person out of combat and returning them to a world they have not known for a long time, and among people that do not share their experience is a recipe for all kinds of mental disorders.
As much as I love John Wayne, he has created an image within our society of what a soldier should be. War is not a John Wayne movie. The blood is real, death is real, and the wounded remain wounded the rest of their life.
Add to that a stigma for those that recognize the need to work out this conflicts with a professional, and you just compound the problem.
Fortunately most combat veterans do eventually work out the conflicts, perhaps that is one reason many join organizations such as the VFW, it gives them a place to tell their “war stories” among others that share their experiences.
Unfortunately others have not, these men have turned to drugs and alcohol to help deal with their internal demons.
I would offer two suggestions to the military. One, when possible, send men into combat with the men they trained with (keeping the unit together as much as possible). And two bring them all home at the same time. Third, slow the process down a bit. Have a special R and R camp somewhere safe and allow the men time to “decompress” and talk to each other. Then bring them home to be with their families making counselors available if needed.
Like I said, I enjoy a good John Wayne movie as much as the next person, but war is not a John Wayne movie. No one returns from war the same person that left. For some of you to look down at those that have been wounded in combat I say shame on you.
For those of you who think this issue is funny go screw yourselves.
For PTSD combat stress the critical factor isn´t necessarily the severity of the battles but the duration. Our kids are coming home after multiple tours you figure it out.
As a current memeber of the military, serving in Iraq, I take strong issue with this one. We have service members fainting mental illness to get out. Even those in relatively benign locations are faking it. This makes it extremely hard on the ones who have real illnesses. The question should stay and every case should be taken on its own merits. For the ones who fake mental illness, they deserve to get booted out and never get a good job, loans, or anything. Believe it or not, the leadership knows which ones are cowards!
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U.S. blasts plan to dump iron dust in sea to absorb CO2
FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.
Thanks neverdem for the Catch-22 topic. :’) Someone beat me to the keyword.
“You Don’t Have To Be Crazy To Work Here, But It Helps” ping.