Suicide soldiers

[kedge]

Quite sad really. As the lyrics go ..."war, what is it good for? absolutely nothing".


For the second year in row, more US soldiers killed themselves than were killed in combat. In 2010, 468 soldiers took their own lives, compared to 462 killed in fighting.

Matthis Chiroux is an Afghanistan war veteran turned anti-war activist.

“I unfortunately inhabit the demographic in the United States that kills itself, pretty much more than any other out there,” he told RT. “We come home feeling terrible, despicable about what we did and what we saw.”

US war woe: Suicide kills more soldiers than combat — RT

 

[cm1179]

as much as i don't want to come across as having little compassion for this situation, it is worth noting that, that stat includes vietnam veterans. the reason i say this is because i thought it was only soldiers in/out of iraq.

either which way, it is quite clear the US has failed on too big a scale here. seriously need to invest in some hostels and rehabilitation centres for these people.

 

[magick]

Doesn't suprise me. I know a few people who've been in the army and seen real conflict and it's left them psychologically damaged.

I say people should refuse military service. Until I see the day when our politicians that initiate wars are willing to go on the front line themselves and risk there lives I don't believe they have the moral right to call and send other people to make the same sacrifice.

 

[icedbullet]

An average of 18 veterans per day commit suicide and many more attempt it. Last year, 20 per cent of America’s 30,000 suicides was a soldier or veteran....

...In fact, many come back to bleak situations.

A quarter of the homeless in America are military veterans. The unemployment rate among vets hovers above 12 per cent.

This really is unacceptable. The brave men and women in the armed forces deserve a better level of support when they return home then what these statistics seem to suggest they are currently getting.

 

[arknor]

i bet its nothing to do with the actual war but the suport they dont recieve once they get back home and they are finished in the army.

many obviously dont get jobs or have any money to live on

 

[magick]

This really is unacceptable. The brave men and women in the armed forces deserve a better level of support when they return home then what these statistics seem to suggest they are currently getting.

I agree but you really can't go to another country kill and bomb people and expect to go back to your home country and expect everything to be happy and rosy.

I mean don't people in the arm forces ever question if these conflicts they are participating in really are in the interests of the nation?

Wars are generally about money and power and usually the people that fight them are the ones least likely to have benefit from the wealth made from a war. Issues such as terroism, security, protecting our way of life are just catchphrases used by politicians to sell a war to the people.

 

[arctine]

I say people should refuse military service. Until I see the day when our politicians that initiate wars are willing to go on the front line themselves and risk there lives I don't believe they have the moral right to call and send other people to make the same sacrifice.

Nice idea. Completely impractical.

 

[Johno please?]

I say people should refuse military service. Until I see the day when our politicians that initiate wars are willing to go on the front line themselves and risk there lives I don't believe they have the moral right to call and send other people to make the same sacrifice.

People make a choice to join the army/raf/navy.

You sign your life away on that dotted line, its quite clear.

 

[Tefal]

I say people should refuse military service. Until I see the day when our politicians that initiate wars are willing to go on the front line themselves and risk there lives I don't believe they have the moral right to call and send other people to make the same sacrifice.

Are you a fire fighter, a policeman or a security guard?



If not how can you expect them to risk their lives to save you from a burning building or a crashed car, or protect you from others if you are unwilling to put yourself in the same position?



Expecting everyone to do everyone else's job is a silly and childish idea.

 

[magick]

People make a choice to join the army/raf/navy.

You sign your life away on that dotted line, its quite clear.

They sign the dotted line believing they are protecting the nation from foreign threats. In most of our recent wars or 'military interventions' to use the modern term that hasn't been the case.

 

[I_M_Weasel]

They sign the dotted line believing they are protecting the nation from foreign threats.

I knew what I was getting into as do most soldiers.

 

[hux]

No soldier ever knows how they're handle a war situation until they wind up being in one.

Some will have a nervous breakdown, and oddly some love it.

One guy hit an insurgent with a 35mm grnade, he was literally pulverized in front of him.

Didn't bat an eyelid, in fact id say he was rather proud of it.

 

[Al Vallario]

PBS FRONTLINE produced an excellent documentary called 'The Wounded Platoon' on the matter of returning soldiers committing suicide or being involved in violent crime:

On November 30, 2007, 24-year-old Kevin Shields went out drinking with three Army buddies from Fort Carson, Colo., a base on the outskirts of Colorado Springs. A few hours later, he was dead -- shot twice in the head at close range and left by the side of the road by his fellow soldiers. Shields' murder punctuated a string of violent attacks committed by the three, who are now serving time in prison for this and other crimes, and it contributed to a startling statistic: Since the Iraq war began, a total of 18 soldiers from Fort Carson have been charged with or convicted of murder, manslaughter or attempted murder committed at home in the United States, and 36 have committed suicide.

In The Wounded Platoon, FRONTLINE investigates a single Fort Carson platoon of infantrymen -- the 3rd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry -- and finds, after a long journey, a group of young men changed by war and battling a range of psychiatric disorders that many blame for their violent and self-destructive behavior. Since returning from Iraq, three members of the 3rd Platoon have been convicted on murder or attempted murder charges; one has been jailed for drunk driving and another for assaulting his wife; and one has attempted suicide. [...]

 

[steve45]

They sign the dotted line believing they are protecting the nation from foreign threats.

Really? i can't speak for every soldier, however i was under no illusion when i signed on that dotted line, its a job, some choose IT as a profession, some choose law etc, i chose soldiering.
dispite what people might want to think the majority of squaddies join the forces not for queen and country, and protecting the nation, but for money and an interesting job.

 

[hux]

Indeed, but you still have to tell the recruiting occifer otherwise.

 

[steve45]

Indeed, but you still have to tell the recruiting occifer otherwise.

True story!



on the subject of PTSD and suicides, a lad a few miles away killed himself a few days ago, had been back a couple of years and just couldnt cope, the unfortunate thing is he hid it from everyone, so nobody knew how he felt.
Its a shame it wasnt picked up on sooner, there is a massive push on Post operational stress managment, trying to catch the signs early either by noticing the signs yourself, or by buddy/buddy system and noticing changes in your muckers behaviour, the forces really are trying to tackle the mental side of things, and there is an extensive network in place to deal with these things, however you cant help someone that either dosnt want help or hides it from everyone.
you can try but ultimately its up to them.

 

[Dirk]

The suicide rate among soldiers is no higher than the general population, although this is higher than before as the suicide rate among soldiers used to be lower than the general population.

Nothing to see here.

 

[Von Smallhausen]

Doesn't suprise me. I know a few people who've been in the army and seen real conflict and it's left them psychologically damaged.

I say people should refuse military service. Until I see the day when our politicians that initiate wars are willing to go on the front line themselves and risk there lives I don't believe they have the moral right to call and send other people to make the same sacrifice.

That's a poor argument though magick.

Politicians don't fight wars and never have. They call the shots as to where troops are deployed. Winston Churchill was a fantastic wartime leader but nobody expected him to charge a German gun emplacement. It wasn't his job.

 

[Tefal]

The suicide rate among soldiers is no higher than the general population.

unless 20% of the population of America are soldiers it is.

 

[Mr Joshua]

Seems hardly surprising, perhaps the mavity of what they've done for the coin of the realm is hitting home hard.

I suppose I've become more anti military (though not the people) in recent times, there's no chance I would join the forces.