Cindy McCain

[ajuhdg]

Originally Posted by CrackerBarrel

It isn't that they are sad and want to come home because they don't support this war anymore, it's that in war you are going to see things that some peoples' minds can't easily handle that just might push them over the edge. I just don't see any other trend that would be logical.

The suicide rate has gone up because the Army is active now instead of just training and being ready. Guys who were at home are now half a world away. That will tend to be depressing. People who have never been exposed to carnage or had to kill someone before have now. That's depressing too. You wish it wouldn't happen, but the fact of the matter is that when the Army starts actually fighting, suicide rates are going to go up. It isn't because they are fighting an unpopular war or because the Army has low morale that it rose, it's because the very nature of actually fighting a war puts the brain under unique stresses that it's never had to handle before - and some people can't handle them on top of everything else going on in their lives.

EXACTLY! Everyone is able to handle stress in different ways. At the first deployment, morale was very high! There were several events leading up to them leaving. What I think people don't understand is when you join the military, you sign a contract. It is the same contract for ALL four branches. I tried to find a link, but don't have time to scour this morning. My husband and I read his over very thoroughly. There is a war clause. It basically says, 'If you are called to war, you will go.' It doesn't say, 'You get to decide if you want to go or not. And, if you go and you're not happy, we'll send you home.' I'm sure that most that sign it don't read it, and those that do kind of laughed when they got to that part. We (hubby) enlisted in January of 2001. I remember sitting on the side of the tub, and he said, "Well, it's not like we'll really even have another war!" I concurred, "Yeah, we're way to technologically advanced to let that happen again!" 10 months later....well...you know... The point is, you make a choice to serve, and you commit that if your commander-in-chief tells you to go, you go. It is the effing ARMY/NAVY/AIR FORCE/MARINE CORPS, what is the point if not to be preparing for defense.

Further, they are making major strides to help decompress these guys when they come back. There were several shrink sessions on the way home from deployment. Some of them were pretty dumb "How do you feel about the Iraqi people?" Anyone could easily lie their way through it. I think that's where a lot of the problems come. One person that we are aquainted with was attached to a very 'active' unit. He has since been released for severe PTSD. He calls freaking out, because he's hearing voices. However, he REFUSES to get help (which the Army pays for!) because he's too much of a man for it. Yeah, it sucks, but I have no sympathy. They are offering the tools, so help them help you. My hubby is not so severe, but I do try to get him together with one of the guys that he was deployed with periodically. His wife and I agree it helps them to let off some of the steam. THey'll talk to us, but it's easier with someone who's been there.

Just to Nanners, you're just trying to make it so cut and dry, and it's not. A lot of the soldiers who have killed themselves had much more going on...cheating wives, inability to get back into the swing of noncombat life (it took SEVERAL months for my husband to not slow down before driving under and overpass!)