Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
September 25, 2013
There is not a single nerve in my body not under stress right now!
David Wood of the Huffington Post has another great article up on Invisible Casualties and the title alone indicates a huge problem.
Army Chief Ray Odierno Warns Military Suicides 'Not Going To End' After War Is OverWhile it is also one title that pissed me off when I was reading it earlier today. I wanted to take some time to cool off so that I wouldn't hit the roof especially when most of the post I've done lately come with a disclaimer that I stopped playing nice a long time ago. I am damn tired of counting body bags because these people don't get it! They are inflicting most of the damage while they refuse to accept responsibility for the increase in military folks not wanting to be alive anymore.
He's responsible? Give me a break! If he had been then why hasn't he held himself accountable? Why hasn't he held any of these defense contractors taking in billions a year when the results have proven to be a failure going back to 2009! Think I'm wrong. Then tell me how I predicted if they pushed Comprehensive Soldier Fitness the suicides would go up?
"Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno recently told The Huffington Post. The Army's chief of staff, Odierno is charged with recruiting, training and equipping the 1.1 million active-duty, reserve and National Guard soldiers. He's also responsible for the health and well-being of Army troops and their families."He was asked
"You've been in a lot of extreme, dangerous situations. What have you learned about what makes soldiers strong?"And he blamed the soldiers on top of blaming their families!
"First, inherently what we do is stressful. Why do I think some people are able to deal with stress differently than others? There are a lot of different factors. Some of it is just personal make-up. Intestinal fortitude. Mental toughness that ensures that people are able to deal with stressful situations.
But it also has to do with where you come from. I came from a loving family, one who gave lots of positive reinforcement, who built up psychologically who I was, who I am, what I might want to do. It built confidence in myself, and I believe that enables you to better deal with stress. It enables you to cope more easily than maybe some other people.
I left this comment when I was a bit cooler.
"Some of it is just personal make-up. Intestinal fortitude. Mental toughness that ensures that people are able to deal with stressful situations." This attitude is part of the problem and it is infuriating! Do you really think it is helpful for the troops to hear these thoughts? The Army has been telling them this message for years and the number of suicides went up. Do you think Dakota Meyer lacked "mental toughness" or "intestinal fortitude" when he put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger after earning the Medal of Honor? The list goes on. They die. They don't want to be here anymore after doing whatever they could to stay alive in combat. When will you guys ever get that?"
As you can see my temper is hot again and I am tired of families being blamed, soldier being blamed and hearing that they lack anything!
I've known too many of them so to hear those thoughts come out of this General's mouth makes me sick to my stomach.
Oh I'm sure he'll try to say that he didn't mean what he said or it came out wrong. Just like Maj. General Dana Pittard of Fort Bliss blasted out a post that he thought soldiers were selfish when they committed suicide.
Now I have to go and make some calls to some of the families I had to talk to because they blamed themselves for their soldiers committing suicide. I have to make more calls to veterans I had to talk off the ledge because they had their heads full of crap like this for so long they started to believe it was their fault they didn't train right!
OH MY GOD WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO STOP THESE FOOLS FROM DOING MORE DAMAGE?
The ignorant General should apologize and resign ... he is a disgrace to the uniform for blaming our soldiers and veterans for suicide when the cause is the war, and the situation is exacerbated due to stigma (such as the General's), a lack of doctors, and a lack of priorities by our government.
ReplyDeleteThe list goes on but most of it goes back to Comprehensive Soldier Fitness making them believe they are mentally weak and didn't train right. For years I couldn't figure out why people like him couldn't see how dangerous this was but now I have my answer. He must believe that is their fault.
ReplyDeleteSo many families, so many veterans suffering all this time and now they end up with this message from this General in denial!
as the parent of a dead marine infantry sgt. , pstd from 2003 iraq combat -
ReplyDeleteHE and his ilk are the blame -sending kids to unnecessary war, no mental health when they came home , and blaming others.
Oh wait, I think i've seen this movie before. Same story line, same plot, new pills, new actors, same ol thing. I think the General here ought to tell his opinion to the grieving mother or father or child of the individual who just took their life due to "the lack of intestinal fortitude". Maybe this will replace suicide on the death certificates from now on...nice going General, hey why not take Patton's place and slap the next person you see weeping who just lost a friend....hey here's your sign...
ReplyDeleteIt is bad enough when a Sgt says something stupid like this but when a leader does, it is reprehensible. How on earth can he still be in charge and so absolutely disconnected from the troops serving under him?
ReplyDeleteIt was bad enough families blamed themselves for what the military failed to do but now they end up getting blamed as not being as good as his family! Is he out of his mind?
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