Army Someone Else's Problem Protocol

Army Someone Else's Problem Protocol
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
February 18, 2014

The Army, along with every other branch of the military, faced a problem when they had to report suicides among personnel. There was press release after release, congressional hearing followed by many more as the years ticked away and billions spent "addressing" prevention.

Nice little trick especially when the facts proved as they did more, there were more suicides.

Behind the backs of the soldiers there was another game being played. As bad as things were, the Army decided, along with the other branches, to hide the problem they had.

According to a recent report on dishonorable discharges by Associated Press, it happened thousands of times last year alone.

The number of enlisted soldiers forced out for drugs, alcohol, crimes and other misconduct shot up from about 5,600 in 2007, as the Iraq war peaked, to more than 11,000 last year.

The report also pointed out that this was not just being done by the Army.

"The number of Marines who left after court-martial has dropped from more than 1,300 in 2007 to about 250 last year."

"The number of officers separated from service since 2000 due to a court-martial ranged from a low of 20 in 2001 to a high of 68 in 2007. For enlisted airmen, the number ranged from a high of nearly 4,500 in 2002 to a low of almost 2,900 in 2013

The Navy went through a similar process. When the decision was made to cut the size of the 370,000-strong naval force in 2004, the number of sailors who left due to misconduct and other behavior issues grew. In 2006, more than 8,400 sailors left due to conduct issues.

As the size of the Navy began to stabilize — it’s now at about 323,000 — the number of problem sailors leaving also began to decline steadily, dropping each successive year to a new low of about 3,700 in 2013. In nearly one-third of the cases each year over that period, the problems involved drug and alcohol use. More than 1,400 cases each year involved a “serious offense” or civil or criminal court case.

The Army created someone else's problem protocol making sure that "problem" soldiers were kicked out before they had to be counted. As with the rise in younger veterans committing suicide, the military no longer has to account for them or the veterans ending up in front of a judge facing criminal charges. All of their problems, problems created while in the military, we passed off to someone else to take care of.

This is a dishonorable way for the military to be off the hook leaving young men and women with absolutely nothing. No help for what happened to them while they were serving. Little hope of finding jobs to support themselves or their families and nothing in place to help them heal.

The military has claimed that most of the suicides occur without deployments but have not had to answer for the psychological testing done when they enlisted. For recruits to be trained, they would have to pass the test but the end result does not pass the smell test. Why isn't the press asking for accountability? Why aren't they asking for answers when so many have been discharged but the drop in suicides does not even come close to accounting for the lower numbers?

The Army reported there were 351 suicides in 2012, the record high but no one thought of all of the dishonorable discharges along with the reduction of the soldiers under honorable terms. In 2013 they claimed a reduction in suicides by 55 for a total of 296, yet had discharged 11,000 dishonorably.

Navy suicides were 59 in 2013 and 46 in 2013 but had dishonorably discharged 3,700. The Air Force had 59 suicides in 2012 followed by 55 in 2013 but discharged 2,900. It was the same story with the Marine Corps. They had 48 suicides in 2012 and 45 in 2013 but dishonorably discharged 250.

All of the branches were dishonorably discharging thousands every year as suicides went up but no one in the press thought to factor any of them in.

Left with nothing but a family distraught by changes in Jedadiah Zillmer, they had to bury him yesterday because he was one of the Army's Someone Else's Problem Protocol. Zillmer was the family's problem even though no one told them what to do. He was the VA's problem because he needed their help but he didn't get it and in the end he was a problem for police officers.

Afghanistan veteran shot and killed by police was Jedadiah Dean Zillmer.

"The Spokesman-Review said Zillmer left the Army in September 2012. A relative told the newspaper that family members suspected he might be suffering from post-traumatic stress but no diagnosis had been made.

Zillmer was shot in the foot during combat in Afghanistan in 2011 and lost part of a toe, the newspaper said.

He was among a group of soldiers who were denied disability benefits from the Army and sued, the newspaper said. A federal judge upheld the Army’s decision in September."

Jedadiah Dean "Jed" ZILLMER (04/22/1990 - 02/11/2014)
ZILLMER, Jedadiah Dean "Jed" (Age 23) Passed away February 11, 2014 in Spokane Valley. Jed was born April 22, 1990 in Spokane to Brian Ponder and Brandi Zillmer. He was a student at Spokane Falls Community College pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering and computer science.

He was a Purple Heart recipient that served in Afghanistan. He was an infantry sniper in C Troop 1/32 Cavalry 1st Brigade, with the 101st Airborne Division. Jed and Katie were married July 5, 2011 in Clarksville, TN.

He worked as a Veteran Resource Officer at SFCC. He had a lifelong dream to fix and renovate his own home.

He loved working on computers, cars and house projects. He spent much of his time outdoors hiking, adventuring, biking, running and exploring. Jed helped and inspired every person he ever met. Jedadiah was a loving and dedicated husband, son, brother and friend. He won a Chase Youth Award for helping fix and build computers for low income families.

Jed is survived by his wife Katie Zillmer; his parents; sister Jazmine Zillmer; brothers Jeremiah Zillmer and Ty Ford; grandparents Lorraine Pewitt, Roger Zillmer and Elaine Ponder; other family Christina, Derrick, Joshua, Justin and Jamie Brooks. Memorial Service 11AM, Monday, February 17, 2014 at Heritage Chapel. Memorial contributions may be made to assist with Jed's dream project to finish his house project Heritage Funeral Home. Private inurnment will be held at the WA State Veterans Cemetery with full military honors.

Zillmer was buried with "full military honors" but didn't have to happen if the full military actually honored the men and women risking their lives for the sake of others.