Why war causes mental illnesses

[SixFoot]

Haven't read anyone's personal opinions yet, but has anyone mentioned the toxic burn pits? The Mefloquine? Local diseases? How about the inhalation of aluminum powder? Amonium Nitrate? Sarin Gas in the Gulf War, Agent Orange in Vietname (Lord knows what in the GWoT)? Any mention of the endless supply of cheating spouses back home? How about the guys who are deployed when their father dies of a heart attack back home?

It's not all mangled corpses and dead brothers ya know.

 

[OldUSAFSniper]

When I left for Nam', my dad told me that I was to leave it there. No matter what, I was to do what I had to do to survive and then leave it there. He said it would be the hardest thing I ever did, but it would help me for the rest of my life. He waded ashore on Omaha, moved across Europe with Patton's Third. And I thought that he was being overly dramatic. I was tough and I wouldn't have a problem like him. I knew what to expect.

Then the first round popped over my head. Then a hundred more. And it was night, so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, except for the tracers bouncing around every where. And then the screaming. No words really, just screaming. Don't even know if it was American or VC. Don't even know where you're shooting, just in the general direction. So freakin scared that you couldn't shove an oxygen molecule up my ass. Probably lasted about ten minutes, and seemed like an hour.

The sights, the smells, the sounds. Yeah, there's no wonder that it causes so much mental issues. Some more than others.

 

[waltky]

Sailors, Marines to get mental health check-up before discharge...

Navy to Weigh Mental Health Status Before Discharging Sailors, Marines
Jun 02, 2016 | Sailors and Marines facing administrative separation for any reason will have mental health issues taken into account when officials determine their discharge characterization and disability evaluation status under a new policy rolled out by Navy Secretary Ray Mabus this week.

The change makes the Navy the first military service to consider mental health issues when conducting administrative separations, according to a June 1 news release. It acknowledges that post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injuries received in combat that may contribute to troops' negative behavior or altered job performance. Service members may face administrative separation after demonstrating patterns of misconduct, poor performance of duties or non-performance, failure to conform to weight and fitness standards, and drug use, among other reasons. The military also sometimes separates those who have been accused of serious crimes so that the civilian justice system can prosecute them.

Starting immediately, diagnosed mental health conditions will take precedence over misconduct issues when determining the conditions of a Marine or sailor's discharge, if the mental health issue is believed to have contributed to the misconduct, according to officials. These troops may be referred into the disability evaluation system, allowing them to retain key veterans' benefits. For troops with diagnosed mental health issues facing a discharge other than honorable, according to the release, their case must first be personally reviewed by the first general or flag officer in their chain of command for a final determination. Discharge status has a significant impact on veterans' benefit eligibility: other-than-honorable, bad conduct, and dishonorable discharges disqualify troops from all benefits, while a general discharge may limit eligibility for certain benefits, like the GI Bill.

Marine and Navy veterans who believe their own discharge status might have been affected by this updated review process can appeal, said Lt. j.g. Kara Yingling, a Navy spokeswoman. "Service members who believe this change in policy may affect their separation characterization or disposition can file a petition for relief through the Board of Correction for Naval Records," Yingling told Military.com. There is no statute of limitations for those wishing to appeal, she said. For PTSD, TBI and other mental health conditions, an "appropriately privileged military health care provider" will be consulted to determine whether the condition contributed to the actions or conduct for which the sailor or Marine is being separated, Yingling said.

For Mabus, this is the latest in a series of significant department-specific social changes that have characterized his tenure. Last July, he increased maternity leave for sailors and Marines from six weeks to 18 -- a dramatic move that was overridden in January by a Defense Department-wide policy change that granted 12 weeks' leave to troops in every service. "It is one of the great maxims of naval history that Sailors and Marines are the sea services' greatest advantage and most important asset. For more than a decade, we've asked a tremendous amount of our people and their families," Mabus said in a statement. "In turn, we have a responsibility to support their needs, whether they are serving the Navy and Marine Corps mission around the globe or transitioning from uniformed service to civilian life."

Navy to Weigh Mental Health Status Before Discharging Sailors, Marines | Military.com

 

[ThunderKiss1965]

It's about coping with brutality, unbelievable living conditions, seeing broken bodies, knowing that no matter how hard you try you very well may not go home at the end. I've seen soldiers quit talking and take abuse because Sergeants think they're a malingerer, I've seen hard core drug use to cope, I've seen soldiers wound themselves in combat so they can go home, I've seen people think they have become invincible and do crazy things that get themselves killed. I've seen it all.

Myself, I was in a position of power and even though only 20, I became a cold blooded killer who didn't care about anything except bringing people home alive and I didn't care how many enemy had to die to make that happen. Coming home, adjustment took two or three months for me, some people never recover, but for those few months I was sensitive to things I had been used to, coming down the hill I would wonder where all the illumination rounds were, gunfire or loud sounds could be frightening, little things like that. Funny though, nearly ten years after, my wife and I went to Disneyland for a long weekend and after dinner I stretched out on the sofa. Thirty minutes later I woke in a panic because I heard artillery fire. My wife looked at me oddly and said what are you talking about? the fireworks show was beginning. So in subtle ways some things may never end. Ultimately, no war is the best solution.

My class was working on a report as to why war causes mental illnesses…
I brought up an idea that I don’t think anybody ever brings up.

The Military needs young bodies…
17, 18, 19, 20, 21 years old.
And they need that body... to do the job of a 30 year old brain, with the level of responsibility, dedication, motivation, loyalty and professionalism, that most 50 year olds don’t often exhibit.

The math doesn’t add up.

But it can’t be any other way… we can’t send old people into war because they’re physically unable…
People are just simply not designed for war.

And the more and more and more that society allows, the more free people become... the less used to the conditions of the military that people become accustomed to...
The more damage that war does on the brain.

People are not made for warfare.

Not designed for war, but the institution is probably older than speech. Not everyone is effected the same by combat. One of my Grandfathers was a lifer and served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, He was the most steady individual I've ever met. My Father was somewhat effected by his experiences in Vietnam his Brother was not. A cousin who did tours in both Afghanistan and Iraq and lives a normal life.

Not everyone who served in Combat has PTSD please stop treating them as if they did.

 

[the207life]

Haven't read anyone's personal opinions yet, but has anyone mentioned the toxic burn pits? The Mefloquine? Local diseases? How about the inhalation of aluminum powder? Amonium Nitrate? Sarin Gas in the Gulf War, Agent Orange in Vietname (Lord knows what in the GWoT)? Any mention of the endless supply of cheating spouses back home? How about the guys who are deployed when their father dies of a heart attack back home?

It's not all mangled corpses and dead brothers ya know.

In addition to this, the return home to an alienating society can be multiplying. While deployed, those misfortunes that SixFoot listed become a little easier to acknowledge and brush off as you are experiencing them with likeminded individuals. There is a community of people experiencing harsh realities together and you unwillingly rely on others to cope. You don't necessarily recognize it when in the moment but its easier to cope knowing your not going through it alone.

When you discharge, that identity that you formed stays with you long after you walk out the door with a DD-214 in your hand. You are placed into a society that can't begin to understand and is quick to label you as a "veteran". A word that to them means you were simply in the military but can't begin to express the whole story. You are turned over to a society of people claiming to know the truth about war and have strong opinions on it yet they never watched a NATO round tear through flesh. Have never experienced the adrenaline rush when a bunch of 20 year old kids are forced to make life or death situations.

This lack of connection with society post deployment is what causes a lot of vets to shut themselves out. It causes that table or countertop loaded with empty bottles or the desire for one more pill. It causes people to sit on the GI bill and dwell as their GPA hits 0.

Society doesn't get it. So when you say the math doesn't add up when asking 18 or 19 year old kids to do the job of a 30 year old brain.. it doesn't shock me. You won't get it. Responsibility? You mean the responsibility of keeping FuckFaceMcGee alive as rounds snap past your head? You say dedication as if these 18 and 19 year olds don't understand the situation. They go in, get the job done to the best of their ability, and prey they come out alive. They are willing to take the hit for each other whether it be an NJP or a round through the chest. How is that not dedication? Motivation? I promise you.. where there is rank.. there is motivation. Where there is danger.. there is motivation. Loyalty? See other: Dedication. Professionalism? Stand a couple vets or active duty guys in a crowd of 100 people and I think the majority of vets and active duty assholes will be able to pick them out. This is a job that requires professional presentation of personal appearance and acknowledgement of those who out rank you. You get out of line, go bend over for your COC. Now it's not 24/7 but anything but professionalism when it is required will see you a quick exit.

Although I tend to disagree.. who knows, maybe people are not made for war but I don't think war, as you picture it, is necessarily the major problem when it comes to damage to the brain.

 

[Mcflipper]

My class was working on a report as to why war causes mental illnesses…
I brought up an idea that I don’t think anybody ever brings up.

The Military needs young bodies…
17, 18, 19, 20, 21 years old.
And they need that body... to do the job of a 30 year old brain, with the level of responsibility, dedication, motivation, loyalty and professionalism, that most 50 year olds don’t often exhibit.

The math doesn’t add up.

But it can’t be any other way… we can’t send old people into war because they’re physically unable…
People are just simply not designed for war.

And the more and more and more that society allows, the more free people become... the less used to the conditions of the military that people become accustomed to...
The more damage that war does on the brain.

People are not made for warfare.

As history has shown, anybody who fights for this country is mentally ill.

 

[seaofnails]

This is a very touching story about the brave marine.
I thank Him for His service.