Suicidal Troops sent into combat

[shesulsa]

Associated Press Updated: 10:04 p.m. ET May 13, 2006

HARTFORD, Conn. - U.S. military troops with severe psychological problems have been sent to Iraq or kept in combat, even when superiors have been aware of signs of mental illness, a newspaper reported for Sunday editions.


The Hartford Courant, citing records obtained under the federal Freedom of Information Act and more than 100 interviews of families and military personnel, reported numerous cases in which the military failed to follow its own regulations in screening, treating and evacuating mentally unfit troops from Iraq.

FULL ARTICLE

This is disturbing, to say the least.

 

[michaeledward]

Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld has said, "You don't go to war with the army you want. You go to war with the army you have."

It would seem, this is confirmed in the article.

“The challenge for us ... is that the Army has a mission to fight. And, as you know, recruiting has been a challenge,” she said (The Army’s top mental health expert, Col. Elspeth Ritchie). “And so we have to weigh the needs of the Army, the needs of the mission, with the soldiers’ personal needs.”

The Army has recently loosened the requirments for admission into the serivce to meet recruiting objectives.

 

[Andrew Green]

I don't want to come across as agreeing with this but...

I think some jobs in the military require someone that is a little mentally unstable to do them.

Sniper being a good example, how many mentally sound people could actually do this job?

 

[michaeledward]

I think some jobs in the military require someone that is a little mentally unstable to do them.

Sniper being a good example, how many mentally sound people could actually do this job?

I heard a wonderful interview last week with Staff Sergeant Jack Coughlin. Sgt. Coughlin is a Marine with 60 confirmed sniper kills. (He hinted at their being additional kills, about which he could not, or would not, discuss).

This is not a person whom I would describe as mentally unstable. He sounded like the consumate professional.

His book is 'Shooter; The Autobiography of the Top-Ranked Marine Sniper'

Podcast available from WTKK's web site - The Mike Barnicle Show from May 12, 2006. The book is available everywhere, including Amazon.

 

[Jonathan]

I don't want to come across as agreeing with this but...

I think some jobs in the military require someone that is a little mentally unstable to do them.

Sniper being a good example, how many mentally sound people could actually do this job?

Actually, those are the jobs that probably require the strictest of mental discipline and health. It's the EOD folks that I worry about.

Anyways... this news is entirely disturbing, but not unexpected, given the recruitment numbers and the fact that more and more servicemembers are opting to leave the military after becoming disillusioned.

 

[heretic888]

I heard a wonderful interview last week with Staff Sergeant Jack Coughlin. Sgt. Coughlin is a Marine with 60 confirmed sniper kills. (He hinted at their being additional kills, about which he could not, or would not, discuss).

This is not a person whom I would describe as mentally unstable. He sounded like the consumate professional.

His book is 'Shooter; The Autobiography of the Top-Ranked Marine Sniper'

Podcast available from WTKK's web site - The Mike Barnicle Show from May 12, 2006. The book is available everywhere, including Amazon.

Y'know, I'm suddenly reminded of Milgram's classic experiments on "following orders" from an authority figure under duress.

If memory serves, it was only a Navy SEAL that refused to continue "shocking" the confederate to what would have been lethal dosages.

That, in my opinion, is very telling.

Laterz.

 

[green meanie]

I heard a wonderful interview last week with Staff Sergeant Jack Coughlin. Sgt. Coughlin is a Marine with 60 confirmed sniper kills. (He hinted at their being additional kills, about which he could not, or would not, discuss).

This is not a person whom I would describe as mentally unstable. He sounded like the consumate professional.

Agreed. I'd also like to add, there's most likely members on this site with similar training and credientials who's opinions we've grown to respect and trust. We haven't declared them unstable just yet have we?