Misguided attempt to register soldiers' personal guns

[Gunco]

On at least one Army post, there was a misguided effort to require some soldiers to register personal firearms.

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[4thIDvet]

More concerned with the suicide rate among young Vets in that article than I am about the gun info.
Seek help at the V.A. Get counseling. Talk with your fellow Vets.
I lived with survival guilt for 20yrs before I went in and got help.
I hid when I should have fought and fought when I should have hid.
This is normal guys. PLEASE stop the suicides PLEASE.

[rbthntr64]

The problem nowadays is that if you ask for help, your carreer is over. You are stripped of all clearances and not allowed to arm up. Most time it ends up in discharge. Just like the soldier that snapped in the desert. He was looking at discharge and loosing all he had given to his country. Not justifying what he did, but I understand why.

[Markp]

Originally Posted by rbthntr64

The problem nowadays is that if you ask for help, your carreer is over. You are stripped of all clearances and not allowed to arm up. Most time it ends up in discharge. Just like the soldier that snapped in the desert. He was looking at discharge and loosing all he had given to his country. Not justifying what he did, but I understand why.

That is NOT true. I work in Military Mental Health, and I think you are painting what we do with a broad brush that doesn't capture the truth about how we treat our clients.

Mark

[4thIDvet]

Originally Posted by Markp

That is NOT true. I work in Military Mental Health, and I think you are painting what we do with a broad brush that doesn't capture the truth about how we treat our clients.

Mark

First Sir thank you for your service.
I will take your word of course because you are there.
But in defense of rbthntr64 his words are the rumor that prevail..
Even if it is just a rumor, that could be enough to keep our young heroes from seeking help.
I go to mental health at the V.A. clinic and speak openly with my Psysh.
We "CANNOT" keep sending our young into harms way, without these young heroes breaking.
The darn problem is they cut the budget in the Psych. Dept. at the V.A. just when they needed it most.
My Doctor is a Lebanese Doctor who grew up in the war torn middle east.
A nicer more pro Vet man you could not meet. He is my friend.
Too many tours for these kids. Enough is enough. The mind can only take so much trauma before it gives in.
The V.A. MUST MUST put money into programs, so we do not have a repeat of the horrible suicide rate we saw with my Viet-Nam brothers.
Your work and the work of others in mental health "save lives".
Thank you. 4th 3/12 Charlie co.

[Markp]

Originally Posted by 4thIDvet

First Sir thank you for your service.
I will take your word of course because you are there.
But in defense of rbthntr64 his words are the rumor that prevail..
Even if it is just a rumor, that could be enough to keep our young heroes from seeking help.
I go to mental health at the V.A. clinic and speak openly with my Psysh.
We "CANNOT" keep sending our young into harms way, without these young heroes breaking.
The darn problem is they cut the budget in the Psych. Dept. at the V.A. just when they needed it most.
My Doctor is a Lebanese Doctor who grew up in the war torn middle east.
A nicer more pro Vet man you could not meet. He is my friend.
Too many tours for these kids. Enough is enough. The mind can only take so much trauma before it gives in.
The V.A. MUST MUST put money into programs, so we do not have a repeat of the horrible suicide rate we saw with my Viet-Nam brothers.
Your work and the work of others in mental health "save lives".
Thank you. 4th 3/12 Charlie co.

I agree that these men, who have served in combat, can break and are vulnerable to the stress that combat induces, but to suggest that other soldiers, sailors, and airmen who serve as mental health professionals are likely to throw our brothers in arms under the bus is pretty heinous.

I am sure that there exist a variety of true stories where soldiers, marines, airmen, and sailors have faced negative outcomes from mental health interventions or treatment. There always exists the possibility that a negative outcome can occur. It has been my experience that the men and women who seen treat these service members exercise tremendous care, restraint, and compassion in dealing with what can be extraordinarily difficult situations.

I agree that we have not yet done enough for these service members, and I thank you and others for the opportunity to make a difference. I hope that my service does help those who need it. I will never through someone under the bus for seeking help and will do my best to protect those seeking help from facing adverse outcomes from seeking services. Its always tough to decide to take a service members weapon or clearance, and there exists times where we need to do exactly that.

Mark