There are days like today I really don't want to pay attention to the news. However, because of my home page I saw that there was another killing by a US serviceman of civilians. I'm disturbed. I should be too. This is only going to mean the killings will escalate. I wonder if it will ever end.
Violence is scary. Violence does breed more violence. It terrorizes those that will deploy and those that have deployed that will come home. Nightmares of the "what could happen" and "what did happen" will haunt our servicemen and women.
Rage and terror. A few can't handle leaving or coming home. A few won't make it there or back. Suicides and domestic violence escalate before and after deployments. Violence wins.
I'm one of the lucky ones. I'm lucky because if J and I have a marriage issue we sit down and discuss it. We continue to keep our marriage strong by using marriage counseling which is offered free of charge to service members through our insurance. I just wish more servicemen and women were willing to take advantage of these services offered. Maybe a few more innocent people wouldn't get hurt. No there aren't enough counselors and appointments are hard to get but if its urgent you can get in to see a chaplain the same day before something you'll regret might happen.
Our service men and women are tired of fighting wars that can't be won. Wars that seem to have no end. Then they go home to find that the war is still raging on in their minds and now they are supposed to transition to a family life. Every service member is supposed to have a physical and mental evaluation before leaving to be with their families. It amounts to a survey. Those surveys get stacked and only a few are seen and read clearly. Surveys go unnoticed for months and sometimes years leaving the ticking time bombs to wreak havoc on the community.
Fear. I wonder if perhaps one of the reasons why our servicemen and women aren't getting the help that they might need is because of fear. There is a stigma that is placed on those that seek out help. They are often called weak. There are bullies in the military just as much as there are on the playground. Rank does not discriminate when it comes to bullies. Sometimes a soldier will ask for help and not get it at all because someone else determines it wouldn't be cost effective to give them help or it might look like a blight upon their unit percentages. For whatever the reason the serviceman or woman doesn't get the proper care that they need to handle their situation.
It could very well also be that the serviceman or woman is afraid that they will get discharged from the service. A dishonorable discharge does not make it easy for a person to get a job in the civilian sector. But tell me what is worse, going out on a killing spree and ending up either in jail or dead or getting the help that you need?
Don't get me wrong folks. I love our military. I love the freedoms that they have fought so hard to get us. But I don't like how our military is treated when they get back home or are in theatre. They shouldn't be bullied into not getting mental help if they feel like they need it. They shouldn't be told that they can't make appointments because they have to work a particular shift. If they need help and ask for it they should be listened to!
Sorry I'm ranting. I'm upset. Its just a big mess right now and I'm afraid of the aftermath from a few incidents. I'm tired of hearing of more injured or dead.
