Majority of Soldiers in Iraq have "Low morals"

[Alpha]

A suicide prevention program was begun for soldiers in Iraq at the recommendation of the 2003 assessment team.

 

The overall assessment said 13 percent of soldiers in the most recent study screened positive for a mental health problem, compared with 18 percent a year earlier. Symptoms of acute or post-traumatic stress remained the top mental health problem, affecting at least 10 percent of all soldiers checked in the latest survey.

 

In the anonymous survey, 17 percent of soldiers said they had experienced moderate or severe stress or problems with alcohol, emotions or their families. That compares with 23 percent a year earlier.

 

The report said reasons for the improvement in mental health are not clear. Among possible explanations: less frequent and less intense combat, more comforts like air conditioning, wider access to mental health services and improved training in handling the stresses associated with deployments and combat.

Article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050720/ap_on_...DltBHNlYwM3MTY-

 

As I read this article, I realized the effects the average person would go through during war. Bad dreams of people brutally murdered by yourself or someone else. How do you think your life would be affected by a war like this? Afterall, were sitting down here on our couches and chairs, looking at a computer screen with no war in sight.

 

For me, I think my brain would be a lot stronger after the war. The only way I could logically not allow it to destruct my mind is to see it as a computer game. What other way does any human have regardless of personality?

[Gryph]

War is hell, what can you do about it? Not to mention they're stationed in the desert so that's probably no fun.

[Alpha]

War is hell, what can you do about it?

I guess the only way to not let your emotions get to you in such a place is to see it as heaven. How else can you not let the war obstruct your mind to hurt you instead of help you?

[Gryph]

They are constantly under incredible stress so it is IMPOSSIBLE to do that. A lot of people downplay the roll of stress in society but it can destroy your mind. You can't cover up the realities of war with such ideals of seeing it as heaven. They're too busy trying to stay alive to worry about that.

[Alpha]

They are constantly under incredible stress so it is IMPOSSIBLE to do that. A lot of people downplay the roll of stress in society but it can destroy your mind. You can't cover up the realities of war with such ideals of seeing it as heaven. They're too busy trying to stay alive to worry about that.

So your argument is basically saying that they have no logic to realize how much their brains are being affected?

 

Anyone who goes into war already knows the consequences they are about to face. They become mentally prepared, but obviously not enough. It's the major problem in any army or group of people designed to destruct other humans. They are trained physically, but not mentally. Of course, the realization still stands, they have the ability to do so. But also the most honest explanation is that how many extremely smart people will you find in war? Most of them are high school graduates who barely even graduated.

 

However, I still think it's possible. Self discipline is rare, but can be found.

[Gryph]

They are constantly under incredible stress so it is IMPOSSIBLE to do that. A lot of people downplay the roll of stress in society but it can destroy your mind. You can't cover up the realities of war with such ideals of seeing it as heaven. They're too busy trying to stay alive to worry about that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So your argument is basically saying that they have no logic to realize how much their brains are being affected?

 

Anyone who goes into war already knows the consequences they are about to face. They become mentally prepared, but obviously not enough. It's the major problem in any army or group of people designed to destruct other humans. They are trained physically, but not mentally. Of course, the realization still stands, they have the ability to do so. But also the most honest explanation is that how many extremely smart people will you find in war? Most of them are high school graduates who barely even graduated.

 

However, I still think it's possible. Self discipline is rare, but can be found.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I never said there is no logic to realize how the brain is affected. As a future scientist I really want to know how the brain is affected by war so we can better avoid and treat it. What I said was impossible is the thing about thinking of the place as a heaven. That would require massive amounts of drugs.

 

I do agree that they should prepare them more mentally (they do a little bit but it's obviously not enough) as well as physically. I guess that's why drill sergeant are so tough, it's to build mental endurance. But I think it's really tough to mentally prepare someone for seeing your squadmates and other people die around you. There is only so much you can do. Self discipline is rare, unfortunately not everyone is like Ryu.

[Z-Neo]

Probably in most cases, the soldiers aren't seriously thinking much about the crap that's around them, until they are removed from the situation in some way. I honestly don't think it's possible to totally mentally prepare for war. Yeah, you can see videos of the destruction it brings, and hear the stories, but until you're face to face with it, it's doubtful one's mind can fully comprehend it. Even then, it may be pushed back into the inner depths of someone until later on down the road. Look at how many Vietnam vets and original Gulf War vetrans suffer from PTSD. In some cases it doesn't show up until years later.

 

by the way, shouldn't it be morale, instead of morals?

Edited July 20, 2005 by Z-Neo

[Agozer]

I think morale would be more suitable.

[Weirdy]

low morals huh? so they're having sex with camels and stuff?

 

which reminds me of a joke

 

so there's these soldiers in Iraq, then one of the soldiers talks with a colonel who just arrived. Then he asks the soldier "so, uhh, what do you guys do around here for fun?", then the soldier says "well, we play cards and stuff", then the colonel says "no, I mean, real fun ", and the soldier says "well, sometimes we sneak behind the lines and go out and finds some camels and have fun ". So the colonel says "ahh..interesting". The next week after some fighting and shiit like that, the soldier gets called by the colonel to have a word with him. The soldier walks in and the colonel in on top of a step ladder having sex with a camel and says "is this how it's done soldier eh eh, bring in camels and having fun", and the soldier says "no, we usually just ride them into town and find some prostitutes"

Edited July 21, 2005 by Weirdy

[Lucandrake]

low morals huh? so they're having sex with camels and stuff?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Haha good one weirdy >.>

[Madi]

My uncle hid a playboy in one of the care packages they sent lol. Atleast one of ems happy.