Forum Post: What happened to the Dogs?
Posted 12 years ago on Aug. 21, 2012, 7:55 p.m. EST by ZenDogTroll
(13032)
from South Burlington, VT
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Military suicides occur with disturbing regularity, and the military seems all but powerless to stop it. Yet there is one program that does seem to offer some slender thread of hope.
Service dogs have been trained to respond to fear or panic, and CBS news reports at least one instance of successful intervention, by a canine:
Dogs have been provided free of charge by trainers, and some of those involved in the program report positive results in only two weeks after dog placement.
At last you say - a program that may hold promise.
Not so fast.
As of January, the military instituted new rules. Now it seems dog placement has come to a halt at four military bases, and even some current placements may be at risk.
CBS reports:
Fort Bliss's commander concluded that service dogs should now be a "treatment of last resort."
The television spot interviewed one soldier who was on significant amounts of medication for symptomology that continued unabated - until he received one of these service animals.
So now I wanna know -
what are the odds that this change in policy is the result of pressure from the pharmaceutical industry?
the bastards ought to be shot.
.
.
z
I know a great way to help end military suicides
BRING THE TROOPS HOME
END THE WARS
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The highest suicide numbers listed are of active duty soldiers.
But yeah I'm all for anything that helps troops that are no longer serving.
But if the wars are a stem of the problem... ending them is the best first step to take. Then the tax dollars going to the wars could instead go into funding the programs you're talking about. That's not too difficult to understand is it?
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Only fire a few? What about the commander in chief?
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it's not political. It's an important point. The shit can end when the majority of people want it to end. Above generals is the commander in chief. Solve the problems at the root.
This goes for "both sides."
know your dog and know yourself
When our troops come home, our government and too many people tell them they did a good thing. How many times have you heard that worn line "thank you for your service to our country." Yeh, yeh, but it hurts the inside when one knows deep down one helped with doing the worst of the worst ..... Contradictions in the mind haunt. Many can't take it, and that in my opinion is the true source of PSTD... that tearing in the mind which when intense enough can lead to suicide.
May our men and women in uniform who suffer these things take solace in realizing that the mental anguish they suffer only means they are good people for only psychos would feel nothing. ...and should one come to the understanding that the contradictions which were created are beyond one's personnel control. One has to get away from that patriotic bullshit in order to realize the truth. There is both good and evil in this land, and one often has to dance with the devil.. and should one not find a way out of the dance, at least the mental contradictions can evaporate, and the pain goes away.
tweeted.
People need to take a look a very close look at the fact that our people in the military are taking their own lives.
This has got to be taken care of properly - our service people need our help and proper support from our country.
Why are so many service people taking their own lives???
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We have got to heal this sick society - and it is gonna take every one shining a light onto all of the ills. Thank you for championing this issue - here.
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That is why the attackers are not on the thread - they can't attack it - and they won't support something you brought forward.
my dog helps me socialize
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On or about the summer of 1980, a Staff Sgt took three hostages at a military banking facility. Weapon in hand, the promise of a big silverbird "back to the world," in tow - -so he could see his girl - - he exited the building, shielded by these civilians. He made it to the second step - sharpshooters, three rounds to the head, just another statistic. You didn't read about this one in the papers, you won't find it anywhere online, there are a thousand other statistics you will never even hear of. Suicide is a regular occurrence in the peace time army, too. I know, because I was there.
Life is rough on the plains... but it's even rougher when your knee deep in the muck and the mud and the blood, and I'm quite certain Bliss is aware of this. ADA all the way, babeee!
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No, I'm referring to the Air Defense Artillery... and that's what Bliss is, it's the center and primary training grounds of the ADA.
The ADA has posts all over the world; I was at the bank. And this is but one occurrence of several...
There is no way your buddies, especially under harsh conditions, can compensate for separation anxiety... from loved ones.
And good people die.
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