Stressed-out soldiers sent back to Kandahar

[GAP]

Stressed-out soldiers sent back to Kandahar
JEFF ESAU From Monday's Globe and Mail
Article Link

The Canadian military is sending soldiers to Afghanistan who are suffering from mental illnesses, including depression and operational stress injuries such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

This shift in practice is based on a radical overhaul the Canadian Forces promised to undertake in its approach and attitudes toward soldiers' mental health.

The Afghanistan mission has been the bloodiest and fiercest combat Canadian soldiers have seen since the Korean War. Recently declassified daily briefings delivered to the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Rick Hillier, show the latest toll includes 39 soldiers killed in action, five dead from accident and 83 suffering what the Forces describe as non-battle (NBI) injuries. Although no breakdown is kept, the NBI number includes those considered not mentally fit for duty.

The issue of mental illness among those in uniform is being increasingly studied, with the Canadian Forces' chief psychiatrist, Colonel Randy Boddam, currently serving a four-month stint in Afghanistan.
More on link

 

[KevinB]

I must say that in reading the title - then the rest of the link, I think that the title is a wee bit deceptive and alarmist...

What is it with the media being low life bottom feeders these days?

 

[armyvern]

What is it with the media being low life bottom feeders these days?

Obviously a rhetorical question!! Yep, they continue to sink to new daily lows; it assists with the profit margin gains. Pretty sad state.

Anybody have any links to media that actually REPORTS the news these days? No slants, no personal commentary, no bias', no agendas to fill, no shareholders pockets to line at others' expense, no government to subliminally endorse or vilify?? Just reports the actual facts?? Does such a thing actually exist out there anymore??

Please someone, show me where...

 

[GAP]

They went broke.

 

[gaspasser]

   I can see from the article that two things are happening IF mentally ill troops are being redeployed.  1, could be that troops do not or will not talk to a professional mental health care worker for fear of being labeled and/ or released for what they consider a dishonour.  And 2, the screening process it TOO short and not as in depth as it should be. Finding PTSD, or any underlying problem, takes many long hours of discussions with a mental health care worker.  Not 20-40 minutes.
   I just screened to go.  We (my wife and I) spoke with a Social worker, who, after 10 minutes was looking at the clock and couldn't wait to get us out of there. After 15 minutes of chatting, she said she was confident in sending me away even with some of our past problems and present weaknesses.  I for one thought we'd never make it thru for all the problems that have happened on past deployments, but it boiled down to, could me wife do without me for 6 months?  End of conversation, out the door, have a nice trip.
  For all the "Stuff" our guys see and do overseas, there should be an in depth phsycological evaluation done when they come home and again when they are preparing to redeploy.  
My 0.02
Regard      

 

[Action]

              Very interesting article, I am glad it was posted to the group. I would be really interested to hear from troops who have been overseas as to their experience with this pre-deployment mental health screening process that they mentioned. I remember them doing something similar in 1993 on the deployment to Croatia. As a former infantry NCO, I understand the stress of operations and after medically releasing due to a back condition which at the time violated the universality of service clause, I went back to school and became very interested in Operational Stress Injuries (OSIs). I’ve known many very good troops who have dealt with them, and seen how the system reacted to and treated the problem which made me want to study this further.
The one thing which has bothered me the most is that those who study it generally have no experience with what a soldiers life is like, never shared the hardships of humping food, ammo, and water KM after KM, or the fear and exhilaration of contact. It is easy to make guesses and hypothesis without having participated but to me, there is a social dynamic missing that only soldiers get.
I am currently working on my Masters degree in Sociology and I am looking at the role social support plays in the development and treatment of OSIs. The article speaks about the pre-post deployment screening and the language which is used to describe soldiers’ behaviour to me is off, and remains reflective of prevailing attitudes with regards to OSIs. With that said I would be really interested to hear from current and past members who have an opinion on the topic of OSIs, availability of treatment, how the units react, what you think about policies etc.
If anyone would like to talk PM me and I will send you my e-mail at the University it is more secure and no one will have access to anything discussed except me. Because this is not specifically sanctioned through an ethics review board nothing said can or will be used in any paper, article, or otherwise disseminated in any manner. It will only be “used” to help me formulate research questions and give me an idea as to the really pressing matters to help assist Canadian troops. What I would ask is if you would be willing to participate in a future study, or if it would be possible to contact you in the future when my proposal has been vetted through the research ethics board.
Militis Teneo
Soldier On

 

[GAP]

This is the CTV take on the same story

Soldiers with mental illnesses return to combat
Updated Mon. Mar. 5 2007 8:06 AM ET CTV.ca News Staff
Article Link

Canadian soldiers suffering from mental illness -- including depression and operational stress injuries such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) -- are still being sent to Afghanistan, according to a report.

Canadian Forces' chief psychiatrist, Col. Randy Boddam, who is currently in Afghanistan, told The Globe and Mail that the military is addressing the issue head on.

"Let's acknowledge it (mental illness), let's bring it out of the shadows and get people in so they get treatment sooner, and be employable and living their lives the best they can," he said.
More on link

 

[MarkOttawa]

A post at The Torch:

Afstan: An answer to media spin
http://toyoufromfailinghands.blogspot.com/2007/03/afstan-answer-to-media-spin.html

With compliments to Afghanistan Watch.
http://afghanwatch.blogspot.com/2007/03/afghanistan-march-05-2007.html

Mark
Ottawa

 

[reccecrewman]

A bit off this thread but in relation to the mental health issue,  in behind Bldg. N-104 at CFB Petawawa, there was a small vacant patch of land........ In the fall, constuction crews showed up and broke the ground there.  Apparently it is supposed to be (Rumour mill, if someone can substantiate this, by all means do so) a mental health facility that will fall under the Base Medical Centre right next door to it.  If this is true, it at least shows the CF is taking PTSD more and more seriously if they're going to put in such a facility with a staff of social workers and psychiatrists.