Great piece here, Allen. Reminded me of the book, Tribe, I reviewed not long ago, which puts the onus on the society to which veterans return--lacking in social bonds and feelings of belonging. The idea is that military service is good in so far as it provides an environment where your fellows have your back and you have a definite role to fulfil. Civilian culture in the West is so damaged, it's practically the inverse.
I've also been reading a lot of articles about anti-depressants lately impugning them with causing more harm than good, leading not only to suicide, but also to mass shootings and the like. No doubt, that has a lot to do with the suicide rate increasing among veterans.
So much to say on this article, but I'll cut it short here.
Yes, that point about medication is important. I love Junger's book, by the way. I don't remember where I heard about it, but was impressed to find so much packed into such a short work. At the time I was writing about a gay boxer who did not fit into the boxer tribe, a feeling I understand pretty well. Thanks for your note.
Damn Allen, what a powerful post. It opened my eyes to seeing vets in a different light. Sheds some sense on the suicide stats and gave a remarkable view of the contrast of our feminized culture with the mandatory masculine culture of the service. This is one I will be pondering for a while. Loved the reference to boxing as a good path for vets at the end. Many thanks.
Thanks, Tom. I was shocked at what I was reading about vet suicide rates and very impressed to see that Kesling, who was a Marine officer in Afghanistan, was, as a vet, working to get vets into the boxing gym. The boxing coach told me that one day a woman vet showed up late and missed the first drill. Coach told her to do it and catch up with the others, all of them men. When they saw that she was doing a drill on her own they all ran over and did it with her. The coach was so moved he told me he sat down and wiped away his tears. No vet left behind! A hell of a story if you ask me.
That is indeed a great story and it speaks to the intimate connection that is built. There is nothing like it in the non-military, non-wartime world. Nothing. There's huge grief in that.
Great piece here, Allen. Reminded me of the book, Tribe, I reviewed not long ago, which puts the onus on the society to which veterans return--lacking in social bonds and feelings of belonging. The idea is that military service is good in so far as it provides an environment where your fellows have your back and you have a definite role to fulfil. Civilian culture in the West is so damaged, it's practically the inverse.
I've also been reading a lot of articles about anti-depressants lately impugning them with causing more harm than good, leading not only to suicide, but also to mass shootings and the like. No doubt, that has a lot to do with the suicide rate increasing among veterans.
So much to say on this article, but I'll cut it short here.
Yes, that point about medication is important. I love Junger's book, by the way. I don't remember where I heard about it, but was impressed to find so much packed into such a short work. At the time I was writing about a gay boxer who did not fit into the boxer tribe, a feeling I understand pretty well. Thanks for your note.
Damn Allen, what a powerful post. It opened my eyes to seeing vets in a different light. Sheds some sense on the suicide stats and gave a remarkable view of the contrast of our feminized culture with the mandatory masculine culture of the service. This is one I will be pondering for a while. Loved the reference to boxing as a good path for vets at the end. Many thanks.
Thanks, Tom. I was shocked at what I was reading about vet suicide rates and very impressed to see that Kesling, who was a Marine officer in Afghanistan, was, as a vet, working to get vets into the boxing gym. The boxing coach told me that one day a woman vet showed up late and missed the first drill. Coach told her to do it and catch up with the others, all of them men. When they saw that she was doing a drill on her own they all ran over and did it with her. The coach was so moved he told me he sat down and wiped away his tears. No vet left behind! A hell of a story if you ask me.
That is indeed a great story and it speaks to the intimate connection that is built. There is nothing like it in the non-military, non-wartime world. Nothing. There's huge grief in that.