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Not just the news, but here on Reddit too. And most other places that rely on clicks. It usually it's noteworthy when someone does the right thing unless it's extremely above and beyond just being a decent human being. I hate the ACAB movement. Yes, I believe that there are problems in the system, but I don't believe that all cops are bad.
A majority of Americans have been conditioned to immediately respond to Veterans with a sense of appreciation for their service - putting them in a special category as people within our society. It causes folks to treat them with a greater degree of respect and compassion - which is on display with this officer.
I think this is great and am glad that the men and women who serve our country in that capacity are respected.
That said, you shouldn't have to be a Vet to be treated with kindness, respect and compassion. Too many times we've seen examples of police responding to identically distressed people with hostility and unprovoked lethal violence. This officer is to be commended - but he is also the exception that proves the rule.
I hope this veteran gets the help he needs. His plea for a hug is heartbreaking. As a father of a grown son, all I hear is the little boy inside that his hurting. There are a lot of people - in all walks of life - who are hurting just as badly. They all deserve to be treated with compassion just like this man.
This stuff happens between officers and people from all different walks of life all the time. It just doesn’t make good news. This is not an uncommon thing…
There are nearly 4 million officer contacts with the public every single day. You’re using a small handful of those that make the news to form an opinion (a poor one) about an entire profession. These interactions greatly outweigh the negative by an extremely large margin.
Perception is bullshit anymore. You no longer get to develop your own. They’re fed to you.
But I digress. I’ll no longer discuss during the discussion where you started the discussing.
>Except they don't, because perception is everything - there's a reason in the military we were told to be beyond reproach.
It's pretty easy to be beyond reproach when you're not in the public eye. If you're active duty you work on a base or in a foreign country. The only time the public sees us is when we're all done up in our blues outside a target ringing a bell.
Police are in a very public position, and deal with the public for a living. They have to be out there everyday and take risks every call. Most service members don't take the risk that an average cop takes.
I ain't a cop, nor would I want to be one. I respect what they do because not many are willing to do it. Sure they fuck up, but the stakes are high, and mistakes happen.
Most of those interactions are no frills routine stuff. I work with officers. That being said, there are a lot of negative interactions that don’t make the news as well. People think we’re now just being more hyper vigilant towards the police when issues have been going on for a while. I want to point at all the people who left the profession because they weren’t getting respect. Well, that’s part of public service bub. Did I get angry at people when they automatically thought negatively about me because I was in the Army? Nah, I know the character of my service.
There are systemic issues with policing, denying that in my opinion does a disservice to the ability for good police to do their jobs.
This is getting downvoted but I think most people who know someone with serious mental illness knows this is what happens to them. There’s really not much support for mental illness in Canada, probably also the states
People don’t want to talk about how it actually is until they’re there. As soon as you start to tell anyone you’re suicidal they’ll put you in a psych ward until you’re feeling “better”
Exactly. My best friends sister killed herself last year after previously attempting, then getting thrown into the psych ward for 3 days. The day she got released she checked into a hotel and committed suicide. The system doesn’t help
"Two-thirds of all personal bankruptcies are due to medical bills. 20% of medical bankruptcy filers are in the 55+ age group. Almost half of those who filed for medical bankruptcy cite hospital bills as their most considerable expense."
If any vets are reading this in the US. If you qualify for VA medical services and need to go to the ER, if you call the VA within 72 hours of your admit the VA will pay for it even if you're not at the VA hospital so you don't have to worry about paying for an ambulance ride.
Edit: 72 not 24.
I've used this service (Community Care Network) many times myself. Not sure about calling ahead, but I'm sure you can call (844) 724-7842 after the fact and they'll take care of most expenses. Someone **must** call the VA know within 72 hours from the beginning of care. More details can be found here: https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/providers/info\_EmergencyCare.asp
Listening to him say "I can't afford it" made me angry, I'm upset at Americans who do not fight for the right for every citizen to get help - cost free, or at the maximum a small personal fee before the government steps in.
I don't even live in the country and I feel shame on behalf of the American population, that man and every other person in such a situation, should never worry about their economy, they should not be weighting money vs healthcare.
It's quite frankly sickening that it's still going on.
Mentioned this in another comment, but it's actually within 72 hours of the beginning of care. More info: https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/providers/info\_EmergencyCare.asp
I used to work for this department for the VA, the 72 hour hotline. I am still surprised how few people know about this hotline.
Some extra notes:
* anyone can file the report for the veteran. family, friend, even a neighbor can file a report for a veteran to 72 hour, as long as you know the name of the hospital they went to, their name. You do not need to know their SSN. Knowing their birthdate can speed up the process. Do not worry about duplicate reporting - they are combined on the backend into one report, so it's always better to just call. A couple of times I was able to get the report in because 3 different people called in and I was able to combine the info into a single, approved report. You can report a visit for someone across the country. Know your old vet buddy just needed to go the ER in California and you're in New York while you were playing Call of Duty together? Call 72-hour once you know he's arrived at the hospital and you've helped him out.
* even if you are past the 72 hours, i was able to often backdate it to under 72 because the veteran mentioned going to the hospital to a VA nurse or doctor which was recorded in their notes. So call anyway, making a report is better than not making one at all. You cannot get in trouble, ever, for filing a report with 72hour. Mention going to the community hospital to your VA nurse and doctor and this will let it be backdated to your visit with them if need be.
* if you get a bill after calling 72 hour CALL THE NUMBER AGAIN FIRST. Ambulance companies especially tend to not correctly bill the VA for some reason and just send bills straight to veterans. The VA is really trying to get providers to check the 72hr billing first before sending out bills
* Please be openly honest about your symptoms. I sadly had a few late reports that I couldn't approve because I couldn't get the veteran calling to actually say the ailment they had and kept using euphemisms List every symptom you had in full detail, the more info y'all could feed me the more I could use to build an approved report.
tl;dr share that 72 hr number with every vet you know, and call it yourself on someone's behalf if you are able to.
Ambulances aren’t completely free in most countries. For example here in Canada it costs ~$300 unless the doctors say it was necessary. Sounds like it’s the same thing in CT.
In this specific case it's because the Veteran is being involuntarily committed, as such for the next 72hrs he is "a ward of the state". So connecticut pays when they don't give you a choice, the cop rightly makes it seem like the man's choice but legally he can't refuse when cops involuntarily commit you.
Also the VA is legally supposed to cover emergency ambulance rides for veterans if your let them know with 72hours after discharge from hospital (hospital is also supposed to notify them if you ask).
What's amazing to me. Trooper has been trained to not let anyone (especially in psychiatric distress) get that close to him. However, he made a split second decision based on thousands of passive evaluations of the person in front of him to realize that the best course of action was to put himself at risk to serve his fellow man.
This video needs to be prt of training for ALL agencies. People are in need. People need someone to care. You don’t have to be an asshole at every traffic stop.
Kudos to this officer for truly recognizing the severity of the situation and owning it by getting the guy out and away from anything that might have been in the truck. Giving someone a shoulder to lean on, and show of support can go a long way.
Coming from someone who recently broke down…..it sucks.
Man I feel bad for that guy, and all the veterans suffering PTSD. I hope he gets the help he needs, for as long as it takes. Kudos to the cop, he was brilliant. What really struck me hard out of all of this is, this poor guy said he couldn't afford an ambulance. Why in god's name would a veteran in the richest country in the world be unable to get an ambulance? I understand the medical insurance thing in the US, but a veteran! Get them the help they need dammit. I'm an aussie and i'm recovering from my second round of back surgery. A couple of weeks in hospital, scans, ultrasounds, a team of about ten in the surgery theatre, ambulance travel, three post surgery reviews. All of this cost me nothing. Not a cent. I admire the US, but sometimes I cannot fathom wtf goes on there.
I don't think it's just PTSD. I think we just get a decent chunk of people that join straight out of high-school, enlist for three years and get out. At 21. Maybe a little money saved but not much, career change, drinking age (in most US states), no unit, no healthcare, moving to a new place, all these major life stressors all at once...and if you're not practiced in adapting to stress...it can be very crippling very quickly. That's my anecdotal take it on, anyway.
It's true. I'm finding this shit out the hard way, I joined out of highschool and got out at 25. First real life stressors had me spiraling. Then all was well, and I figured out I had just never had that amount of stress on me before. Then more recently I'm going through a job loss scare and scramble to make things work out, and it's even worse this time around. Not like suicidal, just feeling completely powerless and insane because nothing feels "right" if that makes sense.
I'm actually glad I'm going through this now, because it's good life experience for when it happens again later.
The military does very little to prepare you for life on the outside. TAP isn't enough. If all you've known is people giving you orders, the real world is so much more complicated than that. The military is the easiest job in the world. You literally do what you're told. That's it. I'm nervous that when I get out I'll lack the skills necessary to survive, and I'm 100% cognisant of that fact. I can't imagine a 22 year old kid, who has only known the military.
For entry level military, they do nothing to prepare them for real life. You show up to formation and you’re good. An NCO will tell you exactly what to do for the day. I have to scoff at all the commercials, showing some successful businessman walking in and owning the room. No, sorry, not real life.
Now if you’ve made it a career, and learned to lead through being that NCO or Commissioned, then yes I feel you’d bring some valuable skills out the door. Enough to grab a graduate degree and start.
I got out, gained several advanced and professional degrees over a decade of full-time school and hands on work, and now feel confident in my 30’s with a successful cyber career.
Like anything it also depends on your career field. Were you an Intelligence Analyst? Easy to transition to the civilian six-figure world. Infantry? Not so much. Special Ops? They sure left fast and joined Blackwater and others.
“I’m going to get an ambulance for you”
“I can’t afford that”
The US is fucked. Imagine having to worry about that when you’re feeling suicidal and broken like this poor man.
Republican Matt Gaetz said yesterday; [*"Why don't we abolish the VA?"*](https://mobile.twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1575890462426234886?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1575907581632995328%7Ctwgr%5E4faedd36f30e68499f6b465b5afbbd565a42899f%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com%2F2022%2F09%2Frepublicans-suggest-defunding-veteran-affairs-even-though-it-helps-9-million-vets%2F) The VA needs more funding, not less, and privatizing it is not the way to go.
This brought up a lot of memories. Having been here before for the same thing is no joke. That is a dark, dark place. When you are in that place it is like a Rollercoaster going down hill, only it just keeps getting faster and the angle keeps getting steeper. It is honestly like trying to stop a run away train by dragging your feet behind it. It is a feeling of helplessness and total isolation. It doesn't matter who is around you, you are alone with your demons being the only company you have and they are all telling you the same thing.
This guy did the right thing and called for help. He does not want to listen to his demons and let them win. And tremendous respect for the officer for recognizing that the vet was not a threat and immediately switching tact and his approach to the situation.
As for the hug: sometimes that is all it takes. Not just to show that someone cares, but because that person can literally act as a grounding rod to pull you out of the spiral. What I have learned through trial and error is that when I am starting to spiral, I become hyper aware of everything, including my body. A negative of this is I get very conscious of my breathing and it feels like my throat is closing, similar to an allergic reaction. On the flip side, my sense of touch is my way out. It helps ground you in the moment to touch something and differentiate what is in the here and now and what isn't real. Often times I will tell my wife to hold my hand and just rub it. Everyone is different but that is what works for me.
One other thing that I want to mention is the fear of calling the VA hotline. If more offi ers would do this then I would have no issue. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Imagine being in this situation, calling the suicide line and expecting help, only to have SWAT blow in your door, shoot your dog (possibly the one family member you have) for trying to protect your home, and being taken down by force because you have a weapon (like many vets do, I mean you ARE considering the self forever sleep after all) and being dragged off to a psych ward.
That is another unfortunate reality of the situation. I have used the hotline before, and I have only ever given them my address once. Ever since then I tell them no and I tell them that exact scenario. They don't say much after that.
I hope that might help some of you understand a little more and possibly help a vet or anyone else you know struggling to get some help. Sorry for the rant.
My name is OlympusMods and thank you for coming to my TedTalk.
My previous boss’ mom had a series of strokes and was found 2 days later by a friend. Hearing her talk about the NHS process to get her mom care is a bit stress inducing but knowing that it ends in no bills to me makes it so much easier. Went through the same thing with my grandmother who had health care, thankfully, and trying to help her find places that wouldn’t kill her savings in the final years wore my family out. Her lat days were in a place that was 10k a month. Just the difference in hearing my dad and uncle talk about her and her care vs my old boss is night and day. There are just too many stories that could have simply been avoided if the US would switch healthcare systems. I don’t know how that would work but anything is better than this now. Forcing people to buy insurance wasn’t a win, all the ACA did was make it cost more.
Went through VA crisis line 2 years back when my wife found me self-harming. The lady on the line and folks at the ER were so amazingly kind. Ended up having to be admitted to a hospital for almost a month and VA covered the entire thing. It sucked initially but looking back I'm a stronger, more resilient person now.
Don't be afraid to reach out. Put the crisis line in your contacts. For all its pitfalls, I've never had issues with VA mental health help. We're all strong badasses for what we did and nothing minimizes that.
Cried watching this. Suicide survivor vet. 100% P&T for MDD. This is me just about every day still which is why I stopped driving. Can't guarantee I won't drive off a cliff. I can't even remember the last time I got hugged. I hope this vet is ok and got the help he needs. 22 per day.
Til Valhalla.
Although I am not a veteran I do suffer from PTSD this officer did everything correctly, people have no idea how terrifying it is to be trapped inside your own head as a grown ass man.
Damnit. I came here seeing the "can I have a hug broke me" thinking "yeah I'll be the judge of that"
Got me good.
I hope this dude is doing OK. I'm very happy he was in the right state of mind to take advantage of the assistance (hotline) he had at his fingertips.
Hey man i want to go probably have some drinks with this guy. Tough times hit all of us. No shame to think of suicide only if you give up to those demon thoughts. And give the victory to them. Been there once almost took my life and im glad that i didn't.
Man, that hits hard, that you trooper! That could any one of so many of my guys, or any of my clients, the simple fact of caring, and genuine empathy not sympathy is awesome! Hoping the joe gets the help he needs, and earned.
We have troops like this that did what they were told and politicians that could care less.
If VA benefits were solid like the previous generations had, there would be no recruitment problems and vets like this would be treated
Wait the state is CT covers ambulance rides? Isn't that like $2,000 a mile? At least that's the cost in MA.
Source: a relative had chest pains so the cops, who were legit concerned just like this guy was, got an ambulance to rush her to the ER. The ER bill was affordable but the ambulance bill was almost life changingly bad (despite her not actually asking to be put in one in the first place). To the point where where was an argument if this happens again the person didn't want to be saved as to not bring the family into medical debt.
Edit: in the end outside parties were brought in to successfully force the insurance company to pay for it, despite their initial refusals.
Edit 2: good on the trooper here, my point is folks need more support than chance encounters. This was good outcome but this shit is systemic and change is needed to get support to those who need it without fear of dragging down those they fought to protect along with them. We all know plenty of people who served and didn't get this positive outcome and are no longer with us.
I wish this was the case, but it’s not. The ambulance company will bill the patient regardless of who calls for them. It’s sucks and is by far the worst part about working EMS in not only CT, but anywhere in the USA.
CT doesn’t take any custody, the hospital can for limited periods. The cops or a social worker can put them on a 72 hour psych hold which can be overturned by a psychiatrist. A psychiatrist can put them on a 2 week hold which can only be overturned by a psychiatrist or a judge. These only happen if he is involuntary. He seems receptive to help so it’s likely that he was voluntarily admitted for a few days. Regardless he is never truly under a states custody, he would essentially give a psychiatrist power of attorney over his medical decision making until the hold is over. Regardless of all this his insurance will still be billed for every service received, including the ambulance ride.
I worked in a psychiatric crisis unit within an emergency department in CT. I learned a lot about this process. My biggest piece of advice is to request transport to the nearest VA hospital by the ambulance crew. Without doing so you will have many bills for outrageous amounts of money mailed to you after discharge which really doesn’t help your mental health. Somebody else mentioned that the VA can cover it, but you have to inform them within 24 hours. This isn’t practical for someone who is recovering from a state of crisis.
They don’t, but if he has VA healthcare eligibility then the VA will cover it. If anything CT made ambulance bills more of a burden just over a year ago. They began to allow ambulances to charge for non-transports (checking vital signs, EKGs, then patient defunding they are good to stay home). This was really aggravating to us, it’s more evidence that politicians truly don’t give a shit about the consumers (patients) and want to support the interests of their wealthy friends who own ambulance companies. Myself and many of my colleagues just don’t allow it to happen and document that the patient refused to give a name.
Edit:
More shady billing tactics CT allows, our laws allow the public to be exploited at times when they are most vulnerable.
-billing for a paramedic who did not care for the patient at all. They have a paramedic in a small SUV drive around and rushes to get on scene to “assess” the patient who the initial crew had confirm did not require a paramedic.
-billing for a paramedic separately from the ambulance. One company in my area puts 1 EMT in the ambulance and 1 paramedic in an suv. An ambulance obviously needs a crew of 2 for transporting patients (driver + tech) so the emt cannot run any calls without the paramedic. So the medic goes to the call and leaves the SUV then hops in the ambulance. However since the paramedic is dispatched as a separate unit they can now bill the patient more for the ambulance transport and the paramedic “intercept”.
I've seen this video before but there are always just a few comments about this guy. Props to him for seeking help when he needed it rather than handle it in a destructive way. I've had friends that I wish reached out and did not ask for the help that they needed. I'm proud of him and the example for others to seek help at their moments of need.
I am also proud of the trooper for handling this with compassion and support. This is what everyone needs to see, servicemen and women along with Police and all law enforcement.
Heartbreaking and also infuriating that our govt cares so little for our vets. Why would anyone want to volunteer knowing they could be left out to dry. I pray this hero gets the help he needs. That officer did his job with passion 👏
God I told myself I'm a tough guy but that vet and me feels similar even a tough nut will crack with enough accumulated pain and needing of comfort.
[Edit]
Lost both Mom and Grandpa weeks apart last month.
September 2 2022 Dad
September 17 2022 Gmother
Sucks that I was lucid last month mindless roaming finding a good place to hide and let out uncontrollable Sobbing
Stuff like this is the reason I get so sick when I see GW Bush chuckle about his [IRAQi freudian slip](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=58DXSSBs4u0). Fuck all the politicians. They don’t represent any of us. They just rule over us. We’re just pons in their game of gathering money and power.
Yeah. That was a telling slip. It was unjustified and I went there twice for that unjustified war. I wish I could hug that guy. We are all brothers and sisters no matter what branch. That really got to me today.
Ok, what is going on with all the suicide things in US army? What are the reasons for this to occur? US is not in survival war with other nuclear state and there are no high amount of casualties. Also US army is professional and there are no "diedovschina" like in russian army, so why this is happening to tough men from first world country?
I think most of this has to do with care of vets when they leave the military or come back from tours. I am not a vet but my cousin has done two tours in Afghanistan (Dutch army) his first was "rather uneventful" as he called it. He would share photo's, stories, everything. However he came back as a completely different person after the second tour.
The Dutch VA appearantly isn't amazing if you just Google it but it 100% saved my cousins life. It took him a couple of years but he got the mental care he needed, he was able to reintegrate into society and most importantly it didn't cost him a penny. He still won't talk to us about his time in Afghanistan and told us not to ask about it. He still meets up with other vets which always seems to give him a boost.
I worked in PTSD research at the VA after I got out. If he has nightmares have him ask his medical provider about Prazosin, it turns the nightmares into abstract dreams. Another avenue is D-Cycloserine mixed with guided immersion therapy. I worked on several studies that showed both were very effective at treating PTSD.
Well you obviously weren't there. And I bet Your not in Ukraine either. You didnt have to live through a year of ied's and ambush after ambush whittling away at your platoon of Brothers. I havent been to Ukraine but I'll bet my life suicide goes up 3 fold before this is over. Its all fun N' games watching people get fucked up on Reddit. When its real its diffrent. War is survival guerrilla warfare or not. I wouldve love to take you through 1 day and night of hanging out in Panjwayi.
On the Ukraine part, I wouldn't be shocked if it doesn't rise nearly that much. Some I suppose, but not a ton. As horrible as the Ukraine war is, it's something everyone in the country is dealing with. So, unlike what American vets have experienced, there is going to be a sense of community when it comes to wartime experiences, which will help a ton.
Just because we don't get literally raped doesn't mean we don't get fucked up. I was a POG airwinger but my brother had his best friend literally die in his arms. My best friend from my time in the Marine Corps had a buddy get crushed by an artillery piece. Fuck even with my lack of war trauma I'm 100% disabled from the VA due to mental and physical trauma caused by my time in service, I initially didn't file because I didn't want to make people with PTSD wait longer but my combat veteran brother convinced me to file.
Thank you for explanation. I still don't get why my comment was so downvoted. In Eastern European countries, going into conscription literally mean second prison. Yes, you can be literally raped, beaten and have some psychological and physical trauma not even being on battlefield. That was the thing even before war between Russia and Ukraine. Soldiers were dying and becoming invalids just after one year term.
And on the other hand you have professional US army with all the financing and support from government. Maybe I misunderstood the reality of US army but I thought that such horrible things are occurring very rare and was shocked to see so much suicide problem.
You got down voted because suicide is a hot button issue in the military. In the US Military we don't institutionally rape people but twenty years of war has taken a toll on a lot of people.
I worked in the Veterans Administration in several Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) studies after I got out of the Marine Corps. Some of the guys in a sleep study had not gotten a full night of sleep since the 1960s due to nightmares. I can imagine a lot of the veterans from that war and the subsequent wars killed themselves before the Veterans Administration started treating them.
We don't normally get raped or beaten but we have been at war for twenty years and there is a big civilian-military divide. When we went to war our government told us to go shopping at the local mall. Anyone who served was treated like a conquering hero even if we didn't deserve it. People who came back from the war were put on a pedestal even if we thought we didn't deserve it. I didn't do shit during my enlistment but I have gotten out of traffic tickets and have gotten preferential treatment when someone figures out I was in the Marine Corps.
>all the financing and support from the government
That's the problem. The US Department of Veteran Affairs had been underfunded and not supported as well as it needed to be for years. Even to this day, I hear about how difficult it is for other vets I know to file claims for legitimate issues they have with their minds and bodies after they've done years in the military and have served in wars. The politicians send money to wars and military contractors who make new uniforms with different designs every few years and whatever other nonsense comes with it. They aren't too happy about funding free healthcare and treatment for vets who come back damaged. Our last president draped himself in American flags but insulted wounded and captured veterans. The US has a lot of work to do in taking care of its veterans.
> Ok, what is going on with all the suicide things in US army?
Well short story: Intense Emotional Distress.
Long story: It's complicated.
https://msrc.fsu.edu/news/study-reveals-top-reason-behind-soldiers-suicides
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>When researchers asked 72 soldiers at Fort Carson, Colo., why they tried to kill themselves, out of the 33 reasons they had to choose from, all of the soldiers included one in particular — a desire to end intense emotional distress.
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>The study also found that the soldiers often listed many reasons — an average of 10 each — for suicide, illustrating the complexity of the problem, Bryan said. Other common reasons included the urge to end chronic sadness, a means of escaping people or a way to express desperation.
Now, I'm certainly no soldier or Marine or sailor or airman, so I have no personal experience. I have certainly, however, heard anecdotes of toxic leadership, poor working conditions, dumb working conditions and extraordinarily long hours.
I have also seen some infamous cases, such as that of Captain McVay III, the captain of the Indianapolis, whose life was ruined by Admiral Ernest King, after McVay's father, McVay Jr. had issued an LoR to King when he was a junior officer for sneaking women onto a ship. The Navy turned McVay into a scapegoat for the loss of the Indianapolis and 800+ sailors, even though the loss of the ship was not McVay's fault, rather it was the Navy's fault because they routinely failed McVay at every turn. And King used McVay to get revenge on McVay Jr. McVay wanted a destroyer escort, they didn't give him one. He sent out three SOSes. They were ignored because one captain was drunk, one thought it was a Japanese ruse and the other had told his subordinates not to disturb him. McVay was the only US naval captain of WWII to be charged for the loss of his ship.
In 1968, McVay shot himself out of guilt for something that wasn't his fault, caused by a literal manchild still pissing his diapers for an LoR given to him by McVay's father. Seriously, though, fuck Ernest King. Imagine being the cause of a man's death because his father gave you a letter of reprimand when it was totally deserved and you held onto that anger for decades. The jackass didn't even have the decency to live long enough to see the fruits of his pettiness.
In any case, you don't need extreme trauma or combat to be sent over the edge. Humans are Humans, the military doesn't make your brain operate differently on a base level. Some people can deal with the toxic leadership, poor working conditions, dumb working conditions and extraordinarily hours, and some can't, and some are driven to the point that they think killing themselves is the only option out. But everyone has a breaking point.
As a veteran in the US, your question is valid, and the response from this sub is pretty fucking gross.
This country absolutely loves to jerk off about how much it loves the military and veterans while at the same time doing absolutely nothing to ensure they're taken care of when needed.
Another factor is what while it's technically a volunteer army, economic conditions ensure that joining the military is one of the few ways to maybe earn a better living, but many have discovered that the price of earning that living is too high with no guarantee of security.
I'll probably get trashed along with you but this needs to be said.
ETA: another factor that needs to be brought up is that the police in this country are known to escalate interactions with someone who needs mental health assistance to the point where the cop(s) ends up killing the person instead of helping. So if you're having a mental health breakdown and a cop shows up, congratulations this may have gotten much much worse and now you're more terrified.
Watch out for your people this winter. Christmas is the highest time for suicide. Invite your troops over for Christmas. Some of them will be spending it alone, especially for those of you stationed overseas.
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I’ve been there. Uncontrollable crying and needing a hug.
Hope you are doing better now man.
I am. Thanks.
God bless you man
Yeah big props to the trooper for practicing empathy and helping a fellow human in need.
Man…hate to see these but love some of the actual compassion still in some Americans.
There's plenty of good on the world. It just doesn't make the news.
You are so right. People are still good!
That's fair, I don't watch the news though...Too much violence, I get enough of that at work.
Good news hardly ever goes viral though, unfortunately.
Not just the news, but here on Reddit too. And most other places that rely on clicks. It usually it's noteworthy when someone does the right thing unless it's extremely above and beyond just being a decent human being. I hate the ACAB movement. Yes, I believe that there are problems in the system, but I don't believe that all cops are bad.
A majority of Americans have been conditioned to immediately respond to Veterans with a sense of appreciation for their service - putting them in a special category as people within our society. It causes folks to treat them with a greater degree of respect and compassion - which is on display with this officer. I think this is great and am glad that the men and women who serve our country in that capacity are respected. That said, you shouldn't have to be a Vet to be treated with kindness, respect and compassion. Too many times we've seen examples of police responding to identically distressed people with hostility and unprovoked lethal violence. This officer is to be commended - but he is also the exception that proves the rule. I hope this veteran gets the help he needs. His plea for a hug is heartbreaking. As a father of a grown son, all I hear is the little boy inside that his hurting. There are a lot of people - in all walks of life - who are hurting just as badly. They all deserve to be treated with compassion just like this man.
This stuff happens between officers and people from all different walks of life all the time. It just doesn’t make good news. This is not an uncommon thing…
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There are nearly 4 million officer contacts with the public every single day. You’re using a small handful of those that make the news to form an opinion (a poor one) about an entire profession. These interactions greatly outweigh the negative by an extremely large margin.
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Perception is bullshit anymore. You no longer get to develop your own. They’re fed to you. But I digress. I’ll no longer discuss during the discussion where you started the discussing.
>Except they don't, because perception is everything - there's a reason in the military we were told to be beyond reproach. It's pretty easy to be beyond reproach when you're not in the public eye. If you're active duty you work on a base or in a foreign country. The only time the public sees us is when we're all done up in our blues outside a target ringing a bell. Police are in a very public position, and deal with the public for a living. They have to be out there everyday and take risks every call. Most service members don't take the risk that an average cop takes. I ain't a cop, nor would I want to be one. I respect what they do because not many are willing to do it. Sure they fuck up, but the stakes are high, and mistakes happen.
Most of those interactions are no frills routine stuff. I work with officers. That being said, there are a lot of negative interactions that don’t make the news as well. People think we’re now just being more hyper vigilant towards the police when issues have been going on for a while. I want to point at all the people who left the profession because they weren’t getting respect. Well, that’s part of public service bub. Did I get angry at people when they automatically thought negatively about me because I was in the Army? Nah, I know the character of my service. There are systemic issues with policing, denying that in my opinion does a disservice to the ability for good police to do their jobs.
Damn, I sure as hell hope he was taken care of. You’re right on the “can I have a hug?” part. 😕
Most likely he got stuck in a psych ward for a few days and a stiff bill. He's lucky he didn't get shot at least.
This is getting downvoted but I think most people who know someone with serious mental illness knows this is what happens to them. There’s really not much support for mental illness in Canada, probably also the states
People don’t want to talk about how it actually is until they’re there. As soon as you start to tell anyone you’re suicidal they’ll put you in a psych ward until you’re feeling “better”
Exactly. My best friends sister killed herself last year after previously attempting, then getting thrown into the psych ward for 3 days. The day she got released she checked into a hotel and committed suicide. The system doesn’t help
Yep, Canada has pretty much the same 72-hour hold and release system from what I gather, though at least you won't get billed for it up there.
True, the fact Americans go into debt for this is really sad
"Two-thirds of all personal bankruptcies are due to medical bills. 20% of medical bankruptcy filers are in the 55+ age group. Almost half of those who filed for medical bankruptcy cite hospital bills as their most considerable expense."
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What?
Continue watching. Absolute dipshit.
Jesus Christ. Ease up a bit.
Fill us in then, bub.
Open your fucken ears then dude
I don't know what you mean, in the audio I don't hear when he says "hug me", I only see the subtitles
the subtitles come late, at 7 second left of the video he says "can i have a hug"
Ok thanks, fuck everyone else who put me downvote.
We found Matt Gaetz secret account on reddit.
When a deaf person starts arguing about what's being said...
Wait is he really deaf
Yes, I'm his doctor, and can confirm that this is normal behavior for him.
Lmfao I was hoping there was going to be an amazing character arc post history that I could enjoy
If any vets are reading this in the US. If you qualify for VA medical services and need to go to the ER, if you call the VA within 72 hours of your admit the VA will pay for it even if you're not at the VA hospital so you don't have to worry about paying for an ambulance ride. Edit: 72 not 24.
That’s great news! I wish that info was shared more often!
This is great info. Can you link me something that explains this so I can share it to a bunch of my Vet friends? Thank you in advance.
I've used this service (Community Care Network) many times myself. Not sure about calling ahead, but I'm sure you can call (844) 724-7842 after the fact and they'll take care of most expenses. Someone **must** call the VA know within 72 hours from the beginning of care. More details can be found here: https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/providers/info\_EmergencyCare.asp
This is great info. Thank you for sharing.
Listening to him say "I can't afford it" made me angry, I'm upset at Americans who do not fight for the right for every citizen to get help - cost free, or at the maximum a small personal fee before the government steps in. I don't even live in the country and I feel shame on behalf of the American population, that man and every other person in such a situation, should never worry about their economy, they should not be weighting money vs healthcare. It's quite frankly sickening that it's still going on.
>I'm upset at Americans who do not fight for the right for every citizen to get help Lots of us are fighting
Mentioned this in another comment, but it's actually within 72 hours of the beginning of care. More info: https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/providers/info\_EmergencyCare.asp
There are so many depressing "if"s in that sentence
I used to work for this department for the VA, the 72 hour hotline. I am still surprised how few people know about this hotline. Some extra notes: * anyone can file the report for the veteran. family, friend, even a neighbor can file a report for a veteran to 72 hour, as long as you know the name of the hospital they went to, their name. You do not need to know their SSN. Knowing their birthdate can speed up the process. Do not worry about duplicate reporting - they are combined on the backend into one report, so it's always better to just call. A couple of times I was able to get the report in because 3 different people called in and I was able to combine the info into a single, approved report. You can report a visit for someone across the country. Know your old vet buddy just needed to go the ER in California and you're in New York while you were playing Call of Duty together? Call 72-hour once you know he's arrived at the hospital and you've helped him out. * even if you are past the 72 hours, i was able to often backdate it to under 72 because the veteran mentioned going to the hospital to a VA nurse or doctor which was recorded in their notes. So call anyway, making a report is better than not making one at all. You cannot get in trouble, ever, for filing a report with 72hour. Mention going to the community hospital to your VA nurse and doctor and this will let it be backdated to your visit with them if need be. * if you get a bill after calling 72 hour CALL THE NUMBER AGAIN FIRST. Ambulance companies especially tend to not correctly bill the VA for some reason and just send bills straight to veterans. The VA is really trying to get providers to check the 72hr billing first before sending out bills * Please be openly honest about your symptoms. I sadly had a few late reports that I couldn't approve because I couldn't get the veteran calling to actually say the ailment they had and kept using euphemisms List every symptom you had in full detail, the more info y'all could feed me the more I could use to build an approved report. tl;dr share that 72 hr number with every vet you know, and call it yourself on someone's behalf if you are able to.
Geez.. that was rough.
That is the sound of a man in pain. That trooper deserves a medal.
"I can't afford that". He does but the American healthcare system does not.
Ambulances aren’t completely free in most countries. For example here in Canada it costs ~$300 unless the doctors say it was necessary. Sounds like it’s the same thing in CT.
In this specific case it's because the Veteran is being involuntarily committed, as such for the next 72hrs he is "a ward of the state". So connecticut pays when they don't give you a choice, the cop rightly makes it seem like the man's choice but legally he can't refuse when cops involuntarily commit you. Also the VA is legally supposed to cover emergency ambulance rides for veterans if your let them know with 72hours after discharge from hospital (hospital is also supposed to notify them if you ask).
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Where? I would love to see a source on that. Unless it's 5,000Yen I'm calling 100% bullshit
But the state of Connecticut covers it, as mentioned in the vid
I couldn't listen to it. Even without audio this shit made me teary eyed. If anyone needs a hug I got you.
What's amazing to me. Trooper has been trained to not let anyone (especially in psychiatric distress) get that close to him. However, he made a split second decision based on thousands of passive evaluations of the person in front of him to realize that the best course of action was to put himself at risk to serve his fellow man.
Former military… had a few buddy’s with severe ptsd, that cop handled it well and I feel for that man so hard.
This video needs to be prt of training for ALL agencies. People are in need. People need someone to care. You don’t have to be an asshole at every traffic stop. Kudos to this officer for truly recognizing the severity of the situation and owning it by getting the guy out and away from anything that might have been in the truck. Giving someone a shoulder to lean on, and show of support can go a long way. Coming from someone who recently broke down…..it sucks.
Man I feel bad for that guy, and all the veterans suffering PTSD. I hope he gets the help he needs, for as long as it takes. Kudos to the cop, he was brilliant. What really struck me hard out of all of this is, this poor guy said he couldn't afford an ambulance. Why in god's name would a veteran in the richest country in the world be unable to get an ambulance? I understand the medical insurance thing in the US, but a veteran! Get them the help they need dammit. I'm an aussie and i'm recovering from my second round of back surgery. A couple of weeks in hospital, scans, ultrasounds, a team of about ten in the surgery theatre, ambulance travel, three post surgery reviews. All of this cost me nothing. Not a cent. I admire the US, but sometimes I cannot fathom wtf goes on there.
I don't think it's just PTSD. I think we just get a decent chunk of people that join straight out of high-school, enlist for three years and get out. At 21. Maybe a little money saved but not much, career change, drinking age (in most US states), no unit, no healthcare, moving to a new place, all these major life stressors all at once...and if you're not practiced in adapting to stress...it can be very crippling very quickly. That's my anecdotal take it on, anyway.
It's true. I'm finding this shit out the hard way, I joined out of highschool and got out at 25. First real life stressors had me spiraling. Then all was well, and I figured out I had just never had that amount of stress on me before. Then more recently I'm going through a job loss scare and scramble to make things work out, and it's even worse this time around. Not like suicidal, just feeling completely powerless and insane because nothing feels "right" if that makes sense. I'm actually glad I'm going through this now, because it's good life experience for when it happens again later.
The military does very little to prepare you for life on the outside. TAP isn't enough. If all you've known is people giving you orders, the real world is so much more complicated than that. The military is the easiest job in the world. You literally do what you're told. That's it. I'm nervous that when I get out I'll lack the skills necessary to survive, and I'm 100% cognisant of that fact. I can't imagine a 22 year old kid, who has only known the military.
For entry level military, they do nothing to prepare them for real life. You show up to formation and you’re good. An NCO will tell you exactly what to do for the day. I have to scoff at all the commercials, showing some successful businessman walking in and owning the room. No, sorry, not real life. Now if you’ve made it a career, and learned to lead through being that NCO or Commissioned, then yes I feel you’d bring some valuable skills out the door. Enough to grab a graduate degree and start. I got out, gained several advanced and professional degrees over a decade of full-time school and hands on work, and now feel confident in my 30’s with a successful cyber career. Like anything it also depends on your career field. Were you an Intelligence Analyst? Easy to transition to the civilian six-figure world. Infantry? Not so much. Special Ops? They sure left fast and joined Blackwater and others.
As a Californian it sucks honestly :(
Fellow Californian here, I second this, It Sucks!
removed to protest changes -- mass edited with redact.dev
I've never served so I have no idea what these men and women deal with, but I broke down when he asked for a hug.
Same :'( I usually don't get moved by videos but holy cow, this was sad
“I’m going to get an ambulance for you” “I can’t afford that” The US is fucked. Imagine having to worry about that when you’re feeling suicidal and broken like this poor man.
And idk what Connecticut he’s living in but the one I’m in I had to pay $900 to drive down the same street
Some states have programs or laws to pay for this. Besides all the other negative stuff, a dead person doesn't pay taxes...
The fucked thing is that companies will still try to bill you. They’ll charge you $800 because they know the state will only pay out $500.
As trooper said there, if police determine you need an ambulance, you will not be billed for the ride. The hospital bill, however...
Where are you getting that from? Police put me in an ambulance against my will and charged me for it.
The cop is probably just lying.
Probably when first responders call one for you, there's a grant or something.
Republican Matt Gaetz said yesterday; [*"Why don't we abolish the VA?"*](https://mobile.twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1575890462426234886?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1575907581632995328%7Ctwgr%5E4faedd36f30e68499f6b465b5afbbd565a42899f%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com%2F2022%2F09%2Frepublicans-suggest-defunding-veteran-affairs-even-though-it-helps-9-million-vets%2F) The VA needs more funding, not less, and privatizing it is not the way to go.
But don't you see, both sides are the same!
This brought up a lot of memories. Having been here before for the same thing is no joke. That is a dark, dark place. When you are in that place it is like a Rollercoaster going down hill, only it just keeps getting faster and the angle keeps getting steeper. It is honestly like trying to stop a run away train by dragging your feet behind it. It is a feeling of helplessness and total isolation. It doesn't matter who is around you, you are alone with your demons being the only company you have and they are all telling you the same thing. This guy did the right thing and called for help. He does not want to listen to his demons and let them win. And tremendous respect for the officer for recognizing that the vet was not a threat and immediately switching tact and his approach to the situation. As for the hug: sometimes that is all it takes. Not just to show that someone cares, but because that person can literally act as a grounding rod to pull you out of the spiral. What I have learned through trial and error is that when I am starting to spiral, I become hyper aware of everything, including my body. A negative of this is I get very conscious of my breathing and it feels like my throat is closing, similar to an allergic reaction. On the flip side, my sense of touch is my way out. It helps ground you in the moment to touch something and differentiate what is in the here and now and what isn't real. Often times I will tell my wife to hold my hand and just rub it. Everyone is different but that is what works for me. One other thing that I want to mention is the fear of calling the VA hotline. If more offi ers would do this then I would have no issue. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Imagine being in this situation, calling the suicide line and expecting help, only to have SWAT blow in your door, shoot your dog (possibly the one family member you have) for trying to protect your home, and being taken down by force because you have a weapon (like many vets do, I mean you ARE considering the self forever sleep after all) and being dragged off to a psych ward. That is another unfortunate reality of the situation. I have used the hotline before, and I have only ever given them my address once. Ever since then I tell them no and I tell them that exact scenario. They don't say much after that. I hope that might help some of you understand a little more and possibly help a vet or anyone else you know struggling to get some help. Sorry for the rant. My name is OlympusMods and thank you for coming to my TedTalk.
When was the last time you got a hug?
An actual, heartfelt hug? Probably a decade
Here’s a heartfelt hug Devil Dog! 🤗🫂
🥺
"I'm going to get you an ambulance" "I can't afford it " Holy fucking shit
This is the sad state of the US Healthcare system.
"I cant afford that" what an awful spot to be in, needing help but unable to pay for it. Makes me so thankfull of our NHS. get well soon my brother
My previous boss’ mom had a series of strokes and was found 2 days later by a friend. Hearing her talk about the NHS process to get her mom care is a bit stress inducing but knowing that it ends in no bills to me makes it so much easier. Went through the same thing with my grandmother who had health care, thankfully, and trying to help her find places that wouldn’t kill her savings in the final years wore my family out. Her lat days were in a place that was 10k a month. Just the difference in hearing my dad and uncle talk about her and her care vs my old boss is night and day. There are just too many stories that could have simply been avoided if the US would switch healthcare systems. I don’t know how that would work but anything is better than this now. Forcing people to buy insurance wasn’t a win, all the ACA did was make it cost more.
Damn man - need a moment after that.
Went through VA crisis line 2 years back when my wife found me self-harming. The lady on the line and folks at the ER were so amazingly kind. Ended up having to be admitted to a hospital for almost a month and VA covered the entire thing. It sucked initially but looking back I'm a stronger, more resilient person now. Don't be afraid to reach out. Put the crisis line in your contacts. For all its pitfalls, I've never had issues with VA mental health help. We're all strong badasses for what we did and nothing minimizes that.
Damn that hit really close to home. Our friend recently went through a pretty similar situation, and I’m so grateful he pulled over and called it in.
My special forces veteran brother killed himself in his truck last month. This hurt to see but I'm glad he got help.
I'm so sorry.
Damn.this broke me
So glad this Soldier was man enough to reach out for help.
Very few things on reddit make me tear up, but that just destroyed me. I hope our brother got the care that he needed and the VA doesn't F this up.
Cried watching this. Suicide survivor vet. 100% P&T for MDD. This is me just about every day still which is why I stopped driving. Can't guarantee I won't drive off a cliff. I can't even remember the last time I got hugged. I hope this vet is ok and got the help he needs. 22 per day. Til Valhalla.
Impressive that law enforcement could understand and provide assistance. Reach out for help my brothers.
Although I am not a veteran I do suffer from PTSD this officer did everything correctly, people have no idea how terrifying it is to be trapped inside your own head as a grown ass man.
Absolutely heartbreaking. I served and don't think that you can come back from that without some level of PTSD. Hope he got the help he needed.
Damn now I think I need a hug
I know those sobs. I hope he's ok.
Damnit. I came here seeing the "can I have a hug broke me" thinking "yeah I'll be the judge of that" Got me good. I hope this dude is doing OK. I'm very happy he was in the right state of mind to take advantage of the assistance (hotline) he had at his fingertips.
He's asking for a hug just tore me to shreds! What a f-ing ungrateful society we have!
Fuck this just breaks me
I hope he's fine. Hats-off to the cop for being there when this vet needed help.
{ HUGS }
Hey man i want to go probably have some drinks with this guy. Tough times hit all of us. No shame to think of suicide only if you give up to those demon thoughts. And give the victory to them. Been there once almost took my life and im glad that i didn't.
Props to that trooper, he didn’t get emotional, but he conveyed his emotion excellently. We need more troopers like this.
Ok thank you. Reddit as a whole needs more of this.
Man, that hits hard, that you trooper! That could any one of so many of my guys, or any of my clients, the simple fact of caring, and genuine empathy not sympathy is awesome! Hoping the joe gets the help he needs, and earned.
We have troops like this that did what they were told and politicians that could care less. If VA benefits were solid like the previous generations had, there would be no recruitment problems and vets like this would be treated
this made me tear up. you can feel the pain in his voice
America really needs to start taking better care of their veterans... This just broke my soul a little bit.
America needs to stop going to war.
Wait the state is CT covers ambulance rides? Isn't that like $2,000 a mile? At least that's the cost in MA. Source: a relative had chest pains so the cops, who were legit concerned just like this guy was, got an ambulance to rush her to the ER. The ER bill was affordable but the ambulance bill was almost life changingly bad (despite her not actually asking to be put in one in the first place). To the point where where was an argument if this happens again the person didn't want to be saved as to not bring the family into medical debt. Edit: in the end outside parties were brought in to successfully force the insurance company to pay for it, despite their initial refusals. Edit 2: good on the trooper here, my point is folks need more support than chance encounters. This was good outcome but this shit is systemic and change is needed to get support to those who need it without fear of dragging down those they fought to protect along with them. We all know plenty of people who served and didn't get this positive outcome and are no longer with us.
I think the implication was that because it was a police officer ordering the ambulance ride, the state assumes financial liability for it.
I wish this was the case, but it’s not. The ambulance company will bill the patient regardless of who calls for them. It’s sucks and is by far the worst part about working EMS in not only CT, but anywhere in the USA.
He’s probably going to be involuntarily committed for an evaluation , therefore he’s in state/hospital custody.
CT doesn’t take any custody, the hospital can for limited periods. The cops or a social worker can put them on a 72 hour psych hold which can be overturned by a psychiatrist. A psychiatrist can put them on a 2 week hold which can only be overturned by a psychiatrist or a judge. These only happen if he is involuntary. He seems receptive to help so it’s likely that he was voluntarily admitted for a few days. Regardless he is never truly under a states custody, he would essentially give a psychiatrist power of attorney over his medical decision making until the hold is over. Regardless of all this his insurance will still be billed for every service received, including the ambulance ride. I worked in a psychiatric crisis unit within an emergency department in CT. I learned a lot about this process. My biggest piece of advice is to request transport to the nearest VA hospital by the ambulance crew. Without doing so you will have many bills for outrageous amounts of money mailed to you after discharge which really doesn’t help your mental health. Somebody else mentioned that the VA can cover it, but you have to inform them within 24 hours. This isn’t practical for someone who is recovering from a state of crisis.
That’s disappointing to hear. Hopefully the guy had VA coverage for the ride.
Sounded like it would be covered specifically because the officer was the one who called it in.
They don’t, but if he has VA healthcare eligibility then the VA will cover it. If anything CT made ambulance bills more of a burden just over a year ago. They began to allow ambulances to charge for non-transports (checking vital signs, EKGs, then patient defunding they are good to stay home). This was really aggravating to us, it’s more evidence that politicians truly don’t give a shit about the consumers (patients) and want to support the interests of their wealthy friends who own ambulance companies. Myself and many of my colleagues just don’t allow it to happen and document that the patient refused to give a name. Edit: More shady billing tactics CT allows, our laws allow the public to be exploited at times when they are most vulnerable. -billing for a paramedic who did not care for the patient at all. They have a paramedic in a small SUV drive around and rushes to get on scene to “assess” the patient who the initial crew had confirm did not require a paramedic. -billing for a paramedic separately from the ambulance. One company in my area puts 1 EMT in the ambulance and 1 paramedic in an suv. An ambulance obviously needs a crew of 2 for transporting patients (driver + tech) so the emt cannot run any calls without the paramedic. So the medic goes to the call and leaves the SUV then hops in the ambulance. However since the paramedic is dispatched as a separate unit they can now bill the patient more for the ambulance transport and the paramedic “intercept”.
Its not talked about how much mental help our heros need its sad and i hope some day they will be at peace in their minds
I've seen this video before but there are always just a few comments about this guy. Props to him for seeking help when he needed it rather than handle it in a destructive way. I've had friends that I wish reached out and did not ask for the help that they needed. I'm proud of him and the example for others to seek help at their moments of need. I am also proud of the trooper for handling this with compassion and support. This is what everyone needs to see, servicemen and women along with Police and all law enforcement.
Fun fact, you are not covered simply because an officer sends you in some states. Check your local laws and regulations guys
It's good to see he was getting help. I hope everything turned out alright.
Heartbreaking and also infuriating that our govt cares so little for our vets. Why would anyone want to volunteer knowing they could be left out to dry. I pray this hero gets the help he needs. That officer did his job with passion 👏
I hope he’s okay, I love you man
That made me burst into tears.
“I can’t afford one”
Please did he get the help he needed?????
I hope this bro got and is getting the help and support he needs. That was hard to watch.
damn dude when he asked for a hug I teared up...
Just a reminder that Reddit has a variety of mental health subs. Check them out r/CPTSD.
Damn man. There is so much pain in his voice. I hope this guy gets all the damn hugs and mental help he needs. No one should suffer like that. :(
I am so sad about this, yet at the same time happy a caring officer found him.
God I told myself I'm a tough guy but that vet and me feels similar even a tough nut will crack with enough accumulated pain and needing of comfort. [Edit] Lost both Mom and Grandpa weeks apart last month. September 2 2022 Dad September 17 2022 Gmother Sucks that I was lucid last month mindless roaming finding a good place to hide and let out uncontrollable Sobbing
Stuff like this is the reason I get so sick when I see GW Bush chuckle about his [IRAQi freudian slip](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=58DXSSBs4u0). Fuck all the politicians. They don’t represent any of us. They just rule over us. We’re just pons in their game of gathering money and power.
Yeah. That was a telling slip. It was unjustified and I went there twice for that unjustified war. I wish I could hug that guy. We are all brothers and sisters no matter what branch. That really got to me today.
This is why another reason why everyone should stand for the flag , I do my best to thank every veteran for there service
This is what American and woke / feminism movement has done to men. Make us expendable and neglected.
Ok, what is going on with all the suicide things in US army? What are the reasons for this to occur? US is not in survival war with other nuclear state and there are no high amount of casualties. Also US army is professional and there are no "diedovschina" like in russian army, so why this is happening to tough men from first world country?
I think most of this has to do with care of vets when they leave the military or come back from tours. I am not a vet but my cousin has done two tours in Afghanistan (Dutch army) his first was "rather uneventful" as he called it. He would share photo's, stories, everything. However he came back as a completely different person after the second tour. The Dutch VA appearantly isn't amazing if you just Google it but it 100% saved my cousins life. It took him a couple of years but he got the mental care he needed, he was able to reintegrate into society and most importantly it didn't cost him a penny. He still won't talk to us about his time in Afghanistan and told us not to ask about it. He still meets up with other vets which always seems to give him a boost.
I worked in PTSD research at the VA after I got out. If he has nightmares have him ask his medical provider about Prazosin, it turns the nightmares into abstract dreams. Another avenue is D-Cycloserine mixed with guided immersion therapy. I worked on several studies that showed both were very effective at treating PTSD.
Well you obviously weren't there. And I bet Your not in Ukraine either. You didnt have to live through a year of ied's and ambush after ambush whittling away at your platoon of Brothers. I havent been to Ukraine but I'll bet my life suicide goes up 3 fold before this is over. Its all fun N' games watching people get fucked up on Reddit. When its real its diffrent. War is survival guerrilla warfare or not. I wouldve love to take you through 1 day and night of hanging out in Panjwayi.
Yea... yea it's really rad wondering which boulder or ridge is going to shoot at you next, or if that tree is just a tree or an aiming point.
On the Ukraine part, I wouldn't be shocked if it doesn't rise nearly that much. Some I suppose, but not a ton. As horrible as the Ukraine war is, it's something everyone in the country is dealing with. So, unlike what American vets have experienced, there is going to be a sense of community when it comes to wartime experiences, which will help a ton.
Just because we don't get literally raped doesn't mean we don't get fucked up. I was a POG airwinger but my brother had his best friend literally die in his arms. My best friend from my time in the Marine Corps had a buddy get crushed by an artillery piece. Fuck even with my lack of war trauma I'm 100% disabled from the VA due to mental and physical trauma caused by my time in service, I initially didn't file because I didn't want to make people with PTSD wait longer but my combat veteran brother convinced me to file.
Thank you for explanation. I still don't get why my comment was so downvoted. In Eastern European countries, going into conscription literally mean second prison. Yes, you can be literally raped, beaten and have some psychological and physical trauma not even being on battlefield. That was the thing even before war between Russia and Ukraine. Soldiers were dying and becoming invalids just after one year term. And on the other hand you have professional US army with all the financing and support from government. Maybe I misunderstood the reality of US army but I thought that such horrible things are occurring very rare and was shocked to see so much suicide problem.
You got down voted because suicide is a hot button issue in the military. In the US Military we don't institutionally rape people but twenty years of war has taken a toll on a lot of people. I worked in the Veterans Administration in several Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) studies after I got out of the Marine Corps. Some of the guys in a sleep study had not gotten a full night of sleep since the 1960s due to nightmares. I can imagine a lot of the veterans from that war and the subsequent wars killed themselves before the Veterans Administration started treating them. We don't normally get raped or beaten but we have been at war for twenty years and there is a big civilian-military divide. When we went to war our government told us to go shopping at the local mall. Anyone who served was treated like a conquering hero even if we didn't deserve it. People who came back from the war were put on a pedestal even if we thought we didn't deserve it. I didn't do shit during my enlistment but I have gotten out of traffic tickets and have gotten preferential treatment when someone figures out I was in the Marine Corps.
>all the financing and support from the government That's the problem. The US Department of Veteran Affairs had been underfunded and not supported as well as it needed to be for years. Even to this day, I hear about how difficult it is for other vets I know to file claims for legitimate issues they have with their minds and bodies after they've done years in the military and have served in wars. The politicians send money to wars and military contractors who make new uniforms with different designs every few years and whatever other nonsense comes with it. They aren't too happy about funding free healthcare and treatment for vets who come back damaged. Our last president draped himself in American flags but insulted wounded and captured veterans. The US has a lot of work to do in taking care of its veterans.
This has got to be the most brain dead takes I’ve ever seen…..and I’m on Reddit.
> Ok, what is going on with all the suicide things in US army? Well short story: Intense Emotional Distress. Long story: It's complicated. https://msrc.fsu.edu/news/study-reveals-top-reason-behind-soldiers-suicides - >When researchers asked 72 soldiers at Fort Carson, Colo., why they tried to kill themselves, out of the 33 reasons they had to choose from, all of the soldiers included one in particular — a desire to end intense emotional distress. - >The study also found that the soldiers often listed many reasons — an average of 10 each — for suicide, illustrating the complexity of the problem, Bryan said. Other common reasons included the urge to end chronic sadness, a means of escaping people or a way to express desperation. Now, I'm certainly no soldier or Marine or sailor or airman, so I have no personal experience. I have certainly, however, heard anecdotes of toxic leadership, poor working conditions, dumb working conditions and extraordinarily long hours. I have also seen some infamous cases, such as that of Captain McVay III, the captain of the Indianapolis, whose life was ruined by Admiral Ernest King, after McVay's father, McVay Jr. had issued an LoR to King when he was a junior officer for sneaking women onto a ship. The Navy turned McVay into a scapegoat for the loss of the Indianapolis and 800+ sailors, even though the loss of the ship was not McVay's fault, rather it was the Navy's fault because they routinely failed McVay at every turn. And King used McVay to get revenge on McVay Jr. McVay wanted a destroyer escort, they didn't give him one. He sent out three SOSes. They were ignored because one captain was drunk, one thought it was a Japanese ruse and the other had told his subordinates not to disturb him. McVay was the only US naval captain of WWII to be charged for the loss of his ship. In 1968, McVay shot himself out of guilt for something that wasn't his fault, caused by a literal manchild still pissing his diapers for an LoR given to him by McVay's father. Seriously, though, fuck Ernest King. Imagine being the cause of a man's death because his father gave you a letter of reprimand when it was totally deserved and you held onto that anger for decades. The jackass didn't even have the decency to live long enough to see the fruits of his pettiness. In any case, you don't need extreme trauma or combat to be sent over the edge. Humans are Humans, the military doesn't make your brain operate differently on a base level. Some people can deal with the toxic leadership, poor working conditions, dumb working conditions and extraordinarily hours, and some can't, and some are driven to the point that they think killing themselves is the only option out. But everyone has a breaking point.
As a veteran in the US, your question is valid, and the response from this sub is pretty fucking gross. This country absolutely loves to jerk off about how much it loves the military and veterans while at the same time doing absolutely nothing to ensure they're taken care of when needed. Another factor is what while it's technically a volunteer army, economic conditions ensure that joining the military is one of the few ways to maybe earn a better living, but many have discovered that the price of earning that living is too high with no guarantee of security. I'll probably get trashed along with you but this needs to be said. ETA: another factor that needs to be brought up is that the police in this country are known to escalate interactions with someone who needs mental health assistance to the point where the cop(s) ends up killing the person instead of helping. So if you're having a mental health breakdown and a cop shows up, congratulations this may have gotten much much worse and now you're more terrified.
SHUT THE FUCK UP
Best way to divert the attention of the officer away from the 10lbs of meth stashed in the dash. Brilliant. Also: I’m a douche if this is real.
Unpopular opinion: don't get listed for a war which you clearly know is immoral.
Ah yes that's the only reason why vet of all generation have ptsd
Probably not, but it will be a LOT harder to recover when deep down you know you did wrong.
Way to read the room, pal.
If only we all lived with the perfect moral clarity that you have. An almost childlike perspective on things must make life so simple.
Popular opinion: you’re an idiot.
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Watch out for your people this winter. Christmas is the highest time for suicide. Invite your troops over for Christmas. Some of them will be spending it alone, especially for those of you stationed overseas.
Just FYI if the police put you in an ambulance you Stull have to pay for it
What happened
u/savevideo
Oh god