I think they TOTALLY get it (Suicides)

[Butters]

What was the most violent period?

The Mongol Conquests and a few other wars in China

[17D_guy]

The Mongol Conquests and a few other wars in China

Really? I would have thought all the Muslim.. I mean Moor conquests and Crusades would have been bigger. But then again.. China has always had a lot of people to kill.

[HU&W]

You don't have to look more than 100 years back in history to see sheer brutality on a scale that we really can't imagine today. Aside from the world wars themselves, the Rape of Nanking certainly comes to mind as one of the most awful episodes in the 20th century. And that was just 75 years ago.

[17D_guy]

I thought we were taking 100 year chunks and measuring body count...

[Tonka]

I thought we were taking 100 year chunks and measuring body count...

2, the last 100 years was pretty bloody, include another 100 years (last 200 years total) in that chunk, and you could easily say we are in one of, if not the most violent times in the history of man.

War's alone: half? of the 10 most deadliest war in our history occurred in the last 200 years. On average people may not be more violent and wars less prominent... but the weapons available to them are a bit more efficient.

[Trogdor]

2, the last 100 years was pretty bloody, include another 100 years (last 200 years total) in that chunk, and you could easily say we are in one of, if not the most violent times in the history of man.

War's alone: half? of the 10 most deadliest war in our history occurred in the last 200 years. On average people may not be more violent and wars less prominent... but the weapons available to them are a bit more efficient.

Reference Mark 1's post... To say we are in the most violent time in human history based off of the number bodies is misleading. Just look at the 30 years war from 17th century... I think the number was in the range of 25-30 PERCENT of the population dead and some countries lost over half their men (thats what I remember, would have to research a little to find exact numbers). A lot of the death was with axes, swords, arrows, and boiling tar being thrown from castle walls. Europe was a different place after that.

You can take into account conflict length and stuff like that, but then you start getting into a different discussion. Saying we live in the most violent time in history just by doing a body count is like saying we living in the deadlist time in history... more people, more people die. I would say a 100,000 dead has a different impact if the pool is out of 1 million vs 1 billion.

[tac airlifter]

I think you guys are losing the forest through the trees. Grossman an is an engaging speaker with relevant ideas who has helped people. He has at least 2 excellent & thought provoking books to his name. If you're missing his overall point because you disagree with the way he's phrased his opening salvo, that's valid feedback, but relatively minor and certainly tangential.

[Darth]

I think you guys are losing the forest through the trees. Grossman an is an engaging speaker with relevant ideas who has helped people. He has at least 2 excellent & thought provoking books to his name. If you're missing his overall point because you disagree with the way he's phrased his opening salvo, that's valid feedback, but relatively minor and certainly tangential.

Yup.

[Tonka]

I think you guys are losing the forest through the trees.

Nah... talking about the forest is boring, cutting down the trees for a few hours of enjoyment every night is much more entertaining.

[Tonka]

https://www.amc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123316750

Nearly 80 students graduated from Air Mobility Command's first Master Resilience Instructor Course offered at the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., recently.

The training is part of AMC's Resilience Strategy 2012, with the vision of producing "a command of fit and resilient Airmen, families, civilians and the Total Force, coping effectively in a community that thrives in the face of challenges and bounces back from adversity."

"The intent is to change the entire culture of the Air Force."

I love the way the Air Force tries to solve problems... I bet we spend the next year determining appropriate uniform accoutrements to designate one as a resiliency trainer.

[Day Man]

a 10 day course? assuming 50% of the attendants are TDY and an extra travel day on either end, that's almost $100,000 spent on per diem/lodging alone (not including air fare.)

I realize saving one person from suicide is worth it, but come on...

[Fud]

a 10 day course? assuming 50% of the attendants are TDY and an extra travel day on either end, that's almost $100,000 spent on per diem/lodging alone (not including air fare.)

I realize saving one person from suicide is worth it, but come on...

Agreed, I'm not seeing the benefit of attending this course in residence. I think you can learn a lot of things from resilience courses depending on who teaches them, but you could always be TDY in place and teach it via VTC.

[Tonka]

that's almost $100,000 spent on per diem/lodging alone (not including air fare.)

Not to mention the lucrative contracts to create these trainers:

https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=59eaa371dde76f2dd5afdbf14e6656c8&tab=core&_cview=1

$1.7 Million for training 450 folks, over 1 year.

[Guest]

I think the USAF should rely on E-9s to hound the shit out people about suicide 24/7. Including in their homes.

[lloyd christmas]

https://www.amc.af.mi...sp?id=123316750

"The course also includes 20-25 hours of prerequisite, Computer Based Training"

They clearly get it. Im not going.

[nsplayr]

I wonder how they, with a straight face, entered the DTS statement about how the purpose of the TDY could not be accomplished via secure VTC or other similar means? This to me seems like the perfect thing to be accomplished via VTC if it needs to be accomplished at all.

[Fud]

I walked out of the base theater genuinely inspired. I don't remember the last time that happened. Go see him.

Gearpig,

I was going to send you a PM, but I'm sure others are curious. Is there a video out there of his briefing we could watch. I could sense by the OP on this thread that this briefing was special in a way. I can't wait to see it either, and I'm glad he isn't simply talking about suicide, but a context that so few of our leaders understand. They are trying to treat the symptoms and the end result of suicide as opposed to why one could get to that point in the first place.

[scudrunner12]

Our squadron did some resiliency training a while back we contacted our base PA office to get some of his recorded lectures. They burned us a copy. Might try that route. The lectures are worth the trouble trying to find them.

[Toro]

Say what you want about the Air Force, the Marines TOTALLY get it.

Marine's failed suicide led to jail, court martial, and bad-conduct discharge

In 2010, Caldwell had a PTSD diagnosis and stopped taking a prescribed anti-depressant, which he claims caused brain seizures. He also was having a “variety of personal problems” with his unit at Camp Schwab and was facing pretrial confinement for larceny after failing to take action when a Japanese friend shoplifted a purse from an off-base store, according to court documents.

Just before his pretrial confinement, Caldwell slashed his wrists with a razor blade and was discovered by a gunnery sergeant, who wrapped Caldwell’s arms with socks until corpsmen arrived. The Marine Corps said Caldwell was sent to the local Navy hospital for treatment and psychiatric observation, then put in the brig to await trial.

In charging him for the failed suicide, the Marine Corps said his action was prejudicial to good order and discipline and brought discredit on the service. Despite his claims of mental health problems, a judge overseeing the court-martial did not order a mental health evaluation.

Got it Marines? PTSD be damned - if you're going to do it, you'd better do it right the first time.

[17D_guy]

Got it Marines? PTSD be damned - if you're going to do it, you'd better do it right the first time.

He didn't get his CBT's done... an appropriate response to his failures.

[GearDownNoGreen]

Driving on to base here we have signs in a row saying:

LIGHTS

ON

FOR

SUICIDE

AWARENESS

MONTH

That's one hell of a way to rack up numbers for people who are recognizing your cause. "If you see here General, we counted 80% of cars had their headlights on while driving this month. Therefore nearly all our service members recognize that suicide is in fact a thing. I'd say this month was an overwhelming success and I'll take my fire-walled OPR whenever you're ready."

[sky_king]

That's why I drive with my high beams on at night. I'm super aware.

[Fuzz]

Yeah I think this will fix things (not):

In suicide epidemic, military wrestles with prosecuting troops who attempt it

https://www.mcclatchy...y-wrestles.html

[billy pilgrim]

Yeah I think this will fix things (not):

In suicide epidemic, military wrestles with prosecuting troops who attempt it

https://www.mcclatchy...y-wrestles.html

I think this belongs in the WTF thread. YGBSM.

[sky_king]

Attempted Suicide should be punishable by death. That'll teach 'em.