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Posted: 5/11/2024 12:09:37 AM EDT
How does the Army deal with Mental Health Breakdown by a Soldier??
My friend in the Army had a Mental Health breakdown on Base(Job Stress)Working too many hours/Days for 8 months and went to the Hospital on base. He is not on any Meds and is taking some time down-On Base-for a couple months and is doing well now. Is the Army going to get him in Trouble?? A bad Mark in his File?? Otherwise great Soldier/No Disciplinary problems and always does what he is told. What's going to happen to him?? Thanks for reading. |
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Posted: 5/11/2024 12:12:25 AM EDT
[#1]
Is your friend possibly you?
No offense, your phrasing just seems a little odd. |
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USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 12:13:55 AM EDT
[#2]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FightingHellfish: Is your friend possibly you? No offense, your phrasing just seems a little odd. No not me but a good friend. I just talked with him tonight. He seems good now-On "Rest and Relaxation Detail". 
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Posted: 5/11/2024 12:19:17 AM EDT
[#3]
No idea, just that one shouldn't handle it like Gunny Hartmann in FMJ.
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USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 12:34:10 AM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FightingHellfish: Is your friend possibly you? No offense, your phrasing just seems a little odd. Do you have a guess how the Army handles this? @FightingHellfish |
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Posted: 5/11/2024 12:34:37 AM EDT
[#5]
Through a medical discharge with a referrel to the VA for mental care services if there's any sort or even a hint of suicidal ideation.
If you're friend is this bad off, talk to him about going through with the counseling. Otherwise, if he had a good record up until his world fell apart, there may be staffing good enough at his base where he can go to counseling. Otherwise, if he wasn't that good a service member (meaning he didn't want to be there) he's simply dischaged for medical reasons with maybe a "vaya con dios." |
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USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 12:44:50 AM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By zoinks: Through a medical discharge with a referrel to the VA for mental care services if there's any sort or even a hint of suicidal ideation. If you're friend is this bad off, talk to him about going through with the counseling. Otherwise, if he had a good record up until his world fell apart, there may be staffing good enough at his base where he can go to counseling. Otherwise, if he wasn't that good a service member (meaning he didn't want to be there) he's simply dischaged for medical reasons with maybe a "vaya con dios." Thanks for the Answer. I don't believe it had anything to do with Suicide or Ideation. Just overwork stress-too many hours/days w/o time off/Exhaustion. He is a good Soldier with an all positive record thus far. I hope they don't throw him out! |
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WY, USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 12:53:42 AM EDT
[#7]
If he can't hack peace time stateside how is he fit for war?
Not a knock on him. We all need to know our strengths, weaknesses, and limits. I wish him wellness. He just maybe needs to find a more mellow profession and less demanding employer. |
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Posted: 5/11/2024 12:56:14 AM EDT
[#8]
800mg Motrin?
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LA, USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 12:57:47 AM EDT
[#9]
Should be okay. Anything else you want to share? Tell him thanks for his service. It can feel burdensome when you have been in that contact work situation and always walking on eggshells. Encourage him to create a good personal life for himself outside of work which may include having friends not in the Army to get some separation.
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Posted: 5/11/2024 12:58:04 AM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SARS: If he can't hack peace time stateside how is he fit for war? Not a knock on him. We all need to know our strengths, weaknesses, and limits. I wish him wellness. He just maybe needs to find a more mellow profession and less demanding employer. So just cast the guy aside, don’t bother to try to fix him? No consideration that he can possibly be rehabbed into a fit soldier again? |
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NY, USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 12:59:31 AM EDT
[#11]
Ever seen "The Dirty Dozen?"
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Posted: 5/11/2024 12:59:58 AM EDT
[#12]
There are a lot more people that see behavioral health than you think. Each Soldier sees them for various reasons and while there may have been a stigma in the past, they are very much changing the perspective and encouraging it more and more.
There should not be any negative action taken against your friend. If he is as upstanding as you say it should not be a problem. I have a few Soldiers and even leaders that see BH and I don't think any less of them because they still do their job and don't use it as a crutch to get out of duty. |
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SC, USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 1:01:28 AM EDT
[#13]
Really depends on the situation and what the acts the soldier committed.
Lose your shit crying uncontrollably and seek help? Nothing adverse will happen, you get the help you need. Depending on circumstances, maybe no harm to career. Lose your shit and go on a rampage, commit crimes against persons or property? You face the penalties accordingly, probably get some help, but still held accountable. |
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IA, USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 1:05:51 AM EDT
[#14]
Med unit will have a Psychiatrist. They will recommend a course of action based on the severity of the problem and the likelihood that the soldier can work through the issue. Some can and some have to be discharged. The really important thing to know is that if discharged the soldier will need to work on their “VA Rating” it takes time and appeals and Dr visits to accomplish getting the disability percentage up to 80% to 100% the process is intentionally difficult but other Vets at VFW or American Legion should be a helpful resource. Note : there are a lot of Vets with psych issues on the street who never did what it takes to get their VA Rating up. Every different medical issue that was service related should be filed ASAP if the soldier is separated from service. When appeals are won the VA back pays to the date it was filed. Also note that Social Security Disability is a separate process and also designed to be difficult requiring appeals before it’s ever granted.
Good Luck - Do Not Give Up! |
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Posted: 5/11/2024 1:07:55 AM EDT
[#15]
“Mental health breakdown”
That means lots of different things. |
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IL, USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 1:08:11 AM EDT
[#16]
They should start with Patton them down!
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Posted: 5/11/2024 1:18:02 AM EDT
[#17]
Traditionally, alcoholism is the treatment.
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AZ, USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 1:19:19 AM EDT
[#18]
Ward 4
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Posted: 5/11/2024 1:25:54 AM EDT
[#19]
I had suicidal thoughts and a plan, medic cornered me one day and I broke down. Got sent to the shrink for a while, then some meds. Saw a civilian shrink for awhile as well. I made it to retirement so a about 8 years after the first visit with the Doc. I think I was the exception, I know two guys right now getting discharged over mental health.
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Posted: 5/11/2024 1:26:28 AM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By thesquidliest: 800mg Motrin?   Yes, you are correct. |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 1:32:38 AM EDT
[#21]
You mean like this?
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WY, USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 1:36:38 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By jollyg83: So just cast the guy aside, don’t bother to try to fix him? No consideration that he can possibly be rehabbed into a fit soldier again? Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By jollyg83: Originally Posted By SARS: If he can't hack peace time stateside how is he fit for war? Not a knock on him. We all need to know our strengths, weaknesses, and limits. I wish him wellness. He just maybe needs to find a more mellow profession and less demanding employer. So just cast the guy aside, don’t bother to try to fix him? No consideration that he can possibly be rehabbed into a fit soldier again? Sure, try to fix him, but also discharge him from service. Would you want him assigned to be your backup in a firefight? |
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USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 1:41:01 AM EDT
[Last Edit: GNJ]
[#23]
20 years ago we had a guy have a breakdown in the gym, he was about to go to the board too.
Poor guy got told to suck it up and quit being a pussy. He lost a pay grade for some related reason. In Iraq he had another breakdown and got a sedated trip back to the states to serve out the rest of the deployment on rear-D. (Demoted again) |
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Posted: 5/11/2024 1:42:50 AM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Primecube: Thanks for the Answer. I don't believe it had anything to do with Suicide or Ideation. Just overwork stress-too many hours/days w/o time off/Exhaustion. He is a good Soldier with an all positive record thus far. I hope they don't throw him out! He's not deployed and it's peacetime. What work could he possibly have been doing for eight months that didn't include days off. Where was his chain of command during this eight month period where he was supposedly burning the midnight oil nonstop |
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FL, USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 1:44:15 AM EDT
[#25]
Unless he can shape up they will med board him out and call it failure to adapt. Most likely will result in a less than honorable discharge on his DD214.
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TN, USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 1:44:28 AM EDT
[#26]
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KY, USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 1:49:05 AM EDT
[#27]
Beatings will continue until morale improves
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TX, USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 1:49:40 AM EDT
[#28]
We had guys lose their shit during training and garrison before deployment. We were infantry so it wasn't easy nonsense. Tried to figure out what was real, and what was bullshit. Sometimes, if they warranted a few days in a "safe place," they were sent to the army hospital mental ward.
Crazy town We got guys straightened out 90% of the time. But sometimes they had legit lost their minds. Very few were discharged, most were put back into their platoons. |
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Posted: 5/11/2024 2:00:40 AM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FightingHellfish: Traditionally, alcoholism is the treatment. 
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USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 2:05:50 AM EDT
[#30]
From 2003-2008 the solution would have been to yell at him more and maybe some spontaneous PT sessions.
Hopefully the Army has moved on to more effective ways to deal with things like this. |
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Posted: 5/11/2024 2:08:10 AM EDT
[#31]
Originally Posted By Primecube: How does the Army deal with Mental Health Breakdown by a Soldier?? My friend in the Army had a Mental Health breakdown on Base(Job Stress)Working too many hours/Days for 8 months and went to the Hospital on base. He is not on any Meds and is taking some time down-On Base-for a couple months and is doing well now. Is the Army going to get him in Trouble?? A bad Mark in his File?? Otherwise great Soldier/No Disciplinary problems and always does what he is told. What's going to happen to him?? Thanks for reading. It depends on his condition, what he said/did during his break down, during his medical admitting or inprocessing, any substance abuse, etc. It can range from a break and some monitoring, maybe counciling, to confinement for observation and pysch meds. After that, if he broke any major rules or abused any substances, he may be looking at one of a few types of discharges. |
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Posted: 5/11/2024 2:08:40 AM EDT
[Last Edit: 30calTBLkid]
[#32]
Double post
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Posted: 5/11/2024 2:12:46 AM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By thesquidliest: 800mg Motrin? Plus hydration and changing socks. |
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MO, USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 3:30:50 AM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Hesperus: No idea, just that one shouldn't handle it like Gunny Hartmann in FMJ. General Patton got some attention for such a thing. There are plenty of people in or have been in service with various mental issues. The question is, how many of the mental issues were actually caused by military service? Plenty have preexisting issues prior to enlistment. |
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Posted: 5/11/2024 7:13:43 AM EDT
[#35]
Use to be they'd send you to the front line. Now I think they make you a Lt. Col and hang a participation medal around your neck.
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Posted: 5/11/2024 7:16:28 AM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By FightingHellfish: Traditionally, alcoholism is the treatment. Powerful medicine. |
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Posted: 5/11/2024 7:21:38 AM EDT
[#37]
I've had a couple of sailors discharged for mental illness.
One kid stopped taking showers which is a problem in a ship's close quarters. When his problem became mine he started taking showers again but wanted to hurt himself. Once he told that to me he was off the ship that day - helped to Japan and airlifted back to the US for discharge. The second kid was doing designer rave drugs when we'd pull into port and they fucked his brain. He was in some sort of trance when I found him in the coop. He got sent to the mental hospital in Hawaii. After discharge he jumped off the third story of the barracks so they kept him and his broken legs for a couple of months before they discharged him. The second guy looked me up on FaceBook a few years ago. Awkward. |
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Posted: 5/11/2024 7:23:44 AM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Kingstrider: Unless he can shape up they will med board him out and call it failure to adapt. Most likely will result in a less than honorable discharge on his DD214. Med-Boards from BAS haven't resulted in an OTH in a while, unless it's involuntary commitment level stuff, or involves criminal behavior. Actively concealing a pre-existing condition would also do it. Without suicide or self-harm, I'm pretty sure the dude will just get some counseling, and they'll go from there. |
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MP, USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 7:43:54 AM EDT
[#39]
My experience:
5% of the soldiers need it and 95% of the soldiers abuse it. Waiting room is filled with soldiers trying to cancel their appt to reschedule it and get that appt to their 1SG after a few hours of fucking off. But by and large if the Army is making you crazy you need to leave because your work gets shoveled onto the others. My absolute favorite thing to do as a commander was to spend hours dealing with problem soldiers on "The Triad", ie, ASAP, Behavioral Health, and Family Advocacy. When you had a real fuck up at your unit that person was 100% guaranteed to be in all 3 of these programs. Every one of the providers were certain they could rehabilitate the soldier. The stigma of seeking help is mostly gone though. Heck, I answered the wrong questions on a redeployment survey about nightmares and I had to see one. The problem is most providers approach the problem like, " OMFG THE NUMBER OF SUICIDES!!!!" And everything they do centers around that. They cannot treat the source of the stressor, ie - the fucking Army life. So Joe goes to BH a couple times a week so a provider can document it. If you have ever done a line of duty investigation on someone who went to BH you see all the bullshit. There is a lot of verbiage for providers to CYA. Now to be fair, post posts have like 25% of the providers they should have so... Now to answer your question: it's no big deal. As long as the dude doesn't start using it as a crutch to sham. If he does he will be despised in high speed units, and adopted into the shammers mafia if he does. If that happens, Article 15s and a general discharge is in his future. FYI I've seen some really crazy shit. Like insane fucking, "Lets take a shotgun to work and kill 1SG then myself"kind of crazy. I've also had to involuntarily commit one of my friends during a training event kind of shit. But I've also watched a chick ride a "anxiety induced blindness" hoax for 6 months stupid shit. |
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Posted: 5/11/2024 7:46:30 AM EDT
[Last Edit: AngryCaveman]
[#40]
Probably nothing will “happen” to him other than his buddies and leadership will be picking up his slack. YMMV but nothing is worse for my mental health than to let people down that count on me.
Eta- guy above me is right. Is highly abused and now has a stigma |
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Posted: 5/11/2024 7:50:26 AM EDT
[#41]
They do free sex changes so the sky is the limit.
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Posted: 5/11/2024 8:49:38 AM EDT
[Last Edit: -Ascent-]
[#42]
The Soldiers needs to schedule a Behavior health appointment and be seen by a professional. They will determine the severity of his condition.
There are also MFLAC (counselors) and the chaplain door is always open. If he just needs talk to someone. If it’s to the point of suicide he can go to the hospital in patient behavioral health. It’s better to get a head of it now before things get worse and he eats a bullet. It’s against policy and reg to prevent or reprisal for someone seeing BH. It will not hurt his career. |
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Posted: 5/11/2024 8:52:32 AM EDT
[#43]
The individual Soldier can reach out to Military OneSource and they will try to assist.
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Posted: 5/11/2024 8:58:43 AM EDT
[#44]
During my time it 100% resulted in being dropped from the PRP Personnel Reliability Program, being ostracized, and assignment to company gofer duties while you got your crap together. Some other MOS's may have handled things differently, but you and your career would be seriously hosed for even admitting anything. I understand its now a kinder, gentler military these days, so there's that.
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Posted: 5/11/2024 9:01:40 AM EDT
[Last Edit: -Ascent-]
[#45]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Crusader44: During my time it 100% resulted in being dropped from the PRP Personnel Reliability Program, being ostracized, and assignment to company gofer duties while you got your crap together. Some other MOS's may have handled things differently, but you and your career would be seriously hosed for even admitting anything. I understand its now a kinder, gentler military these days, so there's that. It’s definitely not like that anymore. If you’re a leader and get caught giving reprisals to someone about BH. You’re so fucked. Especially if it leads to harm. Edit: Doesn’t matter the mos Infantry, CAV, armor, etc. BH is taken super seriously. |
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Posted: 5/11/2024 9:06:03 AM EDT
[Last Edit: 11boomboom]
[#46]
As others have stated, behavioral health, MFLAC and military OneSource are used based upon the severity of the mental health episode.
For us, Behavioral Health was embedded at the unit level (brigade) with their own small facility. It was about 50/50 troublemakers and people there for PTSD or some other counseling reason. I went for advice on fixing my anger problems at home. The stigma is mostly gone for seeking mental health services, thankfully. More soldiers were seeking help for issues from combat deployments or substance abuse, so that's never a bad thing. ETA: Behavioral health isn't just psychiatrists. They do stuff like bringing in nutrition experts, sleep experts and others to help soldiers find a way to help them live better. There's not just individual counseling, but also group counseling and workshops on bettering yourself. Behavioral Health, while trying to figure out my anger issues, did a psychological workup and deduced that my issues weren't related to combat stress and they went down a rabbit hole leading to my sleep being the cause of my irritability and discovered my severe sleep apnea. I haven't been irritable since. 
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USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 9:11:22 AM EDT
[#47]
Treatment?
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AR, USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 12:34:31 PM EDT
[#48]
These days I think you ask them what their pronouns will be.
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Posted: 5/11/2024 12:40:35 PM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Imminent_Decay: These days I think you ask them what their pronouns will be. Thank you for your service. |
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USA
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Posted: 5/11/2024 12:45:53 PM EDT
[#50]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By dskeet: From 2003-2008 the solution would have been to yell at him more and maybe some spontaneous PT sessions. Hopefully the Army has moved on to more effective ways to deal with things like this. Right? In my time in I never could have imagined getting "Time off for mental health" or any kind of break. Guys couldn't get time off to save their marriages because we needed to be at the range all week standing around. |
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