For those who are in right now, how are you being treated? Are your health care needs being met? What about mental health? Are you getting enough time with your families?

heh. Yea right. Mental heath needs of combat soldiers are never really adressed until its too late.

After my last tour I came back with a few serious issues and was told, "make an appointment here- but they are backed up for about 2 months" This was after I had sat in PDHRA for about two hours just waiting to talk to the dude.

Well, im good now. I didnt bother seeking help from anybody else. But dudes are still attempting suicide and doing reckless shit for no reason. Drugs are still a problem.

And by the time we deploy again we'll have had 11 monts in the states, minus 3-5 months due to work training etc.

So after the next deployment(back to the stan!) Im sure we'll have a few dudes that are worse. And it sucks.

Alcoholism is a huge deal. Guess why?

It's like Apocalypse Now "I hardly said a word to my wife, until I said "yes" to a divorce".

We had a guy slit his wrists in my company. After he was pronounced dead, we had a formation and our 1st sgt said to "keep a sharp eye out for depressed Marines and take any talk of suicide seriously". Did the company chill out a little bit? Did we take things a little bit easier? No. Same stupid shit, different day. People still flip their fuckin lid about infinitesimal shit. We were still working well into the night. We're in the field about half the time we're not on deployment.

Alcoholism is a huge deal. Guess why?

It's like Apocalypse Now "I hardly said a word to my wife, until I said "yes" to a divorce".

We had a guy slit his wrists in my company. After he was pronounced dead, we had a formation and our 1st sgt said to "keep a sharp eye out for depressed Marines and take any talk of suicide seriously". Did the company chill out a little bit? Did we take things a little bit easier? No. Same stupid shit, different day. People still flip their fuckin lid about infinitesimal shit. We were still working well into the night. We're in the field about half the time we're not on deployment.

doesn't the 2lt of the guy's platoon get blamed for that kinda shit?

We actually didn't have plt commanders posted to our platoons at the time. All the SNCOs were acting in both billets. But yeah, he did it while he was in the shower, his room mate thought it was odd that he would be in the shower for an hour and a half. I wasn't actually on base when it happened, so I didn't see the MPs come or the ambulance or anything like that.

I suspect that there was a lot more going on with this guy than just combat related stress. Probably the sob story of his wife leaving him and taking the kids, car, and dog. It happens. The point I was trying to make is that imagine you're a company commander and one of the men in your company kills himself. What do you do? Try to improve morale and welfare? Or have a formation and say that the marine was mentally ill, and to take any talk of suicide seriously and immediately report any talk pertaining to such?

We actually didn't have plt commanders posted to our platoons at the time. All the SNCOs were acting in both billets. But yeah, he did it while he was in the shower, his room mate thought it was odd that he would be in the shower for an hour and a half. I wasn't actually on base when it happened, so I didn't see the MPs come or the ambulance or anything like that.

I suspect that there was a lot more going on with this guy than just combat related stress. Probably the sob story of his wife leaving him and taking the kids, car, and dog. It happens. The point I was trying to make is that imagine you're a company commander and one of the men in your company kills himself. What do you do? Try to improve morale and welfare? Or have a formation and say that the marine was mentally ill, and to take any talk of suicide seriously and immediately report any talk pertaining to such?

Was the guy new? I think a while ago the Corps considered banning marriages until you're a certain number of years in. Didn't fly of course.

No, he'd been to Iraq in 2005 and the battalion had just returned from a WESTPAC. That's not a combat deployment. Like I said, I don't know if he was married or not, or what his story really was.

People get depressed and kill themselves the military is no different. If i got a problem i usually talk to my platoon mates and they will help you out no matter what it takes. Besides a borderly retarded admin section its been good.

Like shit....healthcare sucks, lodging is substandard, free food at the mess hall but you have to walk four and a half miles for it on an hour lunch break. I fucking hate my life. I cant wait to go to Iraq. atleast there they feed you well and you make more money. Fuck fort Hood.

Edit: We leave for Muzul Iraq in Dec. right after NTC...I get to see my family for one week before leaving for a year. also i have been with my family for a total of 10 days this whole year.

NTC Fort Irwin? You're in for some shit times.

BTW, another suicide last week. Not my battalion, but on my camp. Also had a suicide attempt in my company, but probably more of a cry for help. He's under constant watch now.

NTC Fort Irwin? You're in for some shit times.

BTW, another suicide last week. Not my battalion, but on my camp. Also had a suicide attempt in my company, but probably more of a cry for help. He's under constant watch now.

oh that was me

You've probably met me today then, I was babysitting you for about 2 hours while you waited to see 1st sgt.

lol...i hate wastching those guys...folowing them around with their road guard vests and shit. Well no we are not going to for Irwin. We are going the the real NTC in southern Cali, its like paralell with Death Valley. We head out there at the end of the month and stay out there for 30 days, then back to the Hood for a month for bl raqock leave. Then off to Muzul Iraq to kick some ass. I IEDs are horable up there there though. I have seen pics from 1st ID how there daisy chaining up to 35 155 rounds at a time. Ill be rolling out alot though. btw my MOS is 13f...anyone else stationed in fort Hood?


B_I

That's where Fort Irwin is. We stayed at the RUBA for a week waiting for battalion assets to arrive by train, then we moved out to the desert.

Oh I see. some guys were bummed about going out there instead of the one in La.

JRTC in Ft Polk? My buddy is stationed there. Hates it too.

Whats your MOS freelance? and TIS?

0311: 2.5

0311: 2.5

did you come back from Ramadi?

0311: 2.5

Thats marine corps infantry...rifleman if my memory serves me right... do you ever call for fire or cas?


B_I

9 lines? Sure as shit.

We usually do 10 line but they have me up in hq for this deployment in dec. We are going to Muzul. We are going to be doing alot of counterfire and pre-planed shot packets. My sargent said he will let me roll out too. I should get all the hooah-ness out of my system this deployment.


B_I

did you come back from Ramadi?

I miss Ramadi. How many of you have actually been there? I was there from july 05 to july 06.

they have me up in hq for this deployment in dec.

Sharpen up your skates, brother POG.

Seek cover
Keep a low profile
Avoid all working parties
Take no initiative
Evade all higher ranks

I should get all the hooah-ness out of my system this deployment.

Do that, let us know how you feel once you're done.

Sharpen up your skates, brother POG.

Seek cover
Keep a low profile
Avoid all working parties
Take no initiative
Evade all higher ranks



Do that, let us know how you feel once you're done.


I E&E everyday....My CO is a fister too...so he gets us out of a shit load of work everyday. Most people don't even know the extent of how much we sham. Oh, and what do you mean by letting yall know how I feel after deployment? I'm sure ill hate it if that what your looking for...


B_I

Haha. good thing you are going to iraq . that way when you call for fire you won't be making me get off my ass to shoot some rounds downrange.

If your at fort hood does that meaan you are 2nd ID? i here alot of 2nd ID soldiers from fort hood are going to re locate to fort carson. there is a shitload of new barracks being built over here. all that might happen when you get back from iraq though. you'll love it here.

btw, i am doing JRTC at fort polk la in january i think. after that we will deploy to afghanistan in may. fucking afghanistan. this whole time i thought i would be going to iraq.