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Graham, that's my biggest argument against suicide. Most of the time it's simply a matter of time for the person to come out of it. If someone goes through with it then they never get to that point. If something like this became legal I'd hope for a waiting period. Like 90 days between deciding to do it and then doing it. I honestly don't know how long is long enough but any waiting period would be better than none.

Mark, that's just gross incompetence on someone's part. When someone is that dedicated to killing themselves it wasn't just an attention grab.

I agree....gotta love army doctors. But, in their defense 99.999 of the idiots who wanted out either faked a suicide attempt or kept threatening it. But this guy had all the warning signs, and from what I understand he didn't tell them he wanted out, he couldn't handle not being able to cut it and TOLD them he wanted to die.

Morons.

Again, it goes back to the method of the attempt. Attention grabbers do it in a manner that is least likely to kill them, most likely to get them saved or interrupted. That's why the cut across their wrists, hang themselves with stuff that can't support them, etc. When someone cuts that deep and then runs they're trying.

Of course being the military I sort of wonder why he didn't use a firearm. Even if he wasn't issued one at the time would it be that tough to lay hands on one for 30 seconds to do the job?

If that man would have been as dedicated to serving as he was to killing himself. He'd have made a fine solider.

Tyyr wrote:Again, it goes back to the method of the attempt. Attention grabbers do it in a manner that is least likely to kill them, most likely to get them saved or interrupted. That's why the cut across their wrists, hang themselves with stuff that can't support them, etc. When someone cuts that deep and then runs they're trying.

Of course being the military I sort of wonder why he didn't use a firearm. Even if he wasn't issued one at the time would it be that tough to lay hands on one for 30 seconds to do the job?

In the military, unless your deployed, at the range or on exercise your weapon is locked in the units vault. Only a very few soldiers have access to their weapon and live rounds 24/7. If he really wanted to shoot himself, it would be easier to use his own or a friends.

Cpl Kendall wrote:

Tyyr wrote:Again, it goes back to the method of the attempt. Attention grabbers do it in a manner that is least likely to kill them, most likely to get them saved or interrupted. That's why the cut across their wrists, hang themselves with stuff that can't support them, etc. When someone cuts that deep and then runs they're trying.

Of course being the military I sort of wonder why he didn't use a firearm. Even if he wasn't issued one at the time would it be that tough to lay hands on one for 30 seconds to do the job?

In the military, unless your deployed, at the range or on exercise your weapon is locked in the units vault. Only a very few soldiers have access to their weapon and live rounds 24/7. If he really wanted to shoot himself, it would be easier to use his own or a friends.

And keep in mind that this kid was still in Basic Training. He handn't even gotten as far as BRM (Basic Rifle Marksmanship). All this went down in like week 2 of his training. Had he hung on till BRM, he would have seen the Drill Sergeants would have backed off A LITTLE bit. And that was when all the fun stuff started. M-16 training, M-60 quals, AT4 training, M203 quals, grenades, claymores, and field training excercises.

Wow, looking at it like that.....basic was ALMOST fun





Except the 20K march with full rucksack. That SOOOOOOO sucked.

Mark wrote:Except the 20K march with full rucksack. That SOOOOOOO sucked.

Cry cry, I was doing that when I was a kid with my mother in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

When I was 14, we did 120 miles in ten days across the Rockies in New Mexico at 9k feet peaking at 13k Baldy.

Deepcrush wrote:

Mark wrote:Except the 20K march with full rucksack. That SOOOOOOO sucked.

Cry cry, I was doing that when I was a kid with my mother in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

When I was 14, we did 120 miles in ten days across the Rockies in New Mexico at 9k feet peaking at 13k Baldy.

I for one didn't enjoy my blisters having blisters themselves.

But then I hear militia training can be intesnse

I for one didn't enjoy my blisters having blisters themselves.

I haven't had a blister from hiking since I was in middle school. You should take better care of your feet and your boots.

But then I hear militia training can be intesnse.

What???

I found the ruck marches blew for two reasons:

1. The rucks sucked. They where terrible.
2. They always stuck the tallest guy up front. I'm 5'8, my stride isn't 8 feet.

Cpl Kendall wrote:1. The rucks sucked. They where terrible.

Did you have the metal ex-frames? The ones with the sleeping bag catch on the bottom so it bounced and hit you in the ass every other step and these metal pins that rattled and poked you in the kidneys?

Cpl Kendall wrote:2. They always stuck the tallest guy up front. I'm 5'8, my stride isn't 8 feet.

Yeah, it helps keep everyone moving and spread the line out a bit. Both are useful.

Deepcrush wrote:
Did you have the metal ex-frames? The ones with the sleeping bag catch on the bottom so it bounced and hit you in the ass every other step and these metal pins that rattled and poked you in the kidneys?

It's a crap picture but we had these:



The top of the frame dug into your back, the ruck shifted constantly thanks to the straps just being tied to the metal frame. The straps for the fartsack where to short, so it had a tendency to pop out.

Ahh! Better pic:



Getting a jump course was the only way to get a good ruck, the old 60's pattern.

Ah... memories... nothing says the good ol'days like a bruised spine...

Yeah and VAC gives you the stink eye if you file for a back/knee injury. Hmm....can't imagine how we got 'em!

Cpl Kendall wrote:Yeah and VAC gives you the stink eye if you file for a back/knee injury. Hmm....can't imagine how we got 'em!

Guess its a good thing I wrecked my ankles instead of my knees!