bgz wrote:Ya, as soon as you let the PC police start getting their way, then all the petty lawsuits start flying with the military walking on eggshells around any topic relating to LGBT issues.
FK that, you guys just don't get it, 40% is a really big FKing number. Done trying to explain it.
I don't think anyone here has a problem with your 40% number. It's not more than 50% but like you explained it's a high number and it's not gone down over time...nor gone up. It raises awareness to the facts that there are some that will attempt to kill themselves. It's sad really. Were they going to kill themselves if they didn't get bullied or into the military? Were they if they didn't get mommy and daddy's approval? I don't know. All I know is that they were going to do it regardless of what we type here.
I stand by my OP on this thread. If they're confused to the point that they don't know which bathroom to use...they are NOT going to follow orders. Following orders is paramount for the military. If they say take the hill, you take the hill. If they say to attack, you attack. You don't second guess their meaning and you don't think or act on your own judgement. You carry out your orders per the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Everyone is trained on the UCMJ...EVERYONE. From Bootcamp, AIT and permanent duty station you follow orders. Some you won't like, some you will but you WILL carry them out or face punishment. Yes, you face punishment. Create a disturbance enough times for your branch of service, division, platoon or squad and you will be removed. You will have rank stripped away and yes in some cases you will find yourself in military prison. When I was stationed in Germany we were assigned barracks that were across the street from the European Theater prison. They made big rocks into little rocks and carried them from one side of the facility to another. There was no cable tv or any niceties that a civilian prison will have. I'm quite sure the suicide rate is rather high for individuals that find themselves there to begin with...then add the stigma they're personally dealing with on top of that? No. The military just isn't the place to play with duct tape and lipstick. They're assigned to defend, kill and destroy. That's the basic function of the military. It isn't some social experiment laboratory. So, as you can see by my very basic explanation...that 40% could be a LOT higher if the military is reduced to having to deal with these issues.