future PTSD patients

Submitted by Cat on Sun, 2009-02-15 20:31

Let me start off by saying that I know this will sound cynical, and while what I am about to say is not optimistic , it is, sadly, supported by the data.  According to the NYTimes the army is opening its doors to immigrants. More  specifically, they are trading citizenship for military service.  That's what the article says.  Unfortunately, given my recent research all I heard was "recruiting future PTSD patients: bringing trauma to yet another segment of the population."  Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying that I'm against allowing immigrants to join the armed forces.  In fact, I think it might be a good plan if the objective is increasing our military force (though I'm not convinced that this is a positive, but it would provide a respite for those who've been deployed four and five times already).  It's the ethics that I question.  And I apologize in advance to those who are happy to enlist in order to get expedited citizenship.  That, reader, is the carrot whose dangling I question.  Much like the miltary's promise of education, the expedited citizenship preys on a population whose choices are limited and who then become fodder for our military expoits in return for a promise of a better future.  Of course, that is assuming that the physical and mental toll of war doesn't prevent them from enjoying (and perhaps even surviving to) that future.

To be honest, my upset over this policy has more to do with my sadness about this war.  As someone who has read immense numbers of survivor blogs (currently enlisted soldiers as well as those no longer serving active duty), I am painfully aware of those who suffer from the military decisions enacted by the Bush administration (as well as those who have fought in previous wars).  I want to see a reduction in the number of traumatized, and, let's face it, war is traumatizing.  If only we had body armor to protect them against that.

Aside: In my committment to truth and transparency, I am heartened by Obama's decision to review the ban on photographing the coffins of soldiers as they enter the country.  An editorial in today's New York Times described the situation as such:

Pictures are powerful. Newspapers seek to commemorate the war dead by running photos of their often smiling faces. The country should also see the reality of their coffins when they make their final journey home.

This, I believe, will increase the sense of gravity of the toll this war has and is having.

Comments

I'm not alarmed by this particular story...
Tue, 2009-03-10 14:28 — Anonymous

I wholeheartedly agree that the military targets the impoverished with its recruiting and incentives. The enlisted ranks, especially, have a noticeable tilt toward the southern, black, and Hispanic demographics. But I think there's a different element at play here. While this program is eligible for expansion over time, the Times article seems to indicate that we're only talking about a very small number of recruits right now (1,000 this year), within a very narrow range of occupational specialties (health care and language interpretation). This BBC News article echoes that, and even accepts the Defense Department's assertion that these recruits will be "more qualified than applicants who are U.S. citizens." It seems to me like we're not talking about the Army taking advantage of desperate souls here -- it's a program designed to attract students and immigrants on temporary work visas. People who would be joining with both eyes open, so to speak.

Now that's not to say that I'm entirely comfortable with all our recruiting practices. The "Army Experience" arcade centers really bother me, as does the downloadable America's Army video game, because they both seem to target children. And while we do seem to pull the bulk of our numbers from the most impoverished and disenfranchised demographics, I'd make the case that pretty much every modern army does the same. There's a Bob Dylan song (that's based on an old Irish folk song) called "Arthur McBride" -- it kind of shows how universal that whole sales pitch to the poor is. And my dad will be proud that I cited a Bob Dylan song. So that's a win-win for me.

--Michael