Now that our military is more socially inclusive, do you believe service members are more resilient than prior generations?

2016-03-17T17:41:41-04:00

Have all the social changes in our military helped our servicemen handle PTSD (depression) better, increased unit strength, greater discipline, and made us more combat effective?

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 17 at 2016 6:05 PM

2016-03-17T18:05:31-04:00

Are you implying that prior generations are not as resilient or as combat effective as later generations? I do not like what is implied unless your intent is misstated.

Response by LTC Jason Bartlett made Mar 17 at 2016 6:11 PM

2016-03-17T18:11:05-04:00

Not even close.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 17 at 2016 6:40 PM

2016-03-17T18:40:33-04:00

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made Mar 17 at 2016 7:00 PM

2016-03-17T19:00:41-04:00

SGT Anthony Rossi - As I re-read this, I think you have too many questions intertwined. But, my gut reaction is to answer "No." While today's fighting forces might be more socially & intellectually integrated, their "resilience" remains unchanged. I'd trust today's fighting forces to keep the proverbial wolf away --regardless of how they might self-identify.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 17 at 2016 8:30 PM

2016-03-17T20:30:49-04:00

Absolutely not.

Response by SGT Justin Anderson made Mar 17 at 2016 8:41 PM

2016-03-17T20:41:56-04:00

Not even close to being resilient

Response by SSG Daniel Deiler made Mar 17 at 2016 8:46 PM

2016-03-17T20:46:51-04:00

Absolutely not. It's WEAKENED our military extensively as we now have to cater to far too many individual preferences. The military is and was never designed to be all inclusive. It was intended to be a one standard fits all institution as it should be and needs to be. The second you begin changing standards for one, you must change standards for all. Pretty soon nobody knows the standard because there are too many standards. Then it becomes an issue of not being able to enforce a standard because nobody can possibly know them all...on top of that, leaders become gun shy about enforcing standards out of fear of being accused of some type of discrimination. The military wasn't designed for EVERYBODY so why have the standards changed to INCLUDE everybody?!? People need to stop being such whiny little children and start acting like adults. Life ain't fair. And war is hell.

Response by CPT Mark Gonzalez made Mar 17 at 2016 9:11 PM

2016-03-17T21:11:49-04:00

It probably weakened us, but we need senior NCOs and Officers to weigh in.

Response by SFC Eugene Mont made Mar 17 at 2016 9:26 PM

2016-03-17T21:26:32-04:00

Nope.

Response by Col Joseph Lenertz made Mar 18 at 2016 7:45 AM

2016-03-18T07:45:00-04:00

No, as the drivers of these changes had nothing to do with resiliency or combat effectiveness. The DoD spends an ever-larger percentage of its limited budget on accommodation of individuals needs, habits, preferences and desires...which means less on combat effectiveness and firepower.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 18 at 2016 10:09 AM

2016-03-18T10:09:23-04:00

That's like saying being more computer literate means more should know how to type. The answer is "not necessarily." If anything, it's the opposite. We know more about resilience and live it less. We avoid backing ourselves into the proverbial corner and forget that's when our greatest strength and wisdom is brought out.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 18 at 2016 11:27 AM

2016-03-18T11:27:42-04:00

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 18 at 2016 3:18 PM

2016-03-18T15:18:10-04:00

Nope. Only been in for 5 1/2 years and in that time I've seen the weakening of our resiliency and morale. mostly due to this political correctness. NCO's are not even able to yell, and now making someone do pushups is hazing, this is taking the immediate discipline away from Marines as a whole since the only thing they have to worry about is paperwork. The morale is heavily weakened due to the fact that it is clear that the military especially combat arms are now being used as a social experiment rather than a lethal fighting force.
I don't know about the past but I feel like there are more suicidal ideations/attempts coming from junior Marines that have never deployed than before, and I can see in the unit I'm in less pride in being a Marine as we transition over to more of a 9-5 job, whereas when I first came in it being a Marine was a lifestyle and learning to cope with adversity was a source of pride. Now the junior Marines don't cope with anything they just cry to the leadership that they are uncomfortable.
But this is just my opinion.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 18 at 2016 11:19 PM

2016-03-18T23:19:11-04:00

The premise of the question makes no sense. Giving more Americans who are willing to volunteer to serve their country and possibly die for their country the opportunity to serve has nothing to do with how a soldier deals with PTSD or any of those other things you mention. It is about eliminating discrimination in our military. What in the world would whether or not a gay person can serve have to do with increased unit strength? That's budget based. Are gays expected to be more combat effective than straight soldiers so that their presence in a unit increases unit effectiveness? Of course not.

The inclusion of more Americans is about all Americans having the same opportunity as white, straight, male Americans have always had. There is no requirement that a minority group must be better or else they can't join. So your question implies a relationship to performance that does not and should not exist.

Response by SFC Scott Beck made Mar 24 at 2016 10:03 PM

2016-03-24T22:03:53-04:00

No.