While it sounds harsh today, there are some parallels between then and now. The Washington Post today reports that army suicides are up again. And yet this is not a surprise. In the fall of 2008, fully 24% of the US Army's ranks were high school drop outs, some criminal waivers were permitted as well as dubious psychological enlistees. SecDef Gates pledged to reduce this number and indeed, recruiters have slowed this flow of dregs into the army. (Stop by your local recruiter and ask the NCO’s)
What's that you say? What does it matter? Of course it matters. One need not be a sociologist to know that higher education translates into better unit effectiveness, esprit de corps and general strac level of a military unit. Poor education does not guarantee these traits…..though ask an E-7 if he wants HS dropouts in his/her unit. Or someone with a criminal past. Lower education is almost universal among soliders with behavior problems and criminal conduct. Drug abuse and psychological problems are shared disproportionately amongst the uneducated.
The Army should provide a full statistical description of the suicidees. The overwhelming majority will be enlisted men. Uneducated and few of these self-destructing people will have been combatants. Indeed, I'm betting most were rear echelon personnel.
The Army brought many people into it's ranks that had no business being inducted. Suicides are but one part of that failure. The other many more important negatives these undesireables stain the army with remain largely out of the public eye. They should be discharged post haste. The Army will be better for it.
