For the last couple of days and for a few more, I'm away from my normal place getting some folks moved, all in all, much better than sitting at the computer typing away. Tonight, after a hard day, went to the local dining facility and on the way out decided a bit of carrot cake was in order. I've never been a big fan but the recipe here is pretty good. I sat down in front of a TV on AFN, next to a soldier and I said “Good day for a dessert” and he looked over and said, good idea, and got up to get himself one. As we sat in silence, a story about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder came on and it showed a Doctor and then Secretary Gates talking about the issue, with the SECDEF emphasizing that it would no longer be tolerated to look down on someone with mental concerns, that just as a physical malady gets treated, warriors with psychological problems need treatment too. The story discussed how Washington is now very aware of the issue....

The Sergeant said aloud but to me: “It's not Washington's fault, it's our fault, the troops, the officers, the Sergeants, even me.” I kept eating but paid close attention “There are three types of fitness, he went on, physical, mental, and spiritual. The Army spends a lot of time doing PT, every day, hours in the morning, he said, when do we spend time on our physical and spiritual wellness? We barely pay attention, hardly ever ask the troops how they are, occasionally, on a Sunday, a First Sergeant will say take an hour for mass, if you want, but there won't be time to go to any Mass, even if it was close and at your time. I listened raptly.

He explained, I'm a medic and I've seen a lot of tough things here, every three weeks I go to CSC (I think he said it stood for combat stress counseling) he said, it's my job to care for these guys and I can't care for them if I myself have problems. He told me that the units go through the motions, it's our local leaders fault he said, mine too, we emphasize stuff but it's too often the wrong stuff. He said I'm not against equal opportunity counseling or voting rights classes, but we're out in combat and troops can't even use their medic bag. He looked at me “sir, have you even opened your medical kit?” I told him I actually had, but didn't really know how to use it. The bag they issue now is the size of the two quart canteen bag and in it are some really good pieces of equipment, I told him I looked at the “blood clotting” pouch which is supposed to take a powder and clot the bleeding and I said I saw the scissors, he said for cutting off clothes. He asked, did I see the tourniquet and I confessed I didn't remember.

He said the local CASH (Combat Surgical Hospital) had recently lost a GI who had bled out with his medical kit unopened on his body armor, he said the vehicle was hit by an IED and while his guys were obviously shaken up, rather than stop, to put the tourniquet on, which would have saved his life, they kept on driving back to the CASH where he died. My new friend told me no one even opens the clotting pouch or tourniquet to practice, troops never even see it. He said it cost about 65 bucks. “instead of paying 65 bucks for a training kit, his life will now cost us $400,000 (the cost of GI Life Insurance) seems kind of stupid doesn't it?

He said, you can't blame Washington for this, it's all of our fault. It's our fault to for not asking our troops how they feel, to give them time off when they need it, to let them relax. Instead, someone now comes in and he's burned out and the command doesn't give him time. They won't release him from duty or a patrol. Next thing you know, he's on a suicide watch, followed by Article 15, then shipment back to the States and he's out of the Army. We just lost a good soldier and I added, and we need another to replace him. He said the Army of the 90's they got it. He said, we are not doing and training for the right things. Emergency action drills, clearing a weapons stoppage, combat lifesaver for yourself and your buddy. The things that REALLY count in combat, not the squares being filled by regulations.

This was one sergeants perspective, but he wasn't looking for me for solutions, he was looking for a friendly face and someone who cared. God I do. I felt like an idiot, here I am, this LtCol Pentagon Reservist, and not sure I can do anything except write this post and tell his story. I hope he knows that by telling me, and telling his first sergeant, and his company officers, thats how he might, just might, help get things changed. It's too important when you see things screwed up not to decide to do the right thing, as I quoted the SECDEF a few weeks ago. It only takes one NCO's voice to tell the Brigade Commander “Sir, we have a problem” and when you state it with a problem and a solution and not as some BS gripe session, you might be the one to make change, change that can save lives and bring more of these young and old Americans home.

To my GI medic friend, thanks for sharing, and be safe in your next ten months of deployment. And to the rest of you out there, pay attention to his story....