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Soldiers Stress Report

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  • B Inman
    replied
    Not a rant man thanks for the input...

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  • spider
    replied
    I can contribute to this argument only in the context of having served on the other side of the border.

    Whilst we had other things to occupy us, such as the occassional MK15 mortar, or landmine, I must say that I have to agree with some of what B Inman's original thread said. Being exposed to constant hatred, real or perceived, does grind one down. I can say, from personal experience, that that is the one thing that really got to me at that time. And in hindsight, it did cause me a degree of stress. You can have all sorts of drills to counter threat a,b or even c. But hatred, being constantly told you deserve to die, worrying about your family etc,etc,etc is hard to deal with.

    Stress manifests itself in different ways. For some, it is easily dealt with. I consider myself in that category. For others, not so. I have served with a number of men who have taken their own lives in the last 10 years. Not good. I was at a funeral on Friday, of a former colleague, who died at 41 years old. The Minister made mention of the fact that he suffered from 'flashbacks', and that he tried to deal with them by drinking. He drank himself to death. No-one could help him.

    I can't say what it was like for the Irish Soldier or Policeman. But I do imagine that a combination of difficult working conditions, exposure to abuse from civilians, a feeling of a lack of appreciation for your service from the general public etc,etc combined with the risk of a 'contact' could cause certain people stress and possible emotional problems in later life.

    Thats my tuppence h'appenys worth

    Sorry if I've`ranted on.

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  • Exo1
    replied
    Originally posted by Groundhog View Post
    So it was just the 27th and 28th Bns then. Sounds reasonable to me.

    If you have no time for whiners why are you defending them now?

    Anyway, I shall leave the Field of Moaners to those who feel the need of additional compensation for the imaginary dangers associated with border soldiering. Enjoy your windfall and your shiny new medal.

    Smells like sour grapes to me Groundhog... and for the record, I have NO intention of claiming for anything, you dont award an accountant compensation for counting numbers, do you??... your assertion is insulting and absurd... and also, Im not in anymore, so I dont think any medals will be coming my way, and I will not be going looking for them...

    As for defending whingers, I think I have made myself perfectly clear that my brother soldiers were anything but whingers. They had faults like us all but whining like a little girls was not one of them.... they were in my time there stand up guys, whom I felt honoured serving with...

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  • Groundhog
    replied
    Originally posted by Exo1 View Post
    Ok, im gonna simply this real quick!!... I AM sure that not ONE member of my old company ACOY would have asked for such a medal, nor would they whinge about it... ... :redface:
    So it was just the 27th and 28th Bns then. Sounds reasonable to me.

    If you have no time for whiners why are you defending them now?

    Anyway, I shall leave the Field of Moaners to those who feel the need of additional compensation for the imaginary dangers associated with border soldiering. Enjoy your windfall and your shiny new medal.
    Last edited by Groundhog; 9 March 2008, 15:30.

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  • Exo1
    replied
    Originally posted by Groundhog View Post
    In the context of having served on the border, I served on the border.




    So why are they whinging now? Apart from trying to create another avenue to fleece the taxpayer of course.


    Utter rubbish.



    Well they are now, a little medal for their ONE blazer and a whack of compo.



    No point in trying to insult me, I have no feelings.



    Well who exactly is this report about if not members of the 27th, 28th and 29th Bns. As you said yourself they are the ONLY troops who served on the border. So who contributed their pathetic whines to this report?
    Ok, im gonna simply this real quick!!... I AM sure that not ONE member of my old company ACOY would have asked for such a medal, nor would they whinge about it... like anybody who thinks they would is just talking shite and has NO IDEA about what they are talking about.. the culture in the 29th for those who obviously dont know what they are talking about is one of "persecution of whingers!", and it worked well... we had NO whingers and loads of professional soldiers... As for insulting you mate, I havent, I dont do half measures... when I insult people, its harsh and straight in your face... Back to the whiney asses we got from the commands to beef up numbers, they did complain, whinge, moan... and they did it in barrel loads... we thought them a bunch of big pusseys... and laughed at them for it.. Which brings me to the next point, if its gonna produce medal, then try not be no bloody begrudging about it... it disrespects the units who would be cited for it... and since they dont deserve such disrespect, it only reflects negatively on those who choose to do it...

    p.s. Im being nice about this, if some of the old timers dialled in and got a smell of whats floating around on this thread, they would have some harsh words to post... :redface:
    Last edited by Exo1; 9 March 2008, 12:06.

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  • Connaught Stranger
    replied
    The only real incidents of trauma that I can recall happening in Donegal but not specifically related to the border area itself was an incident at a quarry, when ever blasting was to take place a patrol would be dispatched to escort the explosives to the quarry, and they would have to remain until the detonation had taken place, in this case after the main blast, the following incident occurred, when some idiot of a civilian threw a box (which contained detonators) and which he thought to be empty in amongst some surplus gelignite, explosive wrappers and cardboard boxes the explosives had been transported in, which had been set on fire for disposal as S.O.P.
    The resulting explosion killed one soldier and badly injured 4 others and wrecked two landrovers.

    Connaught Stranger.

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  • Groundhog
    replied
    Originally posted by DeV View Post
    I was talking generally about the DF been a family and that in many cases when people left having served 21 years when they left they found/find it had to adjust to civilian life (I wasn't specifically talking about those you served on the border).
    This thread is specifically about a report alleging extraordinary stress and trauma suffered by troops serving on the border. Apparently I never "served" there, but while I was doing duty on the border, the most traumatic thing I suffered was having to spend hours observing cows in a field in Monaghan.

    I'm agog to hear of specific incidents of trauma suffered by "real" border soldiers. And I'm not talking about being cold, damp, tired, away from home and not getting a medal for it.

    Leave a comment:


  • DeV
    replied
    I was talking generally about the DF been a family and that in many cases when people left having served 21 years when they left they found/find it had to adjust to civilian life (I wasn't specifically talking about those you served on the border).

    Leave a comment:


  • Duffman
    replied
    Originally posted by Groundhog View Post

    We could all do with a cash injection I'm sure but I'd rather not dishonour myself, my family or the Army by fabricating a claim for doing a job I volunteered to do and for which I was paid.
    Unfortunately theres a lot of muppets out there dont share your thinking. I agree that it is completely dishonorable and is incredibly bad for public image of the DF.

    when these people signed up to the DF did they imagine a life of daisy chains and fairy cakes?

    Leave a comment:


  • Connaught Stranger
    replied
    Originally posted by spudula View Post
    Dont get your frilly's in a knot mate. it was a hypotetical situation to demonstrate that anyone that served in the DF can take any sort of bolderdash case against the minister and if the DF are found to be even slightly at fault then its open season.
    Hallo Spudula,

    This thread, has numerous posts trying to establish, if there is any validity in the claims made in the post at Post Number 1.

    If, people start to introduce "hypothetical situations" into the discussion, its going to lead us further astray.

    As a soldier who served in the 28th Bn in the years when it is alleged there was so much stress, fatigue, poor conditions, etc. etc. I find the claims not only laughable but the claimant(s) has no way to prove them. And that such an item was published in a national newspaper makes the Defence Force look farcical.

    Connaught Stranger

    PS. Groundhog, with regards the Units that served on the border the main Border Battalions were the 27th, 28th, 29th, but there were certain anomalies from this.

    The 1st Bn. from Galway did man Manorhamilton Military Post in Letreim, for a couple (+) of years, they were responsible for the Checkpoint at Blacklion, Co. Cavan and border patrols in the Kinlough, Lough Melvin, Dromhir and parts of County Cavan. This area was eventually taken over by the 28th Bn. in about 1977 / early 1978.

    I believe in the early days of the "Troubles" before the 28th Bn., existed ad-hoc units from Athlone and Longford were in place for a period of time.

    Connaught Stranger

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  • Truck Driver
    replied
    Of course no one has yet mentioned that 4 Cav Sqn were also responsible for their
    own part of the Border at the time

    Leave a comment:


  • Groundhog
    replied
    Originally posted by Duffman View Post
    The boys over seas in a more in-hospitable environs have probably seen more potentialy stress causing things.

    And we have yet to hear them whinging.
    Unfortunately this is not the case.

    Originally posted by Duffman View Post
    I reckon some bloke came into a rough spot and needs a cash injection and wants some of the DFs shutthefcukup free money.
    We could all do with a cash injection I'm sure but I'd rather not dishonour myself, my family or the Army by fabricating a claim for doing a job I volunteered to do and for which I was paid.

    Leave a comment:


  • Groundhog
    replied
    Originally posted by Exo1 View Post
    With the greatest of respect, being part of a reinforcement on rotation upto the border does not qualify as "served on the border" in the context of that report. ...
    In the context of having served on the border, I served on the border.

    Originally posted by Exo1 View Post
    ... What annoys me to no end is that noone from the border units (permanently stationed) for my time there ever cribbed or whinged about conditions or any of the other elements specific to the border region... ...
    So why are they whinging now? Apart from trying to create another avenue to fleece the taxpayer of course.

    Originally posted by Exo1 View Post
    ... You see, unless you served with a permantly garrisoned unit there, you cant fully understand everything that goes on behind the scenes nor should you have to... HOWEVER!!!... ...
    Utter rubbish.

    Originally posted by Exo1 View Post
    ... whilst noone from the border units has asked for any recognition, which does not come for the great work done,...
    Well they are now, a little medal for their ONE blazer and a whack of compo.

    Originally posted by Exo1 View Post
    ... and if theres any soldiers reading this, they will understand!!.....
    No point in trying to insult me, I have no feelings.

    Originally posted by Exo1 View Post
    ... if you wanna disrespect any units, do it to those units who deserve it!!!!... theres plenty that fit the bill, and NONE of them are Batts 27 through to 29!!....

    Exo...
    Well who exactly is this report about if not members of the 27th, 28th and 29th Bns. As you said yourself they are the ONLY troops who served on the border. So who contributed their pathetic whines to this report?

    Leave a comment:


  • Duffman
    replied
    Originally posted by Connaught Stranger View Post
    .

    With regards suicides, I know of some, committed by soldiers while in service, but, not of any being committed by soldiers who had left the Defence Forces, it would be very hard to establish that their death were caused by events in prior service.

    Connaught Stranger.
    Suicide is responsible for more deaths of the young males than anyother COD, considering the high percentage of males in the DF it stands to reason that suicide will occur, I dont see how a stint on the border could be attributed to this. I have not served on the border or overseas but with the utmost respect to the lads that honorably served Ireland well during this time, its not as if they were witnessing mass genocide.

    The boys over seas in a more in-hospitable environs have probably seen more potentialy stress causing things.

    And we have yet to hear them whinging.

    I reckon some bloke came into a rough spot and needs a cash injection and wants some of the DFs shutthefcukup free money.

    Leave a comment:


  • spudula
    replied
    Originally posted by Connaught Stranger View Post
    How strange in my day the butt party were either removed from the butts or under cover in the target shed which was part of the concrete butt structure during the firing of the falling plates section. We were never issued with body armor but we were carrying our issued helmets at all times in the butts. (I can say that they were not worn all the time.)

    If what you claim is true it demonstrates a serious lack of judgment upon the Officer I/C, NCO i/c and yourself for not voicing your concerns.

    Was the ricochet that hit your trousers an "inner" or an "outer"

    Connaught Stranger.
    Dont get your frilly's in a knot mate. it was a hypotetical situation to demonstrate that anyone that served in the DF can take any sort of bolderdash case against the minister and if the DF are found to be even slightly at fault then its open season.

    Leave a comment:

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