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From MASH to VET TV - the military has always embraced the very dark side of humor. Do you find it therapeutic, funny, offensive, poor taste or all of the above.
Death
Humor
Mental Health
Deployment
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 38
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If you want to see dark humor, hang out at a firehall or an ambulance barn after a call has gone really bad. If you aren't part of the crew and you hear the banter, you would be outraged at how callous and unfeeling these people are. But it is a sign that people are trying to cope and to heal from seeing things no one should ever have to see.
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Maj Chris Nelson
MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi - Medic training, and later nursing school teaches you all about the tasks and critical thinking along with base knowledge. They have very little training on dealing with the aftermath of events that have gone sideways or south.... THAT is all trial by fire and OJT. Some places have gotten better about doing after event debriefing..... but that still does not stop the development of dark humor and other post stress reactions.
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SGT Dorian Wolfe
As a civilian, the dark humor continues. You need a way to release the tension and feelings after you pull bodies out of a burning building, telling a mother and father there only son was killed in a car race the day he was told the cancer was gone, or children their mother was killed. Then you go somewhere alone and kill a bottle of scotch.....
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Sgt Dan Catlin
Absolutely agree! As an ex Marine and an ex EMT I can see it as a coping mechanism. I've seen it at the nurses station as well, and working with police and fire crews, and as a Fire Services Instructor I saw it in different crews in the region. It is one way we cope.
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I find the darker humour therapeutic more than anything... it's a means to deal with the demons within and cope with the horrors you were exposed to.
I also know most non-military (or inexperienced military, even) find it in poor taste or outright offensive.
I also know most non-military (or inexperienced military, even) find it in poor taste or outright offensive.
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CPL James S.
SPC David S. - re: burn unit.
As a former Paramedic Truck Captain, I'd rather stick my dick in an electric pencil sharpener. again.
PO1 H Gene Lawrence - Absolutely true about first responders, IMHO.
As a former Paramedic Truck Captain, I'd rather stick my dick in an electric pencil sharpener. again.
PO1 H Gene Lawrence - Absolutely true about first responders, IMHO.
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HN Richard Duncan
After I got out in 91, I spent 12 years as and EMT. I used to pick up snowmobilers off the trail. And not all of them breathing. Then I moved to central WI and worked in the ER as an ER tech. I have taken farm kids to the morgue as young as three. Plus I used to put catheter's in too guy's. Yes that means I would grab their dick and insert a tube. That was the easy part. The worst part would be if I had to bring them to the morgue if they didn't make it. I didn't see a lot but I seen enough.
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