How is the morale of today's veteran or service member as members of the RP family start the 3rd Decade of the 21st Century?

CPO Nate S. — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 15:14:34 -0500

Much has been said here in RP and other places things like suicide, etc. I cannot tell how many time sailor or marines would know on the sickbay door at zero-dark thirty and ask "Hey, doc did I wake you. I need to talk got a few minutes?"

Frankly my holiday was a little sadder with my Auburn Tigers losing to Minnesota. But, my friends in MN are happy. We did beat Alabama in the Iron Bowl so we are good. Could have been better with an Outback Bowl win so it is what it is.

Seriously, please answer this poll question from the perspective of not if you team won or lost a bowl game but from the very serious perspective of you actual state of morale. If you are comfortable in sharing after you vote that would be cool.

Also, if you are reading this post and you are not quite up to speed I encourage you to reach out for help. I may not know you, but I value you as human being regardless of our respective politics, faith, gender/sex, ethnic or other backgrounds that make us unique humans. I am also NOT a trained therapist or psychologist! I am just an old retired Navy Corpsman who spent too many nights up talk people done using common sense and compassion to get my shipmates to a safe space so they could get help.

Please answer or don't answer the poll question I am about to ask. But, if you need help please get it............

So, here is my question to the RP family:

Is your current (2020) state of morale HIGHER, LOWER, ABOUT the SAME or you prefer NOT to ANSWER compared to 2016?

I think the question is worth asking the RP family. We are diverse in so many ways and yet as veterans or veteran family members / caregivers we hold the potential to save a live in our hands and with our hearts.

Please note:

All and do I mean ALL of us go through difficult times. I usually like to be creative and write short stories and poetry or listening to my favorite classical music to get through mine or at the very least play a few intense games of chess, as strange as that may sound to some. Something about engaging the creative pathways of the mind make a difference.

If people respond here with comments I ask you to please be respectful. Many of us have been in tough spots and our duty to our brothers and sisters in arms is to be their for each other. I'd like to see the veteran daily suicide rate for all veterans cut in 1/2 or 3/4s in 2020. That means taking the rate from an average range of 17-22 veterans a day down to perhaps < 4-5 vets per day. Even that should be ZERO per day. I believe it is doable. There are ~1.6 M RP members across this great nation that can make a huge difference in their communities. How great would it be if when we started 2021 and this drop could be true? Wouldn't that be a worthy goal?

Response by CW5 Jack Cardwell made Jan 3 at 2020 3:17 PM

CW5 Jack Cardwell — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 15:17:49 -0500

Great survey. Not much has changed in the past year. Biggest thing in my head is friends in unit I deployed with in 2008 who are now back in the Middle East.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Jan 3 at 2020 3:23 PM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 15:23:26 -0500

My morale since I joined is far better than before I joined.

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Jan 3 at 2020 3:31 PM

Lt Col Charlie Brown — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 15:31:01 -0500

I am finally pain free and working my way back into shape. Now off many of the meds I was on back then.

Response by SGT Robert Pryor made Jan 3 at 2020 8:51 PM

SGT Robert Pryor — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 20:51:06 -0500

Life's been good so far.