J.R. Part IV.

This is coolbert:

Extracts taken from the original article of J.R. found here.

With regard to danger from "wacko" soldiers to the society at large.

"A breeding ground for future violent criminals and terrorists
The bigger and deadlier your armed forces, the more folks you've essentially trained to be war-like and efficient killers, and take calculated (and sometimes extreme) risks-- providing maybe hundreds or thousands (or even millions) of folks with skills and attitudes which can now or later be turned against you in war, crime, or terrorism.

take calculated (and sometimes extreme) risks-- providing maybe hundreds or thousands (or even millions) of folks with skills and attitudes which can now or later be turned against you in war, crime, or terrorism."

This has been a defense offered by American pilots flying drugs into the U.S. for Latin American drug cartels. These pilots, most of whom were military veterans, many with combat service, some extensively so, in Vietnam, would say in court, "well, I did what I did, but I have an acquired taste for danger! Placing myself in danger by doing these drug courier flights gives me an exhilarating rush!! This is something I picked up in Vietnam from my combat experience. I am mentally not able to control my actions from this "illness"!!" Well folks, to me, and I think I am correct when I say this, "baloney!!!" This is an excuse to cover for what is just plain illegal greedy behavior. These pilots were almost without exception doing this [drug courier aerobatics] for the big and easy and quick money!!! They "may" have gotten a "rush" from the experience, but that was NOT the primary motive for doing what they were doing, smuggling drugs.

"Such military training/preparation may also exacerbate otherwise latent mental illness in recruits-- perhaps rendering dangerous to society and themselves folks who might otherwise have led more normal, peaceful, and productive lives."

Here I would have serious disagreement with J.R. The contention is that military training conditions a person to be much more likely to use force in the wrong situations. Furthermore, that same training makes a person that MUCH BETTER at using force when they do use it.

This is just NOT SO!! To begin with, the military is much more selective as to it accepts as a recruit. You will not get in if you already mental or show signs of same. OR, if you already have a predisposition to use violence in your past [street gang member, bar room brawler, etc!!] And if that recruit, or even a career troop, shows any signs of mental problems, that troop will be very quickly be mustered out or put in a position where they have little potentiality for doing harm. FOR THE MOST PART, IT IS VERY, VERY SAFE ON A MILITARY BASE. FOR BLACK GI'S EVEN MORE SO FROM WHAT THEY FACE IN CIVILIAN LIFE [A BLACK GI IS MAYBE FORTY TO FIFTY TIMES SAFER ON A MILITARY BASE THEN HE WOULD BE IN HIS OWN NEIGHBORHOOD IN CIVILIAN LIFE]!!

IF THERE WAS A BIG DANGER FROM SOLDIERS [TRAINED KILLERS!!??] USING FORCE MORE OFTEN AND USING IT BETTER WHEN THEY DID USE IT, I WOULD HAVE TO THINK IT WOULD BE APPARENT BY THERE BEING A BIG HOMICIDE RATE ON MILITARY BASES. THIS DOES NOT OCCUR!!

[During the first Gulf War, the MP officer in charge of the MP's for the 82nd Airborne Division was quoted as saying that, "here in Saudi we have almost no crime whatsover among the troops. Back stateside, if it was not for women, alcohol, and cars [young guys in action], we would not have any crime to speak of on post either.]

J.R. reminds me here of the stories that circulated around 1970 when masses of GI's were returning from Vietnam. The accusation was that a very high percentage of these GI's were heroin addicts. Had become addicted in Vietnam. In response, the military carefully screened the returning GI's and found the percentage of troops to be hooked on heroin to be about the same percentage as the general population in the states!! But the story persists of the drugged up GI from Nam.

It IS probably possible to find aberrations and anecdotal accounts that support the zombie/robotlike/deranged/drugged/murderous/wacko/wife beater/suicidal maniac GI legend. That is what this is. Sort of like the urban myth!! Aberrations and anecdotal accounts magnified by media who glories in such stories.

There WAS in Buffalo, NY., during the 1970's, the case of the white U.S. Army Ranger who was killing black cab drivers. Killed about six cabbies until caught. Used his ranger skills and training to kill the cabbies. The black cab drivers of Buffalo were so spooked by this guy, that for a period of time they refused to pick up single white male fares!! But, this ranger should be thought of as a real exception to the rule!! Off the top of my head I cannot think of other similar examples!

[Persons such as those employed by the South African private concern, "Executive Outcomes", or British and Israeli ex-soldiers and security types in the pay of by Latin American drug cartels may also fall into the same category as the "thrill" seeking American pilots mentioned above!! In the case of the former, these are "mercenaries" fighting in such places as Sierra Leone, obstensibly for a somewhat just cause. In the case of those in the pay of drug lords, NO SUCH altruistic motives exist. These persons, in both cases, are very few in number. The wacko soldier phenomenon just does NOT SEEM to exist as folks think it does!!].

coolbert.