Comments on: ‘Didn’t care enough’: Here’s what the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide found

By: drastic

drastic — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 08:58:44 +0000

As a p.s. to my awaiting approval comment I will add, “Ask my dead friends”.

By: drastic

drastic — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 08:30:05 +0000

In reply to Cawdor. That finding is a big surprise to me. Proof positive that the defence machine is a) not fit for purpose and b) command at all levels is peopled by ignorant fools, too weak to change things for the better. What a bunch of cretins.

By: Michael Smith

Michael Smith — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 04:53:51 +0000

I note there is no ention of the ancient institutional practice of Hazing. This is where the bullies mindlessly ridicule and humiliate their colleagues for no other reason than that they can, have no reason to fear consequences and in fact are generally encouraged to because the victims are usually ” a bit different”.
I have seen photos of a friends son naked with a sign around his neck with the word “stupid”. This kid was an apprentice motor mechanic in the army.
There is no where for these kids to go with this. There is no one to turn to. And they are conflicted anyway since reporting it is to relive the shame only to be told “harden up princess”.
I would go to a lot of trouble to keep my kids out of defence.

By: Moggy

Moggy — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 04:43:57 +0000

In reply to Gonggongche. Same words used for 30 yrs. old school and departmental hierarchy, comp[icit!

By: roberto

roberto — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 04:24:06 +0000

defence attracts (at least) to kinds of people – those who wish to serve their country – and those who like to fvck people up – the former will always fall victim to the latter

By: Frank Dee

Frank Dee — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 03:49:49 +0000

As someone on the ABC said last night, Defence has a way of dragging their feet on any proposed changes until the next government gets in, after which everything resets to business as usual.

By: Cawdor

Cawdor — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 03:37:56 +0000

That the suicide rate is higher for those defence force personnel who have not “gone to war” than those who have been deployed upends, I suspect, much thinking about “cause”. Combined with the calamitous culture a half decent top executive team supported by experienced change management strategies and competencies should be able to drive change. The issue, as stated, being do the Chiefs wish to so do. One telling start point might be to dismiss a few known proper bastards amongst the senior officer and NCO cadres.

By: Gonggongche

Gonggongche — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 06:17:33 +0000

“The Department of Veterans’ Affairs appears to be taking this royal commission seriously.”

Well, that’s good, but it raises the question of was it serious about it for the two decades since the 2005 inquiry? The duopoly doesn’t seem to have served our vets well at all. Which useless pollies were sitting on their backsides doing way too little about this?

By: Gonggongche

Gonggongche — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 06:09:27 +0000

"A similar recommendation was made by 44 senators in the 2005 inquiry. It was rejected and vetoed by the then prime minister, minister for defence and chief of defence." The Howard government didn't mind sending our defence force to Iraq, but from this, imo, it seems he wasn't too fuss about looking after them afterwards.