"It is important, especially given the current military and political situation in which deployment occurs more frequently and deployments can be longer," said Danielle Rentz, an epidemiologist for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Stacy Bannerman, a member of the anti-war group Military Families Speak Out and the wife of a National Guardsman who fought in Iraq, said she's seen mothers neglect their children while their husbands are in Iraq.
I noticed that the actual rates are not included in this article, onlt a 42% increase in rate. This is terribly misleading. Nor is there a comparison of such rates between civilian and military families.
The above quote actually reveals more about the researchers and reporters than the issue they are investigating on.
Originally posted by gmost:I noticed that the actual rates are not included in this article, onlt a 42% increase in rate. This is terribly misleading. Nor is there a comparison of such rates between civilian and military families.
The above quote actually reveals more about the researchers and reporters than the issue they are investigating on.
Mornin' CDR. Amen to that. As my Daddy uised to say, "Figures don't lie, but liars sure will figure."
Since they don't post the criteria by which they consider abuse, neglect, abandonment, etc...the report is very suspect...hard to accept those figures when there is nothing against which to measure...
"Experts cautioned that situations not generally considered neglect by most city child welfare workers would be called neglect by Army social workers. Robichaux, a former Houston child welfare worker, said Army families tend to get help sooner than civilian families."
This puts the article in perspective for me. Because they're saying that abuse/neglect rates are incresed by stricter Army standards, not the civilian ones. I wonder what the comparison would be on a level field. I'm also heartened to see acknowledgment of the Army's efforts to support families. Also, MTC, I may have to borrow your father's aphorism. That's good sense!
Don't put your heads in the sand! This is a problem...even in civilian life... which is growing in proportion to the population.
For decades we have been informed of fathers abusing their children; but not mothers. Recently there have been a spate of reports of abuse by mothers against their children. Something is sickening Americans and it is showing up in families under stress.
Obviously, given the profile of the typical Military.com member, the focus of the article is on military wives. But the stress can come from economic-related sources as much as military ones.
Nobody wants to see kids getting beaten by anyone, let alone their mothers, but it should not have taken a large Pentagon study to figure out that these mothers (and the non-military fathers!) are under more stress when the spouse is not available. It's a simple, universal truth, ask any single parent, but please don't spend more of my tax dollars to pay anti-militant yahoos for their opinion.
i'd really like to see the full study & it's criteria, etc. just in my 4yrs at the Great Lakes base, just as a 'civilian wife', i've noticed the wives these kids are bringing in, are NOT usually ready to be in the military life. heck, some of the kids themselves aren't ready to be active military but that's beside the point. i know my experience isn't army. but i saw an awful lot of fresh bootcamp kids w/ kids themselves & young fresh wives. military life is extremely stressful, i do admit that, but imo that's not the only 'big factor', i think the age at which these kids are marrying & having kids, or having kids & then marrying as it seems to be; is putting a bad situation on the front burner w/ the added stress, etc. ~marcia~ jmo, could be wrong ;-)
[QUOTE]Originally posted by AGBrina: Don't put your heads in the sand! This is a problem...even in civilian life... which is growing in proportion to the population.
Something is sickening Americans and it is showing up in families under stress.
There seems to be a tendency by many posters on this site to downplay any mention of war's effects on families and children. As AGBrina points out, it is time to take our heads out of the sand and support military families--both during, and after deployment.
There are programs available to do that. I urge everyone to actively, and financially, support such programs.
Originally posted by AGBrina: Don't put your heads in the sand! This is a problem...even in civilian life... which is growing in proportion to the population.
Mornin' Captain. Not pooh=poohing the problem, I was a police and jail chaplain for over four years in the eighties and worked a lot with the whole abuse spectrum. Our questions relate to what standards used and the questionable motivation of the group making the accusations.
I don't find it hard to believe this story at all - for those that are already saying anti military propaganda and anyone can make up figures, how many of you have actually been there and been away from your family for long periods of time. Oh, I don't mean you that have saints for kids and wives that were super human, I mean the average family person. I was away for a year in Vietnam, and was a travelling inspector in the Pacific for five years. An inspection lasted 18 days not including travel time. We were gone over 200 days per year. I also worked 12 hour days as an Administrative Asst to a Major General. The point being, I missed my son growing up and he has reminded me a lot about the lack of a father in his life. My B-I-L is a retired Sgt Major who had 4 kids and we both have said that we would not do a military career again in today's environment where it should be singles only. It's hard enough for two parents to raise a child in todays very liberal environment - for one it must be darn near impossible. But then again, war is for the young - not many senior officers or enlisted in combat - at least not in Vietnam.
Originally posted by Lady_luck523: i'd really like to see the full study & it's criteria, etc. just in my 4yrs at the Great Lakes base, just as a 'civilian wife', i've noticed the wives these kids are bringing in, are NOT usually ready to be in the military life. heck, some of the kids themselves aren't ready to be active military but that's beside the point. i know my experience isn't army. but i saw an awful lot of fresh bootcamp kids w/ kids themselves & young fresh wives. military life is extremely stressful, i do admit that, but imo that's not the only 'big factor', i think the age at which these kids are marrying & having kids, or having kids & then marrying as it seems to be; is putting a bad situation on the front burner w/ the added stress, etc. ~marcia~ jmo, could be wrong ;-)
Welcome Marcia, please thank your husband for his service and thank you for your sacrifices!
Salute!!!!!!!!!!
I would also have to say that I think military wives tend to deal with stress better than their civilian counter parts.
Originally posted by doctoledo: There seems to be a tendency by many posters on this site to downplay any mention of war's effects on families and children. As AGBrina points out, it is time to take our heads out of the sand and support military families--both during, and after deployment.
Wlecome aboard Fred, and thank you for serving!
Salute!!!!!
But I believe you are making a snap judgment about the posters. Stick around awhile and you will find an overwhelming support of the need for assistance and support of vets and families on these threads. Afterall, most of us have been there.
Originally posted by doctoledo: [QUOTE]Originally posted by AGBrina: Don't put your heads in the sand! This is a problem...even in civilian life... which is growing in proportion to the population.
Something is sickening Americans and it is showing up in families under stress.
There seems to be a tendency by many posters on this site to downplay any mention of war's effects on families and children. As AGBrina points out, it is time to take our heads out of the sand and support military families--both during, and after deployment.
There are programs available to do that. I urge everyone to actively, and financially, support such programs.
Not downplaying the effects on the family at all...it's great that the Army is providing the added help...
QUestioning the methods and criteria used to generate the reports...a simple slap on a hand can be construed as physical abuse by many...
Folks who think America's growing incidence of child abuse has nothing to do with America's shortfall of family-supporting jobs, and America's fubar'd health-care system, IMHO have their heads totally in the sand.
Originally posted by RichardSl: I don't find it hard to believe this story at all - for those that are already saying anti military propaganda and anyone can make up figures, how many of you have actually been there and been away from your family for long periods of time. Oh, I don't mean you that have saints for kids and wives that were super human, I mean the average family person. I was away for a year in Vietnam, and was a travelling inspector in the Pacific for five years. An inspection lasted 18 days not including travel time. We were gone over 200 days per year. I also worked 12 hour days as an Administrative Asst to a Major General. The point being, I missed my son growing up and he has reminded me a lot about the lack of a father in his life. My B-I-L is a retired Sgt Major who had 4 kids and we both have said that we would not do a military career again in today's environment where it should be singles only. It's hard enough for two parents to raise a child in todays very liberal environment - for one it must be darn near impossible. But then again, war is for the young - not many senior officers or enlisted in combat - at least not in Vietnam.
Thank you for your service, and your family's service as well. There aren't any easy answers, wish there were. I know that amoung the Reserve Components that deploy, we're running between 60 and 70% divorce rates. Military families do their best to cope with re-deployments but unfortunately, when you have no base to help provide emotional support for the families, and they are in communities who can't relate to what they're going through, it's a tough situation all around. Stronger family support and reintegration programs in the Reserve Component would be helpful, but there are no easy fixes.
Posted Thu 02 August 2007 05:51 AM Hide Post Nobody wants to see kids getting beaten by anyone, let alone their mothers, but it should not have taken a large Pentagon study to figure out that these mothers (and the non-military fathers!) are under more stress when the spouse is not available. It's a simple, universal truth, ask any single parent, but please don't spend more of my tax dollars to pay anti-militant yahoos for their opinion.
Geeze Louise. What a bunch of pansies we have raised these kids to become. Can you imagine the moms of the "Greatest Generation" whining like this? Suck it up people. You joined the military...what did you think this would be summer camp?
If the government wasn't ran by a bunch of DOGOODERS they would provide BIRTH CONTROL PILLS, CONDOMS, VASECTOMIZES & better pay & then there would not be so many problems. The powers that be need to rethink how the MILITARY is staffed. They need to gear it to KEEP people in instead of offering school after they get out. They should do it like RUSSIA. FREE school until you graduate & then serve three '3' years in the military. I do not encourage anyone to join the military, because I saw too munch bad things while I was in & after I got out. Many were demoted or harassed by people that had no connection to the persons unit. Some were not allowed to re-inlist as their career field had to many people. It seemed to me to be a move to save the TAX PAYERS money as these people had one re-inlistment to go till retirement. We were not paid by what we knew or the energy we had towards the job at hand. The system is not geared to get & keep the best like it was in years past. This new thing I hear on the news, that they are going to give a bonus to ones to sign up if they agree to go to WAR in thirty '30' days. What should be done is to give the ones that VOLUNTEER to stay or go back the bonus. They need to pay according to RESULTS & not by RANK. I understand CANADA did away with RANK years ago. REX
Thank you for your service, and your family's service as well. There aren't any easy answers, wish there were. I know that amoung the Reserve Components that deploy, we're running between 60 and 70% divorce rates. Military families do their best to cope with re-deployments but unfortunately, when you have no base to help provide emotional support for the families, and they are in communities who can't relate to what they're going through, it's a tough situation all around. Stronger family support and reintegration programs in the Reserve Component would be helpful, but there are no easy fixes.
How many of these FEMALES have taken up with IMMIGRANTS, mostly MEXICANS? REX
