Ok read the article now (read it in newsagents!).
It hasn't really changed my original view or my take on bullying in the army. I actually wrote on this for a sociology A-Level once but I won't waffle on like I did in that.
a. The media sensationalises as we all know.
b. A degree of bullying goes on, only a fool would deny it. However that happens in civvy street too.
c. My perception of what is and what is not bullying will differ from a great many civilians. I think it is a question of what things you are exposed to - whether it be a degree of bullying at some time, harsh events on op tours etc
d. There is possibly a belief that it is a form of natural selection. I kind of go along with this (though I don't condone many of the more extreme cases). Sadly due to a number of factors (low recruiting figures,recruits with psychological problems, broken homes, low fitness etc etc) we are now getting guys joining up that are way below the standard required. Some blokes break without ever undergoing strenuous training.
When you go away you need to now that the lads working in your section are up to standard i.e. mentally tough enough. If they aren't they are going to cause you problems down the line in a rather nasty environment. So you need to find out if they are upto scratch. Obviously there are ways and means, legal and illegal. The more intelligent amongst us will push guys to the limit within the bounds of the law and will use common sense/management principles to get what we want. Others will use out of date brutish methods...
e. Lookng at what happened to him seems a tad nasty but, as others have pointed out, is not too different to events in a rugby club bar. He got tied up, had a trainer strapped to his head (why?
) and his butt hair burnt. Its not really that bad in the scheme of things. I remember being scared stiff on my first tour with the AMFL, cus the broom handle was in regular use on new privates!!! No, it never hapened to me...
f. Another poster points out that 'if we do this to our own, what do we do to the enemy?' Well for the most part we act within the bounds of the geneva convention. Again, the odd idiot lets us down. But at the end of the day, big men with guns do a nasty job dealing with the worst scum you can imagine so that everyone else can have a peaceful nights sleep unaware of what truely lies out there in the middle east. Who do you want doing that job for you - peaches and cream or blkes who aren't afraid to knock chunks out of each other every once in a while???
All a bit serious and depressing really for a poker forum. Apologise for the poor quality post. Many holes in it, but I have been multi tabling at the same time.
Good post JJ.
Having spent 23 years as an Infantryman (hence the monker) I can concur with Dundonian that the training regime would have been much "tougher" than within a Corps.
The majority of bullying witnessed was usually done within peer groups when individuals were deemed not to be pulling their weight, often leading to extra work/punishments for his or her section, troop or whatever. This does not infer that I condone this at any level.
Bullying of a nature such as a junior or senior NCO using their rank to force individuals into doing something they did not want to do, or just to embarass them was not tolerated at any time.
I have been encouraged through reading these posts that non military types can at times see through the sensationalism of some media reports.
A very good thread in my very honest opinion.
Geo.
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