CB-WTUs questioning Soldiers about gun possession

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diablo6

PEB Forum Regular Member
I rec'd a call today from my CB-WTU and they asked two questions they say are related to the recent increase in suicides:

1- Do you own any firearms?

2- Are they under lock and key?

Apparently everyone is being asked this. I realize there is a suicide problem in the Army, but what is next? Have the local police come by my house and sieze all of my guns without any indication of being a danger to self or others? I find this to be a little overboard. Question 2 is just plain stupid...My answer-yes they are under lock and key and I have the key.

Anyway- anyone else getting these questions or anyone know of any plan to control the Soldier's weapons even when they live off-post?

Maybe a bit paranoid on my part, but I wouldnt put anything past the Army when they are in damage control mode- esp in the light of the recent uptick in suicides.
 
I am in the UT CBWTU and was asked that same question. Every time i think I can not be amazed by the Army they ask another question like this one.
 
The Army never ceases to amaze me. Send Joe downrange and give him the power and responsibilty of life and death. He drives tanks, fires high powered weapons, calls in fire support and air strikes, and generally orchestrates HUGE amounts of all kinds of chaos.....but when he gets home....well now,....lets hold his hand, cuz he's DANGEROUS and SCARY. Blah blah blah if you ask me. Treat them like adults and they will act like it. Take away there guns and they will hang themselves or overdose or jump in to traffic,....a truly suicidal person will get it done if they want.
 
I am in the UT CBWTU and was asked that same question. Every time i think I can not be amazed by the Army they ask another question like this one
Click to expand...

So as the Army is reaching out to those that may or may not possibility do harm to themselves you criticize. If you know that you will not do no harm to yourself or family, that is fine. but what about the ones that may, which you do not know about until you read it in the newspapers.

I would do the same under my watch to make sure they are safe and secure. Battle buddy does not stop once you return home.
 
This is not a reach out, this is just one more CYA. I guess if the Army is really concerned they would stop screwing people over and that might just help stop many of the problems they are having. Asking someone a question like this is just a joke.
 
rikersisland1,

I'm not criticizing so much as I am wondering wtf they are up to.

If they were so worried about me having guns, maybe they should have considered asking me if I was going to turn one on myself. Instead now all they have is a checkmark by my name (and many others) under the category of, "if this one freaks out- he has guns." :cool: I dont even live in the same state as my command so; A- what are they going to do about me having guns? and B- What difference does it make?

Other than finding out whether or not I have guns, the information is worthless. They didnt ask about the rapelling rope I have and a high place to tie it off with- or any other means of suicide. We all have a road nearby where we could just walk into traffic. Why not ask how close it is and whether or not we are leashed to a picket in our yard??? Not trying to be an a55 here, but trying to make a point. Again- the gun stuff is worthless info unless there is another motive behind it.

I can easily see the Army filing a blanket mental health detainer of sorts where the soldier will be required to turn in his guns to the local Sheriff office. This order could be gained from a federal court to be valid everywhere- soon we could have a couple deputies at our doors demanding our weapons- the rationale???

"Potential danger to self and others as demonstrated by the actions of many others in his peer group. The recent exposures to combat, medications and possible PTSD bouts raise serious concern as to the mental well being of this subject and of those in his immediate family. As ordered by this court, the aforementioned subject must turn in all privately owned firearms to the local sheriff office. A hearing may be held within ten days of the receipt of this notice in order to dispute the contents of this order. Before such a time, the defendant is required by law to submit to a mental health evaluation in order for a mental health provider to ascertain whether or not said defendant is able to resume normal activities. Until such a time, the defendant on said order is to comply or will be arrested for contempt of this court- a class1 misdemeanor. It is hereby ordered that any law enforcement officer commissioned in the state of (__) who comes into contact with said defendant to detain him and transport him immediately to the closest medical facility for the purpose of an evaluation for a period of not less than 72 hours or a period deemed sufficient by the treating physician"

.........or it goes a little something like that. I have the general verbage down prety good as I have served hundreds of court orders. I have been a cop for 15 years and have had to serve all kinds of orders. Mental health orders are very subjective and any MD can convince a court to order someone into counseling/evaluation and have their personal firearms siezed (temporarily).

The doctor can make the request and a judge usually is easily compelled to issue the order. Niether one of them have any civil liability as they are doing this in the interest of the health and welfare of the named individual. I have seen many that were legit orders and others that - well I still wonder what the justification was.

Anyway- by law we have to serve the order, take the guns and haul the dude to the shrink.

Now- I did say my concern may have been a bit of paranoid, but that is based on personal experience and a bit of knowledge about how the system works. Could the army do this to everyone on medhold? I doubt it and I doubt they would try. With that said, the Army is in damage control mode right now and I wouldnt put anything past them.

So- again, why compile this information. What are they doing with it?
 
I live by Fort Carson.

Sadly, last week, off base in a neighborhood, a soldier started firing his guns in his house. His wife got out, and called for help.

The gun fire continued for a while. It stopped when he committed suicide.

It came out in the news that he was diagnosed with PTSD.

My first question was "Why did he fire arms in his possession; whether he had access to them somewhere else or if they were kept in his house?"

Everyone handles stress/distress differently. There isn't one good "blanket" answer that is going to help us all get through this...but "we" and the military in general needs to start somewhere...maybe just looking out for eachother would be a good start. You know-the way they did back way back when....the way we are trying to help each other with this forum.

I've lost a family member and a friend to suicide, coincidentally by gunfire. It makes me feel sad to know that someone was in such pain and that they felt this was the only way out. We need to help. We need to listen. And we need to care.
 
point taken- what good does it do me or the Army to know whether or not I own guns?

How is this helping me if this is what they are trying to do?

Why not ask if I feel like hurting myself?

I dont know- just dont get the point of the questions since there was nothing else they wanted to know.
 
I've been thinking about this...and sometimes I wonder ...remember the old whisper game...you say something to someone in the beginning and by the end the sentence is totally distorted...Well, can you imagine this....

what if someone at the top, means well and says, "hey, in light of all the recent suicides by 'gunfire'...(yes there have been other means as well...) maybe our folks with PTSD or those who feel they may hurt themselves shouldn't be able to access weapons..." It gets sent out:cool: and,

it trickles down a few tiers, with people changing it a little bit along the way, and putting in their own opinions about the 2nd amendment 'right to bear arms' and the next thing you know the question is: do you own any guns? :rolleyes:

Could be-just sayin':confused:
 
That is a very plausible theory, esp since the Army Leadership is inept at communicating even the simplest of ideas.

The problem is some of the things they do are obviously problematic so they dont put out marching orders on paper- they verbalize them. This is where the original intent is obfuscated.

Down the road when it goes bad- well plausible deniability is a viable defense.

No paper trail = I never gave that order.
 
This actually bothers me because I have seen / heard it going on firsthand now.

The army has always been intrusive and very far from being in a state of equality.

The army is currently prying into the lives of WTU soldiers heavily about their well being. Fine. Understandable.... if it was happening to everyone but it is not. What about the rest of the military? Why are they not experiencing the same level of intrusiveness? Last few times I have seen news articles it has been recruiters and soldiers freshly back from Iraq or multiple tours that have been following through with the actions. Why are we not prying into every soldiers lives since suicide is a risk in all demographs.

These questions do not address the issue at hand though which is that soldiers are committing suicide.

Does it matter if I have a gun or not? If I am going to commit suicide I am going to go through with it. I speak from experience. Over the course of the past several years I have had two attempts now both without the use of a gun. As the saying goes where there is a will there is a way.

That question bothers me. So now the army knows you have a gun. Now what? Will your command now look at you differently because they worry about you due to the fact you "have a gun?" Are you going to get special classes now weeding you out from everyone else about how to be cheerful and not use your weapon for self destructive reasons?

The chain of command always overreacts. Someone at the top level probably said a statement or a passing remark and by the time it trickles down the totem pole it suddenly becomes a "Chicken with its head cut off running around" moment for commanders. It happens way too much.
 
Considering that they're trying to throw new medications at me every day, a gun would be my LAST consideration:).

Just a thought on that one ARMY guys....Then again Military Intelligence is an oxymoron.

I speak from first hand experience one this, and please keep in mind, I haven't committed suicide, I haven't seen any from weapons.

The majority are OD. Go Army.....

Ever think they're asking the wrong questions here? Maybe it should be; How can we better assist you? Instead of....

What are you packing?
 
Not only will they question you they will require you to secure them if they feel it necessary, and I mean outside your home if you are CBWTU. If you look at actual statistics more use other means than a weapon, especially those that are ruled "accidental."
 
So far it seems as if you are only being asked a question. Has any actions occured due to the questions or are yhe Platoon Sergeants just doing yet another requirment from above?
 
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