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Dr. Elizabeth Stanley leads a class of U.S. Marines at Camp Pendleton, Calif., as part of a 2011 experiment in using mindfulness to turn down the ongoing internal chatter about the past and future.
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- The U.S. Marine Corps, known for turning out some of the military's toughest warriors, is studying how to make its troops even tougher through meditative practices, yoga-type stretching and exercises based on mindfulness.
Marine Corps officials say they will build a curriculum that would integrate mindfulness-based techniques into their training if they see positive results from a pilot project. Mindfulness is a Buddhist-inspired concept that emphasizes active attention on the moment to keep the mind in the present.
Facing a record suicide rate and thousands of veterans seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress, the military has been searching for ways to reduce strains on service members burdened with more than a decade of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Marine Corps officials are testing a series of brain calming exercises called "Mindfulness-Based Mind Fitness Training" that they believe could enhance the performance of troops, who are under mounting pressures from long deployments and looming budget cuts expected to slim down forces.
"Some people might say these are Eastern-based religious practices but this goes way beyond that," said Jeffery Bearor, the executive deputy of the Marine Corps training and education command at its headquarters in Quantico, Va.. "This is not tied to any religious practice. This is about mental preparation to better handle stress."
The School Infantry-West at Camp Pendleton will offer the eight-week course starting Tuesday to about 80 Marines.
The experiment builds on a 2011 study involving 160 Marines who were taught to focus their attention by concentrating on their body's sensations, including breathing, in a period of silence. The Marines practiced the calming methods after being immersed in a mock Afghan village with screaming actors and controlled blasts to expose them to combat stress. Naval Health Research Center scientist Douglas C. Johnson, who is leading the research, monitored their reactions by looking at blood and saliva samples, images of their brains and problem-solving tests they took.
Another 160 other Marines went through the mock village with no mindfulness-based training, acting as the control group. Results from the 2011 study are expected to be published this spring.
The latest study by Johnson will compare three groups of Marines, whose biological reactions will be also monitored. One group of about 80 will receive mindfulness-based training. Another of equal size will be given mental resilience training based on sports psychology techniques. The third one will act as a control group.
Results from that study are expected in the fall, Marine Corps officials said.
Marine Corps officials decided to extend the experiment to shore up evidence that the exercises help the brain better react to high-stress situations and recover more quickly from those episodes.
"If indeed that proves to be the case, then it's our intention to turn this into a training program where Marines train Marines in these techniques," Bearor said. "We would interject this into the entry level training pipeline — we don't know where yet — so every Marine would be trained in these techniques."
The idea is to give Marines a tool so they can regulate their own stress levels before they lead to problem behavior: "We have doctors, counselors, behavioral health scientists, all sorts of people to get help for Marines who have exhibited stress type symptoms but what can we do before that happens? How do we armor Marines up so they are capable of handling stress?" Bearor said.
Lance Cpl. Carlos Lozano participated in the 2011 study, taking the course during his pre-deployment training that also included catapulting from a helicopter in a simulated raid and enduring booming explosions in a mock Afghan village.
Lozano said he and fellow Marines were skeptical at first. Some wondered why their rigorous combat training was being interrupted by a class asking the warfighters to sit in silence and stare at their combat boots, becoming aware of how their feet touched the classroom floor.
"I didn't want to do it," the 21-year-old from Denver said.
But the exercises — also done while standing, stretching and lying down — had an effect, he said. He felt more relaxed and upbeat.
"Mindfulness-based Mind Fitness Training" or "M-Fit" was designed by former U.S. Army Capt. Elizabeth Stanley, a professor at Georgetown University who found relief doing yoga and meditation for her PTSD.
Stanley, who is also involved in studies for the Army, said the techniques can help warfighters think more clearly under fire when they are often forced to make quick decisions that could mean life or death, and help them reset their nervous systems after being in combat.
Maj. Gen. Melvin Spiese said he was convinced after looking at the scientific research and then taking the course.
While teaching troops to shoot makes them a better warfighter, teaching mindfulness makes them a better person by helping them to decompress, which could have lasting effects, he said.
"As we see the data supports it, it makes perfect sense that this is what we should be doing," said the 58-year-old outgoing general, sitting in his office adorned with pictures of war and a 1903 rifle. "It's like doing pushups for the brain."
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from the ooohhlllmmmmms of montezuma to the shores........
This might be better than urinating on the dead, burning the enemies bibles, or relying on pornography. But if this new Yoga fails, the Soldiers can go back to the old ways.
The Marines that stare at goats.
I see potential for a movie in this.
Marines stare at goats, because they recognize their intellectual superiors.
Train, and make the other guy die for their country.....that simple. Tired of idiots getting in the way.
Take a perfectly good and functional Marine and turn him into a sixty's vintage Hippie, who ordered this program Barbra Streisand? is Clooney behind this? just go back to the old ways and pray to Chesty Puller every night, teach Marines to be Marines and piss on the BS or maybe dump the unfit, dispose of the pastelle coloured flags and go back to a time when Marines were MARINES. and sh!t can the PC BS enlisted men are supposed to be animals otherwise they would all be getting officers pay right. you f'n freaks or is that you B-F'n freaks just want to blow us old timers minds away with this @!$%#, let me raise a platoon of Marines they wont find time to meditate, hell they wont find time to sleep, get the damn liberals out of the military, they will turn it to s#it. they have time to meditate they have time to drill and then if they still find time to meditate they have time for first aid classes and if they still have time to meditate then guess what they have time to PT I'm sorry there is no time to F off and meditate! that you do in your sleep! when you have time! oh I'm sorry there probably is no time after bedie by because its now coed and gay, bed time is play time. when do they wake you for breakfast? as a former Marine I am ashamed of what it is becoming the Commandant needs to regroup. in my day it was God Country Corps I wonder what is it today? Chesty Puller would go into shock. instead of jump buddies getting their wings its humpbuddies getting their tail feathers. Meditation my ass a good and properly trained Marine can do that in his sleep. who dreamt this crap up??? some pot smoking tea drinking Burkley has been??? talk about desperate. Did Biden have some old college fling that needed a job? why the Marines why not the Air force they like to meditate, they do it all day every day anyways. this is as sad as the Army passing out stress cards, if you cant handle it get out.
Sad, but true.
Here is an idea, perhaps if the dumb motherf$@kers would stop sending the combat troops back for 2, 3, 4 or more tours of combat duty, that might really relieve stress. They didn't do that in Viet Nam because they had a draft. Unfortunately for those individuals who join up now, they are short on bodies, so they are sent back repeatedly on deployment in combat zones. Do you think that just might be the reason they are committing suicide. I mean, it's just WAG!
Or we could just quit fighting wars that don't do anything but line contractors' pockets. I bet that would help a lot, plus we might save some money and be able to cut down on debt!
inmissouri - Good point, since some members of Congress have been lining their pockets from war profits due to contractual bids and/or family members owning companies that supply the military.
Sounds typical for the modern USA military run by today's pussified military top-level command who take their orders from a pussified administration. And when this crap fails? What's next, I wonder. This should be very enlightening to help us see our future as made possible by a military who has to have an hour of meditation before going on point or going to "Please Respect your Commander in Chief" classes.
Yeah, those Samurai who practiced meditation were certainly a bunch of pussies too, weren't they? I don't suppose you could try opening your mind and learning about the practice, could you?
Learning a technique to help manage your stress is such a horrid idea, isn't it.
Yeah, STexan, it's really macho to deny your pain until you end up killing yourself, right?
I wear many hats in my work life; one of them is working with veterans at an aviation museum. PTSD is a fact. (My former employer instituted an art program for veterans - very popular.) What are rigid ideologues like you afraid of? More veterans living, and living without pain or nightmares?
More like "This Administration Does Not Know What It Is Doing" - as stated by the President Obama US Civilians of General McChrystal's "High Level Staff".
Two completely different things. One implemented out of despiration by the US Military Commanders; the other Mandated by President Obama as Commander In Chief Policy as "Respect me please guys". Respect is EARNED, not given - Basic Leadership 101 for O-1s; usually based on Results not Appearance nor Preceived Results (Propaganda).
I believe that STexan and many others that do not have the mental discipline (proven by their mocking what they do not understand) would never believe in "It does not matter if you don't mind" (mind over matter or psychological distress or stress.).
As for most of us of the US Military Asymmetric Warfare Forces (aka Special Warfare), that have been doing something similar for a very long time (introspective thinking), as those that by training to survive to gain experience to ensure our survival, that kill without hesitation. In most cases just to get thru the training, after your physical body is already failing, it is that mental concentration that gets you thru those last few miles of running with full combat gear.
Training and preparedness is better then thinking about it, talking it out with someone in the same place is beneficial, meditation might just cause it to flair up besides you don't always have the time to put yourself into a trans like state to meditate and if you did you would have to have your mind in the right place to begin with, I know from experience that it sometimes backfires on you, a person is better off in a group setting where they can actually unload the pain. meditation might only restrain the pain been there done that what is needed is a strong mind and a will to overcome with a method of releasing the pressure not restraining it and meditation is a method that requires allot of practice a lifetime of practice not something you learn over night in the long run I don't see it being beneficial to everyone. they are grabbing at straws now if they add about six more weeks to training to help develop these skills then Maybe, as is its not practical, its like prayer it only works for those that believe in it and understand it. in fact they are close to the same. but then you knew that. if you want this to work start teaching it to 5 year olds then it will work by the time they are 19.
Ahh, another ignorant statement from STexan. Just another day on the Newsvine.
D Buck-2239568,
How about speaking from actual Firsthand Experience instead of an opinion.
As after Decades of surviving US Military Asymmetric Warfare, we know that even our training (harsh physical, just short of death under ideal training conditions with many becoming Medical Disquals or "training accidents") is just barely enough to survive.
Experience counts more than training, as to why during our "training" we have "Operational Experience" as real missions of low intensity low risk progressing to actual high risk high intensity missions. We do not train with blanks, just like we do not run or do our physical testing after changing from boots to running shoes, we run in what we will be using on missions.
Also like a light switch it only takes nano seconds for us to flip that switch, and not a very long time to get into some "trance like state", including our capability to defocus our tunnel vision (loss of peripheral vision) or compensate tunnel vision with head movement after decades of EXPERIENCE. We know from experience that it is our training that causes that extreme focus on the mission or task that becomes tunnel vision.
This is why even starting at age 18 to 20, the average age of the US Military Asymmetric Warfare Forces is age 35, without any of the other required experience or training (college level language(s) and culture(s) for their Area(s) of Operation(s)). Usually, we don't want the immature, and will select future candidates from those that have already served at least 6 years with the US Military Conventional Warfare Forces.
Every year we have mandatory detailed psychological screenings as well as after most missions sometimes lasting for weeks during the debriefings and after action reports (as trained observers, everything you thought, smelled, tasted, felt, saw, did, etc.); unlike the US Military Conventional Warfare Forces as going to a "shrink" for the US Military Conventional Warfare Forces is still a perceived career killer.
Of the almost thousand of us that started with the US Military Training Teams sent to US Ally Iraq during the Iran Iraq Wars, rotated to Operation Cyclone, only a few dozen of us survived, the rest (dead) as our lessons learned during the Life or Death School of Hard Knocks. After all these decades from when I was a young Officer, the very vivid dream of all the faces of us gathered together from all branches of the US Military that spoke any "Middle Eastern" languages; the faces reflecting the fear of the unknown as to why we were gathered together, the continuous drone of whispers of rumors; as to why from Experience I always keep my people informed (no fear of the unknown).
The best thing for PTSD is to first remove the soldiers from the combat environment for a period of time. Secondly, bring them together for group sessions that will allow them to vent. Thirdly, give them hope, which will enable them to believe in the future. And lastly, make it a point to have weekly one on one telephonic contact sessions and see how they are handling the day to day stress from the downtime due to PTSD. The four biggest complaints these soldiers have is, being separated from their military comrades; people thinking their mental; no one understands what their going through; and no one gives a damn about them. The Department of Mental Health stated that it is estimated that more than 250,000 military personnel suffer from some form of mental health. The VA and Pentagon estimate that 43,299 military personnel are suffering from some form of brain injury. That is just too damn many of our National Treasure to suffer from. They need the help and our government is obligated to do everything in their power to help them.
Whatever helps the service men and women is ok with me.
Hmm...new orders from the civilians upstairs in Washington (who never served)? Thank God I retired from the military when I did. Try to stay tough Marines!
How about: "Try to stay alive, Marines!" You should be helping, not criticizing.
Uh, huh, this President Obama Administration has a History of NOT LISTENING TO ANYTHING:
General McKiernan, requested 90,000 US Military to accomplish his War Plan to Win Afghanistan. President Obama ignored General McKiernan as Commander ISAF. General McKiernan goes Public with a CBS News Interview with Katie Couric after President Obama refuses to listen, as his US Military Officer Duty to inform the US Public after the US Politicians refuse to listen. President Obama demands General McKiernan's Letter of Resignation, then makes a Deal with General McKiernan to retire as a Four Star General instead of a Three Star General to get General McKiernan's Letter of Resignation. After Resigning, President Obama grabbed General McKiernan's War Plan to Win Afghanistan, and plagiarized and renamed the General McKiernan War Plan to the Obama Plan to Win Afghanistan. Yes, I was here when that occurred.
President Obama nominated Registered Demoncrap General McChrystal to replace General McKiernan as Commander ISAF. President Obama tells US Congress and the US Public General McChrystal will get anything he needs. President Obama as Commander In Chief Orders General McChrystal to implement the Obama War Plan to Win Afghanistan. General McChrystal requested 90,000 US Military, President Obama denies this and sent 1/3rd as 30,000, and to make matters even worse, sent his US Civilian Surge of thousands of privileged overpaid too expensive US Civilians that broke General McChrystal's Logistics Support of UN Mission Afghanistan, as well as pulled US Military Combat Forces from Military Operations to provide Security and Guard Duty (of US Civilians Hotels). President Obama without any US Military Experience did not know that without General McKiernan's Commander's Intent portion of the General McKiernan War Plan to Win Afghanistan, that War Plan was Useless. The number 90,000 US Military required was based on the estimates of General McKiernan of what was needed to defeat the numbers of estimated Taliban, Al Quada, Islamic Jihadists; unlike the President Obama and Lieutenant Colonel Custer of the Little Big Horn, so the result was obvious as a Failure that resulted in the unnecessary Deaths of US Citizens of the US Military, and Canadian Military Forces that President Obama blamed on General McChrystal. This became visible to the President Obama US Civilians on General McChrystal's High Level Staff that stated, "This Administration Does Not Know What It Is Doing" (resulting in the unnecessary Deaths of US Citizens of the US Military). As also while the US Military was fighting Two Wars, and numerous President Obama Secret Wars (outed by Senator Lieberman, as Illegal and Unfunded with no US Laws with US Congressional Appropriations), President Obama as Commander In Chief Ordered his April 2009 US Military Budget Cuts.
Too bad, as General McChrystal was one of the few US Military Generals that understood Asymmetric War Afghanistan as US Army Special Forces and previous Commander US Military Special Operations Command, Commander US Military Joint Special Operations Task Force Iraq (locating and capture of President Hussein), as well as one that provided the planning for Locating and Capturing Osama Bin Laden along with Admiral McRaven (USN SEAL) as the Presidential Authorized Mission Delegated to the Director of the CIA, Commander US Military Special Operations Command, Commander US Military Joint Special Operations Command since President Bush (43), later on 2006 President Bush (43) Authorized the Termination of Osama Bin Laden failing Capture as a Mission Failure after Amending the US No Assassination Policy (Harvard International Review, Article, 2006, "US No Assassination Policy On The Offensive").
Carl Forsberg Afghanistan Report, Institute for the Study of War. And my having been at Afghanistan repeatedly for years of consecutive tours living with the locals (US Military Asymmetric Mountain Warfare), here again after US AFRICOM (emergency).
If you think I am kidding about the thousands of privileged overpaid US Civilians of President Obama's US Civilian Surge (started August 2009, still happening), Iraq alone had 250,000 of these privileged overpaid US Civilians (where most of the Billions spent went as payroll, as NOT to the Iraqis nor the US Military)). Involved with Iraq since the US Military Training Teams to US Ally Iraq during the Iran Iraq Wars, rotated to Operation Cyclone; until President Obama's Failed Foreign Policies got the US kicked out of Iraq. Lots of you thought that the swimming pool scenes from the 2010 movie "Green Zone" were fiction, to be realistic if you add about 50-100 drunken partying US Civilians (no US Military nor Iraqis allowed, unless Iraqis Servants, that then tell the Iraqis with nothing where all the US Aid money is being spent and the "decadence") to that scene then you are accurate; as just like the Wackenhut US Embassy Security here that got caught drunk and completely naked dancing around as part of their Wackenhut "initiation" (Wackenhut as part of President Obama's August 2009 US Civilian Surge).
Secretary of Defense Gates during his last visit, tells the US Military his reason for tendering his Letter of Resignation, as President Obama as Commander In Chief Ordered Reduction In Forces of 90,000 US Military Personnel to be thrown on Unemployment further straining the Veteran's Affairs, as well as the Unemployment of 108, 000 US Civilians employed by the US Military. Basically, if you don't get RIF'ed you will be on longer deployments more frequently and be undermanned and ill equipped as the less than current 1% of US Citizens of the US Military; as part of President Obama's demanded chopping of the US Military by 50%, capable of only one sustained War, not Two.
President Obama during his Reelection Campaign Inflamed the over 1.5 Billion Islam Believers to violence with "Osama Bin Laden is Dead, GM is Alive". The Islamic Believers in response, "Obama, Obama, We Are All Osama", as Osama Bin Laden is their Holy Warrior of Islam Superstar. Ansar Al Shariah, as previously supported by President Obama as the "Libyan Rebels", to Overthrow US Ally President Gaddaffi Collaborator to the Christians, Jews, Unbelievers; Ansar Al Shariah then planned the attack of the US Consulate Benghazi to coincide on the day of the Greatest Defeat of the Great Satan (US) by their Holy Warrior of Islam Osama Bin Laden, 9/11.
General Ham as Commander US AFRICOM, volunteers the US Military Forces less than two hours away by slow C-130 or US Military helicopters during the over 7 hour attack of the US Consulate at Benghazi, President Obama as Commander In Chief refuses. President Obama Orders General Ham to tender his Letter of Resignation and go on Retirement.
Secretary of Defense Leon Penetta warns President Obama not to "Gut the US Military" as, "A 10% Defense Budget Cut will result in a Million (US) Civilians becoming Unemployed". President Obama demands a 11% US Defense Budget Cut. Secretary of Defense Leon Penetta states his intent to submit his Letter of Resignation (does not want to be blamed for destroying the US Military (capabilities)).
Not a real big surprise as 'I did it!' Obama sworn in for 2nd term, of course this has nothing to do with the US Citizens that voted for him, as "We did it!".
http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/20/16589187-i-did-it-obama-takes-oath-surrounded-by-family-at-white-house?lite
Before you start saying no, no, no, just do the research or fly your arse over here.
david457776 - I read your piece and the only conclusion that is possible to any rational human being is that your hatred for Obama has so tainted your judgment that you wrote a very evil piece without one bit of evidence to support your arguments.
Barack Obama did not flee the draft to go to France to do a mission when he HAD A CHANCE to serve our nation. Romney was a priveliged child who, like Bush and Cheney, avoided service. Those who avoid service should be banned from government positions that can order others into war BECAUSE they often become raging arm-chair generals of the worst kind after they slink from serving in their youth. Guilt? Who cares??THEY are dangerous. Ted Nugent-who wore the pants he shat in for 3 days to avoid the draft- he is another example. NOW he would shoot anyone he disagrees with-sheesh. He is an embarassement to the nation.
The ancient samuari were big into this; the martial arts got their impetus from zen monks early on.
Martial arts etc. stimulating the mind and all the survival instincts. Why would intensifying emotional instincts and reactions without thinking help soldiers with PTS syndrome. Let's really get that PTS syndrome in high gear.
Lets bring back the killer instinct, without remorse, that our forefathers had hundreds of years ago. Lets close the doors of our mind to the guilt and feelings of remorse that our soldiers must feel now that they know that they have been killing in a war based upon a lie.
That PTS syndrome really needs to be mixed right in with reality so soldiers can no longer recognize one from the other.
How will the American soldiers mind have to be molded and brainwashed for them to be able to kill American men. women and children instinctively and without remorse.
Through hypnotism they can remove the memories. Animals have no remorse or memory of killing. Why not human soldiers?????
Really this kind of stuff drives us nuts you know who we like to talk to about the bad dreams are brothers because they were there and the head shrinkers will never understand. Try this stop treating us like victims, stop throwing away the things we fought for.
I think that this if very innovative and positive. The Marine Corps is the best service to start experimenting with this Mindfulness because of the following: 1. The USMC is the smallest service and its smallness makes this experimentation, correction, and control more possible. and 2. All Marines (as far as I know ) upon graduating from basic training must undergo futher advanced infantry training as all Marines are supposed to be able to directly transition from a staff function to an forward deployed infantry line company.
The suicide rate among our war fighters is far too unacceptable.
LTC Rattus, USA, ret.
rattus68
Another idiot statement from somone that wouldn't take a bullet for anybody....
Congratulations Just, I am guessing you have no clue LTC = Lt. Colonel, USA = U. S. Army and ret. = retired. Sounds to me like Rattus spent 20 years or more prepared to take a bullet so you can run your mouth without anyone knocking on your door to arrest you. You know, protecting your First Amendment rights and all that. What did you do for your country Just?
Marine Corps.....Army sc%$m
Just another asinine comment from the 92% of US Citizens that have NEVER Served in the US Military.
As those of us "dinosaurs" that survived extinction, know that Inter Service Rivalry does not exist anymore; as after previous Reductions In Forces of the US Military, not one US Military Force (Branch) has all the assets required to accomplish anything.
So American soldiers will be commanded to perform Eastern Religious Rituals but denied the right to have a sanctified building in which to worship the one true God? Yes, the liberal left has invaded every single aspect of our lives. Funny also how there are lawsuits under way right now against practicing Yoga in schools because it was deemed too religious yet the military is looking into requiring soldiers to do it.
FYI, it is a manifest function of DOD that every military facility in CONUS have a building that is dedicated to being the base chapel or, if you will, "a house of worship." However, this chapel/building/gym/ (whatever) is not only a place for Christian military personnel to have the opportunity to worship as a group. It is also used to provide Muslim, Buddhist, and military personnel of other non-Christain faiths with access to the same house of worship. Plessy v Ferguson revealed that "separate facilities can never be equal facilities." Today's United States Military Forces are no longer limited to those that are Christians and have not been for a long long time.
I suggest that you either learn to deal with the fact that not every member of the U.S. military is a Christian or just STFU in regard to forcing your apparent Christian theocratical views upon the American people. It ain't work.
LTC Rattus, USA, ret.
LTC
Every base has a chapel - at least, all of the military bases that I have been on. How are they "denied" a place of worship? Christians do meditation and yoga, too! I am an atheist, and have done yoga right beside them.
Aside from the teaching of sound science in our nation's science classes, I don't care what people believe - I approve of prayer if it helps people. I think that people should rather pray for guidance against road rage before getting into their cars, instead of praying for whatever-it-is before sports events.
Directing one's thoughts works - maybe not in the way that religion says it does, but it works. Helping veterans is all I care about.
Rat and Amused, you are both woefully ignorant of what is going on in our military. Our service men are no allowed to practice their religion anymore. Crosses are not allowed in the "chapel"...not even ones that can be put up before a service and then removed afterwards. Chaplains have been "advised" on what to preach to their congregation and are told that if they don't take the "advise" given to them that they will not be allowed to speak to the troops. Manger scenes have been banned at military bases in the middle east so as to not upset our "allies" like Egypt who routinely rounds up Christians and either imprisons them or just kills them. You talk about separate but equal is not separate but equal and you have no concept of what that means. having one tent for Christian services and another for Muslim is pretty easy to do but that isn't allowed. Allowing any religion to build a facility on a military base with their own money should be the norm...just like it is done all over America. Why should thousands have their rights taken away simply because one person gets offended? That is not freedom, that is tyranny.
No, I am not "woefully ignorant" of what is going on in the military. Mangers don't belong there, and crosses are not ecumenical and of course can't be left there! Are you aware of the changes in society, and in the military? You have an agenda and a set of blinders on your eyes.
You are one very ignorant and intolerant person. The chapels or any other permanent or temporary structure that is dedicated for worshiping some form of supreme being or a particular way of life must be made available to ALL DOD personnel.
You are obviously not aware that not all military personnel are religious. Not all military personnel are Christians. In today's Army there are not only the previously long recognized Christians and Jews. Today's Army has a great number of Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, Zoroasters, Native American faiths and ways of life; plus many more.
You cannot devalue them for not being either relgious or Christians when they are Americans that are serving in the U.S. Army in the profession of arms.
Where in the world have you been for the last 30 years? Are you not aware that there are so very many non-Christians in today's Army. I cannot speak for the Navy/USMC, or the USAF. However, I am familiar with the Army Regulation re: chapel use and availability. Did you know that military chaplains must be able to offer religious comfort and cousel to Soldiers of other faiths than their own.
I don't know where you picked up the notion that the honor of serving in our military in the profession of arms is somehow limited to practicing Christians.
I was in the Army for 20 years. Form '89 to ''09 I witnessed more and more non-religous and non-Christians in our Army.
My friend, the demographics of America is not a static thing and have changed a great deal since the Viet Nam era.
V/r,
LTC Rattus, USA, ret.
adc, I'm not real sure where you are getting your information but, it's wrong. I spent 35 years, 67 - 02 in the Navy and Rattus' is quite accurate. I don't believe the regulations he is talking about are just Army regs. I think they are DOD regs., meaning they apply to all branches.
Do your research. I took a mindfulness meditation class at a reputable public American university close to Camp Pendleton and religion is not even mentioned when learning this practice. I'm willing to bet that the soldiers are getting training from some of the teachers or past students connected to this program. They keep this practice non-secular, unless you choose otherwise later on, in an attempt to attract practitioners who need this to save their lives. Outside issues are kept out. I can attest that this practice makes people healthy, strong, productive, and saves lives.
First of all, what "one true God?" Secondly, when has anyone been denied their religious rights?
rattus68,
That may have been DOD Policy when you were in.
However, currently the DOD has taken the easier route, as no established places of religious worship that might offend the host Nation (especially at Islamic Nations).
Some places at Islamic Nations, as out of sight from the locals, like USN Bahrain; yes, they have established places of religious worship.
Frank Herbert's Book, Dune.
"Harsh Environments create Fierce Warriors" and the Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear as,
As part of my personnel's professional development I have them read T.E. Lawrence, Frank Herbert's Dune, for those that were not with us Doug Stanton's Horse Soldiers and Mark Bowden's Battle for Mogadishu (aka Blackhawk Down). Still have not found anything accurate for Operation Cyclone, Operation Desert Fox, Operation Viking Hammer, Operation Hotel California, etc. for the new personnel to read and learn from our mistakes and what we did successfully to survive.
REALLY, adc, the "one true god" according to who? You?!? Is this "one true god" worship some kind of prerequisite for serving the United States of America in the military?
Hot news flash, the Crusader Army stopped recruiting around a thousand years ago.
Wow, the amount of pure ignorance here is astounding. One person says they were in the navy until '02 so my comment is inaccurate? that was 10 years ago under a Republican administration.
Where did I ever say to diminish other religions? What I said was to let each denomination build it's own facility using money from their own pockets.
Since when have they been denied the right to have a sanctified building in which to worship? Every base we've ever been on has had at least one, and sometimes several houses of worship. And which "one true God" are you talking about? Zeus?
Meditation is not a religion. Try educating yourself a little.
Fact is, it works, its proven. Look it up. Meditation can lower the body metabolism to a point even lower than deep, dreamless sleep, where tensions and anxieties can heal. If the religious zealots and haters here have a better, proven idea to help our soldiers cope with their terrible experiences, lets hear it. In the meantime, don't knock it until you've experienced it.
I served in the corps from '71 to '74 and the majority of the comments I just read turn my stomach. adc this has nothing to do with your bull@!$%# one true God. So shut your pie hole. sheilanwp go buy another tactical weapon to defend your own dumb ass. OCinLA you think people realy help us? Wrong. STexan your a pussy. Go to a gun show and play your Rambo wanta be bad ass motor mouth crap. Deweydan I pissed on the cong for killing my friends and brothers. Go hide in your cubical and play on your computer chicken @!$%#.
To the others, thanks and Semper Fi
Thank you for your service.
Nutcase,
Thank you for your service to our nation during the Viet Nam War. It was before my time. However, I served with a good number of senior officers and senior noncommissioned officers that served in that war. They were all wonderful people and fine Soldiers. I am certain that you were a fine Marine. Sir, thank you again.
V/r,
LTC Rattus, USA, ret. USMA '89
meditation is not the answer ,we have been fighting a wars for ten years some of these MARINES have been doing multiple tours ,good friend of mine did 4.whether we like or not we are going to have to either decrease the lentghs of thier tours or increase the size of the CORPS.when i was an active duty MARINE we did a rotation of 6months deployed 12 months divided into 6months of training and what we called air alert. the best answer would be to increase the size of the CORPS so the lenths of the tours can be shortened and limit the amount of tours MARINES can do.but we can't lose sight what the MARINES are for they are the u.s.'best and most complete fighting force that because of them we can sleep peacefully at night.
The best move for the Marines is to get them out of the Navy, and make them part of the Army.
It's the logical thing to do.
Why would the Marines want to play for the taxi squad?
starguy are you crazy or what ?it is obvious you know nothing about the the MARINE CORPS!MARINES ARE NOT SOLDIERS!! just ask any MARINE.if you don't understand i can never explain. just one thing how could the MARINES being part of the army change the problem.i would rather see the CORPS disbanded than that happen!!!!!
Marines, trying meditation? No way. Can't be done.
The Jarheads need to HAVE a mind to focus with, in the first place!
(From a US Army veteran)
starguy you know what ARMY stands for? "Arn't Ready to be Marines Yet"
(From a Jarhead) peace brother
The Marines and Army have both been practising meditation for years. It's called marksmanship. If you want to put a round downrange and expect to hit anything at 500 hundred meters or more, you need to concentrate and control your breathing. Same principal.
Promoting and encouraging meditation is awesome. I hope these guys get benefit from meditation practices.
...and let's put God back into their prayers. I understand Priests are prohibited from mentioning God.
Betty, "WE" don't need to put God into anybody's prayers. I'm pretty sure that grown-a$$ men and women, whose job it is to fight and die for this country, are fully capable of deciding for themselves if they want to pray, and to whom, and then doing so. I'm sure that if they want God in their prayers, He is. Without our requiring it.
Betty, you have no idea what you're talking about.
Then you don't understand much.
The Marines should be given an eight week course in the Holy Bible.
Frank we do "Kill em all and let God sort it out" Amen
What about forcing an 8 week course on the Holy Bible to the Mujahadeen in Khost Province, Afganistan?
LTC Rattus, USA, ret.
What is it with the religious whackjobs that want to turn our military into an "army for God?"
God damn psychos.
If meditation helps our soldiers deal with the stresses of combat, then I'm all for it. Please note that this is an a small control group, to see if the practice does help or not. Meditation is not a religion. It is a way of bringing your mind to a peaceful state where you can deal with what you are experiencing in your life in a more effective and less damaging way.
I will agree with one of the previous posts, as well, because I believe that sending soldiers back into combat for one tour after another does them great harm. Not only do they have to deal with the stress of combat, but they also have to deal with the stress of spending so much time away from family. It is hard to keep a family together when you keep getting redeployed. When family life is damaged it only adds to the stress of combat. So the soldier is watching his life at home be destroyed while he gets redeployed for the third or fourth time. Put that together with living in a combat zone and you have a recipe for PTSD and whatever else.
Limit deployments. It is inhuman to keep sending them back.
Hooray for the Marine Corps. Mediation works; mediation calms the mind, mediation allows one to focus, mediation gives a soldier, or anyone, an edge, because they can mentally pause and collect their thoughts, and focus on their mission, not just react to all the yelling and noise around them.
A lot of the Oriental mediation and exercise techniques were developed by military leaders many, many centuries ago to benefit their soldiers. If it works, (and as the LTC pointed out, it does work), use it.
Meditation helped me remain "relatively sane." It helped me a lot both before and after I retired from the Army.
Rat
My local VAMC has a research project underway to examine the effects of Transcendental Meditation on veterans suffering from PTSD, anxiety & depression. There is also a separate research project underway on mindfulness training. It's encouraging to see the willingness of the VA to expand into new arenas to find alternatives to pharmaceutical approaches to solve these problems, especially in light of the challenges so many veterans are facing. The fact that the Marines are taking steps in the same direction seems to indicate that there are benefits to be gained. I anticipate that the other services will be following suit in due time.
Article talks about our military "facing record suicide rates" and thousands of soldiers seeking treatment for post traumatic stress, yet our government is doing their best to assure that God is taken out of prayers. Makes no sense...in fact, it is nonsense.
Betty, If you really believe in God, and you believe that he is all powerful, then why are you so worried about mere humans blocking his access to those who need him? Don't confuse politics with belief in God. One has nothing to do with the other. If a soldier needs God, he will find him.
We had herbal remedies when I was in.
LOL!
That's what I was thinking. The real key to dealing with stress is prevention. Just issue them all a pot ration.
I think, when we as a society quit glorifying war and quit causing young men to think of military service as just another job we might see the suicide rate go down. We ought to be teaching the horror of war to our young men before they volunteer to be part of it. It isn't for everybody.
As a retired Marine with combat experience, I think this is an excellent initiative. Staying focused and in control of oneself is an imperitive. I was fortunate, I was in a situation, underfire, watching tracers and listening to bullets go past my head and between my legs. I didn't get hit, but a round hit the dirt in front of me and it slamed into my face. It was pitch black outside, I didn't know whether or not I was hurt, sweat was pouring off of me and I didn't know if it was blood or not. I layed there in the dirt for a while, seconds/minutes not sure. I thought of my wife and daughter and just "Stopped" my life for a moment or two. I managed to regain my perspective, became totally calm, continued my mission, got back to my fighting hole and survived the night. Three days later I couldn't hold a canteen cup. The point I'm trying to make is with training, you can maintain control and focus. There is nothing wrong with learning how to remain in control.
This isn't about God or religion, it's about contolling emotions and fear and staying mentally awake and focused. This is nothing new. The coach would grab you by the scruff of the neck and say "TAKE 10" and you did. It gave you a moment to get your head a ass wired together. There is nothing wrong with this. Husbands and wives should pay attention. I've been married for 50 years, I know what I'm talking about.
Obtain a new Commander in Chief, instead to reduce stress.
A much preferred solution.
Little wonder so many are not reenlisting.
Embarrassing.
Justis4U
I put up with 8 years of the 3 stooges (Channey, Rumsfeld, and Bush) and survived. I suggest
you do the same. Try showing some respect for the office of the Presidency of the United States because your embarrassing us as a people.
If you don't like it here leave or get the Republican party to pick someone that's worth a damn.
I love this story about helping the soldiers with mental exercises and meditation to decompress. We need forward-thinkers like this that try to address the problems coming down the pike for those that serve. Once again, I am impressed with the military addressing challenges to better the lives of our soldiers. I credit many of the these changes to our current administration. This is one idea that could have been tried years ago-but it wasn't. We have two children that served. One was in the Marines and the other is in the USAF. They both support the President.
Mediation is an ancient practice. It has shown to increase intelligence if done regularly.