Acquittal in the Danny Chen Army Suicide Case

[micrometers]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/31/n...pvt-danny-chen-to-suicide-in-afghanistan.html

Apparently the jury believed that it was more to do with Chen being a lousy soldier than with him being unfairly singled out due to his race. It's hard to tell.

He was apparently like 6'4" and under 150 lbs somehow.

 

[DucatiMonster696]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/31/n...pvt-danny-chen-to-suicide-in-afghanistan.html

Apparently the jury believed that it was more to do with Chen being a lousy soldier than with him being unfairly singled out due to his race. It's hard to tell.

This incident just highlights a failure in the chain of command and in our armed forces policies to quickly address and remove soldiers from front line positions who are deemed psychically or mentally unfit for duty by their superiors in a combat field of operation.

Hence this failure of identifying these soldiers and a lack of quick action by their superiors causes repercussions to spiral out of control and thus you end up with cases of people not ready for front line duty being deployed in a hot zone where there is no room for mistakes period and others end up growing basically resentful toward them because they have to pick up the slack for said person.

He was apparently like 6'4" and under 150 lbs somehow.

Height has no real bearing on whether or not you are physically fit and neither does weight always indicate a person's true muscle mass and strength levels, neither does it indicate anything relating to their cardiovascular fitness levels. In addition said comment does not speak to their mental readiness and strength to enter and endure being a combat zone and being able to deal with the harsh realities that come about from being in such a place along with having to survive others in this place as part of an active combat unit.

 

[micrometers]

I'd think someone who was 6'4" and 150 lbs would be very underweight. Especially for a soldier.

I've read reports that a black soldier also reported that he had racial slurs hurled at him by the same commander. The question is how much was racism.

 

[her209]

I'd think someone who was 6'4" and 150 lbs would be very underweight. Especially for a soldier.

I've read reports that a black soldier also reported that he had racial slurs hurled at him by the same commander. The question is how much was racism.

I read a couple articles regarding this case over the weekend. Some of the harrassing "nicknames" Chen was called was "Dragon Lady", "Jackie Chen" and "Eggroll" among other things.

 

[micrometers]

This interests me b/c one major factor in Nidal Hassan snapping was petty insults from fellow troops because of his Muslim heritage. Makes you wonder about the military.

 

[DucatiMonster696]

This interests me b/c one major factor in Nidal Hassan snapping was petty insults from fellow troops because of his Muslim heritage. Makes you wonder about the military.

Pretty sure it's not a US military policy to condone such behavior or remarks but the reality is no one can control individual behavior or beliefs without walking into scary authoritarian territory, i.e thought-police.

 

[Phokus]

Pretty sure it's not a US military policy to condone such behavior or remarks but the reality is no one can control individual behavior or beliefs without walking into scary authoritarian territory, i.e thought-police.

I invite you to hurl racist insults and even lay a finger on your co-workers and see what happens.

 

[Phokus]

This interests me b/c one major factor in Nidal Hassan snapping was petty insults from fellow troops because of his Muslim heritage. Makes you wonder about the military.

There airforce had a pretty big problem with evangelical soldiers discriminating against atheist/jewish soldiers.

They also have a problem with rape.

Come to think of it, unless you're a straight white male christian, i don't know why the fuck you would want to join up.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

I'd think someone who was 6'4" and 150 lbs would be very underweight. Especially for a soldier.

I've read reports that a black soldier also reported that he had racial slurs hurled at him by the same commander. The question is how much was racism.

Jesus, do people not watch Full Metal Jacket before they sign up? I would expect my Drill Sergeant to call me a fat ass piece of shit white bread cracker if I joined and went to boot camp.

It's not the military's fault that people dive headlong into a shitstream and get upset because they are covered in poop.

 

[kyrax12]

6'4 and 150 pounds is EXTREMELY underweight.

I am about 5'10 and nearing 140 pounds and I am considered skinny.

If the dude was jacked I wonder if those people would still pick on him that often.


Thing I don't get is what job was he doing in the military? From what I heard, Infantry is one of those jobs that have the most ignorant of the ignorants.

 

[Nebor]

6'4 and 150 pounds is EXTREMELY underweight.

I am about 5'10 and nearing 140 pounds and I am considered skinny.

If the dude was jacked I wonder if those people would still pick on him that often.


Thing I don't get is what job was he doing in the military? From what I heard, Infantry is one of those jobs that have the most ignorant of the ignorants.

Infantry has one of the lowest required ASVAB scores to qualify, but one of highest average scores of any MOS. This is due to relatively smart kids playing Call of Duty and then wanting to do it in real life.

As for the subject at hand, suicide is a serious problem in the military. People come over here, thousands of miles from home to fight a war that no one believes in, under a bunch of restrictions that make the fight even more cumbersome and unwinnable than it naturally is. People who need a support structure of other people don't have their family to lean on, and if they don't fit in with their units, they become isolated. Factor in the constant presence of firearms and you get a lot of suicides. Oh, also we incentivize it by still paying out the $400,000 military life insurance (SGLI) and a host of other "survivor" benefits to the families of those who commit suicide.

 

[unokitty]

My sympathy to Private Chen's Family.

My sympathy also to everyone else involved.

A fact:

“More U.S. military personnel have died by suicide since the war in Afghanistan began than have died fighting there.”


Best of luck to all of the young soldiers, sailors, and marines.

Uno
Sentry Dog Handler
US Army, 69-71

 

[DucatiMonster696]

Pretty sure it's not a US military policy to condone such behavior or remarks but the reality is no one can control individual behavior or beliefs without walking into scary authoritarian territory, i.e thought-police.

I invite you to hurl racist insults and even lay a finger on your co-workers and see what happens.

Interesting...You have a completely twisted perception of reality and I see that this is what fuels your stupidity.

 

[micrometers]

I'd think that an organization could do more to combat such behavior, which is detrimental to morale and unit cohesion. Again, that was a major factor in Nidal Hassan's alienation and eventual shooting.

 

[Nebor]

I'd think that an organization could do more to combat such behavior, which is detrimental to morale and unit cohesion. Again, that was a major factor in Nidal Hassan's alienation and eventual shooting.

There's only so much maturity you can force on a bunch of 18-20 year olds.

 

[pcgeek11]

I'd think that an organization could do more to combat such behavior, which is detrimental to morale and unit cohesion. Again, that was a major factor in Nidal Hassan's alienation and eventual shooting.

Nidal Hassan?

I don't give a shit what he was called. It was no excuse to murder. I am glad he is in a wheel chair and I hope he get the death penalty.

 

[micrometers]

Nidal Hassan?

I don't give a shit what he was called. It was no excuse to murder. I am glad he is in a wheel chair and I hope he get the death penalty.

No excuse, I agree, but it still was a factor. Meaning that it's worthwhile to stamp out.

 

[micrometers]

There's only so much maturity you can force on a bunch of 18-20 year olds.

They will follow the rules of the organization.

 

[micrometers]

6'4 and 150 pounds is EXTREMELY underweight.

I am about 5'10 and nearing 140 pounds and I am considered skinny.

If the dude was jacked I wonder if those people would still pick on him that often.


Thing I don't get is what job was he doing in the military? From what I heard, Infantry is one of those jobs that have the most ignorant of the ignorants.

I'm ashamed to say it because he's dead, but I want to believe that he in some way brought this on himself by being unprepared and inattentive, and that the situation in this big and powerful institution isn't so bad.

 

[davmat787]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/31/n...pvt-danny-chen-to-suicide-in-afghanistan.html

Apparently the jury believed that it was more to do with Chen being a lousy soldier than with him being unfairly singled out due to his race. It's hard to tell.

He was apparently like 6'4" and under 150 lbs somehow.

"Skinny guys fight 'til they're burger."

 

[Nebor]

They will follow the rules of the organization.

Hahaha, yeah, that's what Joes are best known for: following the rules. What planet are you on?

 

[micrometers]

Hahaha, yeah, that's what Joes are best known for: following the rules. What planet are you on?

Well, anyways, these stories don't help army recruitment.