Recent media reports have highlighted the role that military service has played in police shootings, suicides, homicides and other crimes. However, these reports are reactive in nature and only highlight the sensational incident, possible causal factors, penalty and/or tragic result of the incident.
Rare are the reports that suggest positive ways to isolate causal variables and provide mitigation strategies or preventive programs. Even a preliminary discussion of this issue becomes controversial and creates a defensive posture among veterans groups who do not want to improperly typecast a majority of law-abiding veterans as threats to society. However, avoiding a serious discussion and focused dialogue on real issues and statistical trends misses an opportunity to create a proactive approach to preventative programs and de-escalation strategies for those veterans who are encountering re-integration challenges and crises. And, when these opportunities are missed, an increased likelihood for flashpoints and crises persist, which increases the likelihood of isolated, and often extreme veteran incidents. Comparatively, veteran incidents are statistically lower than violent encounters within general population categories.
In today’s all volunteer military, the demographic of service members reflects a high caliber of responsible citizens in which any elevated trend is indicative of problem issues. The increase in veteran incidents is due to the lack of successful proactive programs being in place, and represents a unique threat to law enforcement because of increased proficiency in urban combat tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs).
Peer to Peer PTSD Support Program
Peer to Peer PTSD Support Program
Recent media reports have highlighted the role that military service has played in police shootings, suicides, homicides and other crimes. However, these reports are reactive in nature and only highlight the sensational incident, possible causal factors, penalty and/or tragic result of the incident.
Rare are the reports that suggest positive ways to isolate causal variables and provide mitigation strategies or preventive programs. Even a preliminary discussion of this issue becomes controversial and creates a defensive posture among veterans groups who do not want to improperly typecast a majority of law-abiding veterans as threats to society. However, avoiding a serious discussion and focused dialogue on real issues and statistical trends misses an opportunity to create a proactive approach to preventative programs and de-escalation strategies for those veterans who are encountering re-integration challenges and crises. And, when these opportunities are missed, an increased likelihood for flashpoints and crises persist, which increases the likelihood of isolated, and often extreme veteran incidents. Comparatively, veteran incidents are statistically lower than violent encounters within general population categories.
In today’s all volunteer military, the demographic of service members reflects a high caliber of responsible citizens in which any elevated trend is indicative of problem issues. The increase in veteran incidents is due to the lack of successful proactive programs being in place, and represents a unique threat to law enforcement because of increased proficiency in urban combat tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs).