A disturbing news....Army lacks many tools to de-stress forces
The Indian Army loses twice as many men to stress as to terrorist attacks. But it does not have any of the systems put in place in by some other armies to combat the problem.
Though the US Army in Iraq has a higher rate of deaths due to suicide and fraternal killings ââ¬â 17 per lakh per annum as opposed to Indiaââ¬â¢s 10.8 ââ¬â the actual number of deaths in India is higher. Despite this, and a history of deployment at high-pressure locations, the army has only recently begun to think of steps to counter deaths due to stress.
It is now planning to deploy 50 counsellors in Kashmir and the Northeast, where the army is engaged in counter-insurgency operations, and to introduce yoga and other relaxation methods in the field.
These measures may not, however, be enough to check the trend, admit senior officers. They say the problem is more complex and not restricted to the pressure of work and the demands of family life.
The measures employed by the American armed forces are more extensive. They have conducted extensive studies and created detailed handbooks on stress, set up emergency dial-in numbers for soldiers returning from the field, and introduced other initiatives.
Most American military units include a chaplain and his assistant, who talk to soldiers regularly and help them to deal with their problems. Though there are priests in the Indian Army, they do not enjoy the confidence of the soldiers or work in a similar capacity.
The US forces also have dedicated combat stress teams consisting of mental health specialists, social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists, who meet soldiers in forward areas to assess how they are coping with the stress.
The American programmes for helping soldiers do not end with the deployment. Major re-deployment stations have mental health programmes that offer seminars and counselling on stress to ensure continued attention. Military approved agencies like the Military OneSource provide assistance online and on telephone. There is also a dedicated army substance abuse programme and high level of coordination with Alcoholics Anonymous. The Indian Army offers no such facilities.
