The narrative illustrates the potential consequences of unchecked freedom, highlighting how a brief period of liberty can lead individuals to make dangerous choices. In this case, an army soldier, after being granted a four-day pass instead of hospitalization, uses his freedom to purchase a gun and visit an ex-girlfriend, setting a concerning tone for the possible outcomes of such actions.
The story of Army specialist Austin Valley highlights a crisis the US military can’t seem to solve: More service members die by suicide than in combat. A veteran psychologist told Congress what to do about it, and today he tells us.
This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Noel King. Photo courtesy of Erik Valley.
Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast
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