Over the past 25 years, there has been a noticeable shift in service dynamics, moving from a caring, community-focused environment to a more impersonal, corporate approach. This transition has prioritized meeting quotas and numbers over genuine human connection, leading to instances where individuals, particularly children, feel neglected and overlooked. The emphasis on metrics has fostered a less compassionate atmosphere, undermining the sense of brotherhood that once characterized the service.
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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