Military Leadership or Bullying?

What’s the Latest Development?

Stars and Stripes reports on the case of a soldier who was maltreated and hazed before taking his life. It says an Army investigation into Brushaun Anderson’s unit following his suicide concluded that he had been subjected to “cruel, abusive and oppressive treatment” and while four of his superiors were found responsible for his maltreatment, all are moving ahead in careers as leaders. Some say a common Army leadership ethos is “if you aren’t yelling at soldiers, you aren’t doing your job.” 

What’s the Big Idea?

The Army is confronting an unprecedented suicide crisis. Since the start of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, more than 1100 soldiers have killed themselves, and the numbers have grown for each of the last six years. In 2010 alone, 301 soldiers committed suicide—a new record.