Canadian soldiers arrested after drunken brawl

[ladybugmabj]

To ladybugmabj, I hope your hubby (and all the other troops in his regiment) comes home safe and sound and has no unresolved issues to deal with.
We're all pullin' for ya.  

Thanks!!  I'm sure they're fine..for now. He should be landing in Trenton very soon...YIPPPEEEEE. All of the battlegroup is now out of Afghanistan, so now it's 2RCR's turn to make us proud. Good Luck to the 2nd Battalion!!

 

[043]

Have to wade in as this is a good article..............

Decompression is required............IMHO. As for you guys who are on here slagging the guys for scrapping with the cops..............it happens!!!! Get over it.........these individuals that are decompressing..................are decompressing!!!!!!!!! Cops, civies, bartenders, etc........it's a drunken scrap that people, not just soldiers have been doing for years!!! Don't be some high and mighty and so damn judgmental. In the overall scheme of things, it is very very very minor!

 

[Big Red]

Alcohol as a tool of relaxation/whatever is a tool of the weak. 'Nuff said.

: BS.

Alcohol helps guys relax and talk about things they wouldn't otherwise speak about.  A good bender every now and again keeps people sane.

 

[043]

: BS.

Alcohol helps guys relax and talk about things they wouldn't otherwise speak about.  A good bender every now and again keeps people sane.

+10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[vonGarvin]

: BS.

Alcohol helps guys relax and talk about things they wouldn't otherwise speak about.  A good bender every now and again keeps people sane.

I agree 95%.  I am not quite certain that a total bender is what's required; however, even alcoholics will state the benefits of alcohol: in moderation.  As you state, it helps you relax and to talk about things that would otherwise be suppressed, and we all know how dangerous that is.

Still, a good bender from time to time is still good: that's why it's called a "good bender".  ;D

 

[GUNS]

There is nothing good about having the CF put in the lime light due to the conduct of its soldiers. Going on a "bender" is not always the best thing to do,especially after what these soldiers have been through the past six months.
Do these soldiers deserve a "bender", yes. Is it necessary to go on a "bender", no.  The CF has very good support programs to assist soldiers with whatever bothers them. Alcohol should not be considered as a support treatment.

 

[MikeM]

The decompression is a great thing, of course I wanted to come home just as badly as anyone else, I enjoyed my 4 days in Limassol, and aside from a few MINOR events, it went well, those who got in shit were taken off booze and that was that. Troops coming out of theatre need a third location to relax in, a place where they can be with their buddies, blow off some steam, and go on a little bit of a bender with those buddies. As for your comment about alcohol being a tool for the weak to relax, I won't even bother, others have chimed in on that, and those others know what they're talking about.

Piper, cops that get in the shit normally get a critical incident debriefing shortly after its all over and done with. Theres a big difference between that, and getting in the shit overseas. There was one time when anyone from the Psych part of the medical branch came out to the field to chat with us, and that was the day before I got on the Chinook out of the field.. and it wasn't anything formal, just a Col walking around having a chat with the troops, which was nice, but could have been better served somewhere else in the tour (i.e post OP Medusa). At no point after any of our engagements did we take time to chat with the padre about it, we watched our arcs and kept working, it would be nice to have incident debriefings quickly, but it's just not possible.

As for the professionalism, I agree 100%, but like you said, they came back from something you haven't been close to doing, and thats where it ends for you. People are reading into this way too much, a few guys got loaded, got in a fight, and then the police came. There's nothing different there than a scrap happening at the River Club, or any bar district in Canada on a weekend for that matter. These guys represent the Canadian Forces, but like everywhere in society, it takes 1 person to screw it up for the rest of us.

It's easy to armchair quarterback and look down on people.

 

[Kat Stevens]

Interesting how many of the "boys will be boys" posters in this thread would be the first to yell for heads if three drunken plumbers on Whyte Ave resisted arrest and assaulted law enforcement officers.

And, before anyone gets the wrong idea, I've been plenty drunk, and plenty stupid, plenty of times.  Paid for it every time I got caught, too.

 

[Roy Harding]

Interesting how many of the "boys will be boys" posters in this thread would be the first to yell for heads if three drunken plumbers on Whyte Ave resisted arrest and assaulted law enforcement officers.

And, before anyone gets the wrong idea, I've been plenty drunk, and plenty stupid, plenty of times.  Paid for it every time I got caught, too.

Don't make assumptions - my principles and convictions are clear, and I LIVE by them.

I AM one of the "boys will be boys" posters - and I NEVER yelled regarding Whyte Ave - even when it was my son being (wrongly, I believe - but I'll give the bye to the police) detained.

 

[Kat Stevens]

I never said anything about anyone being wrongly detained; That was YOUR assumption, not mine, and I really wasn't looking to get snarky here.  I said anyone RESISTING ARREST AND ASSAULTING LAW ENFORCEMENT TYPES".  Hardly the same as being wrongfully detained.  Nevertheless, I'm obviously wrong, so continue on without me.

 

[J.J]

Speaking from personal experience here...I have been on the receiving end, as a LEO of the abuse from recently repatriated soldiers. The soldiers in question were US Marines back from Iraq, coming to Canada for beers and girls. They were mouthy, physical and belligerent and should have gone to jail. I understood where they are coming from, I had a talk with them and they calmed down. My colleagues, who are nonmilitary were quite pissed these Marines were not arrested. I explained their situation, they understood and actually a couple apologized for being hard assed with them and wished them a good night. Guessing what the Cyprus cops would say...boys will be boys. If weapons were involved or serious injuries were incurred that is a different story.  Let the NDA handle the situation (hopefully nothing severe or stupid) and thank the soldiers in question for their service and forget about the incident. 

 

[Roy Harding]

I never said anything about anyone being wrongly detained; That was YOUR assumption, not mine, and I really wasn't looking to get snarky here.  I said anyone RESISTING ARREST AND ASSAULTING LAW ENFORCEMENT TYPES".  Hardly the same as being wrongfully detained.  Nevertheless, I'm obviously wrong, so continue on without me.

I could take this apart - but I won't.

The point is - YOU made an assumption about ME (amongst others) - YOU got called on it.

I remain firmly in the "boys will be boys" camp - and expect that the CoC will take care of this MINOR incident.

 

[mudrecceman]

It seems this incident has happened before!  Many times in fact!

Outside this lil club called Sweetwaters in Freddytown, NB, I have witnessed such news-worthy acts take place.  Wait.  There was more!  Univeristy students also involved in this International news event!

Big deal.  This probably happens after how many pub crawls by "Company A" all across Canada...sheesh.  After hockey games in every city?  On university campus's after football games...yadda yadda yadda.  Hardly news if its paid no attention.

:

 

[orange.paint]

Edmonton during BTE-guys jumped into the dolphin pool on our 48 hr pass.
Slovenia during R&R-member shouting "Chimo"as he urinated from the bar onto the floor...in a waving motion.

I could go on and on but I'm sure you all could name stories in and out of country like this.

The media hasn't picked up on this,or find it too small to even comment.Personally I think we are being to over critical of a unpretentious incident.

Instead of the media blowing this out of proportion we are.

Their chain of command will decide from the VAILD information provided,and drop or press charges.

 

[ModlrMike]

I could go on and on but I'm sure you all could name stories in and out of country like this.

The media hasn't picked up on this,or find it too small to even comment.Personally I think we are being to over critical of a unpretentious incident.

Instead of the media blowing this out of proportion we are.

Their chain of command will decide from the VAILD information provided,and drop or press charges.

Exactly. It comes down to a basic principle of being in the service:

Act like an adult... you're treated as an adult; act like a child... you're treated as a child.

Some folks have to touch the stove to find out that it's hot... as expected, they get burned. If these soldiers did actually transgress, then their units will handle them. There are several examples of this for our tour.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Act like an adult... you're treated as an adult; act like a child... you're treated as a child.

Heh, if only this was true in the CF.  I can't count how many times, at 28 years old, I've been treated like a child at work. Ya no not just me but other fellow soldiers.


An honestly, is this alcohol thing new?
The military has been using alcohol to control troops for how long?
How many ex's have we been on where at the end of the ex we're promised the coveted two beers. We laugh at it and pass it off but at the end there we are for our 2 'earned' beers. The higher ups making it seem like it was the queen herself who authorized it

Soldiers get drunk, soldier get stupid, media jumps on it and we beat it to death

 

[043]

Interesting how many of the "boys will be boys" posters in this thread would be the first to yell for heads if three drunken plumbers on Whyte Ave resisted arrest and assaulted law enforcement officers.

And, before anyone gets the wrong idea, I've been plenty drunk, and plenty stupid, plenty of times.  Paid for it every time I got caught, too.

Kat,

I am so upset.............You've been drunk and stupid?? Ah man!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[TheHead]

Bullshit.

3VP Op Apollo were the "first" - not that it matters.

The rest of your post is spot on.

Roy

Yeah Roy well 1VO Op Archer were the first to go through sustained combat  in Afghanistan.  - not that it matters  :

 

[Kevins833]

There's been some aguments here about the troops needing this time to unwind before they return to Canada....hence the argument that 'ya, they just need a good bender to let off steam before they bring any problems home'.

So we should allow our troops to unwind and 'blow off steam' in some other country and have them clean up the mess left behind as opposed to having the mess made here in Canada? Basically, a CF version of Canadian teens trashing hotels and resorts across the Carribean every spring break....you know, just to let off steam.

Come on. They are still CF members (and very obviously so) in a foreign country as a unit. That means, professionalism. I understand that they just got away from doing something that I have never come close to doing....but thats not an excuse. So by the same logic should cops coming off shift after a gunfight in Jane and Finch be allowed to go to a club the next province over and punch out some local cops after getting loaded all in the same of 'blowing off some steam'. When you join the CF or any other similar organisation, that puts you at a higher expectation of conduct then your average Joe.

Like I said, I understand the need for troops to relax after six months of combat...but, if your aim is to allow them to drink themseleves senseless to do it, rent out a resort in Wistler or something where they can at least be our problem, not the Cypriots or whatever.

Piper you have no clue.... And your right "something you have never come close to doing"  is all you know.  Hey I have and idea, how bout you do 6 mths stint like they did and come back here and state that its not an excuse.

I dont know why this post just pissed me off so much, but i hope some drunk vet comes home and punches you out

 

[Disenchantedsailor]

There are more important things to report in the news than a few' pissed up lads' creating a disturbance, which as been, yes you guessed it, hijacked by the media, and no doubt twisted to get ratings.

Bruises and scratches are nothing, even on a Cypriot Copper. If it was worse, say broken bones, or involving a knife, etc, yes then its newsworthy, but on page 99 of a 100 page paper.

Thats my opinion.

Cheers from Baghdaddy,

Wes

Except when those "pissed up lads" represent thier nation, the military must be held to a higher standard than civilians, just as are cops it is important for a society to see only good things, now the bad will come, but when a soldier F$$%$%^$% up in a foreign country they require disciplinary action, and public, regardeless of the outcome reprimand, small fine, whatever. The public needs to know that our military is carrying out thier will in the most profesional manner