The Manufactured Military Crisis
May 25, 2015
THE push to place women in combat and increase their presence in the military in general creates endless material for news stories. That is arguably why women are being placed in combat: It is an exciting drama. First there are stories about inequality and the smashing of barriers. Then there are stories, such as this Memorial Day feature in The New York Times, about the negative consequences of having women in the military and the need to smash more barriers. The Times wonders why so many female soldiers are depressed and suicidal.
“Every bad thing that happens, they interpret it as a sign that they don’t belong,” said Gregory M. Walton, an assistant professor of psychology at Stanford University.
That seems like mental health. Not mental illness.
