Being in themilitaryis very different from many other jobs. Instead of sitting at a desk all day, you might have to endure extreme physical challenges from sun up to sun down. But there are certain rules that apply in allworkplaces, one of the most important being that you must treat all of your colleagues with respect.
One man recently hopped on Reddit tosharethe story of how someone in his boot camp decided it would befunnyto become a bully. So to make sure that he put an end to the man’s behavior, the author sought icy cold revenge. Below, you’ll find the full story, as well as a conversation with the author.
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Bullying is never acceptable, especially not in the workplace
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So when this man noticed that someone in his boot camp was being targeted, he found a way to get revenge on his tormentor
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Later, the author clarified a few details about the situation
Image credits:ENMR-OG
“If you’re not a team player, don’t help others, don’t protect and support others, then your life will be hell”
To find out more about this situation, we reached out to the Reddit user who posted this story,. He was kind enough to have a chat withBored Pandaand share what inspired him to tell this story now.
We were also curious to know whether behavior like this was common in boot camp or not. “Here’s the thing, if you’re a dirtbag sailor/grunt/airman, etc., you will be endlessly bullied for not ‘pulling your weight,'” the OP says. “If you’re not a team player, don’t help others, don’t protect and support others, then your life will be hell with bullying. Once you earn respect from your peers, the bullying stops.”
But thankfully, ENMR-OG says he absolutely knows that this bully learned his lesson that day. “He never said another word to anyone for the rest of boot camp that I recall,” he shared. “He was sufficiently terrified since he had no idea who did it. He had 90+ people to worry about now.”
Finally, ENMR-OG added that, “The Military brotherhood is build on respect and love for your fellow soldier, as you have to trust that they will save your life on day, and vice versa. What I did that day was to protect one of my guys initially, but later realized the lasting effects were potentially much broader.”
Bullying only exacerbates the pre-existing mental health crisis in the military
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A recent survey fromJAMA Networkfound that approximately 12% of combat soldiers experienced bullying or hazing while away on deployment. What’s even more concerning is the impact that this harassment can have on members of the military.
Some soldiers reported that they have since developed mental health issues, such as major depression, explosive anger, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal ideation and even substance use disorder.
Researchers also noted that the chance of developing these issues increased after beingbulliedor hazed, even among people who were already at a higher risk due to their socioeconomic background or medicalhistory.
Mental health issues are already extremely prevalent in the military, so there is absolutely no reason why anyone should be playing with fire and increasing another person’s risk for developing these conditions.Health.milreports that, during 2022, over 17% of “active duty service members had some form of psychological health concern for which they sought treatment.”
Everyone who witnesses bullying is culpable if they do nothing to stop it
So what should members of the military do when they witness or experience bullying? The simple answer is: report it and put a stop to it immediately.
The Army, for example, has a veryclear stanceon harassment and even notes that aggressors will be held accountable, even if the victim consents to their behavior.
TheLaw Office of Matthew Barryexplains that some behaviors that are considered bullying include: physically striking another person; intimidating, teasing, mocking and spreading rumors; oral or written berating of another person; encouraging another person to engage in illegal, harmful, demeaning, or dangerous acts; playing abusive or malicious tricks; branding, handcuffing, duct taping, tattooing, shaving, greasing, painting, hitting, spitting on, shoving another person; forcing another person to consumefood, alcohol, illegal substances, etc.; degrading or damaging another’s property or reputation.
“We are duty bound to protect one another from hazing in any form,” Dempsey shared.
Amused readers applauded the author for his clever revenge, and some shared similar stories of their own
Thanks! Check out the results:Gabija Palšytė
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