Photo courtesy of AllAmericanPatriots.com.

The amount of hazing in the Army has declined over the past 10 to 15 years, National Association of Social Workers member Rene Robichaux, DSW, said in this article from the Army News Service.

Part of the reason is that American culture has changed and more people are aware of the ill effects of hazing and other forms of bullying, he said. The military culture has changed as well, he said.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin E. Dempsey in a recent statement urged all service members to have a personal responsibility to intervene in and stop any occurrences of hazing or bullying.

Robichaux is the Army’s Social Work program manager. He experienced hazing during his college fraternity days and again in 1967 when he was going through qualifications on a Navy submarine.

“I knew it was definitely hazing, and that it was time-limited, and completely tied to the time that it took to become proficient on that submarine,” he said.

Hazing in the military often takes place in elite units although it can occur in any branch of the service, Robichaux said. Hazing can cause depression, stress and even post traumatic stress disorder in victims, he said.

The National Association of Social Workers is committed to supporting the health and welfare of the our veterans and their families. Professional social workers can find resources to help veterans by visiting the NASW “Social Work with Veterans and Military Families” website by clicking here. And consumers can learn more about the services social workers provide veterans and their families by visiting NASW’s “Help Starts Here” Veterans Affairs website by clicking here.