Is This Generation “Too Soft” or Are Previous Generations “Too Tough”

By LT Elizabeth "Mickey" Jagoe, USN

It’s no secret that there is an ongoing issue with mental health in this generation of Sailors. Everyone is looking for the magic formula to fix recruiting deficiencies through bonuses, lowering recruitment standards, and even desperate calls to ask previous service members if they’d like to rejoin. The answer is and always has been simple, but we are continuously missing the mark. I want to begin with a personal story.

As a Division Officer, our Sailors were amongst some of the least qualified, with some being two years behind on basic qualifications. A majority of them shared major signs of trauma in their personal lives. I heard stories of parents in prison, parents who died tragically, substance abuse, abuse from their spouses, PTSD, and much more. I was admittedly like some other Division Officers in the beginning, where I took a very neutral role - I mainly observed, and did not enact many changes. Until everything changed.

In our dynamic environment of service, there are a myriad of circumstances that can contribute to a Sailor experiencing a mental health crisis. For instance, the pressure of combat deployments may trigger symptoms of PTSD, leading to severe anxiety or flashbacks. Alternatively, the isolation of long deployments or the strain of balancing family commitments with operational duties can exacerbate feelings of loneliness and depression. Additionally, the rigidity of military hierarchy and disciplinary actions for minor infractions may intensify stress levels, pushing some Sailors to the brink. My call to action was when I found myself retrieving one of my Sailors from the hospital following a mental health crisis. Shortly afterwards, they were reassigned out of my division to be processed out of the Navy. This loss added to our shortage of qualified personnel, further burdening the division and deepening our collective sense of dismay.

To comprehend this situation fully, it's crucial to acknowledge that mental health extends beyond individuals confined to mental institutions. It's not merely a modern excuse for avoiding responsibilities. Mental health is a well studied scientific field that shows how trauma profoundly impacts both the body and brain, and influences behaviors across a spectrum. Everyone has a physical and mental response to trauma when their sympathetic nervous system is overloaded. On a very basic level, we can categorize these responses as fight or flight. Based on my experiences, I believe the responses exhibited by individuals of different generations reflect the distinct environments and educational influences that have shaped their behaviors. Let me explain why.

While I was speaking with a Vietnam War Veteran, I asked about his experiences with mental health. He talked about encounters in combat, extreme hardships, and getting into verbal and physical altercations. By the end of the interview, I felt like I had learned nothing about how he handled his trauma. As I was sharing this story, a friend commented: “What do you mean? He told you everything you need to know. He engaged in his fight response."

That’s when it hit me - previous generations were most likely taught to deal with trauma via their fight responses. This response may be the result of a series of many wars, older generations (i.e., parents and grandparents) encouraging them to fight back against bullies, and that real men and women don’t cry. In today’s generation of no military drafts, being told bullying is bad, and “fighting will get you expelled,” I’ve observed that younger generations are dealing with trauma via quiet quitting, ghosting, or being left hospitalized and determined unfit for duty. All of these are potentially forms of a flight response. In observing responses to trauma, I suspect that different generations may have distinct ways of coping, and recognizing and respecting these varied strategies can foster empathy and support for individuals across generations.

So, who is going to budge? Will the newer generations ”toughen up” or will the older generations “soften up?" If the unhealthy responses to trauma include fight or flight, the healthy responses can be boiled down into the scientifically studied parasympathetic nervous system: Eat, Sleep, Relax. Furthermore, it can be broken down into the “5 Pillars of Mental Health." They consist of Spiritual, Mental, Emotional, Physical, and Social Health. As these pillars are practiced, it’s been shown that human beings are stronger, smarter, and more resilient overall. I now understand why the Navy has focused heavily on the concept of resiliency after COVIDmany support structures were stripped away from our Sailors during that time. As our Sailors are our best recruiters, this situation has likely contributed to a drop in recruitment and retention.

To maintain the well-being of our division, our leadership recognized the importance of ensuring the health of our Sailors. We focused on instilling those essential pillars to empower them to bring their best selves to work every day.

First, we established a positive and uplifting community through an organized group chat, sharing interesting articles, research, meetups, and health information to foster connectedness.

Secondly, we praised and encouraged them each time they became qualified, rather than punishing them for falling behind, which quickly led us to become the most qualified shop in our unit.

Lastly, we showed we cared by learning their needs personally and professionally, and working hard to meet them. After multiple MAPs, numerous qualifications, and winning the coveted "Shop in the Spotlight" Award, it was clear our approach was successful.

I recently paid a visit to the new squadron HSM-79 that was essentially stood up from the ground up. I asked their CO the secret of his success and he said simply “We take care of our people first." If you take away anything from this article I challenge you to understand that everyone responds to trauma differently. We should all strive to recognize our responses and lean into the key components of mental resilience. I also challenge you to care for your own and other’s mental well being, and not to wait until it reaches the emergency room. The path forward for our Navy lies in the hands of compassionate leaders who prioritize the mental well-being of our Sailors. Let's seize the opportunity to enact proactive wellness initiatives, propelling our Navy towards a future defined by resilience and excellence.