Suicide Prompts Bill to Nix Slots on Military Bases
- Jan 8, 2008 - 4
Our brave servicemen and servicewomen put their lives on the line each day to protect us from our enemies abroad, and many of them ultimately sacrifice their lives in combat. But another, little known danger is destroying some soldiers from within and has cost at least one soldier his life.
That enemy is the slot machine, and it exists by the thousands on our military bases throughout the world. Aaron Walsh, an accomplished Army Apache helicopter pilot, is one such victim. The “one-armed bandit” drained not only his bank account, but also his resolve to continue living.
In September 2006, after repeated, unsuccessful attempts to escape the bondage of the slots following his discharge from service the previous year due to his gambling addiction, Officer Walsh walked into a Maine state park and put a gun to his head, killing himself. He left behind a wife and two small children. His addiction, which began while he was stationed in Germany years earlier, had also contributed to a divorce from his first wife.
In honor of Officer Walsh, Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-TN) has introduced a bill that would help protect other members of the military from repeating that tragic story. H.R. 4497, titled the Warrant Officer Aaron Walsh Stop DOD-Sponsored Gambling Act, would ban slot machines and other gambling devices on military bases overseas.
While the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission is not completely comfortable with the bill because it still allows for charitable gambling and lottery sales, these are not the forms of gambling that are the most destructive to our servicemen and servicewomen. The bill is a very positive step in the right direction. It does not address everything, but it will certainly help us to protect those who have enlisted to protect us.
Congress now faces a crossroads of either continuing to tighten gambling policies, as it wisely did in 2006, or stepping back and loosening good laws already on the books. The devastation gambling has ravaged on countless families is evidence enough that gambling should be further restricted, not relaxed.
The military collects $130 million each year from their slot machines. They say this revenue is used to help boost morale with recreational programs and facilities, but they must find a better way to get this money. Our servicemen and servicewomen risk everything to keep us safe. The least we can do is try to return the blessing. Getting slot machines off our bases would be a good start.
Since the House of Representatives will not reconvene until next week, you can call your congressman or congresswoman’s district office or personally visit him or her this week and express your support for the Warrant Officer Aaron Walsh Act (H.R. 4497) to ban slots and other gambling machines on military bases.
Further Learning
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comments
1 On Jan 8th, 2008, at 3:28pm, Richard C. Smith wrote:
I am a veteran ... and served in the U.S. Air Force for over 9 years. I was stationed in Germany ... and there were slot machines in the clubs.
I repeatedly saw men lose their pay checks at the slots machines ... hoping for the big win. Do all our military men and women a service by eliminating the slot machines.
You’d be doing them, and our country a great service.
Respectfully,
Richard C. Smith
2 On Jan 8th, 2008, at 5:08pm, Welton Ross Terry wrote:
I agree with you Richard I think there should be a better way to help our troops than taking their money in that way and taking away their diginity as well.
Our military has gone down a long ways if this is what they are doing to get money to help our troops.
3 On Jan 9th, 2008, at 1:31pm, George Smith wrote:
It’s tragic what our nation is becoming. We too are fighting gambling at the front door of First Baptist Church in Lloyd Florida located 7 miles east of Tallahassee. They propose a horse racing track with the future possibility of Casino gambling. WE already have dog racing in the county. Now it will be at our front door. We need to defeat all kinds of gambling.
Think of the money families could use it for.
4 On Jan 14th, 2008, at 9:27pm, Jay Cunningham wrote:
Richard, Welton, and Ross—can you three imagine if there were ten thousand voices like ours gather together to pray for things like having our Government remove slot machines from these bases. They would instantly be removed, not because our Government gave in, but because our God made would make it happen. Why would He do that? Because His people obeyed His word and asked in prayer.
Our service men and women should be protected (by our Government) from things like gambling because they (most of them) are heroes and protect us (including the people that run our Government). And I believe that they protect us from certain death. Our veterans are heroes. The only way that I can see things change (towards the Godly side) is for we as followers of Jesus Christ to get up and speak out boldly and to pray in unity. No matter what, even when it hurts, even unto death.
Jay Cunningham