Selfless Acts & "Suicide-Missions": Create A Program For Human Volunteers?

Selfless Acts & "Suicide-Missions": Create A Program For Human Volunteers?

GENESIS OF THE IDEA
I came to a realization while reading about the Fukushima 50.

THE IDEA
To have a national or international organization create a system for training and registration of volunteers which are to be called-up in situations of dire need for a person(s) to undertake "suicide-missions" or highly hazardous situations, or missions. This would not replace Military, Police, or Fire Fighters, EMS, etc who may face danger in their work, although these people may volunteer as well.

Take a moment to imagine situations where this system could be of great benefit to human life.

Some examples of situations would be emergencies such as:
- Radiation events such as the current situation in Japan.
- Disaster recovery with extreme health hazards such as at the WTC recovery site.

Not all situations would be automatic cause to call-up the volunteers. Each situation would be unique while it would require a person(s) to go ‘above and beyond’ by risking and likely sacrificing themselves in life, limb, or extreme damage to health.

One issue which would be challenging to decide is what to do in case the volunteer survives with costly health problems. Are they given a mercy-killing? (That is an entirely different debate). Who would pay the medical costs? Each situation would be unique.

WHO WOULD VOLUNTEER?
People who have reduced quality of life issues and/or health issues which do not keep them from performing a needed task and able to participate in the program sufficiently. It could be for the elderly, also, if they were able to perform a task and able to participate in the program sufficiently.

Healthy people whose only reason is because they feel: that if they can save 500, 1,000, 1,000,000 or more people by giving their life in the performance of a task that it would be worthwhile and they would be willing to join up.

The other group that could be of use is incarcerated criminals. Ethically it must be volunteers. It would be unethical and also dangerous to force someone into such a situation. It is almost assured that they would not perform the task and make the situation worse. I believe some of the incarcerated; especially those with long and life term sentences would be willing to give their lives for such a cause.

ORGANIZATION
Volunteers could be organized in individual nation groups. However I believe that, ideally, it would need to be an international organization such as the UN or similar organization that had volunteers from many nations that would operate world-wide.

The volunteers could have clauses to their service such as:
- Geographic: A certain set distance or nation.
- Mission type: Pick/Apply for your mission of choice.
- Skill type: Only if a particular skill was called for.

SKILLS AND TRAINING
These volunteers could be trained in a wide range of event response skills so that the volunteer pool had a good cross section to respond to any situation.

Not all of these jobs are highly skilled or technical. Unskilled labor can be just as heroic. With the Fukushima 50 as an example: It is likely that every person of that group was not constantly conducting a highly-skilled task to save the reactor. They must have needed selfless laborers primarily. I could be wrong. Regardless those would be the unskilled laborer missions that unskilled volunteer members would be called up to execute.

The unskilled tasks would be generally labor jobs such as in the Fukushima case where: if they had enough volunteers who were not concerned about radiation to move debris, or to get water on the reactor with manual labor or heavy equipment, then catastrophic disaster would be averted as quickly as possible.

In the case of the Fukushima nuclear power plants: If all that was needed was 50 or 100 more people to get in there and perform whatever labor task is needed to avert disaster; then this proposed volunteer program could have filled those ranks without delay.

Obviously there must be some management to oversee or to lead: either on-hand, remotely, or giving the training, as the situation would dictate.

The disaster situations for this volunteer force would be very rare and would not take place of Military, Police, Fire, EMS, etc.

SCIENCE MISSIONS
Science and technology would move faster if there were a pool of volunteers like this. They could be used for one-way space exploration missions, or medical testing for new drugs, treatments, or vaccines.

These volunteers would not replace the current system of medical volunteers or the personnel of a dedicated Space program like NASA. We could create a program for space colonization and discovery plans based on a one-way approach. This new group of volunteers could break down numerous barriers to the current logistics of such missions. These would be trained people to go and set up stations on Mars, the Moon, other moons, and even a one way generational ship to create colonies in other star-systems.

I feel that the human race has had our development slowed down in certain areas of science because we were unwilling to risk human life.

HOW MANY
7 billion humans on the planet: I am confident there would be volunteers. In fact if such a list were created, despite some creating uproar over religious or ethics issues of the program, that the amount of volunteers would be surprising.

THE BENEFITS
- Improve the odds for a net gain in survival of humans.
- Fulfillment of the desire of a person who wants to give their life for a great purpose.
- Reduce incarceration rates and their costs.
- Reduction of pollution and other time-critical hazardous material releases into the environment.
- Improved diplomatic relations by sending a multi-national group of heroic people to provide a priceless service.

FOR DISCUSSION
- What are some of the issues which you feel would need to be ironed-out in order for this to work?
- Would you vote to enact such a program?
- Do you feel it is unethical?
- Do you feel it is unnecessary?
- What are some of the science, medical, and research tasks that could be aided by such volunteers?



Related ATS Thread: The Fukushima 50: Not afraid to die...

This is easy, start with the guy who falsified records. The work through all the bankers, politicians, and brokers who made it happen. And you can then move onto the rest of the politicians, bankers and brokers thatyou can find in Japan.

Then you can use the military, and police. Once they're done, use prisoners for volunteers.

It's THAT easy.

i totally agree with what you are saying i personally would be willing to give my life if it means many more people continue to live because of my sacrifice. You are completly right about the space exploration aswell there must be atleast thousands of people who would be willing to be sent to mars or even just sent out to explore deep space and send back what they experience. very good post.

Originally posted by harryhaller
This is easy, start with the guy who falsified records. The work through all the bankers, politicians, and brokers who made it happen. And you can then move onto the rest of the politicians, bankers and brokers thatyou can find in Japan.

Then you can use the military, and police. Once they're done, use prisoners for volunteers.

It's THAT easy.

We should work to create a system of Justice that would justly punish them.
But that is not what this thread is about.

But for this program to work it must be volunteers...their service would make them heroes.

reply to post by AllSeeingI


You are asking people to volunteer for suicide duty to cover up the CRIMINAL acts of others, who get to hide behind lawyers and DUE PROCESS???

No man, you are WAY off base here, you sound just like the system you know that?

Never gonna happen. You would end up having a bunch of Jesus'. Others dying for everyones sins, so to speak.

Originally posted by harryhaller
reply to post by AllSeeingI

 

You are asking people to volunteer for suicide duty to cover up the CRIMINAL acts of others, who get to hide behind lawyers and DUE PROCESS???

No man, you are WAY off base here, you sound just like the system you know that?

Woah woah woah you are seriously misunderstanding. Where did I say they would be there to cover-up anything? Where did I say that? You need to chill. I used the current situation as one of many examples for a program of volunteers. Volunteers. If a disaster happens, and people can be saved by the sacrifices of a few volunteers. That is what im talking about.

You make it sound like I want to march unwilling peons into the gauntlet for no-reason but greed and injustice. You are mad at the wrong guy.

Originally posted by jonnyb578
i totally agree with what you are saying i personally would be willing to give my life if it means many more people continue to live because of my sacrifice. You are completely right about the space exploration as well there must be at least thousands of people who would be willing to be sent to mars or even just sent out to explore deep space and send back what they experience. very good post.

I think everyone, who is a true human being, has thought about: In what situations would I be willing to risk my life?

Most people would say: To save a child. To save someone of greater value then myself. To save something that holds greater value then myself. To save more people than myself. To go and help set up a colony on another world or even to care-take a generational space mission that would not arrive far beyond my years.

I would sign up.

My reasons. I am not suicidal. But I feel I have lived enough to not regret dying at my current age. I am at peace in that sense. I also do not have children or anyone who relies on me. Sure I have family and friends who would be sad to see me go. But I think they would understand and I hope they would be proud for what I did.

What I do fear is dying young without a purpose. If I must die simply to die, then let it be happy and naturally as life dictates. I have some health issues which decrease my quality of life more than the majority, but not as much as some. I have arthritis which is is throughout my body and on bad days can be very painful. This is especially hard for me because I am not an old man. I am young, under 35. This arthritis has not immobilized me. I can still work and do labor, I just do it in pain.

The call to duty would need to be justified. Would need to be the only way. That is why, like I said in the opening post, that the call for such volunteers would be rare. So rare that the list of volunteers would likely far exceed any amount of need. In fact it may actually become difficult to get on the list and a selection process put in place with stricter guidelines to better determine who would be acceptable.

ABC News: Japan's Fukushima 50
Examples of this potential program which I have suggested (and possible add campaign)...

Volunteerism...

Heroes Who Volunteered to Stay Behind at Japan's Crippled Nuclear Plants

Pride...

Daughter Tweets That Her Father Has Volunteered and 'I Am Really Proud of Him'

Honor...

"Whatever's the closest int'l equivalent to the Medal of Honor - Nobel Peace Prize? -- The Fukushima 50 deserve that, and more"

50 people who, in success or failure, have been immortalized as heroes.

Would you give your life for the greater good?
Sign-Up Today!

I see where you are coming from but I don't think it should be allowed.

People need to volunteer for such brave acts at the time of such a disaster.

Signing up, you may feel like you are willing to sacrifice yourself to save countless others. However, when the time comes, your circumstances may have changed and feel pressured into taking the action when you don't really want to.

reply to post by JonoEnglish


Good points. However some ways around these problems could be:

The Service would not be mandatory even if you were signed up. There could be a pool of people who are asked. But I think if someone really took the time to think it out ahead of time and did finally sign-up... that these would be the sort of people who would not back out. You might think this sort of person is rare. But out of 7 billion people there surely would be a few 1000.

Once signed-up you could always un-register.

There could be psychological testing and/or training to help prepare individuals for their service.

Originally posted by AllSeeingI
FOR DISCUSSION
- What are some of the issues which you feel would need to be ironed-out in order for this to work?
- Would you vote to enact such a program?
- Do you feel it is unethical?
- Do you feel it is unnecessary?
- What are some of the science, medical, and research tasks that could be aided by such volunteers?

1. Not much issues, just 3.

a) Each must know what they are in for, and fully allowed to make that decision on their own free will, with no nation to object to such volunteerism.

b.) Each must sacrifice at least 14 days a year to be refreshed on medical and safety techniques. There should NOT be a standing army, for the costs are great and a strain to the common masses whom volunteers are striving to save and uphold an ideal for generations of humanity. It is too be strictly volunteerism.

c.) As it is strictly on volunteer basis, there must be no expectation of rewards or recognition in any form, for it only inflates the ego and will tear the ideals of the organisation apart when such expectations are not met. Medical benefits will be offered, but when the volunteer faces less than 50% chance of life in line of duty, then euthanesia be induced.

2. I would, and readily volunteer.


3. It would be more unethical to cower, hide and hope someone else will save humanity, for if everyone has such selfish thinking, no would would make a stand and we will ALL die, including those that we love and care about.


4. Absolutely necessary, for in order to progress for the evolution of our race, mistakes will happen and must happen. Someone will have to take the fall, and when no one else will, you and I will have to, for the sake of humanity at large or we ourselves will be doomed as well.

Just never let our deaths be in vain, and never allow such mistakes to happen ever again. We all will have to die anyway, sooner or later. At least if our death can save millions or thousands of other precious human lives, then so be it.


5. We will never know the true nature of such risks or mistakes made by the stupidity of mankind, but it will most probably with man meddling with science that will upset the balance of nature or natural calamities.

Human beings are thinking beings and would be able to learn fast, the way a soldier is trained to fly a rocket into space - by breaking up the procedures into simplified easy to comprehend steps an 18 year old to a 80 year can perform.

Finally got a post where someone really sunk their teeth into the question. Wish I could give you more than 1 lil ol star. Great post regardless of the fact that you had the guts to step up and really abosorb what Im trying to say here. Thanks for taking the time.

Originally posted by SeekerofTruth101

b.) Each must sacrifice at least 14 days a year to be refreshed on medical and safety techniques. There should NOT be a standing army, for the costs are great and a strain to the common masses whom volunteers are striving to save and uphold an ideal for generations of humanity. It is too be strictly volunteerism.

I agree. I do not think this should be a standing army. But more a pool of citizens who have regular lives. This would be more like the National Guard. I envision it not as a "waiting-to-die" scenario: Where the volunteers go to some base separated from the world and wait for a disaster to happen where they can serve. It would be a list of people who are willing to go. If a disaster does happen, it would be no guarantee that a volunteer would be selected to serve. There would be many factors such as situation, location. Even if a volunteer was in the right place, at the right time, he may not be called up because the situation only requires 10 people and the pool of eligible volunteers is 100.

c.) As it is strictly on volunteer basis, there must be no expectation of rewards or recognition in any form, for it only inflates the ego and will tear the ideals of the organisation apart when such expectations are not met. Medical benefits will be offered, but when the volunteer faces less than 50% chance of life in line of duty, then euthanesia be induced.

I agree: no expectation or guarantee of reward. Although I think it goes without saying that regardless of success or failure: like soldiers, and first-responders, there is an unsaid universal belief that they are heroes.

Perhaps there would be some form of compensation. Covering funeral, medical costs, but nothing like military signing bonuses.

4. Absolutely necessary, for in order to progress for the evolution of our race, mistakes will happen and must happen. Someone will have to take the fall, and when no one else will, you and I will have to, for the sake of humanity at large or we ourselves will be doomed as well.

Agreed. Fortune Favors The Bold !

Example: Up until just a few decades ago... in order to discover new lands, explore, and path-find... it would be a dangerous and risky business. Explorers charting new lands and building colonies, expanding trade and access to resources. This is the business of exploration. The new age of space exploration will need volunteers who are willing to take that step into the unknown and know they will never be coming back.
For the future of the Human Race.

Just never let our deaths be in vain, and never allow such mistakes to happen ever again. We all will have to die anyway, sooner or later. At least if our death can save millions or thousands of other precious human lives, then so be it.

Yes. This special list of volunteers would be called upon rarely. The situations they would be used for would be outside the job description of first-responders and military. I think if such a program were in place right now, it would have been used on day one in the reactors in Fukushima. To work along with and/or replace some of the Fukushima 50. If we had enough volunteers, they could work in shifts. All understanding that it is still hazardous.

I am shocked that this thread has not exploded. Must not had a good title that grabs people.
Thankfully I got one member to reply with gusto!!!

Hope to see lots more. Would love to get a real discussion going. Should we create a letter and mail it to newspapers and the White House regarding this issue? I plan on it. I want this to be real legislation.

But I would love to 'iron-out' the issues with the ATS membership. What do you guys think?!?! Would love to get some super-members, mods, and super-mods to weigh-in with their knowledge.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/1fe22ff2e0e8.jpg[/atsimg]
Photo of the Fukushima 50 at work inside the plant.