Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > Aspen Education Group
Death at SUWS Idaho
Anonymous:
--- Quote from: "blownawaytheidahoway" ---I went on this program. Here are some excerpts from my experience:
I think Ron was directed by the program at SUWS to tell me that I would be meeting my parents in Boise. We got on a small craft that made again the mountains behemoth in comparison. But pretty soon it started to flatten out. It surprised me actually because I had not really yet experienced any of the geology and topography of the area I had just been in. I had never left the campus. I, along with the rest of us who talked about it in short whispers, could clearly see that fierce mountains surrounded RMA?s campus.
Splitting without knowing where one was going- through the woods- would have been impossible. Certainly for my ultimate destination, anyhow. Negotiations with my folks were a necessity for my ultimate goal, which was to return to REDACTED. Clifty even had permafrost on it throughout the year and we could all see that. It?s not that it was an icy craggy peak, though it was a lot of the year, but pockets in the shadow underneath drained slowly from solid tons of compacted snow and ice. It was a constant reminder. There was no town or thing of industrialized civilization anywhere except by road. These roads all winded along rivers and streams curving around the mountains. They led to little sleepy towns I won?t even bother to name like fucking Bonner?s Ferry. Anyway, the plane flew to Boise and Ron sat hunching his big frame careful to keep his firearm concealed even as the steward calmly locked us in and the cabin shrank around me.
The airport was about the same size as Spokane?s. It was hot in Boise. I went outside into the blistering fuel drenched shrill screaming air, with my escort and chain- smoked some cigarettes. Ron told me that my parents would be coming in three weeks. I was going on Survival. Holy shit. I had heard of that! And I got scared. The cigarettes made me dizzy. It was great, but the pit in my stomach boded danger while I realized that the whole thing had been a ruse. I was angry but there was nothing I could do except ask to use a phone. Ron reminded me that he had handcuffs and would use them on me if he thought I would be inclined to run away. I was young but knew that trying to leave an airport undetected and on foot would surely be futile with all the cops and security staff. I called Don Ross and told him the situation. I think he said he was going to talk to someone and find out if this was legal. He told me, and I?ll never forget it, ?We?ll start a get REDACTED out of Jail fund. We?ll have donation containers at the 7-11! Hang in there buddy!? I didn?t talk to him again for three years. I thought for months after my eventual return to RMA that someday a rescue party of pot smoking, rat-tailed, leather wearing roughnecks were going to magically appear as if out of a giant iron pot and put me in a van and drive me away. So many hours of fantasy I can?t wait to describe. I found a world inside of myself that I could escape to too. The first time it happened was on Survival. But first we have to meet the players in this Act of my life.
Looking at the public relations packet from 1988 for the SUWS Wilderness school you would think they didn?t put much time into it. There were a few misspellings and some improper grammar. The message, however, is clear. Your kid will get worse if you don?t send him here:
One of the more troubling concerns we observe is that one or both parents in many families strongly deny that a real problem exists; that its not serious enough;; ?my husband wants to wait awhile to see if he or she will improbe? and on and on. All too many families call us 2-12 months later when the teen is now into much deeper touble or into crisis or involved with a court hearing, saying why didn?t we act earlier?
Parents are further advised that:
?you as parents must make some changes in your parenting approach (obviously the old way hasn?t been effective to your satisfaction or you wouldn?t be searching for answers). It won?t be easy?We require committedadults to participate in the program. We require the commitmentof both parents to read, study, and discuss with your spouse, implement and consistently follow through on the principles of a eight-page how to do it parenting book. We will mail it to you?
Let me illustrate how succesful this program will be for your family by relating a breif story.
A certain pet owner has just purchased a young dog that has much potential to become a quality hunting dog. The owner searches out and locates a dog trainer with a top reputation. (SUWS presumably) He contracts to have the dog tained over a period of time. After many weeks the trainer calls and says your dog has completed his formal training.l The trainer gives you the necessary orientation, the commands, etc., and says as you leave, ?Be clear in your commands, be consistent and follow through. Above all, demonstrate your love and caring for the dog and you will be pleased with the dog?s performance for years to come. ?
Now the question. If the owner is inconsistent, uses different commands (mixed signals), or pretty much ignores the dog, what kind of a huntind dog will he have in a month or a year? He will probably have wasted the money and just have a common mutt.
Then there was some reminders?(I swear to god these are real quotes).
Youth are not permitted to call home upon arrival in Boise?Mother Nature is the authority figureand brings effective and timely consequences should the youth?s actions or inactions not be appropriate?
Your child will be under 24hr supervision.
Mothers remember, you are doing this for your child, not to them?
You will generally get a different kid back that you sent out.
We also strongly urge you to arrange to drive back from trail?s end with your son or daughter because of that special intimate time together on the drive home. (Oneparnet said ? we really couldn?t afford to go to trail?s end but finally decided to go. Looking back, had I know then what I know now, I would have driven to the East Coast for trail?s end in order to share that experience with our daughter.)
If you are going to be at trail send, tell them to in your letter that you can?t wait to greet them in a couple of days, along with some other ?mushy? stuff. (The letter will be given to the student during solo period.)
I could post about being the youngest student to date. I believe they had been in business less than two years (as that name) while I was there.
It was a very tough experience, the irony of it, is that BY ITSELF it would have been a good thing for me.
There is a very expanded version of this time period for some of your perusal. Enjoy.
-blownawaytheidahoway
--- End quote ---
Anonymous:
--- Quote from: "blownawaytheidahoway" ---I went on this program. Here are some excerpts from my experience:
I think Ron was directed by the program at SUWS to tell me that I would be meeting my parents in Boise. We got on a small craft that made again the mountains behemoth in comparison. But pretty soon it started to flatten out. It surprised me actually because I had not really yet experienced any of the geology and topography of the area I had just been in. I had never left the campus. I, along with the rest of us who talked about it in short whispers, could clearly see that fierce mountains surrounded RMA?s campus.
Splitting without knowing where one was going- through the woods- would have been impossible. Certainly for my ultimate destination, anyhow. Negotiations with my folks were a necessity for my ultimate goal, which was to return to REDACTED. Clifty even had permafrost on it throughout the year and we could all see that. It?s not that it was an icy craggy peak, though it was a lot of the year, but pockets in the shadow underneath drained slowly from solid tons of compacted snow and ice. It was a constant reminder. There was no town or thing of industrialized civilization anywhere except by road. These roads all winded along rivers and streams curving around the mountains. They led to little sleepy towns I won?t even bother to name like fucking Bonner?s Ferry. Anyway, the plane flew to Boise and Ron sat hunching his big frame careful to keep his firearm concealed even as the steward calmly locked us in and the cabin shrank around me.
The airport was about the same size as Spokane?s. It was hot in Boise. I went outside into the blistering fuel drenched shrill screaming air, with my escort and chain- smoked some cigarettes. Ron told me that my parents would be coming in three weeks. I was going on Survival. Holy shit. I had heard of that! And I got scared. The cigarettes made me dizzy. It was great, but the pit in my stomach boded danger while I realized that the whole thing had been a ruse. I was angry but there was nothing I could do except ask to use a phone. Ron reminded me that he had handcuffs and would use them on me if he thought I would be inclined to run away. I was young but knew that trying to leave an airport undetected and on foot would surely be futile with all the cops and security staff. I called Don Ross and told him the situation. I think he said he was going to talk to someone and find out if this was legal. He told me, and I?ll never forget it, ?We?ll start a get REDACTED out of Jail fund. We?ll have donation containers at the 7-11! Hang in there buddy!? I didn?t talk to him again for three years. I thought for months after my eventual return to RMA that someday a rescue party of pot smoking, rat-tailed, leather wearing roughnecks were going to magically appear as if out of a giant iron pot and put me in a van and drive me away. So many hours of fantasy I can?t wait to describe. I found a world inside of myself that I could escape to too. The first time it happened was on Survival. But first we have to meet the players in this Act of my life.
Looking at the public relations packet from 1988 for the SUWS Wilderness school you would think they didn?t put much time into it. There were a few misspellings and some improper grammar. The message, however, is clear. Your kid will get worse if you don?t send him here:
One of the more troubling concerns we observe is that one or both parents in many families strongly deny that a real problem exists; that its not serious enough;; ?my husband wants to wait awhile to see if he or she will improbe? and on and on. All too many families call us 2-12 months later when the teen is now into much deeper touble or into crisis or involved with a court hearing, saying why didn?t we act earlier?
Parents are further advised that:
?you as parents must make some changes in your parenting approach (obviously the old way hasn?t been effective to your satisfaction or you wouldn?t be searching for answers). It won?t be easy?We require committedadults to participate in the program. We require the commitmentof both parents to read, study, and discuss with your spouse, implement and consistently follow through on the principles of a eight-page how to do it parenting book. We will mail it to you?
Let me illustrate how succesful this program will be for your family by relating a breif story.
A certain pet owner has just purchased a young dog that has much potential to become a quality hunting dog. The owner searches out and locates a dog trainer with a top reputation. (SUWS presumably) He contracts to have the dog tained over a period of time. After many weeks the trainer calls and says your dog has completed his formal training.l The trainer gives you the necessary orientation, the commands, etc., and says as you leave, ?Be clear in your commands, be consistent and follow through. Above all, demonstrate your love and caring for the dog and you will be pleased with the dog?s performance for years to come. ?
Now the question. If the owner is inconsistent, uses different commands (mixed signals), or pretty much ignores the dog, what kind of a huntind dog will he have in a month or a year? He will probably have wasted the money and just have a common mutt.
Then there was some reminders?(I swear to god these are real quotes).
Youth are not permitted to call home upon arrival in Boise?Mother Nature is the authority figureand brings effective and timely consequences should the youth?s actions or inactions not be appropriate?
Your child will be under 24hr supervision.
Mothers remember, you are doing this for your child, not to them?
You will generally get a different kid back that you sent out.
We also strongly urge you to arrange to drive back from trail?s end with your son or daughter because of that special intimate time together on the drive home. (Oneparnet said ? we really couldn?t afford to go to trail?s end but finally decided to go. Looking back, had I know then what I know now, I would have driven to the East Coast for trail?s end in order to share that experience with our daughter.)
If you are going to be at trail send, tell them to in your letter that you can?t wait to greet them in a couple of days, along with some other ?mushy? stuff. (The letter will be given to the student during solo period.)
I could post about being the youngest student to date. I believe they had been in business less than two years (as that name) while I was there.
It was a very tough experience, the irony of it, is that BY ITSELF it would have been a good thing for me.
There is a very expanded version of this time period for some of your perusal. Enjoy.
-blownawaytheidahoway
--- End quote ---
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