18 veterans commit suicide each day

[kpete]

Source: Army Times

18 veterans commit suicide each day

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Apr 23, 2010 11:09:22 EDT

Troubling new data show there are an average of 950 suicide attempts each month by veterans who are receiving some type of treatment from the Veterans Affairs Department.

Seven percent of the attempts are successful, and 11 percent of those who don’t succeed on the first attempt try again within nine months.

The numbers, which come at a time when VA is strengthening its suicide prevention programs, show about 18 veteran suicides a day, about five by veterans who are receiving VA care.

Access to care appears to be a key factor, officials said, noting that once a veteran is inside the VA care program, screening programs are in place to identify those with problems, and special efforts are made to track those considered at high risk, such as monitoring whether they are keeping appointments.

Read more: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/04/military_veterans_suicide_042210w/

[ixion]

1. The by-product of Endless War

and very sad and needless. :(

[buckrogers1965]

14. thus be it ever

when free men shall stand, Between their loved homes and the war's desolation.

-

You can't see the worst wounds that war causes.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. That is just horrible.

[JBoy]

3. Utterly tragic. (BTW, link is incorrect - see here)

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/04/military_veterans_suicide_042210w/

[Newest Reality]

4. Dying for your country

expo facto. This is a grievous travesty!

[proudohioan]

5. That sickens me.

My son just turned 18 in December, and of course, registered with the Selective Service (SS????). He's now getting bombarded with "literature" from the Army and Marines, touting all kinds of "benefits" for volunteering. I tell him to throw it in the trash and bring home movies such as "Stop Loss" from the library for his viewing pleasure. I consider it my own little counter propaganda.

[Robb]

6. Terrible.

How does this compare with the over US suicide rate? IIRC I read last year it had increased for the first time in years.

Edited to add: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8200851">this thread seems to have answered that, it's twice the national average. :(

[Soylent Brice]

7. .

[pinboy3niner]

8. "To care for him who shall have borne the battle . . . ."

How miserably we are failing to live up to Lincoln's words.:cry:

[saigon68]

9. Ah yes

What a pleasure to have served

[progressoid]

10. Maybe it would help if we all buy more yellow magnetic ribbons for our car

[donheld]

11. The story has gone AWOL?

[BK101]

12. I do not like these veteran Threads

I know a guy that missed the vietnam draft by 1 year.

I know a guy that his bother was in Granada in 2003.

I know a guy that Granada brother suicided it 2004.

I know this same guy that missed Desert Storm because he was not in the right place.

I know a guy that was in Afghanistan in 2002.

I know a guy that was in Iraq in 2005, 2006, and 2007.

I know and work with guys that were in Afghanistan and Iran in 2008, 2009, and 2010.

What did I learn, Soldiers do not give a sh*t about who the orders to go, they want to protect their buddy and know the country is behind them.

F*ck all the US Government Administration. Just save our troops.

[defendandprotect]

13. Let's face it, the GOP has created such destruction that it's impossible

to even keep it all in mind!!

We often say that the sacrifices of soldiers should be held in esteem --

but the truth is they are fodder for corporations/MIC --

and the poor are usually those serving.

These soldiers are abused in being sent to war -- and they come home to further abuse by

government!!