Boston Globe: "Told to wait, a Marine dies"

[Glenda]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/02/11/told_to_wait_a_marine_dies/

Told to wait, a Marine dies
VA care in spotlight after Iraq war veteran's suicide

By Charles M. Sennott, Globe Staff | February 11, 2007

STEWART, Minn. -- It took two years of hell to convince him, but finally Jonathan Schulze was ready.

On the morning of Jan. 11, Jonathan, an Iraq war veteran with two Purple Hearts, neatly packed his US Marine Corps duffel bag with his sharply creased clothes, a framed photo of his new baby girl, and a leather-bound Bible and headed out from the family farm for a 75-mile drive to the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in St. Cloud, Minn.

Family and friends had convinced him at last that the devastating mental wounds he brought home from war, wounds that triggered severe depression, violent outbursts, and eventually an uncontrollable desire to kill himself, could not be drowned in alcohol or treated with the array of antianxiety drugs he'd been prescribed.
...
When a clinical social worker called the next day, Jonathan, 25, told again of his suicidal thoughts and other symptoms. And then, with his stepmother listening in, he learned that he was 26th on the waiting list for one of the 12 beds in the center's ward for post-traumatic stress disorder sufferers.

Four days later, on Jan. 16, he wrapped a household extension cord around his neck, tied it to a beam in the basement, and hanged himself.
...
"My son did his duty, he risked his life for his country, and he came home a broken person. And then the VA failed in its duty to care for him," said, sitting in the family home in front of a coffee table transformed into a shrine for his son, with framed photos and, folded in a neat triangle, the flag that draped his coffin.



"James Schulze walked to the grave of his son, Jonathan, an Iraq war veteran."

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. damn you, Bush, Cheney, Hillary, and every other ass who

voted for this war. Damn you all.

[Clark2008]

39. Edwards and Biden, too.

Of the 2008 contenders...

[jarnocan]

2. heart breaking -likely many more tragedies to follow nt

[Glimmer of Hope]

3. How incredibly sad.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. but he was just cannon fodder

to be used and then tossed away like a dirty kleenex. That's the attitude from the neocon administration. They have no respect for human life--they see it as a good way to "take care of" the poor folks who don't have a chance at a decent job any more.

Sorry. On another board I read a comment that basically said what I did above, only they used derogatory language in describing the people who enlist in the military. My reply to him was that if he thought the war was so great, he'd better be ready to send his spawn to fight--this isn't class warfare, though it really feels like it.

[jody]

So sad! For every vet suicide, there are thousands more vets who will never lead a normal life

because of the horrors they've seen. :cry: :grr:

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

5. Everybody who is considering enlisting should read this.

People who have relatives or friends considering to enlist -- you know what to do. Print the above article and give them the printout.

[Monkeyman]

6. How Many More Brothers and Sisters

Till You make us your mind to take to the streets. If you have your with me. If you have not join us

[EFerrari]

27. I read today that there's a march on the Pentagram in March.

Is that true? I'm going to have to get on a plane AGAIN?

:hug:

[peace13]

44. Here is the link to the 'March on the Pentagon!'

http://answer.pephost.org/site/News2?abbr=ANS_&page=NewsArticle&id=8107

[Ezlivin]

7. Long waits are nothing new at the VA

I have to schedule my physical exams a year in advance. I have no control over the date or time that the VA chooses.

And that is for something very straightforward.

If you have a condition or disease that requires any specialized treatments you're likely to discover what Jonathan discovered: Too much demand and not enough supply.

This country may see veterans in angry protests like they did during the Bonus Army March in 1932.

[Monkeyman]

14. That my friend is coming when the truth is learned about the VA Budget

Hearings this week watch Rick Weidman of VVA he has a lot to say.

[jwirr]

51. IMO vets should be at the front of the line for a single payer universal

health care program so they can go to any doctors they want to and get the kind of treatment they need immediately.

My son-in-law had to visit local doctors using his wife's insurance plan to be able to get the treatment he needed and when the VA did not want to acknowledge his active duty wound the only way he beat them was by the medical records from his private practice doctor.

[DollyM]

53. VA healthcare sucks!

I know this is hindsite, but I would have checked my son into the nearest emergency room and had the bill sent to VA! We have actually done this before, since our VA hospital is 70 miles away, and VA paid it. They reduced a 4500 dollar ER bill to about half that in what they paid to the hospital but they did pay the bill and the hospital had to accept it. BTW, VA doesn not volunteer this information, we found out because a VA nurse whispered this to us during a VA hospital stay.
But, I still say that the answer is to allow veterans to use any hosptial for their care, just like a medicare or medicaid recipient can do.
When my husband had blood in his urine last year, we went to the closest VA clinic and were told that Dr was gone and would not be back that week and we would have to come back the next week. We knew what would happen then, he would be prescribed a cheap antibiotic that would be mailed and could take a week to get here, plus the time it took just to get to see a Dr. No thanks, we went home, contacted a local urologist, got in the next day and found my hubby had a bladder infection. We ended up with paying about 2000 dollars out of pocket for the Dr., hosptial for an MRI and a high powered antibiotic. But he got good treatment and got rid of the infection. I shudder to think how much damage this could have done if it was left until VA got around to seeing he got appropriate treatment for the condition.
My husband now has a good job with great health insurance, we will never use crappy VA health care system again if I can help it!

[jwirr]

55. Yes, freedom of choice is not just about babies. Why should a

soldier have to drive many miles for medical care? They deserve more. And I agree with your idea for medicare/medicaid.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

8. .

:cry: :grr: :mad:

[zanne]

9. This is outrageous.

There is indifference, and there is cruelty. This was cruelty. The VA's attempt to cover it up is just so friggin' typical. As I continued to read the article, I couldn't believe the stats. 1.5 million vets so far from Afghanistan and Iraq. Incredible. One in 5 with PTSD. Tragic.

[SpiralHawk]

10. Why do republicons HATE our US Veterans who served honorably?

They abuse our honorable Veterans over and over and over.

If they are not starving them of benefits, they are Swiftboating and badmouthing them.

Is it because so many of the republicons are shameful chickenhawks?

Is it because their heroes -- George AWOL Bush, Dickie 'Five Military Deferments" Chenecy, Rush "Anal Pimple Excuse' Limbaugh, and Bill "Never served a Day" O'Reilly are all such shameful shirkers and wimps?

Why do republicons hate our US veterans?

[RubyDuby in GA]

48. I'm sure VA hospitals would get money if any of the chickenhawks were actually veterans

but that would require them doing something selfless and actually serving their country instead of screwing it!

[montanto]

11. !!!

*weeping*

tell this story every day

this story IS every day

this story IS every one

fuck

*weeping*

that man

that family

our country

*********

*weeping*

x10

their people

their families

their country

**********

*sound, music, loud*

BUSH FUCK AMERICA, LAND THAT I LOVE . . .

**********

*weeping, voice*

shoot me

[jody]

12. Schulze's death should be added to the total of U.S. deaths in Iraq and every other suicide. n/t

[jwirr]

52. Just like Agent Orange deaths should have been added to the wall.

[fed-up]

13. another tragic example of how this admin "spits" on our troops n/t

[Straight Shooter]

18. You nailed it. Perfect analogy. n/t

[Benhurst]

15. Health care sucks in the United States unless you are rich or, for

the time-being at least, work for a corporation which provides good insurance.

Nothing to see here, folks. Move on!

[MissWaverly]

16. That is so sad

this country needs new leadership, we need a caring president, a caring congress, that
will do what FDR and the congress did after WWII, we need a comprehensive program in every
city, in every county seat, that will provide care for these men.

God Bless America in this our time of need.

:-)

[blue neen]

17. Absolutely tragic.

George Bush and Dick Cheney are responsible for this young man's death.

[Solly Mack]

19. That's my government - always there to support the troops

I've always suspected that government would much prefer that the troops either die or never get wounded...especially in an unpopular (and losing) "war"


A wounded vet is a reminder(and no one likes being reminded)...a dead one is a symbol (that people can define in any way that suits them)

[struggle4progress]

20. Suicide rate spikes among troops sent to Iraq war (USAT / Dec 06)

Posted 12/19/2006 10:32 PM ET
By Gregg Zoroya, USA TODAY

The suicide rate among troops deployed for the Iraq war reached its highest point last year since the 2003 invasion, according to an Army mental health study released Tuesday.

The Army had placed greater emphasis on suicide prevention and mental health counseling in the battlefield after rates reached a level of 18.8 per 100,000 soldiers in 2003 ...

Overall, the number of soldiers who killed themselves last year almost doubled from the 2004 total.

In 2005, 22 soldiers committed suicide in Kuwait and Iraq, compared with 12 in 2004 and 25 in 2003 ...

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-12-19-soldier-suicides_x.htm

[gratefultobelib]

21. Unbelievable. My heart goes out to all. I'm sickened at the callousness of our gov.

[Imagevision]

22. How many more times does this have to happen before something is done about it?

Obama could bring a shining light to this story, deservedly so!

[EFerrari]

26. Until it becomes part of our daily conversation. I was negotiating

with the Chron for a family mental health column when the axe fell on them about a year ago. I still think it's a good idea. Until we treat mental health like it means something like HEALTH these stories will just keep propagating.

Goddammit.

[Cobalt Violet]

23. Very sad. n/t

[EFerrari]

24. Well done, @ssholes. You disinhibited his depression and left him alone with it.

:nuke:

[Control-Z]

25. These fuckheads

are so far removed from real life they don't even bother trying to understand what the repercussions of battle hold for the real people they are sending in. They don't get it. They don't WANT to get it. It doesn't interest them. Fuck them.

[EFerrari]

28. What you said.

:nuke:

[CoffeeCat]

29. BushCo could fix this in five second...

...if they wanted to!

Bush is so eager for more money to fund war--but he can't be bothered to
fund our brave soldiers who return home, desperately needing help after
serving their country.

If this isn't proof that Junior detests our soldiers and is only using
their bodies to serve his sociopathic purposes, I don't know what is.

George W Bush could provide adequate care and services to all soldiers
if he wanted. This could be fixed tomorrow--but it won't be.

Why doesn't America wake the hell up and start asking why????????

[frogcycle]

30. the VA medical system

had gone from a decades-long system of neglect and inferior service to a pretty doggone good system in the mid-to late nineties. It has been held up as an example of something hte fed govt actually CAN do right, as a potential model for a national healthcare program. Looks like it is yet another casualty of our six years under king george.

I posted excerpts from the Declaration of Independence the other day, marveling at how many of the bill of particulars against THAT madman king george were applicable 230 years later...

I only had to snip about a third

but if we were to add the new egregious harms THIS madman king george hath wrought, the document would be about five times as long.

It was sufficient cause to start a revolution then. What the hell is it going to take now?

oh, wait, I forgot - if he doesn't pardon the trigger happy border patrolmen, that will be enough. silly me.

[EndElectoral]

31. God damn it! This administration is Pro-Death!

[Janice325]

32. Awww, jeez.

:cry:
k&r

[renate]

33. even his love for his baby girl couldn't keep him here

What pain he must have been in.

[McCamy Taylor]

34. Family needs to file a malpractice suit against the VA

He had a medical emergecency. If they had no available beds, they should have contracted with another hospital that has a locked psyche ward or kept him in the VA Emergemcy Room until a bed opened.

[Hubert Flottz]

35. I sent this story to a hard core Bushbot in Texas, who's always...

honking Bush's horn in her stupid, unwanted, pro bush/pro war emails to me, day after day.

[Swamp Rat]

36. .

:cry:

[orpupilofnature57]

37. 12 beds in war (occupation) times ? *

[Eurobabe]

38. Bring the troops home NOW!!

This is just so fucked up.

[orpupilofnature57]

40. Impeachment should help , as a sign of remorse from the Rest of u.s.

[cassiepriam]

41. The existing mental health infrastructure will be insufficient to care for the returning vets.

Managed care has wiped out civilian psych care.

[Vinca]

42. Support the troops, support the troops, support the troops.

No body armor, support the troops. Three or 4 rotations, support the troops. Insufficient VA services, support the troops. Damn them all to hell.

[opihimoimoi]

43. Bully Bush has done our troops wicked bad....non support for the vets

reveals his real self centered personality...a rat bastard asshole...

[Bitwit1234]

45. This should be on the front page of every newspaper.

It should get 24/7 coverage like the "Diaper" asternaut and Anna Nicole Smith. But sex and clebs sell and people defending this country dont'.

Every single solitary republic in this country should be ashamed of themselves for supporting this inhumane monster.

[Demlobos06]

46. Can't blame over burdened, under funded VA

It's our elected officials to blame, and their misplacement of necessary funds that goes to contractors for lucrative contracts. GET RID OF THE CONTRACTORS IN IRAQ!!! and then maybe funding for better VA infrastructure can be allocated for where it is necessary.

[EndElectoral]

47. kick...why can't this guy get the coverage Anna Nicole Smith's did?

[NV1962]

49. It's not 'just' the war - it's the VA cuts, too

I say, nail this story all around - Bush signed the war AND the VA cuts, Congress rubberstamped it.

And STILL there are people who hem and haw and think kid gloves are in order for such white collar criminals???

[Connonym]

50. Inhumane, absolutely inhumane

To be brave enough to ask for help and not get it. This is heart breaking.

[BootinUp]

54. I can't imagine how his family feels...

I can only say how pissed off this story is making me feel.

[Pierzin]

56. God, that's awful, it's sickening, really. What else can one say?

Truly sorry for the family.

[lovuian]

57. They are putting these soldiers through Mental Torture

trying to program them pumping them up with pills and then giving them no sleep

then traumatic experiences

The concious can't take this bombardment

[Warren DeMontague]

58. But Bushland "Supports Our Troops"

You know, with magnetic ribbons and stuff.

[maddezmom]

59. K&R

:cry:

[valerief]

60. Bush must not know about the cuts. He's a compassionate conservative.

He told us so.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/melinda-henneberger/bush-i-made-a-name-by-b_b_41044.html

:grr:

[samq79]

61. And of course, Bush is helping by...

CUTTING MILITARY BENEFITS!!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x191015

[Charleyski]

62. Here We Go Again - Anti War Video-Our children are not to be wasted!

I have a young son. I started out late. Most think I am his Grandpa. He is the world to me.
Our children are not to be wasted. Just the thought of what this father and fathers like him are going thru rips my guts out.
To have our children die from a war based on lies told to us by our leaders and then to see this slime squirm around trying not to answer to their deception is beyond debate!
We have no more true leaders just a bunch of second rate politician con men. You know it and I sure know it. Even with the last election same old same old.
Is there something inherently wrong with our system of government?
Or is it that we have mutated that which our fore-fathers designed?
Has our civility allowed the vultures to reign?
I am an Atheist but "These are the times that try mens Souls"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl7BWc3c4bE

Bring our Brave children home. Enough is enough.

Charley Ski