Veterans…

We are losing too many to suicide, it’s now estimated that 22 per day are killing themselves. ONE is too many. If you know a vet having problems, please take the time to help him or her, and get them help from the services available…

Please…

This video is a few years old, but as I was reminded, it does pretty much say it all..

There is no shame in reaching out for help. The Veterans Crisis Line is one option- HERE.

Edit- Yuri pointed out that Capt Tightpants put a post up on this Sunday. It is HERE. He links to another organization that is trying to help folks…

Edit 2- LL also has a post up from Sunday that I missed HERE

h/t JP for the video

Comments

Veterans… — 16 Comments

  1. AGREED.
    And it’s not just Veterans. Our active duty troopers, facing deployment after deployment and separation from their families, are also taking the suicide exit FAR too often.
    Amazing. They signed the “Blank Check”, then cashed it themselves.
    Since Patton slapped the “Combat Fatigued” soldier we, as a nation, have been trying to sort out PTSD.
    We’re failing. We MUST do better.

    • The actual stats are most likely MUCH higher!
      ref LL’s Sunday post http://symbolic-mirage.blogspot.com/2015/02/22.html

      “The figure, released by the Department of Veterans Affairs in February, is based on the agency’s own data and numbers reported by 21 states from 1999 through 2011. Those states represent about 40% of the U.S. population. The other states, including the two largest (California and Texas) and the fifth-largest (Illinois), did not make data available.”

  2. This is subject is close to the hearts of mine and Seniors. It is an absolute mind blowing figure. I was happy to see the documentary on the crises hotline win the oscar for best documentary..

  3. We kicked ample ass in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hard. Repeatedly. With a restrictive ROE. And have now suffered more casualties at home than the rags dealt. That’s more than a little fucked up.

    22. I think of that number every day.

  4. Good reminder. I just found out a guy I knew in training checked himself out of planet Earth last weekend. We had lost touch over the years, but he was a very smart, accomplished, and charismatic individual.

    Just remember, according to John Kerry, if we’d have all paid attention in school, we wouldn’t have had to join the military.

  5. Jim, yes, it hit me hard when a young sailor I was good friends with took his life at a very young age. I did a post and will try yo find it and repost. Started a new job and I have been busy. Thanks for rekindling the awareness we all need to take serious.

  6. Senior- You’re welcome, and yes, please repost. The more the word gets out, the better. We need to help our brothers and sisters.

  7. Thanks for linking my post on it sir. Let’s spread the word.
    Captain Tightpants

  8. It is concerning. I responded to way too many as a cop and other incidents stemming from depression and PTSD. I felt the outreach for mental health was not adequate and the VA and other orgs needed to step it up. Just seems our healthcare system needs revamping. This is a great post. I am going to share it if you don’t mind.