Here's a window into a tragedy within the American Military: For every soldier killed on the battlefield this year, about 25 veterans are dying by their own hands.
An American soldier dies every day and a half, in Iraq and Afghanistan. Veterans kill themselves at a rate of one every 80 minutes.
More than 6,500 veteran suicides are logged every year- more than the total number of soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq combined since these wars began.

Source: www.nytimes.com /2012/04/15

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CHILCUTT~
The secret to a long life. Is knowing when it is time to leave.

The militaries of the world have paid scant attention to non-physical injuries suffered by their members. Perhaps it's part of a warrior culture that deplores weakness or fragility and a global society that is still somewhat in the dark ages about diseases of the mind.

Except that a lot of the mental injuries have physical roots in traumatic brain injury and concussions suffered in combat.

That's true, and the threshold for getting that diagnosis has only recently been changing to widen the scope. That increase in diagnosis also runs into the problemt that we don't have nearly enough therapists and counslers, especially in rural areas, to help these vets.

Preliminary figures suggest that being a veteran now roughly doubles ones risk of suicide.
For young men ages 17-24, being a veteran almost quadruples the risk of suicide: The American Journal of Public Health.

Patrick Bellon-head of Veterans for Common Sense, says:' There are going to be one million new veterans in the next five years. They're already having trouble coping with the population they have now, so I dont know what they're going to do'.

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CHILCUTT~
The secret to a long life. Is knowing when it is time to leave.

thanks for posting this. it is a national disgrace...

If it weren't the NY Slimes I might even believe the accuracy of the numbers.

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Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

Given the attitude toward the military that comes from Washington, it's no wonder they don't give a hoot about our veterans. They've already got out of them what they need so they get cast aside. After all, that military budget could be used to support more people too lazy to work, thus buying more votes for themselves.

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Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

On the contrary..why is this not National news, that gives more concern airtime to the issue, and not just a short editorial in the NYT?

Search result numbers were from 'The American Journal of Public Health', as well as confirmed by 'Veterans for Common Sense'.

Through your connections in the VFW, I am sure you can obtain a clearer result . And encourage you to do your own research.

The fact is..I am pretty sure the numbers are fairly accurate, and that the U.S. has a big problem on their hands-that will get worse with time.

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CHILCUTT~
The secret to a long life. Is knowing when it is time to leave.

Not to burst the bubbles of some here, but this has been a national story, covered by the "mainstream media" for years upon years. It's more a lack of public will towards holding elected officials' feet to the fire to fund and expand the programs and services to those we proclaim to be heroes.

One problem lies within the reputation that the VA had gotten before and during the Vietnam years...Pack 'em and stack 'em. It still holds true, to a point, today.

My dad, rest his soul, utilized the VA for his last 8 years of life, his illness and injuries were 100% sustained from his multiple military tours. There is still so much red tape that needs to be gone through to obtain basic health care, as well as a long waiting period. You can't just make an appointment for this week if you're sick...you have to go through the ER first.

Until they get that system fixed, nothing else will be made right.

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My Dad went to the VA for an eye exam, and he was DEAD 3 days later.

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3 days sounds like a very thorough exam.

It's such a serious issue that the last two Chiefs of Staff of the Army have made videos and ordered classes which are being carried out. I attend one each year.

The big issue is to watch for signs-- indicatoins and warnings-- that people may need help or that btheir problems are starting to overwhelm them.

It is a real issue-- a serious issue. The Army established a system called Military One Source specifically so that vets can call one number and get all services. Current active duty and USAR can use them free, also.

Yes, it is real.

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There was mention of the fact that there is an average of something like ten ailments per vet being filed today vs 4 on average from ww2. My 25 year old daughter asked me what gave on that. I told her I did not know but suspected it was a direct result of the multiple deployments by our overworked military personell combined with the fact that so many soldiers are now saved with severe trama which would have killed a person with the same injuries in previous wars.

That second catagory I suspect might be ten times the survivors with grevious injuries in ww2.

Anybody have figures on that?

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