'A Veteran’s Death, the Nation’s Shame'

[midcan5]

One of the largest tragedies of the bungling of the Afghanistan war (?) and the unnecessary invasion of Iraq is their impact on the American soldier and their families.

"An American soldier dies every day and a half, on average, in Iraq or 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 those wars began."

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/15/opinion/sunday/kristof-a-veterans-death-the-nations-shame.html


"All the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting." George Orwell

 

[Mr. H.]

Including your propaganda, screaming, lies, and hatred?

You could easily have shed light on the tragedy of war deaths without interjecting your personal commentary.

 

[Katzndogz]

obama INTENDS all those deaths. To him, the tragedy is there aren't more. The whole point of changing the rules of engagement was to increase American deaths.

 

[whitehall]

Veterans depressed? No surprise since the senate majority leader tried to tell them "the war is lost" while they were in Iraq. Democrat rep. John Murtha is dead but shouldn't senator Kerry be held responsible for calling Marines murderers and Soldiers "terrorists"? Interesting that the NY Times would be interested in the subject since they printed a full page ad calling the US commander "betray-us".

 

[uscitizen]

What happened to all the republicans support for the war when Obama got elected?

Seems like they were just supporting what the last president was doing not the war.

 

[Peach]

What happened to all the republicans support for the war when Obama got elected?

Seems like they were just supporting what the last president was doing not the war.

Obama didn't play dress up & pretend his was a real soldier like Bush. Extreme right wingers like FANTASY. The response to US deaths was "THEY VOLUNTEERED" remember?

 

[uscitizen]

The right wing slimebuckets dropped their support of the troops for political reasons. The troops should never support or trust the republicans again.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

What happened to all the republicans support for the war when Obama got elected?

Seems like they were just supporting what the last president was doing not the war.

Obama didn't play dress up & pretend his was a real soldier like Bush. Extreme right wingers like FANTASY. The response to US deaths was "THEY VOLUNTEERED" remember?

Obama claimed he would end both wars, instead he kept the Iraq war going until the date Bush established to end it and has kept us in Afghanistan.

Why is the right upset with Afghanistan? Ohh I don't know, maybe because Obama declared he has no intention of winning there and then changed the rules of engagement to get more troops killed, Further he openly ordered no troops to actually look for the enemy.

 

[Peach]

The right wing slimebuckets dropped their support of the troops for political reasons. The troops should never support or trust the republicans again.

I remember when the extreme right claimed "the US invaded GERMANY!". They forgot Hitler declared war on the US.................................

 

[RetiredGySgt]

The right wing slimebuckets dropped their support of the troops for political reasons. The troops should never support or trust the republicans again.

I remember when the extreme right claimed "the US invaded GERMANY!". They forgot Hitler declared war on the US.................................

Interesting considering that during WW2 the Right were Democrats and the left were Republicans for the most part. Of Course FDR began to change that. You may need a new history book dear.

 

[The Gadfly]

One of the largest tragedies of the bungling of the Afghanistan war (?) and the unnecessary invasion of Iraq is their impact on the American soldier and their families.

"An American soldier dies every day and a half, on average, in Iraq or 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 those wars began."

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/15/opinion/sunday/kristof-a-veterans-death-the-nations-shame.html


"All the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting." George Orwell

First of all you're slanting the facts to support your political agenda.Bungled or not, we've been fighting two wars, for the better part of the last ten years. ANY war, well-run or not, justified, or not, produces casualties-dead, and wounded(physically, psychologically, or both); that has NOTHING to do with who the C-in-C happens to be.

Now, those veteran suicides include ALL vets, not just those from Iraq ands Afghanistan. Go look up some stats on suicide, and you will learn that there are TWO peak life stages for suicide; one in the teens and early adulthood (which most of the vets from the sandbox fall in) and later in life after 55 (a group Vietnam vets fall in). Now, the real question is not whether you want to use those suicides to further your agenda; the question SHOULD be, do YOU really care about doing something about them? Well, DO YOU?

It just so happens, that I work with a veteran's support group that deals with this (and other psychological issues). You want to know why this is happening? For starters, there's STILL a stigma associated with seeking psychological help. There shouldn't be, but there is. That's why I talk openly about my own PTSD here and elsewhere, in the hope that doing so will encourage others to seek help when they need it, and to inform those others who may still think otherwise that having it is NOT a weakness, or a character defect. We can't predict who will get PTSD, but anyone exposed to combat, directly or indirectly, is at risk. PTSD is no joke; untreated and unresolved, it can and will kill you. It killed several of my buddies from Vietnam, and it damn near killed me. It's still killing active duty personnel and vets today. If you can't understand how PTSD leads to suicide, it's because you've never had it; it's like reliving the worst, most terrifying moments of your life, every single day. You can't sleep, because when you do, the nightmares come; when you're awake, the flashbacks come; and either way, it's just like being right back there, all over again.

THe VA today knows how to treat this, but there are two problems; the first is that stigma I mentioned. Active personnel are afraid that asking for help will derail their career, and unfortunately they're often right. Vets often try to tough it out, and when they do go to the VA, there isn't supposed to be a wait-but there is, because despite a 50% increase in counseling staff over the last two years alone, the VA is overloaded-1.2 MILLION vets sought some form of mental health care from the VA this past year! You could bring everyone home from Afghanistan tomorrow, and you'd still have a backlog of vets needing help, for several years; PTSD can surface immediately, or it can come back and get you months or even years later. There are still plenty of Vietnam vets fighting the battle with PTSD, forty years later, because usually, you don't get rid of it; you learn to cope with it, because you have it for the rest of your life.

So yeah, this is VERY personal with me, and I do not appreciate you making a political football out of it, because that is not going to help. You want to do something about it, use that brain and writing ability of yours; get educated, speak out, and educate people. Help get more funding for the VA. Help us dispel the stigma associated with psychological issues; that starts with educating your community. That will do more real good, and save more lives, than all your political grandstanding ever could. You may not be able to control national defense policy, but you damn well do have a say in how people in your community support these men and women, and their families, and that doesn't stop with a warm welcome home and a thank you. You know a young vet who needs help? Try to connect him with other vets who have been there, done that. Your local American Legion post or VFW is a good place to start. If more people would just do those simple things, we'd have fewer of these suicides, and a lot less needless suffering. The effective treatment my generation of vets didn't have available is out there; help see these vets today get to it, before they wind up as statistics.

Now that I have attempted to educate you on the subject, you have a choice; you can either piss, moan, wring your hands, make it all about you and your views on the war, and PRETEND you're helping, or you can actually try to make a difference.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

One of the largest tragedies of the bungling of the Afghanistan war (?) and the unnecessary invasion of Iraq is their impact on the American soldier and their families.

"An American soldier dies every day and a half, on average, in Iraq or 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 those wars began."

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/15/opinion/sunday/kristof-a-veterans-death-the-nations-shame.html


"All the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting." George Orwell

I love it when newspapers make up statistics and print them, it is so much fin laughing at the gullible idiots who buy into them.

 

[The Gadfly]

One of the largest tragedies of the bungling of the Afghanistan war (?) and the unnecessary invasion of Iraq is their impact on the American soldier and their families.

"An American soldier dies every day and a half, on average, in Iraq or 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 those wars began."

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/15/opinion/sunday/kristof-a-veterans-death-the-nations-shame.html


"All the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting." George Orwell

I love it when newspapers make up statistics and print them, it is so much fin laughing at the gullible idiots who buy into them.

Unfortunately, those statistics are quite correct, as far as they go, and they reflect a very real problem. The problem I have with the OP is that he tried to make a political point with it, instead of looking at the human side of the issue.

 

[waltky]

Say what???...

General's remarks about suicide "upsetting"
May 25th, 2012 - On this Memorial Day when military leaders around the world honor fallen troops, one Army general has retracted a blog post stating he is "fed up" with soldiers who commit suicide, calling it "an absolutely selfish act."

The comments were originally posted online in January by Maj. Gen. Dana Pittard, commanding general of one off the Army's largest posts, Fort Bliss, but have only recently caused a public stir. Rep. Thomas Rooney, R-Florida, called the comments "upsetting," Friday. Rooney is co-chair of the House Military Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Caucus. He said Pittard's post "displays a complete lack of understanding about the struggles that our troops and veterans with mental illness are facing." After meeting with a retired military member recently about the blog, Pittard decided this week to retract the blog and explain himself, according to his office.

His retraction reads in part: "In my commentary published January 19, 2012, I stated suicide was a selfish act. Thanks to many of you and your feedback, I have learned that this was a hurtful statement. I also realize that my statement was not in line with the Army's guidance regarding sensitivity to suicide. With my deepest sincerity and respect towards those whom I have offended, I retract that statement."

Pittard wrote the original post the day after attending a January 18 memorial service for a soldier who committed suicide on Christmas Day. As he was leaving the service, according to his office, Pittard was informed that another soldier at the base was suspected of taking his own life. A senior military source at Fort Bliss who would not speak for attribution, the January blog post was written when Pittard was "frustrated" about soldier suicides and that it was "out of character." It reads in part:

"Wednesday, we lost a Fort Bliss Soldier to an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. I heard the tragic news as I walked out of a memorial service for another one of our Soldiers who decided to kill himself at home on Christmas Day so that his family would find him. Christmas will never be the same for his two young daughters he left behind," Pittard wrote at the time. He continued, "I have now come to the conclusion that suicide is an absolutely selfish act. Soldiers who commit suicide leave their families, their buddies and their units to literally clean up their mess. There is nothing noble about suicide."

MORE

 

[waltky]

Uncle Ferd says, "Beats suicide or grabbin' a gun an' goin' postal...

Military veterans say pot eases PTSD
7 July`12 - Clarification: An earlier version of this story included a statement about the prevalence of substance abuse among veterans, which was attributed to Dr. Edward Gogek, an addiction psychiatrist. His remark was in reference to veterans who are patients in VA hospitals, not the overall veteran population.

Emanuel Herrera returned from war addicted to painkillers and barely able to tolerate his children's voices. The former staff sergeant had enlisted in the Arizona National Guard after 9/11, wanting to help his country. In 2006, while providing security for a convoy near Camp Anaconda in Iraq, his truck hit an improvised bomb. The blast turned the night into day, nearly destroyed his neck, damaged the discs in his back and left him with brain injuries and post-traumatic stress.

Last year, despite warnings from medical staff at the local veterans hospital, he began to smoke pot legally under the state's new medical-marijuana program to cope with the physical and mental pains of combat. "My doctors shunned me and didn't approve of me doing it," said Herrera, a Purple Heart recipient. "One doctor said I could get some repercussions for doing it. But I did it legally. And I know for a fact — I'm a walking testimonial — that it works."

No one collects data on the number of veterans participating in medical-marijuana programs in the 17 states where it is legal. But veterans and program advocates say those who have served are turning to cannabis more and more to deal with the disabling symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries and chronic physical pain.

In Arizona, veterans are leading the push for health officials to add PTSD as a qualifying condition for the medical-marijuana program. Currently, only individuals with diagnoses such as chronic pain, cancer and other debilitating conditions qualify. Two other states include PTSD as a qualifying condition. But the federal government has sent mixed messages about its stance on the issue, with law enforcement opposing states' programs and VA medical staff allowing participation. Medical experts disagree on whether the drug helps or hurts veterans.

Veterans Affairs' policy

 

[9thIDdoc]

The right wing slimebuckets dropped their support of the troops for political reasons. The troops should never support or trust the republicans again.

I remember when the extreme right claimed "the US invaded GERMANY!". They forgot Hitler declared war on the US.................................

An invasion is an invasion and has nothing to do with declarations of war. We also invaded France, Italy, and a host of other places.

 

[GoneBezerk]

Strange that troops have killed themselves before these wars too, but nice try blaming war on troops killing themselves, asswipe.

Some people kill themselves after war and some don't. All of my friends that went over there didn't kill themselves upon coming home.....your theory that makes the war illegal is bullshit.

One of the largest tragedies of the bungling of the Afghanistan war (?) and the unnecessary invasion of Iraq is their impact on the American soldier and their families.

"An American soldier dies every day and a half, on average, in Iraq or 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 those wars began."

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/15/opinion/sunday/kristof-a-veterans-death-the-nations-shame.html


"All the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting." George Orwell

 

[Luissa]

obama INTENDS all those deaths. To him, the tragedy is there aren't more. The whole point of changing the rules of engagement was to increase American deaths.

Wow!