APNewsBreak: Increase in suicide rate of vets

[Zomby Woof]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON – The suicide rate among 18- to 29-year-old men who've left the military has gone up significantly, the government said Monday.

The rate for these veterans went up 26 percent from 2005 to 2007, according to preliminary data from the Veterans Affairs Department. It's assumed that most of the veterans in this age group served in Iraq or Afghanistan.

If there is a bright spot in the data, it's that in 2007 veterans in the group who used VA health care were less likely to commit suicide than those who did not. That's a change from 2005.

The military in recent years has struggled as well with an increase in suicides, with the Army seeing a record number last year. While the military frequently releases such data, it has been more difficult to track suicide information on veterans once they've left active duty.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100111/ap_on_bi_ge/us_veterans_suicide

[Gman2]

1. I talked to an Army recruiter{high level} about this, and he assured me, bout three years ago

that all the reasons why Viet Nam made so many destroyed human lives had been addressed. And that PTSD and Suiside would not occur in this war. I also said very bluntly not too long ago, that he misled me, and I feel very betrayed. He didnt respond.

[Solly Mack]

2. K&R

[winyanstaz]

3. I have a message to our vets......

PLEASE don't do this ...please don't give up and take your lives.
America really does need you and we need you DESPERATELY now.
Things are going to get real ugly here at home and your family and friends, your loved ones and your Nation will need you more than ever.
Do NOT blame yourself for the war you find yourself in.
YOU are in a unique position on the inside...and YOU can make a difference.
Walking out of your life in the middle or the beginning is like getting up and walking out of the greatest show on earth..that YOU are the main star in..without waiting to see the ending.
Remember your vow to uphold the Constitution against ALL enemies, foreign OR domestic.
I have had a very rough life at times..but on this end of my life..I can say that I am so glad I did not give up..even when I wanted to and thought about it...even when all seemed darkest and there was no hope left in my heart. I would have missed out on so much and so many wonderful things.
Come back...don't give up. We the people have not yet begun to fight against this great evil in the world at this time. We need you to be with us. We love you.

[nickyt]

5. Oh, thank you, winyanstaz - beautifully written, and so achingly true, every word...

[winyanstaz]

6. I have been there nickyt..to where life didnt seem worth living..

and these soldiers deserve better than the fate that was handed them.
Sometimes all a soul needs to turn their life around is a helping hand or a kind word. :)
We can help all our troops best by ending these wars and bringing them home safe now.

[Bigmack]

7. True... every word you wrote.... but...

For some of those guys, hell would never end. Just get worse.

They know you can't put the genie/monster back in the bottle... you can't unring the bell.

They feel they're putting themselves out of their misery.

Vet myself, thankfully never had those thoughts, but a few of the guys I talked to looked at suicide as a very logical way out of a life that was just untenable.

We just have to stop making so many veterans!

[valerief]

4. No surprise. War does that. nt