Suicidal thoughts plague veterans

When they die in combat they are treated like a hero, and rightly so, but when they die because of combat, people have a hard time viewing the man or woman the same way. The fact they were brave enough, cared enough, unselfish enough to step up, willing to accept the risk of serving in the military, we fail to really honor their lives and their service.

Some veterans end up taking their own lives. The VA reported nearly 11,000 suicide attempts and about 700 deaths in 2009.

More than 134,000 calls to the Suicide Prevention Hotline and still there were that many deaths back home with 11,000 more trying to commit suicide. This is not a national headline we're reminded of on the news but it is a national disgrace!

Suicidal thoughts plague veterans
By Bernard A. Lubell Medill News Service
David Cox remembers being deployed, looking at his loaded weapon and thinking of ending his life.

The Highland resident had suicidal thoughts during at least one of his six deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and is thankful that one of his team members recognized his symptoms. Cox's weapon was taken away before he was sent home.

Cox had grown accustomed to seeing horrible things. In his civilian life, he worked for 14 years as a trauma nurse specialist at Cook County's John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital.

But in the Air National Guard, he was part of a three-member team that worked on the most critically wounded as the patients were transported to hospitals to receive treatment. He said the work he did while deployed was different than the work at the hospital, and it took its toll.

"You see things the human mind really isn't supposed to see," said Cox who was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and said he still struggles with suicidal thoughts sometimes.

More than 134,000 people made calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline last year. Of those callers, 61 percent identified themselves as veterans, while 7 percent identified themselves as a friend or family of a veteran.

This means nearly three-fourths of calls made to the lifeline were related to veterans' issues. click link for more of this

When they die because of combat, it is even sadder. They survived their tour of duty. They survived the bullets and bombs while they endured all the hardships during their deployment. Back home, where they are supposed to be safe, too many end up committing suicide. How could living back home with family and friends, no longer in fear of bullets or bombs, be worse than combat? It is because we just don't care enough to make sure coming home is not more dangerous for them than war is.

Illinois Iraq veteran's death likely suicide
By Len Wells
Posted March 13, 2011 at 11:25 p.m.
WAYNE CITY, Ill. — State and local police continue to investigate the shooting death of an Iraq war veteran whose body was found outside his Wayne City home Saturday afternoon.

A preliminary investigation indicates he likely took his own life.

The body of Charles Randel Talbert, 29, was found in the driveway of his home at 509 E. Section Line Road about 1 p.m. Saturday.
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Illinois Iraq veteran's death likely suicide