Marine Clay Hunt's suicide not counted as "military suicide"

In this report, it is pointed out that Clay Hunt's suicide will not be considered "military suicide" but the painful truth is, none of them are considered that after they are no longer in the service. It doesn't seem to bother the Pentagon that young men and women are taking their own lives after they leave the service because they were in the service, deployed into combat, survived combat but could not survive being back home. Full circle, all tied to their service but the military does not have to count them anymore and they, well, they can't count on the military anymore. The startling truth is that yesterday was no different than the day Clay joined 17 other veterans in ending their own pain with suicide. 18 veterans take their lives everyday in this country with over 1,000 attempting suicide every month.

Hunt did everything right in combat and afterwards. He was told to get help and he did. His family did all they could to be supportive. Hunt not only sought help but offered to give it to others and that is one more thing experts tell them to do. No matter what, nothing was enough to help him heal the pain he brought back with him.

While the Daily Mail reporter does not seem to know that a Purple Heart is for being wounded and is not "won for bravery" they did a good job otherwise on this report.

Heartbroken: His parents, Stacy Hunt and Susan Selke, said he had battled through his difficulties and seemed to be turning his life around

He had turned his life around

Mystery of handsome Purple Heart-winning Marine and mental health advocate who killed himself

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 11:39 AM on 16th April 2011


He won a Purple Heart for his bravery in Iraq and so epitomised the survivor spirit he appeared as a mental health advocate in a public service announcement to help veterans cope.

But last month, 28-year-old former Marine corporal Clay Hunt shot himself in his Houston apartment.

His heartbreaking suicide has deeply shaken his fellow veterans, who are at a loss to explain why the handsome Marine - who outwardly was coping well after leaving the military - would take his own life.

They say it is a 'wake-up call for America', and are demanding the military does more to help its veterans of war cope.

The haunting question of 'why' hung over a memorial service for the popular former Marine attended by more than 1,100 mourners in Houston last week.

Moving on: Mr Hunt travelled to Haiti to help the earthquake relief effort with an organisation called Team Rubicon.

Although he battled post-traumatic stress disorder, he had 'turned his life around' and thrown himself into charity work and lobbying.

His mother, Susan Selke, told CNN: 'In my mind he is a casualty of war. But he died here instead of over there. He died as a result of his war experience. There is no doubt in my mind.'
His death will not be counted as an official military suicide by the Pentagon, because he left the Marines in 2009.

His best friend, Jacob Wood, told CNN: 'That is a complete sham in my opinion. Part of Clay was killed in Iraq. Part of Clay was killed in Afghanistan and the rest of him was killed in Houston, Texas. And if that is not reflected in military statistics, it's a shame.'

When Mr Hunt left the military in 2009, he seemed to put the trauma of war behind him, travelling to Chile and Haiti to help the rescue effort after the earthquakes, road-biking with wounded veterans and lobbying on Capitol Hill.

But friends and family say although outwardly he seemed to be coping, he suffered post-traumatic stress disorder, depression - and was wracked with survivor's guilt.

They said he never truly recovered from the deaths of four of his closest friends in Iraq.

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