Austin veterans react to alarming increase in military suicides

Local veterans react to alarming increase in military suicides
by SHELTON GREEN KVUE News and
Photojournalist MATT OLSEN
kvue.com
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 9:26 PM

AUSTIN – As the nation reflects this Memorial Day on the men and women who served our country both past and present, there is also a growing focus on an alarming number of military suicides with the present generation of U.S. Veterans.

“Those of us who've served and been in war, we've seen things that you haven't seen," said James Floyd, an Air Force veteran who served four tours of duty in both Iraq and Afghanistan in six years. "We've done things that maybe some of us aren't so proud of, not that we wouldn't do it again if we had to.”

Floyd credits strong family support and the support of his veteran family at the V.F.W. Post 8787 in North Austin for helping him reacclimate back in to society. That hasn’t been the case for every veteran.

“Actually, I just found out that on Mother's Day one of my former troops committed suicide. He was having martial issues,” added Floyd.

The Associated Press reports that a staggering 45% of the 1.5 million soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan are now filing for disability benefits at an historic rate. Other research also suggests that military suicides are now up 80%

“They're doing three, four and five tours. Where in Vietnam, unless you really wanted to, I would say the maximum tour, I would say a maximum of two years,” said P.K. Wright, a Vietnam Veteran who spoke to KVUE News Monday.
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