Vietnam Vet on hunger strike to stop military suicides

Vet Activist Goes on Hunger Strike in Front of White House
PBS
BY: DANIEL SAGALYN
August 29, 2012

When the Army released data earlier this month showing that suicides had spiked to an all-time high, Tom Mahany decided he had to do something to focus more attention on the issue. He went on a hunger strike in front of the White House.

Mahany, a Vietnam veteran, has firsthand experience with the trauma of military suicide. His brother-in-law, a Vietnam veteran struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, killed himself in 1991, leaving two sons and a wife behind.

Since then, Mahany learned more about the challenges of treating so-called invisible wounds such as depression and PTSD. He hopes the hunger strike will help push the government to establish a Federal Advisory Committee. Mahany believes such a committee would focus presidential leadership on reversing the rising numbers of suicides among soldiers. Mahany also wants to see the stigma of mental health injuries reduced.
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Honor for All

For Immediate Release

In January of this year Honor for ALL, a non-profit veterans organization dedicated to establishing visible recognition of the invisible wounds, wrote to the President calling for the formation of a Federal Advisory Committee to investigate and consult on the stigma of invisible wounds as it affects the military (and others) in this post 9-11 environment.

On three separate occasions in the months of March through June, we met with members of the President’s staff to discuss the establishment of this Committee with no resultant affirmative action being taken.

Given the recent spike in suicides within the military, we cannot, in good conscious, remain unmoved.

Whatever the administration's current plans are, direct attention to this problem, applied at the highest level possible, cannot be delayed any longer.

In an effort to accelerate the administration’s response regarding the formation of the Committee and the examination of the issues, (please see http://www.metrotimes.com/archives/story.asp?id=14648 12/16/09), I have begun another hunger strike. I have refrained from taking any sustenance other than water on since Sunday, Aug 19 and will continue my fast until we receive unconditional assurance that the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Title 5 U.S.C., is implemented as it was in 1995 by President Clinton to study Gulf War veterans’ illnesses.

We ask that the General Services Administration put the establishment of this Committee on a fast track, that the Committee report directly to the President, and that he personally lead the nation to stem the tide military suicide.

For the welfare of all affected by the stigma and consequences of invisible wounds, military or otherwise, we ask that the Committee include in its deliberation at least the following issues:

•A change in the name of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to Post Traumatic Stress Injury
•Awarding the Purple Heart for PTSI received in combat operations
•Creation and implementation of a middle school syllabus to properly teach our youth early detection and understanding of those at risk.
•Workplace accommodation for persons with invisible wounds


Nationally, there are many laudable efforts underway in support of our military men and women. But the stigma of stress injury remains deeply entrenched. Military suicide is an intolerable result. No one remedy will suffice. We need Presidential leadership and we need it now.

Thomas Mahany

If you read this blog you read the stories on veterans committing suicide. You know how serious this all is and you also know how many people have failed in taking care of the men and women willing to die taking care of others. The time for excuses ran out a long time ago.