Fort Hood suicide numbers rise "experts" oblivious

Fort Hood suicide numbers rise "experts" oblivious
by Kathie Costos
Wounded Times Blog
January 11, 2013

There was a time many years ago when I played nice with others. That ended a long time ago when I said "screw political correctness" because these men and women are suffering needlessly. I went after politicians to the point where Democrats think I'm Republican and Republicans think I'm a Democrat. I care about the war fighters and not the war senders.

Suicide have gone up but too many are more interested in sucking up than sticking up for members of the military suffering for what should have been in place before they were even sent.

The suicides at Fort Hood scream about the lack of knowledge causing the suffering and suicides.

The head of Fort Hood's suicide prevention program is an Iraq veteran. Sounds like it should be a good fit but when you listen to what she had to say, it shows she is oblivious to what is happening all over the military. They love to point out that suicide is a global problem but never seem to point out these men and women managed to survive combat but cannot manage to live back home.

The report points out that 12 of the suicides happened on Fort Hood during 2012. Only 2 happened while deployed. Most do not allow themselves to feel the pain while their comrades are still in danger. They don't allow thoughts for themselves unless it is so deep, so painful, they cannot escape it even while deployed.

They point out the long list of issues everyone goes through but never seem to mention the fact that less than half of those needing help seek it. That means less than half are diagnosed with PTSD. Relationship problems come with PTSD but do they wonder if a relationship falls apart because of PTSD especially when it is so devastating they want to die? Communication problems? That again is tied to PTSD. Everything they list is part of PTSD. While it is true that civilians commit suicide they never mention the fact that most suicides are tied back to mental health crisis situations.

They will not fact the fact that the men and women serving in the military are like us in many ways but unlike us, the traumas they face are multiplied. When they are not facing bullets and bombs, they have to live with the threat of them everyday. For those not deployed, while they are training, they know they will someday be exposed to all the dangers and that in itself can cause PTSD.

Fort Hood suicide numbers rise
Colby Howell
KWKT News
Thursday, January 10, 2013

FORT HOOD, TX — Very few know what it’s like to be a soldier, but most know that it’s a very tough and stressful commitment.

Suicide is a global problem, but for men and women in the military, it’s a different kind of battle.

Sharon Sutton is head of Fort Hood's Suicide Prevention Program. But before that she served in Iraq. She understands first hand some of the stress servicemen and women face.

“Partner relational issues, communication issues, financial issues, Of course you have the issue of moving back and forth," said Sutton.

Ford Hood saw 19 possible suicides in 2012- 12 on base, two overseas and five cases still being looked at. That’s almost double the numbers from 2011.
read more here

Military Suicide Prevention has not worked in all these years. If it had, the numbers would have gone down instead of up. Resiliency Training does not work. If it had, the numbers would have gone down on suicides and up on those seeking treatment instead. All the bad numbers have proven year after year, what they are doing does not work.

None of this is new. They've been studying PTSD for 40 years. These war fighters are the same as every other generation but unlike every other generation, they have faced deployment after deployment with the fear of another deployment hanging over their heads. They wanted to join. They wanted to serve. All of them enlisted. Most never thought of doing anything else but instead of getting the help they need to heal so they can stay in, that all depends on who their commander is. Some get what they need and they are magnificent examples of what is possible and they happen to be Generals still serving and doing what they love.

The military needs to start by once and for all acknowledging the difference between those who serve in the military risking their lives on a daily basis for the rest of us and the rest of us. Their PTSD is much different than civilian PTSD just as law enforcement PTSD is different.