Another member of Team Rubicon lost battle to suicide

Another member of Team Rubicon lost battle to suicide
Team Rubicon

From Facebook

Team Rubicon mourns the loss of a veteran, volunteer, and brother. Neil Landsberg, a former Combat Controller in the United States Air Force, was an active Region 3 team member. As an Air Force Special Operator, Neil completed multiple overseas combat deployments. When he took off the uniform he volunteered at Walter Reed and served as a role model for many TR volunteers around the Washington, DC area. Neil is remembered by his teammates and fellow volunteers as a “total stud”.

This is why it makes it all the more difficult to announce that Neil took his own life last week. He leaves behind many friends at Team Rubicon who will carry on his name and spirit through service.

I left this comment

Wounded Times I just wish all of you could understand that what you did in the name of someone else shows just how "good" you are. It is that goodness that also opens the door to feel pain more deeply. Look at how much you do for others to help, not harm and that comes from caring. Evil people do not care. YOU ARE NOT EVIL but you are in pain. You can heal and then go on to help others but you have to be stronger first. The right help will get you there and then you can do wondrous things.

I can't tell you how many times I heard a veteran tell me they think they are evil because of what they had to do and go through. Evil people do not grieve. Evil people are selfish and do not think of others. These men and women join the service to help not harm. They are ready to risk their lives to save someone else. How can any of that be evil? They do have to face bad things and sometimes they do have to kill to do it but if the enemy they were sent to fight just put down their weapons, they would be the happiest people on earth. They do not want to kill but they are prepared to do it.

They can heal once they get the right help but from every sad outcome like the death of Neal it is clear what these young men and women are getting is far from what they need.

I always ask the veterans I work with what they want to do in the next part of their lives. They say they want to help others. What does that tell you?