Holt, Runyan call on Congress to fund efforts to prevent suicide among military

They might want to read this book before they ask for one more dime to be invested in "prevention" programs that do not work. THE WARRIOR SAW, SUICIDES AFTER WAR

Military and veteran suicides are higher even though billions are spent every year trying to prevent them. After years of research most can be connected to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD has been researched for 40 years yet most of what was known has been forgotten. Families are left blaming themselves for what they were never told. Reporters have failed to research. Congress failed at holding people accountable. The military failed at giving them the help they need. We failed to pay attention.

I talk with these veterans all the time and their families. They are pissed off and rightly so because they are not being told what they need to know. I ran out of excuses for what the DOD and the VA do not do long ago.

Holt, Runyan call on Congress to fund efforts to prevent suicide among military
May 5, 2013
By Phil Gregory

Two members of New Jersey's congressional delegation are urging the House Appropriations Committee to provide $40 million to prevent suicide among military personnel and veterans. U.S. Reps. Jon Runyan and Rush Holt say military suicides continue to rise.

During a news conference at the World War II memorial in Trenton, Holt says the funding is needed for counseling and outreach programs.

"It's not enough to say, 'If you feel suicidal, if you have problems, we have programs, give us a call.' We have to go to where the soldiers and veterans are and make sure that they know they are not alone," said Holt, a Democrat.
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This is also interesting because yet again they do not understand how bad it sounds to label "not fit to serve" on these men and women after all they wanted was to be of service.

New bill addresses suicide in the military
May 2, 2013
by Shannon Brys
Associate Editor

U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-IN), who was sworn in on January 3, has introduced his first bill as a member of the Senate. The bill, The Jacob Sexton Military Suicide Prevention Act, would establish a pilot program in each of the military services and reserve components to integrate annual mental health assessments into a service member’s Periodic Health Assessment (PHA). The PHA is an annual review designed to determine whether a service member is “fit” to serve.

The pilot program would expand that review of fitness to include a more detailed mental health review and identify risk factors for mental illness so that service members can access preventative care. The bill would also integrate a first-line supervisor’s input, as the first-line supervisor plays an important role in a service member’s life and may be aware of relationship or financial problems but is not able to address them unless the service member speaks up.
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