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Monday, July 29, 2013

Why is the press silent on military suicides?

Why is the press silent on military suicides?
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
July 29, 2013

This is really deplorable. This is the end of July. So far this month the Department of Defense released the number of suicides for April and May on the 18th. They still have not released the June deaths by suicide. Why? Why hasn't the press been interested in even asking or reminding the public this information has been withheld?

For April there are 6 still under investigation and May Army report has 12 remaining under investigation. April, 17 cases remain under investigation for Army National Guards and Army Reserves and 10 for May.

The Suicide Event Report for 2012 has not been released. This report contains suicides by branch, means, demographics and the number of attempted suicides. Why is there a delay in releasing this? The numbers are from last year!

As bad as all of this is, families are still waiting for the outcome of investigations.
They still don't have answers from last year.
Active-duty suicide numbers for calendar year (CY) 2012: 183 (162 have been confirmed as suicides and 21 remain under investigation).


Not on active duty suicide numbers for CY 2012: 140 (93 Army National Guard and 47 Army Reserve). Of these, 138 have been confirmed as suicides and two remain under investigation.


Do they matter or not? It seems as if every newspaper and TV station is ready to jump on whatever crumb of information the DOD is willing to release but to this day few have bothered to stay on top of any of this. Why hasn't the press actually asked for some accountability on this? Why haven't they asked for answers from the DOD or Congress?

Families feel forgotten and that their suffering just doesn't matter. They sent their sons and daughters off prepared for the fact it could be the last time they see them. They are not expecting to have to bury them after they came home from combat. They don't expect to have to bury them after they have been discharged from risking their lives.

What is going on and who is asking in their name?

UPDATE

Obama: In America, no War Should Ever Be Forgotten
Associated Press
by Darlene Superville
Jul 28, 2013

WASHINGTON -- Six decades after the Korean War ended, President Barack Obama said Saturday that American veterans deserved a better homecoming from a war-weary nation and that their legacy is the 50 million people who live freely in a democratic South Korea.

"Here in America, no war should ever be forgotten, and no veteran should ever be overlooked," he said in a speech at the Korean War Veterans Memorial on the National Mall, where ceremonies marked the 60th anniversary of the end of hostilities on the peninsula.

Obama said the conflict didn't unite or divide the country the same way World War II or the Vietnam War did, respectively, and that U.S. veterans came home to neither parades nor protests because "there was, it seemed, a desire to forget, to move on" by Americans tired of battle.

But they "deserved better," Obama said, adding that, on Saturday's anniversary, "perhaps the highest tribute we can offer our veterans of Korea is to do what should have been done the day you came home."

He appealed for people to pause and let these veterans "carry us back to the days of their youth and let us be awed by their shining deeds." In the audience of several thousand on a sunny and humid morning were dozens of American and Korean veterans of the war. Obama asked them to stand and be recognized.
read more here


President Obama is Commander-in-Chief but he isn't demanding any answer either.

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