Empty Chairs At Thanksgiving Tables

Empty Chairs At Thanksgiving Tables
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
November 28, 2013

They survived combat but could not survive because of it. That is what makes their suicides even more tragic than civilians losing hope they needed to believe the next day would be any better than their last day was.

The Department of Defense releases the suicide numbers for Army, Army National Guards and Army Reserves month by month.

The last release put the number of soldiers no longer here with this.

October, 10 Army, 11 Army National Guards and 1 Army Reservist. From January thru October there have been 126 soldiers taking their own lives, 82 Army National Guardsmen and 43 Army Reservists.

They also updated the numbers they previously released for 2012 with these totals.

Army, 186, Army National Guards 93 and 47 Army Reservists. This number was changed since the report that came out in February 2013

In December of 2012 there were 7 Soldiers, 10 Army National Guardsmen and 5 Army Reservists. There has been no explanation as to why the DOD does not release the same data for the Marines, Air Force and Navy or the other Guards and Reservists. There has been no explanation as to why the DOD has not release the Suicide Event Report for 2012 after the end of this 11th month of 2013.

That means there were 273 members of the Army here last Thanksgiving but left an empty chair this Thanksgiving.

The Department of Veterans Affairs released a report there are at least 22 veterans a day committing suicide. That means 8,030 a year. If you count the current numbers of military forces committing suicide the numbers are close to 9,000 gone since last Thanksgiving.

Every year we honor veterans on Veterans Day, November 11th and in the same month we give thanks for all we have. Everyday veterans carry the full weight of the duty they were willing to fulfill. Everyday we forget to help them carry that load. Forget to offer a hand, an arm to lean on and ear to hear them. Everyday we fail them we are assuredly contributing to the increase in those we remember of Memorial Day.

Whey you give thanks for all you have today, remember all  lost as well. Their families are looking at empty chairs.