Veterans Dealing With Suicide Crisis

Veterans Dealing With Suicide Crisis
WREG Memphis
by Adam Hammond
November 11, 2013

(Memphis) As we welcome home thousands of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan, we’re facing a crisis among vets this Veterans Day.

The Department of Veteran’s Affairs reports about one veteran commits suicide every hour. That’s 22 veteran suicides a day across the country.

Volunteers are posted at the Memphis Crisis Center 24/7 to answer phone calls from people who need help the most, specifically suicide calls.

“We have seen an increase in calls from veterans,” said executive director of the Memphis Crisis Center, Mike LaBonte.

LaBonte says almost one in three suicide calls nationally are from veterans.

Emergency calls from veterans have increased drastically since July.

“We are probably seeing an increase in suicide with veterans because we have more of our troops coming home now and there are adjustment issues and they are coming home to a depressed economy,” said LeBonte.
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