Afghanistan vets ‘not violent … they’re killing themselves’

Afghanistan vets ‘not violent … they’re killing themselves’
The suicide of Afghan veteran leaves family in shock and questions about the state of mental health services available for the troops.
The Star
By: Bruce Campion-Smith Ottawa Bureau
Published on Fri May 02 2014

OTTAWA—“The army can train them to go to war. But they can’t train them to come home.”

Peter Anderson knows first-hand the tragic fallout of Canada’s war in Afghanistan. His two sons served in H Company, 2nd battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment on the same tour in 2007.

Both came home casualties of war, suffering post-traumatic stress disorder.

Younger son Ryan, 34, is in treatment for his stress injuries.

On Feb. 24, his older son Ron, 39, killed himself.

“It was an awful shock to us,” the father said in a telephone interview from his home in Lincoln, N.B.

“He gave us no hint. None.”

Ron Anderson left behind two boys, ages 14 and 13 and twin girls, age 10, and questions about the state of mental health services available for the troops.

Ron Anderson’s suicide was not an isolated incident. Between November and March, five regular-force soldiers and four reservists took their lives.

Those deaths included Master Cpl. William Elliott, 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, who had four tours abroad, including two in Afghanistan; Warrant Officer Michael McNeil, who had done multiple tours abroad, including Afghanistan, and was a decorated combat veteran; and Cpl. Leona MacEachern, who had retired from the forces.
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