Montana Veteran Suicides for 2014 46 By October

"He was every bit of what a Marine should be" - Mother of Montana Marine fights for change
KPAX Montana
Simone DeAlba
November 20, 2014

As of October, 46 veterans have committed suicide
in the state of Montana during 2014

BILLINGS - Imagine surviving war, and all the horrors that come with it, only to face a different type of battlefield once you come home.

That's the reality for many of our veterans, some suffering from invisible wounds such as depression or post traumatic stress disorder,also known as PTSD.

Brandon Slack, 29, came from a long line of public service. Many of his family members served in the U.S. Marine Corps, including his mother Kate Slack. For Brandon, being a Marine was not just a career, it was in his blood.

"My son Brandon was one of those larger-than-life type personalities," said Slack. "Brandon did two tours in Iraq. He was every bit of what a Marine should be."

After his first deployment to Fallujah, Brandon began taking medication for PTSD when he came home.

"Something was desperately wrong, his temper was startling," said Slack. "I came into the house one day, he was on the phone with somebody and I didn't even recognize who this person was."

Despite the noticeable change in her son's behavior, Brandon would be deployed for a second tour, this time in Ramadi.

Brandon survived, but suffered the invisible wounds of PTSD from the two combat tours.

After trying for years to find her son help through the Veterans Affairs Hospital and through many other avenues including therapy, he ultimately lost his battle. Brandon committed suicide in October of 2013.
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