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Monday, January 5, 2015

Is what we read on veterans suicides reliable?

Is the 22-Veterans-Per-Day Suicide Rate Reliable? on Huffington Post by Dustin DeMoss left me wondering if what we read is reliable or not. There is so much that we don't talk about and until we do, we will keep repeating the past.
Wounded Times · Top Commenter · Editor, Publisher and Videographer at Wounded Times Blog

Seriously? Think about what you just wrote. Then think of all the other bills coming out of congress since the granddaddy Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention bill in 2007- signed by President Bush in 2008. Boat loads of bills passed since then, billions a year spent by the DOD, VA and other departments yet the suicide rate remained unchanged. State after state are still reporting that veterans committing suicide are twice the civilian rate. Same as back in 2008 after years of listening to families begging congress to make a difference. More charities popping up plus the suicide prevention/crisis hotline, more outreach and more families still having to bury a veteran.
I'd love to take the easy way out and jump into the ever growing number of voices to pass the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Act but after years of tracking all of this and having to explain to the families why their veteran lost all hope, I'd prefer to stay honest and tell the truth.

Here's so links to post on Wounded Times in case you missed them.
A 24-hour confidential Veteran’s Crisis Line first established in 2007 for veterans, their families and friends fielded about 287,000 calls, 54,800 online chats, and 11,300 text messages in fiscal year 2013, the report says.


Do you care twice as many veterans commit suicide than civilians do?

Reducing Military Suicides Impossible Dream with These Folks in Charge

After we get through all of that then maybe we can talk about the other really important fact and that is the majority of veterans committing suicide are 50 and over.
"Veterans over the age of 50 who had entered the VA healthcare system made up about 78 percent of the total number of veterans who committed suicide"

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