Veterans deserved better from all of us then and they still do

UPDATE
Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Act passed and heads to the White House.

Paul Rieckhoff, CEO and founder of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, an advocacy group that pushed for the bill, called Senate passage "a tremendous day" for veterans and their families.

"For too long the crisis of veteran suicide has been hidden in the shadows. This bill gives many veterans the new hope they so desperately need and demonstrates that our leaders are willing to give veterans the care they deserve," Rieckhoff said.

Bullshit! As you can see, we've heard it all before and more graves ended up being filled instead of someone finally having the courage to fight to stand up and tell them none of it has been good enough! For too long veterans have been waiting from all generations and families like mine have been attending funerals instead of celebrating. After all these years no one has explained why veterans commit suicide double civilian rate and younger veterans are triple their peers after all the other efforts to reduce suicides produced more of them.

Now back to the original post.

As everyone on TV is pushing for passage of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Act, apparently unaware of it doing anything differently, here is a look back at politicians and what they said about the Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention Act of 2007 signed by President Bush in 2008.

Statement of Congressman Leonard Boswell
Before The Committee on Veterans' Affairs:
Subcommittee on Health
United States House of Representatives
September 28, 2006
Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention Act

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify here today concerning the emerging trends regarding veterans' mental health. With more and more veterans returning from tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, many new issues have arisen regarding veterans mental health that have not received attention in the past. This is an issue that Congress cannot ignore and I am pleased that this Committee is holding hearings on this important issue.

The number of veterans returning with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is alarmingly high. A recent study found that 17 percent of soldiers and Marines returning from Iraq screened positive for PTSD. Our men and women in uniform returning from combat are fighting a different type of war and a different type of enemy. The National Center for PTSD found several things associated with individuals diagnosed with PTSD, such as physical pain, sleep disturbance and nightmares, substance abuse, and self-harm or suicide.

Obviously there is a connection between PTSD and suicide. Some estimates have found that almost one thousand veterans receiving care from the Department of Veterans Affairs commit suicide each year, and research shows that one out of 100 veterans who have returned from Iraq have considered suicide. I find this number disturbing.

Since March 2003, 80 individuals, who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan, have committed suicide. Our young men and women serving our country have kept us safe for so long; it is now our turn to protect them.

A few months ago I learned of a young man from my district, Joshua Omvig, who experienced undiagnosed PTSD after returning from an 11-month tour in Iraq. His family and friends did not know how to help him. Then in December of last year Joshua tragically took his life. He was only 22 years old. After I heard Joshua's story I was shocked to find one in a hundred Operation Iraq Freedom veterans have reported thinking about suicide.

I knew something had to be done. That is why I introduced H.R. 5771, the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act. This legislation will mandate the Department of Veterans Affairs to develop and implement a comprehensive program to regularly screen and monitor all veterans for risk factors for suicide within the Veterans Affairs system. At any point in a veteran's life, if they were found to have specific risk factors for suicide they would be entered into a tracking system; ensuring they do not fall through the cracks. Then they would be entered into a counseling referral system to make certain those veterans receive the appropriate help. It would provide education for all VA staff, contractors, and medical personnel who have interaction with the veterans. In addition, it would make available 24-hour mental health care for veterans found to be at risk for suicide.

Currently, the Department of Veterans Affairs regularly screens veterans for depression, PTSD, and substance abuse but not suicide specifically.

Boswell Urges House Committee to Pass the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Bill

I am saddened by the circumstances that this legislation grew out of, but I know that if enacted, this program could save lives. We treat their physical injuries, now it is time to treat the wounds that are not visible.

It is my hope that a comprehensive veterans bill will result from this hearing and that any bill considered will include provisions of the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act. This important issue cannot go one more day without the attention it needs.

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, thank you again for this opportunity to share some major concerns regarding the quality of mental health care our veterans' are receiving.

Sen. Tom Harkin Mr. President, I am honored to join with the distinguished senior Senator from my State, Senator Grassley, to introduce the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act.During my years in the Navy, I learned one of the most important lessons of my entire life: Never leave a buddy behind. That's true on the battlefield--and it's also true after our servicemembers return home. Taking care of our veterans is a continuing cost of national defense, and we need to make sure we don't abandon them once they return home.

Our service men and women endure tremendous stress during combat. Almost all of our soldiers reported being under fire while serving in Iraq and knowing someone seriously injured or killed. Returning home and rejoining their families and friends can be a time of hope and joy, but it can also be a time of enormous stress. In particular, the traumas and memories of combat service can cause profound problems. Army studies show that around 25 percent of soldiers who have served in Iraq display symptoms of serious mental-health problems, including depression, substance abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Tragically, suicide disproportionately affects veterans. In 2004, veterans accounted for more than 20 percent of deaths by suicide, yet they make up only 10 percent of the general population. We should be addressing this shocking rate of suicide among our veterans. But the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) currently does not have appropriate suicide prevention, early detection, and treatment programs available to meet the needs of our veterans. This is unacceptable!

The aim of our bill is to improve early detection and intervention; provide access to services for veterans in crisis; and, thereby, prevent the unnecessary deaths of the men and women who have put their lives on the line to defend our nation.Joshua Omvig was one such veteran. Josh was a member of the United States Army Reserve 339th MP Company, based in Davenport, IA. Before leaving for Iraq, he was a member of the Grundy Center Volunteer Fire Department and the Grundy Center Police Reserves. He felt honored to serve his country in the Reserves and hoped to return to serve his community as a police officer. Unfortunately, when he returned from his 11-month deployment in Iraq, he brought the traumas of war with him. He committed suicide a few days before Christmas in 2005. He was just 22 years old.

This was a preventable death.

If Josh and his family had had better access to mental health services; if they had been trained to recognize the symptoms of PTSD; and if they had known where to turn for help; then the tragedy of his death might well have been avoided.In his honor, Senator Grassley and I offer this legislation to improve the services offered by the VA, and to bring down the appalling rate of suicide among veterans.

First, this bill focuses on reducing the stigma associated with seeking treatment for mental health problems. Almost 80 percent of soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan who exhibited signs of mental health problems were not referred for mental health services. More than two-thirds of the servicemembers who screened positive for a mental health problem reported that they were concerned about the stigma associated with seeking treatment.Given these statistics, our bill calls for the creation of a mental health campaign to increase awareness of mental illness and the risk factors for suicide.

Veterans need to hear from members of the chain of command, leadership within the VA, and from their peers that seeking mental health services is important for their health, their families, and no different than seeking treatment for a physical health issue, such as chronic pain or a broken leg.Second, this bill ensures that VA staff and medical personnel will receive suicide prevention and education training so that they can recognize when and where to refer veterans for assistance. Additionally, the legislation ensures 24-hour access to mental health care for those who are at risk for suicide, including those in rural or remote areas. Veterans who do not have easy access to VA hospitals and veterans centers must be assured of access to services during periods of crisis.Finally, this bill recognizes the importance of family and peer support.

It trains peer counselors to understand the risk factors for suicide, provide support during readjustment, and to assist veterans in seeking help. This bill also engages family members by helping them to understand the readjustment process; to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental illness; and let them know where to turn for assistance. By enlisting the aid and support of family members and peers, we will reduce the likelihood that our veterans suffer in isolation.The stresses that our service men and women endure in combat are strong and can trigger severe mental health issues. Although our men and women may come home safely, the war isn't over for them. Often, the physical wounds of combat are repaired, but the mental damage--the psychological scars of combat--can haunt a person for a lifetime.

The Federal Government has a moral contract with those who have fought for our country and sacrificed so much. Together, we can work to make good on that contract. Our service men and women deserve to know that we will not forget about their service--and we will not leave them behind. By Mr. KOHL (for himself, Mr. Hatch, and Mr. Specter):S. 480. A bill to amend the Antitrust Modernization Commission Act of 2002, to extend the term of the Antitrust Modernization Commission and to make a technical correction; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

But not only did the federal government forget about their "moral contract" so did politicians and reporters. The price paid was more years of more veterans suffering and more families left behind after suicide.

Joshua Omvig's parents had hope their loss would save lives too.

Iowa Family Urges Congress To Pass Soldier Bill, Updated: Apr 17, 2008
Joshua Omvig of Grundy Center committed suicide in 2005 shortly after returning home from a tour of duty in Iraq. On Capitol Hill, his parents, Randy and Ellen Omvig, urged the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee to pass the Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention Act. It would improve prevention and early detection to help veterans in crisis and prevent needless deaths like Omvig's. Randy Omvig, Joshua's father, says, "This bill has Josh's name on it, but it represents so many men and women before and after Josh who were unable to live with the physical, mental and psychological effects of their service." The U.S. House of Representative passed the Joshua Omvig Suicide Prevention Bill earlier this year.

Veterans deserved better from all of us then and they still do.