Veterans Day Reminder of the Forgotten

All Veterans Should Matter Everyday
Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
November 5, 2017 

There is a serious problem in this country when men and women are expected to show up to fight our battles but we don't show up to fight for all of them when they need us.

Veterans Day is next weekend. Cannot think of a better time to do this for all our veterans, especially the Pre-9-11 veterans everyone seems to have forgotten about.

When we pay attention to only young veterans, what does that say about us? When we only donate to groups claiming to help only young veterans, what does that say to the majority of the veterans?

I hope this effort will open your eyes so that maybe we can actually change the outcome.

There is a huge difference between what we think we know and what there is to actually learn.

The Department of Veterans Affairs released their reports on how many veterans are committing suicide. What they left out of the report will shock you.

The numbers came from veterans in the VA system and from death certificates. Suicide was a factor but so was a connection to military service.

Some states have "Armed Forces" along with a question as to which war. Some states do not have a space for military service.

***Images were searched for every state. Where you see "yes" it was found but where you see "no" double check me to see if I just missed it. Some were very hard to read.***

Here are the states and the facts you need to know.

VA Suicide Report by State 2014

Number of Veterans Per State  2014

Alabama

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

130 suicides 2014
344,304 Veterans Population

Alaska

Veteran Death Certificates, Honorable Only

38 suicides 2014
69,848 Veterans Population

Arizona

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

259 suicides 2014
483,026 Veterans Population

Arkansas

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

100 suicides 2014
207,886 Veterans Population

California

NO

Bill passed this year to add it

662 suicides 2014
1,693,602 Veterans Population

Colorado

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

178 suicides 2014
377,992 Veterans Population

Connecticut

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

49 suicides 2014
189,056 Veterans Population

Delaware

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

24 suicides 2014
72,017 Veterans Population

District of Columbia
Yes, Armed Forces Veteran
Under 10 suicides 2014
28,055 Veterans Population

Florida

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

591 suicides 2014
1,461,772 Veterans Population

Georgia

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

200 suicides 2014
651,283 Veterans Population

Hawaii

? See below

33 suicides 2014
109,871 Veterans Population

Idaho

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

54 suicides 2014
115,951 Veterans Population

Illinois

NO 

Bill passed this year to add it

193 suicides 2014
639,445 Veterans Population

Indiana

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

136 suicides 2014
408,790 Veterans Population

Iowa

NO

25 suicides 2014
198,627 Veterans Population

Kansas

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

88 suicides 2014
187,113 Veterans Population

Kentucky

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

136 suicides 2014
280,030 Veterans Population

Louisiana

NO

112 suicides 2014
261,772 Veterans Population

Maine

NO

55 suicides 2014
113,958 Veterans Population

Maryland

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

89 suicides 2014
384,882 Veterans Population

Massachusetts

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

73 suicides 2014
338,287 Veterans Population

Michigan

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

213 suicides 2014
600,135 Veterans Population

Minnesota

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

113 suicides 2014
322,421 Veterans Population

Mississippi

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

74 suicides 2014
174,500 Veterans Population

Missouri

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

207 suicides 2014
438,287 Veterans Population

Montana

NO

58 suicides 2014
84,496 Veterans Population

Nebraska

NO

61 suicides 2014
127,730 Veterans Population

Nevada

NO

127 suicides 2014
212,314 Veterans Population

New Hampshire

NO

37 suicides 2014
99,552 Veterans Population

New Jersey

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

93 suicides 2014
360,415 Veterans Population

New Mexico

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

91 suicides 2014
152,055 Veterans Population

New York

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

225 suicides 2014
773,063 Veterans Population

North Carolina

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

249 suicides 2014
673,382 Veterans Population

North Dakota

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

23 suicides 2014
50,185 Veterans Population

Ohio

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

244 suicides 2014
759,737 Veterans Population

Oklahoma

NO

149 suicides 2014
276,348 Veterans Population

Oregon

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

144 suicides 2014
295,348 Veterans Population

Pennsylvania

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

311 suicides 2014
821,624 Veterans Population

Rhode Island

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

16 suicides 2014
63,726 Veterans Population

South Carolina

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

143 suicides 2014
368,017 Veterans Population

South Dakota

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

30 suicides 2014
62, 645 Veterans Population

Tennessee

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

166 suicides 2014
450,313 Veterans Population

Texas

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

554 suicides 2014
1,496,724 Veterans Population

Utah

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

82 suicides 2014
131,381 Veterans Population

Vermont

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

24 suicides 2014
43,725 Veterans Population

Virginia

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

227 suicides 2014
690,427 Veterans Population

Washington

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

219 suicides 2014
558,895 Veterans Population

West Virginia

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

69 suicides 2014
140,755 Veterans Population

Wisconsin

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

133 suicides 2014
368,382 Veterans Population

Wyoming

Yes, Armed Forces Veteran

 25 suicides 2014
45,420 Veterans Population

Puerto Rico

Under 10 suicides 2014

Not really sure about the different results from Puerto Rico. 

Check the links and try to figure it out.

89,665 Veterans Population

US Census 2015 95,342

There are somewhere around 75,000 U.S. Army veterans living in Puerto Rico. Most served during the Vietnam War. After Hurricane Maria, many are now living in shelters. Thousands of people, not just veterans, have been displaced by the storm, and the shelters are packed. 

Some states have separate rules on who they consider a veteran. 

Hawaii has "'Veteran' means any person who has served in any if the armed services if the United States, or any person who is now a citizen of the United States who has served in any of the armed services of any country which was an ally of the United States in any war or campaign in which the United States was also engaged and has been discharged from that service."

I hope that explains why I make no apologies to all the folks running around the country claiming to be "raising awareness" at the same time they only talk about the OEF and OIF veterans. I really hope the next time you decide to support a Veteran's Charity, you check to see what they are doing with your money and who is being left out.