Arizona may join states tracking veteran suicides

Arizona lawmaker planning bill to mandate tracking of veteran suicides
KTAR News
BY KATHY CLINE
JULY 23, 2018

“Before you can solve a problem, you’ve got to realize the extent of the problem,” said Mike Scerbo, spokesman for the family of Antouine Castaneda. Castaneda — a decorated Army Ranger who signed up after 911 — took his life on his 32nd birthday, July 23, 2015.

Rep. Jay Lawrence at the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix on July 23, 2018. (KTAR Photo/Kathy Cline)

PHOENIX — A bill that would require the compilation of veteran suicide statistics could be introduced next session in the Arizona Legislature.

State Rep. Jay Lawrence — a Republican who chairs the House Military, Veterans and Regulatory Affairs Committee — hasn’t written the bill yet. In fact, he’s only submitted suggestions to the Arizona Legislative Council.

He does plan to have something ready for the coming legislative session.

As Lawrence envisions it: “[The bill would] require the state of Arizona to compile a report on veteran suicide and provide that report to the Legislature and the Department of Veterans Affairs beginning Jan. 1, 2020.”

A November 2017 study from Arizona State University found Arizona veterans were almost four times as likely to commit suicide as nonveterans.
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Are you pretending to care about veterans?

When you become part of the problem!
Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
July 23, 2018

There seems to be more and more cases of people using the suffering of veterans and the families they leave behind for their own gain. We saw that when the FTC decided to put an end to these ripoff charities.

FTC and States Combat Fraudulent Charities That Falsely Claim to Help Veterans and Servicemembers

The thing is, none of them could have managed to pull millions out of well-meaning donors if the "causes" was not shared across social media.

The other factor is, none of these "groups" are doing anything to actually help veterans heal, live better lives or even attempt to understand that no one will ever know exactly how many veterans commit suicide. 

The number is pure BS, because the VA report was from 21 states using limited data. Then we put together an example of so many more that did not "count" in the number that has been unchanged since 1999!

If you are wondering why so many still commit suicide, start by asking yourself one question. "Do you care enough to know or are you just pretending to care?"

UPDATE
Looks like it keeps going on and on! This headline almost made me fall off my chair.

Flags for Forgotten Soldiers raises awareness about veteran suicide

Forgotten were all those beyond the "22" a day the press keeps talking about.

I wonder what Howard Berry would feel like knowing how many the press has let be forgotten because they did not do their jobs.

After all, easy to know he does care considering his own son committed suicide after surviving the Fort Hood massacre.

Howard, if you come across this site, give me a call and I'll give you a better idea of how many actually were forgotten!

Iraq veteran begs for flag to be returned

Tacoma veteran's American flag stolen; now a heartbreaking plea to get it back
KIRO 7 News
By: Deedee Sun
Updated: Jul 22, 2018

TACOMA, Wash. - The sign says, “Please return my flag, sentimental to me. I brought it back from Iraq. The bottom four stripes have my buddy’s blood on them.”

“This was very important to him,” said Kim Phillips, who lives in Tacoma. She said veteran Nolan Gomez was doing some yard work when someone stole his American flag.

I was actually shocked. It was his country we were in and he gave me an American flag,” Gomez said.

He’s kept it with him ever since.

And in Iraq, when a roadside bomb blew up, injuring him and his team, he reached for the flag. “I dropped to my knees and my friend is screaming,” Gomez said.

He tried to use the flag as a tourniquet. His friend – who is from Lakewood – lost his legs.

“He came back out here and committed suicide,” Gomez said. “Some horrific things that have happened, and that flag has always been there.”

Gomez also suffers from PTSD.
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Fire Captain Lost Battle With PTSD

Missing Orting firefighter who suffered from PTSD found dead
BY Q13 NEWS STAFF
JULY 22, 2018

ORTING, Wash. — A member of the Orting Fire Department who suffered from PTSD was found dead Sunday. Captain Art Vazquez had been missing since Saturday.

“It’s with a heavy heart that Orting Valley Fire and Rescue and the International Association of Firefighters Local 4459 announce the passing of one of our beloved members, Captain Art Vazquez,” Orting Valley Fire and Rescue said on Facebook.

The post went on to say Vazquez “took his own life as a result of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).”
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Vietnam veteran robbed at gunpoint on his own porch

Cameras capture men robbing Vietnam veteran at gunpoint at Detroit home
Click On Detroit
By Larry Spruill - Reporter
July 21, 2018

Kendrick Hardaway's eyes dilated when robbers approach him

DETROIT - A Vietnam veteran claims two men robbed him on the front porch of his Detroit home while he was under medication. The good news is everything was recorded on camera.

Kendrick Hardaway has seen a lot over the years, mostly from his front porch. Hardaway sits in the same chair with his best friend beside him. That daily ritual was delayed Friday because Hardaway had a doctor’s appointment to get his eyes dilated.

When he got home, he got out of his car.

“Out of nowhere, two guys popped up, and said, 'Give it up,'” Hardaway said. “It happened in less than two minutes,” Hardaway said.
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