Sorry,
I've been away for the last couple of weeks but we had some serious family issues. I would explain it if I could but you would never believe me. I still don't believe it happened to us.
Think Alfa Dog
Then let it go and lets just say my chick made it home alive.
Now, lets get back to vet suicides.
It turns out that the head of the VAs Mental Health program, Dr. Ira Katz, very specifically chose to hide the real number of vet suicides that are occurring while vets are under the care of the VA. He misrepresented the data to a level that can almost be considered criminal. He is a man under great pressure from an administration that would like to hide what we are all going through and so he stuck his moral compass back in his ruck and marched on. I don't condone it but I understand it. Please check the link below and decide for yourself.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24302814/
Here is my two cents:
Because of my wife's post Iraq PTSD, our family has been receiving mental health care from the VA for over two years now. It is not always perfect, It doesn't always work, and sometimes I walk away wanting to smack somebody but they are always there.
My wife's VA health care workers are killing themselves to take care of us and to provide hope. I know it doesn't always seem like it by I will always be thankful to them. I'd thank them out loud here - they deserve it - but the butterfly theory always stops me from sharing names here. You know who you are and I appreciate you, my bbf (beautiful blond girl for you newbies) appreciates you too.
She would never admit it but she needs you.
BBF may not be healed but she's still here and given the statistics from the article linked above, I'll take it. The problem is not that there are so many vet suicides. A lot of us have served and many will carry these scars forever. We accept this as a part of service. The crime here, is that most of you don't know how badly we are suffering and the man most able to share that with you, hid it because his political masters don't want you to hear more bad news about the WOT. They want sunshine and roses.
This is war folks - no roses left.
Just thorns.
Here is the info you need to share and demand that your political representatives take care of.
Over one million Iraq vets
34% plus PTSD rates
Over 4045 Killed and over 65,000 wounded
Our VA is underfunded and does not have the resources to care for us. The providers there (not the bureaucrats) will go to any lengths to help us but there is only so much they can do with inadequate resources. We came home broken, messed, mentally torn up and it has changed our lives. Most of us have lost jobs, houses, money and lifestyles because we stand on a wall for everyone else. The Army cannot afford to take care of its own so it is passing the buck to the VA. I'm sure it is the same with the Corps as well.
Send Help - we need it.
Click Play... to Listen to What I write to
1 comment:
I don't think many in the general public who did not serve, still don't get the joke.
I was in the Marines for 8 years. My father was in the Marines for 4. He served 2 tours in Vietnam and is 63 now. And you know what? He is just now facing PTSD head on after moving in with us near Newark, NJ from his life-long home town in Ohio.
Fortunately, the Regional HQ for the VA is here as is the large VA hospital. Since arriving and being prodded by myself to go in and register. Since he has become a completely different man. One that is kinder more patient and obviously benefiting from the Group therapy sessions they offer.
PTSD is no joke. I lived with it for years, but denied its existence as was the practice led by my own father until he "Manned Up" and began to face his nightmares.
Good luck to you and your wife.
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