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VA conceals vet suicide figures from CBS to downplay ‘epidemic in suicide’


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Yesterday marked the opening day of a class action lawsuit brought by Iraq and Afghanistan veterans against the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), arguing “that failure to provide care is manifesting itself in an epidemic of suicides” among veterans. The VA denies the charges, pointing to increased resources devoted to mental health.

Today, CBS News reports that the VA apparently concealed veteran suicide statistics, and fed the news organization faulty data for a story on the issue. The VA told CBS that there were 790 attempted suicides in all of 2007. Yet shortly after, the VA’s head of Mental Health, Dr. Ira Katz, wrote in an e-mail to the VA’s top media adviser that there were “about 1,000 suicide attempts per month among veterans we see in our medical facilities.”

The e-mail exchange shows that the VA hoped to keep the statistics out of CBS’s hands:

From: Katz, Ira R.
Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 11:27 AM
To: Chasen, Ev
Subject: FW: Not for the CBS News Interview Request

Shh!

Our suicide prevention coordinators are identifying about 1000 suicide attempts per month among the veterans we see at our medical facilities. Is this something we should (carefully) address ourselves in some sort of release before someone stumbles on it?



Read More Here: http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/22/va-hides-suicide-da...
BretByron

11 responses // VA conceals vet suicide figures from CBS to downplay ‘epidemic in suicide’

  • Figures.

    Remember, we can credit mccain and Lye-berman with pushing false data to get us into a bad war.
    VoyagerFilms
  • Make sure to shove this in a War-supporting soccer mom's face.

    Supporting the troops means more than putting a stupid bumper sticker on your car.
    Saladin
    1 response to this
  • http://www.freepress.net/conference
    Finally the media seems to be taking on the tougher stories. The National Media Reform Movement is really having an impact.

    It just seems to me that in the past couple of weeks I have seen more and more stories that are talking about whistle blowers and people writing expose and confession books; like Scott McClellan.

    Keep em coming....raise awareness about the plundering of our country.
    recommended by  huntre
    jubal
  • As if there is not going to be a terrible price for carrying arms in the service of these murderous troglodytes. The lack of compassion for what they are putting these men and women through is astounding. Shameless criminals, there is no end to their deceit. Officers and career soldiers should speak up.
    Ogmin
    1 response to this
  • http://www.truthout.org/video/interview-with-congressma...
    Ron Paul (R-TX) remains a candidate for president.

    Speaks out against the war and the corruption in our administration.

    A true American Patriot!


    It's no wonder no one wants to debate him, Specially on live T.V.
    BretByron
  • Wow Saladin, "War-supporting soccer mom" I guess that means you think any mom with a bumper sticker on her car is just paying lip service. While there are a high number of suicides among soldiers because of this horrible war, but there are a lot more casualities of this war than suicides. The wives of these soldiers are being murdered byt he husbands they don't know anymore, seven years of war is a long time to spend away form your loved ones. Over the last 10 years there have been so many cases of soldiers coming home from war and then murdering their families and the military knew of the mental problems in advance of the killings. Our military needs to be overhauled, but supporting our troops is not a bad thing and to harbor hatred of soccer mom's who have bumper stickers that they support our troops is an insult! A lot of those soccer mom's have husbands in the war.
    dcrc9596
  • I talked to my grandmother about this issue and she said my grandfather had the same difficulties w/ the V.A.. He was not given the care they had promised when he got back from Korea.

    He was shot and his pocket Bible saved his life. A recipient of the purple heart. I miss him dearly.
    BretByron
  • Say what you want about certain whistleblowers merely cashing in while getting out. It's working. We're getting more information to keep asking the right questions.
    That memo speaks volumes to cover-up.
    As for Ron Paul...seems like he's waiting for McCain to get in so much trouble that Republicans will turn to him in desperation. That's just fine with me.
    huntre
  • Vierotchka

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