Soldier Suicides

In a short time frame it revealed a lot about the life and death of this young man and the suffering of his family.Shay and Lessin add to our understanding of the big picture .Foxall and Mugar did a great job.

My little brother served in Iraq and my biggest fear is that he will end up dead or in jail as a result of PTSD. In the 5 years since he came back he has been in the psychiatric unit of VA and in jail for various angry rages more times than I can count. I wish peace for all those suffering; veterans and their families.

I can't say how sad and angry this makes me, we asked (more like told) these soldiers to go to Iraq. And now they've been abandoned by the government that ruled their lives for so long. It's not fair!

If only this were playing wall-to-wall on every network and cable news channel, instead of Paris Hilton's reply to John McCain. That would be a beginning to the fence at the top of the cliff.

The system loves to believe that things become better once you leave a bad situation. As if the mind is without memory. This is what upsets me. Those who are in charge have no understanding of what stains remain on a persons life. Ignoring the problem seems easier.

I knew that the services provided to veterans were not up to par. I had no idea that they were this bad. This clip was enlightening and appaling.

This was a very well done and terse piece that exposed one of the dirty little secrets of this administration and the war they have bestowed upon us. The Bush administration treats the horrifying rates of PTSD that are returning from Iraq like global warming; if we deny and ignore it long enough, it will either go away or become the problem of the next administration.

They fight and die for the right of a free government to turn its back on them. Society also refuses the support one truly deserves as a brave enlisted "American Soldier". My prayers are for all loss of life.

As Americans, we abide by the law that a citizen is not old enough to make an adult decision to drink alcohol until the age of 21...however, we allow our boys and girls to join the military, become armed and defend their own lives and take the lives of others in activities of war...we have to take better care of our children and understand that war is for trained soldiers, not just someone that is older than 18...

God Bless All of our Soldiers and the Soldiers of the World...

This brought me to tears. I just watched a film last night called Harsh Times about two Gulf War Vets. Its very upsetting to know so many soldiers feel hopeless.

I feel them. The family AND the soldiers. This is all just wrong. Forget government, politics, ideology, religion... none of it matters. This is about people, people are dying over there, here, everywhere. STOP!

Been there done that and its hard every day.i lost a good friend a few weeks ago who joined up with a unit and went back when he didn't have to.myself i'm gearing up to go back myself.for all the soldiers there and in route.

FRIENDS
im cold and tired and ready for sleep
cause we rode all night , in it hip deep
tring to stay alive just one more night
with nowhere to go and one more to fight
for the mission comes first and true to call
we just can't stop,we can not fall
from up in the gun truck,we hear the call
get back in,they need us all

the tears come hard when the terror stops
for my friend lays quite and i see the drops
it starts as a stain,then fills up his shirt
i can't stop the flow,i can't stop the hurt

so we drive like hell and waste no time
for a second lost is never regained
so waste no time and live every day
because thats what a soldier said that day.

time heals all wounds or so they say
but the scene plays again,day after day
it won't go away,i can't stop to say
i did my best on that cold winter day

by ssg john s. jones
iraq dec 31 2004

It is really sad that there are not any sort of programs set up to allow soldiers to return home with tools to combat the PTSD. The safe return of a soldier should be a joyful time, and the military agencies should be responsible for making sure it is. My hopes go out to the soldiers dealing with this disorder...just remember we thank you for all of your sacrifice.

This is a story worth telling, and there has certainly been much produced about the tragedy of former Marine Jeffery Lucey. However, the pod referenced that the Army was asked for comment on the story, and Army Public Affairs refused comment. As well they should - the Army and the Marine Corps are different branches of the armed service, Soldiers and Marines are different (just ask either), and it would be imprudent, if not irresponsible, for the US Army to comment on the suicide of a US Marine.

Notably, the Army is currently enduring a spike in suicides of its own. Interestingly, however, of 24 suicides reported in JAN 2009, 18 of these involved either initial entry, or advanced individual training (IET/AIT) Soldiers - in other words, brand new Soldiers who had never deployed.

Having been there twice, I can vouch for the fact that war is stressful. Having been through the training, I can vouch that it is realistic and stressful, as well. The bottom line is that once a Soldier or Marine returns from the fight, every resource should be committed to ensuring their physical and mental needs are met.

Thanks.

Soldier Suicides reply from http://twitpic.com/photos/IThankReserve

http://josephjeanes.com/SoldierSuicides0.htm 553 Words on this topic --- don't feel the problem - it will eat you.

.......Remember, the psychiatrist does not look for you. They need a problem of size to keep you whether you have one or not. In one space they play with you and in the other, they take you into space whether you need or not – you have to get through their care. I would suggest if you are extremely honest and really cannot do the game, get one good skill in something odd or unique and do it – take a guitar with headphones with you. Keep the sound in. Do something – and question for question. The double negative for the double negative – for some reason, that is smart these days.

If you can find love in a zero world you are crazy. It is for home or real friends, not paid talkers............