Suicide Rate Alarming for U.S. Veterans

A neighbor of mine is a veteran of the war in Afghanistan. We were talking recently and he told me a story that has stayed with me. He was back from Afghanistan and was at a military base here in the states. He and a friend had just walked through a check point when suddenly there was a bright flash of light and the sound of a loud concussive shot. He and his friend turned and looked behind them to discover that the soldier who had just let them pass through the check point had shot and killed himself.

Recently the United Stated Department of  Veteran Affairs released a study that  analyzed data regarding veterans and suicide rates between 1999 and 2010. The study found that 22 U.S. veterans were committing suicide each day which equals a veteran suicide in this country every 65 minutes. No matter how you feel about the recent wars this is a horrifically tragic number.

If you are a veteran who is struggling emotionally or if you know a veteran who is struggling there is help. There is a veterans crisis line you can call anytime. The number for the veterans crisis hotline is 1-800-273-8255.

Jeff Brown

PWP