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The 24-7 call center is already credited with rescuing more than 8,000 veterans on the brink of suicide over the past three years. A new hotline launched in March specifically targets those military veterans who are homeless. Already it is credited with servicing nearly 2,000 homeless vets.
Back in January, the VA released a report indicating that the number of suicides among young veterans between the ages of 18 and 26 increased 26 percent between 2005 and 2007 alone. This came on the heels of yet another report indicating that some 14 percent of vets were returning home with mental health-related problems.
When only .5% of the population commits itself to the defense of our nation and carrying out the policies of its government, this leaves 90.5% of the population free to carry on with their daily lives as though they only exists as bumper stickers paying homage to platitudes and fading ribbons tied to trees.
Throughout our nations rise to prominence of sole global super-power, we never felt the need or obligation to police all the injustice and evils of our world. In WWI and WWII, we were even reluctant to enter these wars and seen by some in Europe as isolationist. We did however enter those wars but not because we wanted or had a desire to.
War costs money,” Franklin D. Roosevelt reminded his countrymen after Pearl Harbor. “That means taxes and bonds and bonds and taxes. It means cutting luxuries and other non-essentials.” At the outset of its war on terrorism, the Bush administration saw things differently. Even as the U.S. embarked on a global conflict expected to last decades, the president reduced taxes. Rather than asking Americans to trim their appetite for luxuries, he called on them to carry on as if nothing had occurred. Barely two weeks after the World Trade Center collapsed, the president was prodding citizens to “Fly and enjoy America’s great destination spots. Get down to Disney World in Florida.” As late as December 2006, with the situation in Iraq looking grim, the wartime president noted with satisfaction that the holiday spending binge was off to “a strong beginning.” Yet he summoned Americans to make even greater exertions: “I encourage you all to go shopping more.”
Well America did continue shopping for things it could not afford and that only credit allowed. So too were Americans extended credit via the US soldier to fight our wars, and like the over abundance of unexamined credit, our soldiers are spent until the day is realized that someone has to actually pay the bill.
Already our wars only reside on page 14 of the paper, the press has all but abandoned dialog since Americans are simply "tired of hearing about it" and a monkey loose in in a Malaysian airport gets more print these days. So to feel good about themselves, they slap a Chinese made bumper sticker on their car or tie a ribbon, perhaps even send a chain email with the American flag, the head of an eagle that isn't complete unless the little stars twinkle on your page. Unlike the forgotten soldiers of Vietnam, todays soldiers are being forgotten before our battles are even over.
During the past Presidential election, John McCain stated that we would stay a 100 years, eluding to the perpetual nature and attitudes towards war today. Even the once proudly anti-war Barack Obama has steadily marched towards a position of maintaining perpetual war and its hidden costs. Yet for pro-war advocates, it isn't enough and for Democrats, its silent acquiescence.
So if 8,000 soldiers contemplating the ending of their lives in the last three years seems difficult to absorb, consider how many more there are that don't seek help and consider how many more their will be arriving from our open ended wars without end.
Thank goodness they have a call center for these veterans. I think they've/we've learned our lessons after Vietnam, that returning soldiers need support.
Thank goodness they have a call center for these veterans. I think they've/we've learned our lessons after Vietnam, that returning soldiers need support.
You make a lot of sobering points in this post.
I too am deeply grateful that today we can at least recognize things like PTSD and the effects of long term repetitive deployment have on our soldiers. The soldiers of Vietnam weren't as fortunate. Even still, when I see the very words of "homeless veteran" it makes my skin crawl, and to think that we are going to add to these numbers while we ponder expanding our conflicts in the Middle East.
I am of the opinion that if we plan on continuing a policy of endless wars, then either we should adopt mandatory, non-deferrable military service of 2 years for every of age citizen, or at the very least properly fund them via greatly increased and noted taxation/bonds to ensure they not only taken care of while in battle, but also when they return home. Hiding war costs amid a growing deficit and out of the minds of the public is a disservice.
I too am deeply grateful that today we can at least recognize things like PTSD and the effects of long term repetitive deployment have on our soldiers. The soldiers of Vietnam weren't as fortunate. Even still, when I see the very words of "homeless veteran" it makes my skin crawl, and to think that we are going to add to these numbers while we ponder expanding our conflicts in the Middle East.
I am of the opinion that if we plan on continuing a policy of endless wars, then either we should adopt mandatory, non-deferrable military service of 2 years for every of age citizen, or at the very least properly fund them via greatly increased and noted taxation/bonds to ensure they not only taken care of while in battle, but also when they return home. Hiding war costs amid a growing deficit and out of the minds of the public is a disservice.
Something else we agree on. I see nothing wrong with every high school graduate having to serve the country. In peacetime, we have plenty of infrastructure projects that could use the forces....something like the old WPA's.
I know what you mean about 'homeless vets.' It's sickening that we can't take care of these guys the way they should be.
Something else we agree on. I see nothing wrong with every high school graduate having to serve the country. In peacetime, we have plenty of infrastructure projects that could use the forces....something like the old WPA's.
I know what you mean about 'homeless vets.' It's sickening that we can't take care of these guys the way they should be.
First of all, excellent post Tn. Sad for me to say how true it is.
And Wayland, both my father and husband always said we should still have a draft. They claimed it would help focus the young and toughen them up. But then my dad was a WWII vet and my husband is a Viet Nam vet.
It's a shame more isn't being done for our vets. Things have improved greatly but more can be done. I don't think people understand what it is like for the people that fight the wars. Having lived with two vets, it certainly has opened my eyes.
Vets need help and a place to talk. And to really talk to people who understand what they have gone through. My dad never talked about his service. Anything we knew we found out from my mom. My husband doesn't talk about it either. Thankfully, he didn't suffer any serious problems. He will tell you he is one of the lucky ones. They need more help than their families and friends can give them.
All I can do is hope and pray that we continue to meet the needs of those who have served their country and keep improving their lives.
It's the truth of the war many statistics show the suicide rate among our troops, especially the marines are as high as the ones killed in action for the hell they are put through from tour after tour after tour, sending in army reserves straight to the front lines and others without the complete training necessary,..etc. The "backdoor draft" as it's known. Though those statistics are rarely shown.
This really saddens me all the lives lost, mental anguish for troops and their families, all for a war that never should have been started in the first place. Bless all of our troops and the blood is on your hands bush/cheney.
A few issues are merged together here, kind of blurring the problem line of this discussion.
Regarding suicidal vets, this is a problem from all military engagements. To me, the issue really comes down to setting up fair and reasonable deployment strategies. This means limiting the "exposure risk" times for our military. This can be done within the context of a volunteer military establishment. It might come down more to our troop mix, and the number of slots allocated to each service and, within the services, the military occupational specialties.
Obviously, we need to have great "after care" too, for those who need assistance.
Regarding the draft, I don't see that as necessary. Rather, I favor mandatory one year service to Government after completion of high school (or the year you would graduate, for dropouts), and the military would be only one of multiple options. Obviously, you can structure the compensation to make it a more attractive option, and I'm sure you will be able to meet the end strength goals.
I am troubled by these calls for return of the draft or even compulsory government service, when the clear and far superior solution is to disengage from these pointless perpetual conflicts.
As to the issue of the psychological condition of our vets, Frontline did an excellent piece on the subject that aired last month. I posted this link, but I was disappointed that it did not seem to generate any interest.
Thank you ThT. I am a 'Nam Vet ('66-67' Riverine Forces) and I can understand the suicides. My depressions, usually triggered by remembering all the guys that died, do not lead to thoughts of suicide but to the start of the berserker rage that got me through some very vicious fights. I have to clamp down very hard to keep this insanity suppressed.
The biggest thing I lost in 'Nam was the ability to deeply care about anyone. I love my wife as much as I can but if she suddenly died I could walk away with very little grief. My grief system got burned out.
Out mistreatment of the 'Nam Vets is deplorable but our completely ignoring our current veterans is beyond disgusting. These men have been injured in our costly attempt at Empire to protect the international oil business. We are, unless we simply quit, in the business of being the world’s hit men for a huge criminal gang. We waste our substance to protect the Saudi Royals and the investments of the British Crown? They own the oil so let them pay for protecting their property. I am sick of wasting our men and our money for these bastards.
Thank you ThT. I am a 'Nam Vet ('66-67' Riverine Forces) and I can understand the suicides. My depressions, usually triggered by remembering all the guys that died, do not lead to thoughts of suicide but to the start of the berserker rage that got me through some very vicious fights. I have to clamp down very hard to keep this insanity suppressed.
The biggest thing I lost in 'Nam was the ability to deeply care about anyone. I love my wife as much as I can but if she suddenly died I could walk away with very little grief. My grief system got burned out.
Out mistreatment of the 'Nam Vets is deplorable but our completely ignoring our current veterans is beyond disgusting. These men have been injured in our costly attempt at Empire to protect the international oil business. We are, unless we simply quit, in the business of being the world’s hit men for a huge criminal gang. We waste our substance to protect the Saudi Royals and the investments of the British Crown? They own the oil so let them pay for protecting their property. I am sick of wasting our men and our money for these bastards.
I'm with you, Greg, and thanks for telling it like it is. I, too, was draft bait during the 'Nam era, but was classified 1Y.
I hope the draft advocates think more about what our military is really being used for and do some more reflection. It was a terrible idea in the 60s and it remains a terrible idea.
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