Suicide Rate of Young Veterans Soars
The suicide rate among 18- to 29-year-old men who've left the military has gone up significantly, the government said Monday.
CBS News first revealed that young veterans in their early 20's were killing themselves at an unusually high rate back in late 2007. Using never-before-seen 2004 and 2005 data, CBS News discovered that the rate of suicide among young veterans was an estimated two to four times higher than any other age group.
The new preliminary data released by the Department of Veterans Affairs shows the suicide rate went up 26 percent from 2005 to 2007. It's assumed that most of the veterans in this age group served in Iraq or Afghanistan.
If there is a bright spot in the data, it's that in 2007 veterans in the group who used VA health care were less likely to commit suicide than those who did not. That's a change from 2005.
The military in recent years has struggled as well with an increase in suicides, with the Army seeing a record number last year. While the military frequently releases such data, it has been more difficult to track suicide information on veterans once they've left active duty.
The VA calculated the numbers using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention numbers from 16 states. In 2005, the rate per 100,000 veterans among men ages 18-29 was 44.99, compared with 56.77 in 2007, the VA said. It did not release data for other population groups.
The VA and the military have sought to more aggressively tackle the problem in recent years with measures ranging from a suicide hot line to educational campaigns.
At a conference on Monday in Washington dedicated to addressing the issue, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki said his agency needs to do a better job understanding what led to each suicide. He said he'd also like to see more stringent protocol put into place at VA facilities about how to handle a potentially suicide veteran, similar to what's done with someone who's having a heart attack.
He noted that of the 30,000 suicides each year in America, about 20 percent are committed by veterans.
"Why do we know so much about suicides but still know so little about how to prevent them?" Shinseki said. "Simple question but we continue to be challenged."
CBS News' veteran suicide coverage:
Suicide Epidemic Among Veterans
Veteran Suicides: How We Got The Numbers
Congress Vows Action On Vets' Suicides
VA Admits Vet Suicides Are High
VA Says E-mail Was "Poorly Worded"
VA Official Grilled About E-Mails
Soldier Suicide Attempts Skyrocket
© 2010 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. CBS News first revealed that young veterans in their early 20's were killing themselves at an unusually high rate back in late 2007. Using never-before-seen 2004 and 2005 data, CBS News discovered that the rate of suicide among young veterans was an estimated two to four times higher than any other age group.
The new preliminary data released by the Department of Veterans Affairs shows the suicide rate went up 26 percent from 2005 to 2007. It's assumed that most of the veterans in this age group served in Iraq or Afghanistan.
If there is a bright spot in the data, it's that in 2007 veterans in the group who used VA health care were less likely to commit suicide than those who did not. That's a change from 2005.
The military in recent years has struggled as well with an increase in suicides, with the Army seeing a record number last year. While the military frequently releases such data, it has been more difficult to track suicide information on veterans once they've left active duty.
The VA calculated the numbers using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention numbers from 16 states. In 2005, the rate per 100,000 veterans among men ages 18-29 was 44.99, compared with 56.77 in 2007, the VA said. It did not release data for other population groups.
The VA and the military have sought to more aggressively tackle the problem in recent years with measures ranging from a suicide hot line to educational campaigns.
At a conference on Monday in Washington dedicated to addressing the issue, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki said his agency needs to do a better job understanding what led to each suicide. He said he'd also like to see more stringent protocol put into place at VA facilities about how to handle a potentially suicide veteran, similar to what's done with someone who's having a heart attack.
He noted that of the 30,000 suicides each year in America, about 20 percent are committed by veterans.
"Why do we know so much about suicides but still know so little about how to prevent them?" Shinseki said. "Simple question but we continue to be challenged."
CBS News' veteran suicide coverage:
Suicide Epidemic Among Veterans
Veteran Suicides: How We Got The Numbers
Congress Vows Action On Vets' Suicides
VA Admits Vet Suicides Are High
VA Says E-mail Was "Poorly Worded"
VA Official Grilled About E-Mails
Soldier Suicide Attempts Skyrocket
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Here is a man that writes many times about Veterans Suicide a subject those NH residents and editors do not want me to talk about. The VA shuns me but that is not because of my PTSD-TBI suicide attempts. The VA shuns me because my VA medical is stopped for all care except show (fluffing my file for public view). The new saying is that I am a whiner from all the letters that I write. I refuse as a citizen of the USA to stop telling the world that the New Hampshire Supreme Court refused to hear a case where a brother judge/attorney criminally violated the Constitution to harm US citizens. It is every citizen's obligation to stop government wrongs at all costs. I receive nothing as a volunteer helping a family from a different town take a case of government wrongs to the NH SC. The government can never be given the right to stop a US Military Veterans medical care to silence free speech. Government retribution is clearly a crime spelled out in the Constitution our highest law. Ken Smith writes about Veterans Suicide but you refuse to hear some one that is there daily. The harm of censoring opinion is clear in this letter.
A civilized society communicates to avoid the need for violence. The newspapers censor my letters, the government criminally harms my life, the VA stops my medical care and I still refuse to use violence. What is wrong with me? NH Governor Lynch charged me money to tell him of these wrongs, took my money and never talked to me. I still have the written receipt. Public name calling by law enforcement, government officials, editors and citizens such as the USMC Cpl that labeled me a whiner all to isolate me from public knowledge of these wrongs. It is happening to US Military Veterans across the USA but no one will listen. Suicide to escape the silent demons is provoked by no one hearing the US Military Veteran that is unable to be heard. I can write great letters (in my own mind) but to speak to someone is limited by my disability of not hearing from being blown off the runway and my limit memory short/long term from the PTSD/TBI. How does a US Military Veteran not burden the public for the shame and innuendos such a need for help will bring. The VA policy of reject and delay still goes on today as new programs are started to satisfy the public's quest. The new programs are a cover up for the need is to hear what the veteran is saying not start new programs. Using a 100% disabled veterans medical care as a weapon highlights just how dominant suicide is provoked yet not talked about. Communicate to avoid suicides.
Veterans across the USA and Canada call me daily as each is disabled and rejected by the VA in there need for help. Some talk to me about suicide and I use positive talk and thoughts to stop them. I explain my attempts over the year since I came back come when I am in a flashback. Each phone caller encourages me to continue writing for someone has to let the USA know the thousands of rejected disabled US Military Veterans from every war being delayed or rejected by the very US government department established to help them. The newspapers censoring my letters delays/stops the public hearing the words of veteran's suicides a subject not talked about. Thank You Ken Smith for helping US Military Veterans as the USMC birthday Nov. tenth and Veterans Day on Nov. eleventh come near.
Peter Macdonald Sgt USMC Semper Fi
465 Packers falls Rd Lee NH 03824 603-659-6217
Very respectfully,
Nathan W. Tierney
CW3(P), USA
nathan@thefrontlines.com
I know in large part that this is a lack on the military and VA side. 'Shell Shock' was something you were able to get over. I think the one thing peple need to relize is that PTSD was not an offical diagnosis until 1986 which was the VA begain its mental health program. Another thing that needs to be relized is that many of these vetrens are not getting a diagnosis at all the Military dose their exit exam and then tells them that they may need help and seends them to the VA which is so overwhelmed and understaffed that they can't serve all of them. The other thing the militay branches do is ignore the problem while it is happening under thier nose, Because they don't what to have to worry about the cost of taking care of thier soliders.
So who is to blame everyone and no one it seems.
It is disgusting watching you people always finding someone to blame, and never doing a damn thing about it!
Part of the process of successfully training a warrior is overcoming the hesitance to kill.
If honor exists in the effort, the conscience can deal with it.
If not, the feeling of being prostituted can be overwhelming.
You can slow the spread of suicide easily. Go out and make friends with vets, and let them know they are actually worth something! I know this Because I am a Vet! I served 1999 to 2003. And every holiday, I spend alone, and every veterans day, I go without thanks, and all the things I listed above, I actually do, without ever even telling them that I served. You want to help this problem? Get off of your A$$ and do something about it instead of sitting on the internet saying how bad things are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The other things you might want to help with, are giving them a job so that they can take care of their families. A VA pension is not nearly enough to live off of, much less try to take care of a child, or a family (Speaking from experience). We are all willing to work, There are just less jobs available to us then there is to the general public. Cause of the care we need for the wounds we will live with forever for protecting YOU!
These brave men and women deserve better.
IF the reincarnationists are correct, anyone who commits suicide has to come back almost instantly, to re-experience life up to the point of crisis.
I?ve heard that more than 50% of the world population believes in some form of reincarnation. This belief involves many religions from tribal to sophisticated societies.
Reincarnationists believe that all of us are here to learn, experience things and help others.
In many ways, killing yourself is like flunking preschool or kindergarten, on your way to finish college.
Plus, the reincarnationists believe you have to keep coming back until you get past the crisis point.
Sometimes, ?the teachers? might make it a little more interesting for the flunkee, as in, ?Oh, you think you had a tough time in your last life? Well, this time, we will change your race and sex, sexual orientation, and disable one or more of your limbs." Then, poof, one is reincarnated into a new life, but with additional tests to pass.
I do not know about anyone else, but if that is not enough incentive to want to avoid killing yourself, I do not know what would be sufficient.
Yep, suicide is real. So are the statistics of vets who wind up in prison following such conflicts overseas. Bet there is a lot of business investment in prisons for these political leaders who sell security overseas and private prisons stateside.
CBS did it's self-appointed job.... helping spread lies and misinformation about our military, on behalf of the enemy.
Where did you get your information? Hollywood movies?
While Hollywood portrays soldiers as psychotic menaces to society, the reality is that they are mentally more heathy than the rest of society. Meet these young men and women who volunteered to serve their country, and you are impressed by how much more mature and well-centered they are than their civilian counterparts, who are largely a self-centered bunch of spoiled brats.