Comments on: Vets' Suicide Rate "Stunning"

Armen Keteyian: Analysis Reveals What Some Are Calling "Hidden Epidemic"

[lmillet-2009]

These data are from state vital records departments. The deaths among veterans are only captured if the person signing the death certificate knows that the individual was a veteran. So - some of the suicide deaths among veterans are missed. CBS had to collect these data state by state as there is no national dataset that captures veteran status. Seventeen states have violent death reporting systems but among the other states there is no way to review the circumstances around these deaths. It is sad to note that we may soon see more deaths due to suicide related to current or recent service than deaths due to casualty in war. The data suggest that depression and suicidality should be assessed systematically after discharge at periodic intervals - possibly throughout a veterans lifespan. Families need to know this and can do much to support help seeking behaviors. These experiences are not weakness or shameful - silence about these experiences must be broken. Thank you CBS.

[neenga]

"Deciders" who have never served in the military will always think they''re playing game board war games. They forget that these are human beings we''re losing, if not on the battlefield, than back at home when they can''t get help. War, truly, is hell.