Congress Vows Action On Vets' Suicides

An Emotional Hearing On Capitol Hill After CBS News Investigates Suicide Epidemic

(CBS)  A CBS News investigation found that, in 2005, an average of 120 people each week who had served in the military committed suicide. That's an average twice that of non-veterans. Today, in an emotional hearing Capitol Hill, Congress took up that cause.

The day's emotional tone was set right from the start. Mike and Kim Bowman's 23-year-old son, Tim, had survived a year-long tour in Iraq, only to shoot himself at home.

“Our veterans deserve better,” Mike Bowman told a congressional hearing Wednesday. “Don’t make it so the soldiers go to the VA; make the VA go to the soldier.”

When Bowman had finished speaking, the room was on its feet, CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteian reports.

Throughout the hearing, members of Congress cited the CBS News investigation as a national wake-up call.

“The CBS network opened up again to millions of Americans the issue of suicides amongst our veterans,” said Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.

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Read the original CBS News investigation into veteran suicide
Watch the original report.
Read the statistical methodology of the CBS News findings
FYI: More resources for veterans and their families

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Not surprisingly, most criticism was directed at the Department of Veteran's Affairs and Dr. Ira Katz, its head of mental health, who disputed our findings.

“Their number is not, in fact, an accurate reflection of the rates,” Katz said.

But the committee proved far more interested in the VA's failure to foresee a mental health "epidemic" by not collecting nationwide data on suicides.

“You don’t track this stuff,” Filner said. “You simply don’t track; you don’t want to know about it.”

Moved by what they had heard, many pledged to force the VA to fix a system under siege - and keep other families from suffering the same fate as those who testified today.

[tburzio]

If I thought all those anti-US Democrats actually cared about the troops, I''d say it was a good idea. However, this is a thinly veiled ploy to show that troops should NEVER be used, which is a different thing indeed...

[usayesterday]

On the right-wing talk shows I hear from the people who have collected handsome amounts of money from the Bush tax cuts, and they speak of how "proud" they are that the (poor and middle-class) soldiers are fighting for them in Iraq and Afghanistan. But then... they turn around and cheer when the government cuts funding for the VA and jeer when soldiers claim PTSD. These jinGOPigs feel as if PTSD is just a farce and "made up".

The term "Liberalism is a mental disorder" does not even carry as much water as the fact that...

... Neo-Conservatism is a deadly poison to humanity!

[usayesterday]

Absolutely NONE of the neo-conservatives support ANY of our troops. Period.

They merely use them for their financial gain.

It has been proven for the past 4+ years.

[rfcnj68]

You are all scum you don''t support our troops any more than these *** politicians. You are just like them you will sit here and talk about what should be done night after night but you are not willing to take action to correct. Quite ******** and start acting if you really care.

[gkc99]

When will Bushit and Darth be committing suicide?

[downtowner97]

Send the troops on more dangerous pointless missions. Dead men don''t kill themselves.

On second thought, bring them home and tell them to hunt illegals and put them on buses.

[samthetvcat]

Could Congress specifically earmark an amount of the defense budget to be used to treat veterans, or would this violate separation of powers? I think they should try and pass something and let Shrub show everybody how little he really ''supports'' the troops when he vetoes it.

[pat1967-2009]

I''ll believe that congress (both sides of the aisle) supports mental health issues when they actually pony-up some dough for treatment. The Congress''s track record on this as well as other veterans'' issues is very poor.

[dan-s-]

If we really wanted to slow down the suicides, we could give mental evaluation tests to recruits and wash out those who would be more likely to off themselves...

...but if we did that, there''s no way we could meet the recruiting goals.

War kills people... Sometimes they just don''t die right away.

[mcv57]

The best thing Congress could do for the mentally ill vets is STOP THE INSANE WAR! Otherwise, to attempt to curve the epidemic with U.S. government assistance is like master*bating a *** - the more you give her attention the more it costs.

[zertrat]

Why does this require action by congress? Why is it that the military and the Commander in Chief don''t take care of this? We despise the congress for their lack of action. This administration is worse worse worse.

[reel-crazy]

Action out of Congress?

too funny....

[nam_vet]

This should surprise you, why? For over 35 years the Vietnam veteran has shown us the results of modern war on our combat personnel. We were denied the existence of PTSD, we pointed out the high suicide rate of our brothers, the homelessness and withdrawal from society, all to no avail. Now everyone acts as if these issues are big news?

[rohink-2009]

"Congress Vows Action On Vets'''' Suicides"

Republicans propose to ease gun purchase requirements for returning vets...

Regards,

Posted by Nancy_Naive

~~~~~~~~~~~

Your attempts to sound intelligent and civil by ending all your idiotic comments with regards doesn''t work.

One of my best friends came back from Iraq in 05''.
He was scheduled to go back...but he commited suicide shortly before his second deployment. His name was Jermey Seely. He was a good man. I will miss him always. We as a nation should do as much as humanly possible to understand and help our troops in their time of need.

I can not imagine the horrors he saw in combat. The attrocious immages and inhumane experiences our vets are subjected to would unsettle even the most secure of minds.

Please...Congress,Senate,fellow Americans, put forth the effort to understnd what is going on in their minds, and give them the same help you would give one of your own family members.

[mcv57]

I hope the Bushwacker and his guttless rats in Congress receive their justice - eternal haunting, wailing of the countless veterans pain and suffering and dieing at the cost of lining their pockets.

[usayesterday]

Imagine every trash can on the sidewalk... every car parked on the side of the road...

...imagine that any or all of them, in a nano-second, could blow up in your face!

Wouldn''t that be scary enough to cause you to act differently, if not paranoid... or worse...






...THAT is part of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

[mcv57]

lapout:
I feel for you, and I see your friend as blameless. To FORCE troops to repeated combat tours is criminal. I am so sorry Lord, but I pray George W. Bush, the Beast, be stop. Kill him, Lord, as you did with other tyrants and murderers of this world. The Beast is destroying our nation.

[ridgeview6]

What do they expect when a president puts our troops in an unjust war

[mcv57]

ridgeview6,

Don''t call him a President (the bushwacker is not my president). Call he thug, a lying coward, a dictator, anything a president. He is a tyrant and a criminal. (and from what a hear, an full blown alcholic).

[feelfree1]

The neo-Fascists will no doubt see this as an opportunity to help keep long-term costs down for their illegal war.

[pat1967-2009]

Zertrat said:

Why does this require action by congress? Why is it that the military and the Commander in Chief don''''t take care of this? We despise the congress for their lack of action. This administration is worse worse worse.

Because the congress is the body that votes on funding for such things, ergo, it is from congress which we require funding.

[hypnotoad72]

.THAT is part of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Posted by USAyesterday

------------------
PTSD isn''t limited to those who fight in war...

I''ll get to the point: Our country needs LOTS of proper reform. From veteran compensation to tort reform, right down to proper education; using people for their talents and traits.

And if such education reform is a solely corporate endeavor, you know they''ll just teach kids that "1+1=2" by showing them a topless picture of Jessica Simpson. Or subtraction by saying "If we offshore 100,000 jobs because it''s cheaper compared to you lazy animals in pants and rock concert t-shirts, how many fewer jobs will we have?"

[hypnotoad72]

And if everything is due to "peak oil", what''s it going to matter? Plenty of news articles show how corporations are cozying up to countries ran and operated by intellectual property thieves and in return giving them jobs and sweet deals nobody else is allowed to get at. From DVDs to popular software, policy is tolerated by those who claim to hate it most.

You bet I''m confused.

[hypnotoad72]

BTW: Those countries happen to be closest to what is claimed to be the largest oil reserves on Earth. But by now I''m clearly grasping at straws.

As for this war, it''s not entirely unjustified and the fact the Democrats are assisting in its continuation should surely suggest there''s a d!mn good reason for them doing so. Why do so few bring up that possibility? (some claim they are being "blackmailed", but without proof they sound utterly idiotic.) And if anyone has doubts on the Democrats not supporting it, the far-left sites have people in an uproar, claiming Pelosi and her friends are "enablers", "traitors", and everything else, good grief...

[usayesterday]

PTSD isn''''t limited to those who fight in war...

Posted by hypnotoad72 at 09:34 PM : Dec 12, 2007
..........

That is very true, and thank you for clearing that up on this board.

Those who survive airline accidents, car accidents, and even escapees of the twin-towers on 9/11/01... are some examples of people who can suffer from PTSD.

So many mental disorders/diseases and so little understanding of them causes a large portion of our population to act rather indifferent to people who are diagnosed with said disorders/diseases. It is most unfortunate.

[pat1967-2009]

I really hope that was a joke...

[blondmadison]

The administrations of this country and every other country USE young girls and boys to kill, to conquer. When they are finished using them, they couldn''t care less what happens with them. Proof is in the pudding. Had they cared to begin with, there would be no problem with veterans benefits or care for the soldiers after they come home.

Had they EVER cared, there would not be a problem in giving them care. It only stands to reason by looking at the VA hospitals and doctors and benefits. Take a good look and show me the love folks, show me the love from any administration in this country from the beginning.

Politicians, religious leaders, scholars tend to be a sickening self serving pack of liars--covering their own backsides with the blood of babies.

[ubrew12]

hypnotoad72 said: "the Democrats are assisting in [the Iraq wars] continuation should surely suggest there''''s a d!mn good reason for them doing so. Why do so few bring up that possibility? "
Everyone knows its extremely difficult to extricate yourself from a conflict, there are so many emotions released by the conflict itself. Strategists say that war is like wildfire... it makes its own weather. That''s why ENTERING a conflict like Iraq is always the ultimate test of a President, and a President who does so unwisely should never be let off the hook.

Blaming the Democrats for Iraq does exactly that. This is Bush''s war, like it or not. That''s the way the world views it, and thats the way history will record it. For much of Bush''s reign, Dems, out of power both in the executive and the legislative, were wise (individually) to ''go along to get along''. Remember Max Cleland! That Democrat left 3 limbs on the killing fields of Vietnam. Yet, when he voted against the Iraq War, he was fired by his voters, despite his previous sacrifice. Truly a condemnation of the American voter, if ever there was one.

[facts6]

PTSD during the VietNam war was more prevelant in suburban-reared soldiers. The ghetto men/women and the farm/ranch men/women suffered less and in fewer numbers. It is very difficult to grow up without exposure to the realities of humanity then be dumped into a war zone. Thank you any Veteran who is reading this.

[excoachken]

The Cowardly Cowboy owns this war, it''s victims here and overseas, the future victims that our children will have to pay for and the hatred for America that it has nurtured throughout the World.

[morgansher]

yaright sayeth: "But veterans are different. Veterans are set for life with healthcare at the VA."

Are you serious? You believe that? If you do, that is simply NOT true at all. I''m a Viet Nam Era vet.

I was was treated at the VA in 1994 for an illness and my "copays" (based on my earning of $18,000/year) were %40 per visit. That was twice what I''ve paid in 2007 through my employer''s health insurance copay for visits for the same illness. God forbid I should ever have to use the VA for any health treatment issue ever again!

These young vets today have been so badly used by this administration. And the VA just has groups it does NOT want to deal with -- ''head'' cases and women. It didn''t want to do it a decade ago and it doesn''t want to do it now. And the p*** poor government funding of the VA makes it easy to do.

It isn''t a surprise that suicides among young vets returning from Iraq are up. We''ve got this jingoistis "Support The Troops" thing and civilians are a whole lot nicer and do more for them than they ever did during ''Nam, but from the government''s side... these kid''s lives have been hijacked and sent on a detour to no-man''s land.

[kansas1946]

Get our soldiers out of Iraq, NOW. The problem is Iraq, nothing else.

[mcv57]

Government cheated me out of my education - GI Bill.
Young and dumb believe anything the recruitor wants to tell them.

[mh4cbs1]

This Congress consists of war-monger Republicans and spineless, complicit, corporate-owned Democrats. Don''t expect anything.

Middle class troops fight and die in a War based on LIES, while War Profiteers rake in BILLIONS and the rich get massive tax cuts. The rich get richer, corporate lobbyists write our laws, the good jobs are being "outsourced" overseas. We are producing a fleet of gas-guzzling Hummers while our planet is nears an irreversible run-away greenhouse. Our national debt skyrockets past $9 Trillion, and the population has doubled to over 6 Billion in the last 50 years.

Yet our mindless politicians hype FEAR, jockey to see how can sound the most pro-War, and give us pablum policies.

Time for a Change?

[shanev137]

Why would anyone in their right mind join up to go to Iraq?

[feelfree1]

Related-

Another low-level U.S. war criminal faces trial:

"Closing Arguments Begin in Marine Trial"

By CHELSEA J. CARTER %u2013 4 hours ago

"CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (AP) %u2014 A prosecutor asked a jury Wednesday to hold a Marine reservist responsible for killing an Iraqi soldier at a guard post in Fallujah, saying he lied when he claimed the slaying was self defense."

"Lance Cpl. Delano Holmes, 22, of Indianapolis, is accused of stabbing Pvt. Munther Jasem Muhammed Hassin on Dec. 31, 2006, while the two stood guard together in Fallujah."

"There might be some people who think Iraqi lives are worth less. They are not," a prosecutor, Capt. Brett Miner said during closing arguments."

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jCDawCezQ_oFgOGpx_pz13IpOY7QD8TG8R582

[feelfree1]

Related-

"Coalition forces disrupt al-Qaeda operations; 14 terrorists killed, 12 detained"

"Dec 12, 2007"

"BAGHDAD, Iraq - Coalition forces killed 14 terrorists and detained 12 suspects during operations Tuesday and Wednesday targeting al-Qaeda networks in central Iraq."

Translation: U.S. Troops Butcher More Iraqi Civilians While Chasing Imaginary Ghosts

[feelfree1]

Related-

"Democrat presidential long shot Dennis Kucinich blasted an upcoming version of the Iraq funding bill as "immoral."

"It is immoral for Congress to make a deal to keep this war going. It is immoral to keep a war going that is based on lies. And it is immoral to make a deal to claim legislative victories unrelated to the war while at the same time spending money to keep the war going," Mr. Kucinich said. The Ohio congressman claimed Congress should not fund the war and allocate funds to bring the troops home."

[feelfree1]

Related:

"Suspected Army suicides set record"

"USA TODAY"

"WASHINGTON %u2014 A record number of soldiers %u2014 109 %u2014 have killed themselves this year, according to Army statistics showing confirmed or suspected suicides."

[blondmadison]

The administrations of this country and every other country USE young girls and boys to kill, to conquer. When they are finished using them, they couldn''''t care less what happens with them. Proof is in the pudding. Had they cared to begin with, there would be no problem with veterans benefits or care for the soldiers after they come home.

Had they EVER cared, there would not be a problem in giving them care. It only stands to reason by looking at the VA hospitals and doctors and benefits. Take a good look and show me the love folks, show me the love from any administration in this country from the beginning.

Politicians, religious leaders, scholars tend to be a sickening self serving pack of liars--covering their own backsides with the blood of babies.

[watcher269-2009]

Again this administration is showing its continued support for the US troops - Bushit and Cheney Don''t care about them! All their Actions show this to be true.

Then there''s their own words. Cheney for example, when the discussion of troops tours of duty came up said - "They volunteered for the Army" - like this is supposed to justify his actions of illegally killing our troops in Iraq and when they come home by NOT giving the Soldiers proper medical help they need. Especially when Cheney has how many doctors travelling with him because of his heart condition.

Strange how someone with NO heart has a heart condition.

I say the Bushit and Cheney should get the same medical attention that the soldiers get - NONE!

It''s is time to charge Bushit and Cheney with Treason! Treason for killing American soldiers!

[watcher269-2009]

Ya know the Republicans call the Democrats "Liberals" and make it have negative connotations.

Well it''s time to start calling Republicans something other then "conservatives". They are no longer consercative as every republican in office since Nixon has increased the deficit and increased the size of Government.

The Republicans should be called "LIARS" now because we are guarenteed with 90% accuracy that anything they say is a LIE!

Republicans = LIARS!
Republicans = LIARS!
Republicans = LIARS!
Republicans = LIARS!
Republicans = LIARS!
Republicans = LIARS!
Republicans = LIARS!
Republicans = LIARS!

Republicans = CHEATS!
Republicans = SWINDLERS!

After all look at their representatives - Rush, FOX No-News, Hannity - the list goes on.......

[bluestardad]

CONGRESS WONT DO BUSHIT!

IF THEY WERE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT ANYTHING MILITARY THEY WOULD NOT HAVE EXTENDED THE TOURS OF OUR TROOPS IN IRAQ

THEY WOULD HAVE NEVER GOTTEN AMERICA IN THE IRAQ WAR FOR NO REASON!

IF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE KEEP LETTING THEM DO THIS THEN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE GET WHAT THEY DESERVE!

[woodjd42]

I have been called a traitor, coward, un-American and a hoast of other names by all these people that called for this war with Iraq for opposing the war. I predicted that the returning Iraq vets would end up as did we Vietnam vets. The vast majority of the people that called for this war never had the guts to serve in war themselves but don''t mind sending our youth into battle to die for their greed. To these people the soldiers are like toilet paper, good when you need them but after used just flush them away. These people are the ones that in reality do not support the troops, they just use them and then flush them.

[sbb2211]

Congress should let the DoD handle this (as the DoD is better equipped and is also closer to the problem) and keep their minds on the business of governing the country.

They are always looking for a hot item that they can waste time on while ''looking'' like they are accomplishing something (steriods, Schiavo, etc).

Who in Congress has the educational background to actually understand the mental health issues of people that may want to commit suicide? I doubt there are more than one or two and I will bet that they will not be in charge of any hearings.

[myidoncbs]

War: the only winning move is not to play the game.

[formrusmcsgt]

The White House was apparently, and characteristically,
silent on the matter.....

[formrusmcsgt]

Who in Congress has the educational background to actually understand the mental health issues of people that may want to commit suicide? I doubt there are more than one or two and I will bet that they will not be in charge of any hearings.

Posted by SBB2211 at 06:57 AM : Dec 13, 2007

And surely will call in experts on the matter as is customary....

[formrusmcsgt]

Posted by woodjd42 at 06:29 AM : Dec 13, 2007

Excellent post.