Suicides Seen Among Vets Treated By VA
There's new information about the risk of suicide for those who have served in the military. Last November, CBS News broke the story of the overwhelming number of veteran suicides nationwide. Now, Chief Investigative Correspondent Armen Keteyian has discovered veterans who get help from the VA are also at risk.
"When you go through war, you're going to change permanently and totally for the rest of your life," said veteran Harold Pendergrass.
Pendergrass knows firsthand the hidden wounds of war. He served two tours in Vietnam.
"I carried a suicide note in my pocket for years," he said.
At 57, the former Army soldier has tried to take his own life three times, constantly wrestling with thoughts of killing himself.
"I sat around numerous times with a .44 in my mouth," he said. "But for some reason, I just couldn't pull the trigger. I don't know why."
Now, CBS News has obtained never-before seen patient data from the Department of Veterans Affairs, detailing the growing number of suicide attempts among vets recently treated by the VA.
The data reveals a marked overall increase - from 462 attempts in 2000 to 790 in 2007.
"This is highly statistically significant," said Dr. Bruce Levin, head of the biostatistics department at Columbia University. Levin is one of three experts who analyzed the data for CBS News.
"I'd characterize it as something that deserves further attention," Levin said. "Overall the data suggests about a 44 percent increase and that is not due to chance."
According to the experts, two age groups stood out between 2000 and 2007. First, ages 20-24 - those likely to have served during the Iraq-Afghan wars. Suicide attempts rose from 11 to 47.
And for vets ages 55 to 59, suicide attempts jumped from 19 to 117.
In both age groups, the attempted suicides grew at a rate much faster than the VA patient population as a whole.
In addition, this VA study, also obtained exclusively by CBS News, reveals the increasing number of veterans who recently received VA services ... and still succeeded in committing suicide: rising from 1,403 suicides in 2001 to 1,784 in 2005 - figures the VA has never made public.
Rep. Bob Filner is chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. He's been critical of the VA's unwillingness to provide a full accounting of veteran suicides.
"These are incredible figures," he said.
"Does it surprise you that a study like that even exists?" Keteyian asked.
"Well, given the fact that we keep asking for data and they say, 'we don't have any,' yes, it surprises me," Filner said.
It angers Filner. "If we can't get the correct information, we can't do our job. We can't prevent every suicide but you can prevent a whole lot of them and it's our duty as a nation to do that."
The VA declined to speak on-camera about this story, but in an e-mail, said it "takes the issue of veteran suicide very seriously" and "has been doing a thorough data investigation to document the number of patient suicide attempts…"
It insists the patient suicides are "...consistent with national trends," despite recent studies that show veteran suicide rates are substantially higher than those of non-veterans.
But Harold Pendergrass worries the VA remains ill-prepared to handle the next generation of veterans who will be fighting the horrors of war … for decades to come.
"If what the VA is doing is not working then they need to change tactics," Pendergrass said. "They need to listen to these guys and listen not only with their ears but also with their hearts."
Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved. "When you go through war, you're going to change permanently and totally for the rest of your life," said veteran Harold Pendergrass.
Pendergrass knows firsthand the hidden wounds of war. He served two tours in Vietnam.
"I carried a suicide note in my pocket for years," he said.
At 57, the former Army soldier has tried to take his own life three times, constantly wrestling with thoughts of killing himself.
"I sat around numerous times with a .44 in my mouth," he said. "But for some reason, I just couldn't pull the trigger. I don't know why."
Now, CBS News has obtained never-before seen patient data from the Department of Veterans Affairs, detailing the growing number of suicide attempts among vets recently treated by the VA.
The data reveals a marked overall increase - from 462 attempts in 2000 to 790 in 2007.
"This is highly statistically significant," said Dr. Bruce Levin, head of the biostatistics department at Columbia University. Levin is one of three experts who analyzed the data for CBS News.
"I'd characterize it as something that deserves further attention," Levin said. "Overall the data suggests about a 44 percent increase and that is not due to chance."
According to the experts, two age groups stood out between 2000 and 2007. First, ages 20-24 - those likely to have served during the Iraq-Afghan wars. Suicide attempts rose from 11 to 47.
And for vets ages 55 to 59, suicide attempts jumped from 19 to 117.
In both age groups, the attempted suicides grew at a rate much faster than the VA patient population as a whole.
In addition, this VA study, also obtained exclusively by CBS News, reveals the increasing number of veterans who recently received VA services ... and still succeeded in committing suicide: rising from 1,403 suicides in 2001 to 1,784 in 2005 - figures the VA has never made public.
Rep. Bob Filner is chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. He's been critical of the VA's unwillingness to provide a full accounting of veteran suicides.
"These are incredible figures," he said.
"Does it surprise you that a study like that even exists?" Keteyian asked.
"Well, given the fact that we keep asking for data and they say, 'we don't have any,' yes, it surprises me," Filner said.
It angers Filner. "If we can't get the correct information, we can't do our job. We can't prevent every suicide but you can prevent a whole lot of them and it's our duty as a nation to do that."
The VA declined to speak on-camera about this story, but in an e-mail, said it "takes the issue of veteran suicide very seriously" and "has been doing a thorough data investigation to document the number of patient suicide attempts…"
It insists the patient suicides are "...consistent with national trends," despite recent studies that show veteran suicide rates are substantially higher than those of non-veterans.
But Harold Pendergrass worries the VA remains ill-prepared to handle the next generation of veterans who will be fighting the horrors of war … for decades to come.
"If what the VA is doing is not working then they need to change tactics," Pendergrass said. "They need to listen to these guys and listen not only with their ears but also with their hearts."
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Please urge military doctors, advisers, counselors, etc and VA personnel treating soldiers to really listen to the hearts of our traumatized and depressed military personnel...
To all out there who are currently suffering and battling thoughts of suicide, I hope and pray that you will continue to reach out for assistance, from family, friends, doctors, any caring individual you can find, be vulnerable to let someone know the pain you are in. I pray too that with others help, that you receive the relief and peace of mind you seek.
V/r,
Doc A.
http://chrisa4animals.vets.yuku.com/
Why?
Posted by donbl1 at 12:40 PM : Mar 21, 2008
My take on it:
Vietnam was a more intense dirtier conflict.
The average age of the troops was younger - many 18, 19 year olds, even 17-year olds before ''68.
The nation was more divided. Many disparaged the troops.
Vietnam vets are reaching the age of seniority when depression sets in, late middle age crisis. Psychological problems compound and reach final result.
Kids grow up and can handle parents suicide, not as traumatic as when kids are young. Older vet can commit suicide with less trauma to kids.
Parents die and don''t have to live their final years with grief of loss of (even adult) child. Older vet can commit suicide with no grief to deceased parents.
Spouses die or are divorced. Older vet can commit suicide with no grief to deceased (or divorced) spouse, or will commit suicide due to loss of spouse.
Just some thoughts.
WE THE PEOPLE DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO SHUT THIS GOVERNMENT DOWN. AND THEIR IS A WAY TO MAKE OUR GOVERNEMNT STOP IN THIER TRACKS..
THE GREAT AMERICAN WALK OUT..THATS RIGHT FOR 3 OR 4 DAYS LIKE A THURSDAY THRU MONDAY..EVERY AMERICAN IN THIS COUNTRY DO NOTHING...I MEAN NOTHING BUT STAY HOME AND ENJOY THE FAMILY. ALL TRUCK,TRAIN,PLAINS,EVERYONE CAN AFFORD TO TAKE A FEW SICK DAYS FOR THIS..
IN ONLY A FEW DAYS OF NOTHING MOVEING IN THIS COUNTRY WOULD TELL CONGRESS AND THE WHITEHOUSE WHO REALLY RUNS THIS COUNTRY..THATS US AMERICANS... SO WHEN WOULD BE A GOOD DAY TO START THIS..
AND I MEAN IT DONT BUY ANYTHING....DO ANYTHING...DONT GO ANYWERE TO SPEND A DIME...
IT WOULD PUT THIS COUNTRY ON ITS KNEES..LIKE WE SHOULD
the great american STIKE.................
for-america@hotmail.com
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Posted by random_radar at 01:37 PM : Mar 21, 2008
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You are correct. But we must start by changing our own behavior. We I came back, 24hrs a day there was nothing but we are muderers, criminals, baby killers and I felt like c/r/a/p about just staying alive. This reinforces your own distain for having to do the things necessary to just stay alive. These people need to understand that we accept that they did what they had to do. That will go a long ways to helping them.
We can hypothesize all we want about the causes for vet suicide, but the only people who can answer that question are the ones who want to commit suicide.
It is not enough to try to prevent suicides, we ought to address the motivation for wanting to die after being a soldier. Let''s get to the root of the problem rather than band-aid over it.
Posted by SgtRDS at 01:14 PM : Mar 21, 2008
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You have changed your position and this one I agree with. Stop slaming the troops. They are not wasting their time, they are not criminals. They are the best of this country. I have NO issue with you yelling at your representatives, that is their job but we have to stop railing on our troops to get at the reps....
Posted by vet999999 at 12:58 PM : Mar 21, 2008
Again I disagree. As a citizens it is our duty, our obligation, to always "Monday morning quarterback" every decision our public servants make in our name, esp when it comes to something as serious as war. We must hold their feet to the fire constantly and demand that they constantly justify anything as serious as our troops killing and dying.