Tempers Flare At Hearing On Vet Suicides

(CBS)  The name of the hearing said it all: "The truth about veteran suicides."

After playing clips of recent CBS News reports from April 21st and 25th of this year outlining attempts within the Department of Veterans Affairs to "cover up" suicide data, Committee Chairman Bob Filner lashed out at the man in charge, Secretary James Peake, accusing the V.A. of "criminal negligence," reports CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian.

"What we see is a pattern -- deny, deny, deny." Filner said.

With his embattled Director of Mental Health Dr. Ira Katz at his side, Secretary Peake presented a detailed series of charts and graphs generally backing CBS News suicide data.

"Far from hiding this issue we are more public about it than any organization that I know," Peake said.

"I've never had concern about their overall estimate for numbers of veteran suicides," Katz told the committee.

But several lawmakers weren't buying it, citing a Feb. 13 e-mail titled "Not for CBS News" where Katz appears to be trying to keep attempted suicide numbers quiet.

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Read the e-mail, "Re: Not For the CBS News Interview Request"
Read an e-mail quoting suicide numbers

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"That was very unfortunate," Katz said. "It was an error. I apologize for that."

Outside the hearing room we asked Peake to answer repeated calls from Congress for Katz's resignation.

"I do not have any intention of relieving Dr. Katz," Peake said.

"So Dr. Katz stays?" asked Keteyian.

"That's my plan, absolutely," Peake answered.

Peake said the plan now is to sweep aside any talk of a cover-up and tell Congress and the American public the truth about veteran suicides.

CBS News first reported on the epidemic of suicide in the V.A. in November 2007, finding that more than 6,000 veterans killed themselves in 2005 alone. That averages out to more than 120 per week. Katz immediately dismissed our report at a December 12th committee hearing, saying CBS's numbers were not "an accurate reflection of the rates."

[sweetgurl4dee]

My mom & I need to try and help my brother. We have no way of contacting anyone high enough up to listen to him or us. He's been trying to contact the congressman and other people high up but with no luck yet. My brother is 27 and served about 8yrs in the army. He took his 1st tour of Duty to Iraq, he came back highly pumped and motivated. Very stoked bout serving his country. Then he got called back for a second tour and he ended up getting injured jumping from the helicopter and they had to take him to the medical base in Georgia. He was there like 8 months recovering. He was set up for disability and everything. They kept telling him he'd have his release papers soon. Well within that 8 months of him being in Ga something happened to him. He isnt the same person. He's so angry, he ended up leaving Ga (without his papers and now that has caused a different issue) He's totally clammed up wont talk to anyone. He left here having a 100 thousand dollar home, a cpl cars and his life right on track. Now he's in the process of losing everything and he doesnt care. My mom and I believe maybe he's got a lil ppd(depression) but he's never been like this. The part that blows me away is how does a soldier serve his country, go to Iraq twice and now the army wants him for being a deserter. He's got something going on in his head that he wont tell anyone about. We are scared for him, he says he will kill himself before they send him back to Ga. We do know he's waiting for a response from the congressman about whatever he wrote to him. How do you serve your country and then end up running scared cause they got the law after him to send him back. Even if he did something that broke a rule or whatever, they should just leave him be and let him heal. Hes now bout to lose his house his disability and everything. We want to know What did they do to him that changed him soooo much hes willing to give up everything hes worked so hard for? Could someone please try to help us, help him, we dont want to lose him completely. Even if we knew some sort of way to get him to talk to us. Or maybe you can set us up with someone to talk to. We thought our worrying for his safety would be over once he came home but that is not the case. SOMEBODY PLEASE ANSWER BACK PLEASE!!!!! I chose the wrong path and ended up in prison for a crime I committed, my brother chose(or thought he was choosing) a better path in life for himself and now he's miserable, lonely, scared and running from the law because he chose to serve his country. Granted we do understand he has to comply with their rules but what has made it sooo bad on him to not give a crap about life or anything else. Why arent they doing all they can to help these soldiers heal and get back to their lives instead of worrying sooo much about their rules and regulations.

[cajetano]

Once again I''m reminded to thank all you BOZOS that voted for Bush/Cheney (aka Don Quixote/Sancho Panza) not once but twice.

I hope you feel good going to the bank at the expense of the poor people who are protecting your fat posteriors.

[tibu987]

It is time for a complete overhaul of the VA.
From the lackadaisical employees who seem to have time for everything except taking care of the vets.
From the top, the decision makers who decide that a vet who has lost a quarter of his brain and head and is given a 10% disability.
And, for the VA hospitals that have a higher death and MRSA rate than all other hospitals.
Etc., etc., etc.

Our vets deserve nothing less than the very best care that this Country can give, NOTHING less.
And, it is our duty as appreciative Americans to see that our vets get the very best of everything.
Write the President, your senator, your congressman and tell them.
I do.

[enriquecaliente]

If you all think that the Taliban want to live back in the dark ages, then take a good look at the people who are running our supposed government. They want all of us to live life like it was back when Kings and the High Lord of the Court ruled. They want to erase the middle class. To attack this man is useless. He''s Bush''s puppet and he''s only doing as he told. This argument may not have worked at Nuremberg but it works for the Republitars all the time. The fools who follow blindly will always be sheep. Watch FOX news at take a good look at the people there, all of them doesn''t matter black/white or whatever, look down at everyone else. They feed on fear and push it to the American people like Heroin. And we the people lick it all up. When the end comes, we''ll have reaped what we have sowed. To the people in power, we are NOTHING, but FODDER. Born to do their bidding and dieing.

Where are the WMD''s.
Why are the people who outed a CIA agent still walking the streets.
Why hasn''t anyone looked into how the Justice Department was used by the Republiclowns.
Bush and his staff laughing all the way to the bank.
If you want to watch Pigs rolling around in $hit, watch Bushes daughters wedding.

[wolfi101]

Criminal negligence is right.

[RaferJanders]

18 vets kill themselves everyday, but it seems not to be news worthy, I blame every American, Hope you all feel safe in your warm beds, hope you can sleep soundly knowing that the people fighting for our "freedom" are killing the selfs, There will be a day of justice,James you have been branded a War Crimnal, YOU WILL GET YOURS! this crime will not go unpunished

[moosbrth]

Katz sound like a total wimp, sounds like Bush defending Gonzalez, how long before Katz jumps ship? There is nothing the Bush administration has done right, appointees are all the worst that could be found.

[Gary Kempf]

karlo59;
My dislike for Bush and his evil little side kick VP, are well documented by past postings. Again, the problems in the VA can not be laid at the Republican parties feet alone. The lack of proper treatment of veterans gos back decades, very sadly. The problems in the VA is, and has always been caused by the political machine in Washington D.C., meaning all those in a position to correct the problem, chose to ignore it.
I agree Bush has used the military like dogs, he has no mental capability to understand the value of their lives. Those that have died, or those that have come home wounded or suffering after effects.......

[karlo59]

You people saying that it''s ALL the parties that are at fault is a bunch of BS. Republicans have been using OUR militay like dogs for their personal gains. They have been trying to bankrupt the middle and lower class in this country for years. Their goal...........to force every one of these people into the military so THEIR kids don''t have to go. That''s is why they don''t want a draft.

[plainjean]

If George W. Bush was my Commander-and-Chief I would seriously consider committing suicide too! Furthermore, speaking for myself if I had voted for him twice knowing what we do know now, I would commit suicide!