I'm off to work, but caught this, it was just posted about 45min ago, and wanted many to read it.
Iraq, Afghan vets at risk for suicides
By KIMBERLY HEFLING, AP
WASHINGTON - Mary Gallagher did not get a knock at the door from a military chaplain with news of her Marine husband's death in a faraway place. Instead, the Iraq war veteran committed suicide eight months after returning home.
The ramifications of War, especially Wars of Choice
Suicides in Iraq have occurred since the early days of the war, but awareness was heightened when the Army said its suicide rate in 2006 rose to 17.3 per 100,000 troops — the highest in 26 years of record-keeping.
And these go Uncounted as to Fatalities in the numbers Lost due to these Wars of Choice!
Penny Coleman, whose ex-husband committed suicide after returning from Vietnam, said she doesn't buy what she calls the "we didn't expect this" mentality about suicide.
"If you'd chosen to pay attention after Vietnam you would have and should have anticipated it would happen again," said Coleman, who published a book on the subject last year.
One government study of Army veterans from Vietnam found they were more likely to die from suicide than other veterans in the first five years after leaving the military, although the study found that the likelihood dissipated over time. There is still heated debate, however, over the total number of suicides by Vietnam veterans; the extent to which it continues even today is unknown.
Penny's right on, if only we weren't so Apathedic as a Society, ablout many things!
"This is war unlike other wars and we don't know the long-term implications and the hidden injuries of war," Kaplan said.
Sorry but it isn't, as Kaplan says. It's War and an Insurgent Guerilla War fought all over this planet.
Suicide, Blazer said, "is a cost of war. It's a big one."
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On the Net: Veterans Affairs Department: http://www.va.gov/
Suicide Prevention Network USA: http://www.spanusa.org/
Wounded Warrior Project: http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/
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The toll free Veterans Affairs Department suicide hotline number is 1-800-273-TALK (8255).