I have been informed of the alarmingly high rates of veterans that are committing themselves to suicide.
As a soldier and veteran this disturbs me, but at the same time I understand. Its not easy being a soldier among civilians, nobody understands the kind of stuff you saw, things you had to do, and why every noise puts you on alert. A veteran returning home has to cope with all of these things and then some. It might seem with such a high suicide rate among vets that the military hasn’t provided any assistance to help them cope. But there is.
There are many options that a veteran in need has to help them in their time of need. The Vet Center is one option; the VA hospital is always available, as well as military one source, which is one of the best means to find help. Military one source offers help to soldiers and veterans alike from finance to family counseling. The fact of the matter is that even with all of these resources the threat of suicide is something that the people surrounding a person should be looking out for. The only people who show signs of suicidal intent are the ones who are looking for help and those people should be helped. However, when someone wants to commit to suicide they don’t usually tell anyone or even show “typical” signs of their intentions. It has been my experience that a suicidal person who is truly committed to ending their life won’t let you know it. They will lead you to think that everything is fine until you find them dead. It saddens me to know that my brothers in arms are coming home and are struggling so much to cope that they feel that death is the way out. If you know any veterans who are struggling to cope with civilian life please find them help, suicide is not a proper warrior’s end.
Joe Cooper
Wilkes University 10'
12 March 2009
2 comments:
I think more people need to be aware of this unfortunate issue. I haven't heard much about this, but it's very sad and I hope more people can help.
Good blog post.
i can't possibly imagine what it is like to go from serving in the military as a soldier for your country, being alert and on guard all the time, to coming home to a civilian lifestyle, but i do imagine that its quite a drastic change of things. it is very sad to think that so many veterans have such a hard time that they can't cope and resort to taking their lives. more people need to be aware and understanding and help if they think something is going on with a veteran they know.
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