Gary Sinese says No To Veteran Suicides

July 15 Update: During a Congressional hearing today on Capitol Hill, the Department of Veterans Affairs unveiled a new suicide prevention PSA. CBS News has obtained a copy of the clip. Click on the video box to the left to watch it. Rep. Harry Mitchell said that the VA’s “self-imposed ban against television advertising” that has been in place until recently was “outdated and out of touch

www.cbsnews.com...

Must be more than what's in the water to cause this. Just what are our soldiers getting into these day?

i have no idea what they are getting into because i have never served

perhaps it is PTSD or perhaps it is coming home and changing your mind and believing you were sent to war on a lie, and everything you believed about the wars intentions were a lie, if this type of change in beliefs were to occur during a time when someone was still under the stress of war flashbacks, or bad injury's.... then it may be too much to handle? i dunno plus it's probably tough for alot of vets to get jobs in the economic enviornement....likely a variety of reasons, sometimes many piled on top of each other

but i hope anyone going thru this stuff can stick it out and find there way back to some sort of normalcy or happiness. forgiveness and love (for yourself and those that may wronged you) and determination and good intentions (and a little time) can work wonders.



[edit on 6-12-2008 by cpdaman]

I don't get what Gary Sinise has to do with any of this. Why do they think putting a famous face with a cause somehow lends it more credibility?

You are really up on things, aren't you? This came out in July, and you just noticed? Where has YOUR head been?

Hate to tell you, but the suicide rate among veterans, especially combat veterans, has always been higher than that of the non-veteran population. This is nothing new.

It's about time the VA gets its act together.

BUT, they can't do much, because Congress (and every administration since Lyndon Johnson's) has underfunded the VA. It doesn't have enough money to treat everyone eligible, not even half of those eligible can actually get treatment.

I am rated as a 60% Service Connected Disabled Veteran. I have to drive 55 miles each way to get anything m,ore than a physical examination. I would much rather have some form of a medical insurance card, than have to go to the VA for all my treatment.

Delays are built into the system, because of underfunding, understaffinf, outdated facilities, lack of equipment, etc.

Instead of crying your crocoduile tears about what our tropps are going through, why not actually do something to help them? Lobby for adequate treatment of ALL veterans, and not just through the VA.

Let us have a choice, CHAMP-VA or treatment at VA facilities. I would bet that well over 70% of eligible veterans would take the CHAMP-VA (which pays for all medical bills just like a really good medical insurance policy, regardless of where you choose to get treatment.)

first time i saw it on tv was today.

You can't imagine why there is underfunding?

Because YOUR Congrssman and YOUR Senator (just like MY Congressman and MY Senator) refuse to adequately fund Veterans programs.

People forget that it is the Congress that has to fund EVERYTHING. The President can't spend one dime without Congress appropriating the money.

And frankly, the vast majority of people just don't give a #.

The liberals would just as soon shut down the VA, eliminate all military and forget we ever existed.

The conservatives want to fight wars, but don't want to fund the ongoing costs for the poor bastards that actually did the fighting.

And once a war is over, most people do not want to be reminded about it.

So, the poor bastards like me get it right up the ass.

The VA itself should be abolished. Every service connected disabled veteran should be given an insurance card that allows them to get care wherever they want to get it. There would be more than enough money, if they got rid of all the salaries in the VA.

It's not that the care is bad, it isn't.

But as someone above said, veterans should not have to ride a bus 3 hours to get the care they need. they shouldn't have to wait 3-6 months for routine medical tests. They shouldn't have some bureancrat decide which medicines they are allowed to have, instead of their doctors.

Give us a CHAMP-VA card, and we can get care from our local doctors and our local hospitals.

You want to fight for something worthwhile? Fight for that!