6000 Veterans Commited Suicide Last Year!

Originally posted by Newbomb Turk
I was almost one of them in May/June of last year. In fact had carried a 9mm bullet in my pocket for months prior too in which I had inscribed my name into the casing. Not wishing to get into too many details as I somewhat still struggle to get that life behind me....it truly is a struggle. To see the evil horror that mankind is capable of, and live with it day in and day out and do multiple repeated tours only to then come out of theater and 24 hours after boarding a C5 to come home, you find yourself standing in a Safeway supermarket and just staring in amazement as you watch everyone hand select their vegetables, the little spray misters come on and spray the fruits and veggies....and then realizing upon driving home that you actually now have to stop for stoplights/signs, do the speed limit, not being able to choke the living # out of some dillhole that wants beef with you because you passed him on the freeway...etc...

In fact I became a very lost individual for a number of years because I had become a man without a home pretty much. While I was over there I could think of nothing but wanting to come back home...and once home I had to be on the next plane back over there. It truly can be a vicious cycle. And then to learn that after having been injured by a mortar round in Kandahar, Afganistan my country's VA system decided to only compensate me 10% disability upon my retirement. That is $123 a month taken out of my overall $1400 a month retirement (BEFORE taxes), but take $123 a month out before taxes.

And actually getting "service" at our outstanding VA hospitals?!?! Buwhaha a TOTAL AND COMPLETE JOKE! I have been riveted with PAIN since being medvac'd outta Afghanistan and having multiple back surgeries, a dozen ESI spine injections (which hurt like a mofo each time), and a half dozen other painful procedures none of which were effective in the long run...ONLY TO THEN after having been in Pain Management WITH THE SAME DOC in CA for 3 years and never having been reprimanded so much as ONCE by him for improper medicine intake as I had ALWAYS taken as prescribed, only to get out of the military after 20+ years, LEARN THAT THE COUNTRY THAT I HAD FOUGHT AND DEFENDED FOR HAD BEEN SOLD OUT WHILE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS ARE BEING KILLED OVER THERE!! And then to LOSE EVERYTHING AND GO BANKRUPT due to the WORST economy in decades I could not find work, CA blew me off 3 times of collecting unemployment EACH TIME saying that I WAS IN ERROR in some way with the process of filing (only to learn later that I was not alone as CA was going bankrupt and was telling MANY people the same lies), TO THEN after losing everything and having to ask and old Navy buddy in AZ to take me in and to then go to the VA ONLY TO THEN BE SCRUTINIZED AS I WAS THERE ONLY FOR DRUG SEEKING BEHAVIOR....WHEN I WOULD BRING A COMPLETE MEDICAL HISTORY WITH NO GAPS OR NOTHING NEGATIVE SINCE 2001!!!

Sorry for ranting all....I guess I just wanted to share a little bit of what we veterans have to face after having been used and exploited by the very same government that we were...well never mind, it is all complete and utter BS anymore. This country has long been pimped and sold out. This government doesn't give a rats ass about it troops. We were and all are nothing more than pawns being used to further a hidden agenda, and make the 3% richest even more rich. I haven't had the urge to off myself though in a few months and believe that I am making more strides every day. My message to other vets struggling, DON'T GIVE UP MAN NO MATTER WHAT! If you need to talk I am here for you, even if the gov is not. Take care.

Yeah, they screwed me out of all my benefits. Pre-exsisting condition my ass. I'm not the only one with this problem.

Originally posted by ExCommando

Originally posted by Newbomb Turk
I was almost one of them in May/June of last year. In fact had carried a 9mm bullet in my pocket for months prior too in which I had inscribed my name into the casing. Not wishing to get into too many details as I somewhat still struggle to get that life behind me....it truly is a struggle. To see the evil horror that mankind is capable of, and live with it day in and day out and do multiple repeated tours only to then come out of theater and 24 hours after boarding a C5 to come home, you find yourself standing in a Safeway supermarket and just staring in amazement as you watch everyone hand select their vegetables, the little spray misters come on and spray the fruits and veggies....and then realizing upon driving home that you actually now have to stop for stoplights/signs, do the speed limit, not being able to choke the living # out of some dillhole that wants beef with you because you passed him on the freeway...etc...

In fact I became a very lost individual for a number of years because I had become a man without a home pretty much. While I was over there I could think of nothing but wanting to come back home...and once home I had to be on the next plane back over there. It truly can be a vicious cycle. And then to learn that after having been injured by a mortar round in Kandahar, Afganistan my country's VA system decided to only compensate me 10% disability upon my retirement. That is $123 a month taken out of my overall $1400 a month retirement (BEFORE taxes), but take $123 a month out before taxes.

And actually getting "service" at our outstanding VA hospitals?!?! Buwhaha a TOTAL AND COMPLETE JOKE! I have been riveted with PAIN since being medvac'd outta Afghanistan and having multiple back surgeries, a dozen ESI spine injections (which hurt like a mofo each time), and a half dozen other painful procedures none of which were effective in the long run...ONLY TO THEN after having been in Pain Management WITH THE SAME DOC in CA for 3 years and never having been reprimanded so much as ONCE by him for improper medicine intake as I had ALWAYS taken as prescribed, only to get out of the military after 20+ years, LEARN THAT THE COUNTRY THAT I HAD FOUGHT AND DEFENDED FOR HAD BEEN SOLD OUT WHILE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS ARE BEING KILLED OVER THERE!! And then to LOSE EVERYTHING AND GO BANKRUPT due to the WORST economy in decades I could not find work, CA blew me off 3 times of collecting unemployment EACH TIME saying that I WAS IN ERROR in some way with the process of filing (only to learn later that I was not alone as CA was going bankrupt and was telling MANY people the same lies), TO THEN after losing everything and having to ask and old Navy buddy in AZ to take me in and to then go to the VA ONLY TO THEN BE SCRUTINIZED AS I WAS THERE ONLY FOR DRUG SEEKING BEHAVIOR....WHEN I WOULD BRING A COMPLETE MEDICAL HISTORY WITH NO GAPS OR NOTHING NEGATIVE SINCE 2001!!!

Sorry for ranting all....I guess I just wanted to share a little bit of what we veterans have to face after having been used and exploited by the very same government that we were...well never mind, it is all complete and utter BS anymore. This country has long been pimped and sold out. This government doesn't give a rats ass about it troops. We were and all are nothing more than pawns being used to further a hidden agenda, and make the 3% richest even more rich. I haven't had the urge to off myself though in a few months and believe that I am making more strides every day. My message to other vets struggling, DON'T GIVE UP MAN NO MATTER WHAT! If you need to talk I am here for you, even if the gov is not. Take care.

Brother - I'm so sorry that you've had to endure that process.

Thank you for writing your story, I can only imagine the pain and suffering you have been through.

You should sell everything, and move over to Australia - much better quality of life here

I'ts not as easy as you are saying to move to Australia especially if you have certain medical problems.

There is currently pending legislation in the House to increase mental health assessment and services for returning military to decrease the incidence of suicide...

Please sign this petition.. it should only take a few minutes to do so, but it will hopefully show Congress the severity of the situation and the need for them to vote in favor of the bill.

Tell Your Congressperson that Voting for HR 26 Will Save Veterans

Thank you!

I signed it. I am a cold War vet and never saw bloodshed. But something traumatic -did- happen to me while in. It was extremely unusual. I never told the story --fully-- on any chat forum. Maybe at some time I will. Hint, youd find in the Aliens and Ufos section. Or --- maybe not. It's not a chat forum fodder, too ya know, involved.
Maybe it had to do with my problems upon rientering the civillian society. Maybe not. I have my (conspiracy!)theories.
But I got good help from the VA. I believe those who testify they didn't, though. It's about enough money for certain programs in there. Every VA hospital is different, too.

so what caused these suicides ?

some kind of side effect of medication that lead to depression ?

lack of family support ?

lack of faith in God ?

lack of respect from the civilians ?

cannot adjust to civilian life ?


the number pretty high compared to vietnam era and vietnam was way worse