For Every U.S. Soldier Killed On Battlefield This Year, 25 Veterans Die By Own Hands

This is so sad in my opinion

Like the saying goes "Rich Mans War, Poor Mans Blood"

reply to post by usmc0311


Well thought out my friend! I to have seen way to many go young. Its tragic but to honestly say that I myself have not thought about it would be a lie and I served NAVY. I cant even begin to feel what our Infantry goes through on a daily basis. MORE SHOULD BE DONE! Wounded Warrior Foundation is an excellent starting point. I would suggest anybody who has not heard of look into it...!

reply to post by intrptr

Sometimes I see a uniform or meet a veteran and I struggle for what to say to them so as not to offend. What would you tell the average civy to say to vets and returning soldiers that would help ease their pain?

That's kind of a difficult question to answer. Some vets like to be thanked and recognized for their service and others become uncomfortable when thanked by civilians. I personally become uncomfortable when thanked mainly because I'm not sure why the other person is thanking me. If they are just thanking me for serving that's ok but when they show that they are still duped by the mainstream and say things like, yeah, thanks for going and killing all those terrorists it just doesn't feel right. I think the best and safest bet is just to tell them that they have your support reguardless of the choices made by our leaders.

Originally posted by scoodoo20
reply to post by usmc0311

 

Well thought out my friend! I to have seen way to many go young. Its tragic but to honestly say that I myself have not thought about it would be a lie and I served NAVY. I cant even begin to feel what our Infantry goes through on a daily basis. MORE SHOULD BE DONE! Wounded Warrior Foundation is an excellent starting point. I would suggest anybody who has not heard of look into it...!

edit on 17-4-2012 by scoodoo20 because: (no reason given)

The Wounded Warrior programs are an excellent benifit for veterans as well as active duty. There is also a veterans crisis hotline and website that can be helpfull. I will post the info here in case there are other veterans who may read this.

Veterans Crisis Website

The Veterans Crisis Line connects Veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring Department of Veterans Affairs responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text. Veterans and their loved ones can call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, chat online, or send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

These men are stressed and recycled to the point of exhaustion and they see things that are very violent. The freedom fighters of Afghanistan are winning because they are literally using this type of demoralization of US troops to achieve their ends. Those troops who witnessed 9/11 are now close to getting out and the new ones have no idea of why we are there and they do not have the fresh brainwashing of 9/11 to enter the war.

Could be that all the women and children these heroes kill in during their service finally caught up with their conscience.

give me just 1 good reason why america should send troops anywhere in the world. Its not surprising they would take their own life after the atrocities they comit. Wake up and stop allowing yourselves to be brainwashed.

reply to post by RandomEsotericScreenname


They get that information from the records of those under treatment for PTSD. It does not materialize out of thin air like so much of the information here does

Yes it makes sense that the Marines and Army would see more.

To say that radical Islam does not exist or blame it on others is very dishonest and propagandish (Is that a word? Should be). Peoples hatred of the US does not change the fact that Radical Islam exists and shares in the blame for the deaths they cause. Radical Islam predates the US and I assume you know that, right? Their principal victims have always been Muslims. If you care about the Muslims, the fact you should be opposed to Radical Islam should go without saying.

Can you explain how we went back with a time machine and created Radical Islam before we existed? Utter nonsense and pro-Terrorist propaganda.

reply to post by kn0wh0w


war is absolutley evil. i hope that one day we can all throw up our arms, look at each other and say we are done butchering our fellow man.

reply to post by Salamandy


Why haven't we seen billboards of Cheney and mutilated soilders side by side? Because our last president said, "if you're not with us then you're against us". There isn't one anti-war organization in this country that has the courage to do it. The personal cost would be too high.....and the govt. needs some excuse to start filling up those FEMA camps.

I read through most of the comments, and let me tell you, this report from the NY Times isn't a shock.

I enlisted in 2000, did basic in Fort Lost in the Woods, Missouri, and AIT in Ft. Useless, Virginia. In Basic we were woken up one night to air raid sirens going off and all the DS's running around waking us up. We were taken to an assembly and told that Iraq had just launched nukes at Israel and the US (didn't know they didn't have the capability of not making it to the US then), and that we were all going to head to an advanced training to become elite infantry, and we'd be in Iraq in 3 weeks.

Mind you, this was in 2000.

9-11 came around, and we were already prepared. My unit hit the ground in Afghanistan not more then 48 hours after the last Trade Center fell.

The sad truth is, the things we had to do to stay alive, I don't want to remember, but I live them daily. From my unit, those who were my friends, ten other men, 2 died in combat, and 6 have killed themselves. 8 of 11 men who formed tight bonds and friendships are dead. 25% by enemy hands, the rest by their own. The three of us left, 2 of us (including me) have tried suicide numerous times. 1 seemingly has a normal life, but it has potential to be a volcano at some point.

War is not fun, nor is it glamorous. We all came back and were spit on, put down, told how worthless we were. I do envy the others who have made it to the promised land, because I've tried 10 times, and the fateful god has me here still.

Just my 2 cents.

reply to post by NwestJagsfan


Please don't try again my friend!

Stay strong and don't let them beat you!

They duped you all into this mess and left you and everyone else high and dry after ....I really feel for you and all the boys and girls that thought you were doing the right thing!
Now you all fight another battle