22 veteran suicides a day — a misused statistic

Finally! Finally someone is talking about what veterans have been saying all along but reporters just didn't care enough to learn the facts. The truth is even more stunning than that simplistic quote of "22 a day" when researchers looked at the demographics. Most are over the age of 50, yet were responsible for all the research started 40 years ago and are the last to be helped by all the "awareness" groups out there. They never talk about the fact veteran suicides are double civilian population.

They survived combat but couldn't survive back home? Younger ones are triple their peer rate yet they are the topic of every awareness charity raising money while it all gets worse for the veterans. Does it still feel good to write a check when it gets worse for veterans?

22 veteran suicides a day — a misused statistic
My San Antonio
Express-News Editorial Board
Published 12:00 am, Saturday, October 31, 2015

Now and then we hear reference to a powerful statistic about our veterans. It’s often expressed with the best of intentions but without proper context.

The statistic is this: There are 22 veteran suicides a day in this country. As in all veterans, but it’s often mistakenly framed around combat veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The statistic comes from a 2012 Department of Veterans Affairs suicide data report. That report is based on data from 21 states between 1999 and 2011. The report is clear that the statistic 22 suicides a day applies to all veterans, not just those who have served more recently in Iraq and Afghanistan. In fact, the vast majority of the suicides, about 69 percent, involved veterans who were at least 50 years old, the Los Angeles Times and others have reported.
read more here

Sounds like someone may actually have been reading Wounded Times and thought about it for real change!