This is Tim Bowman. After he committed suicide, his brother sent me an email to get his brother's story out in the public's mind. Soon afterwards, because of the family was willing to come forward, his story got attention. More and more the families of these men and women who died because of a wound they received in service to this country, the same country who could not take care of their wounded minds, was forced to pay attention.
Data Sought on Veterans' Suicide
By KIMBERLY HEFLING – 2 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The parents of an Iraq war veteran who committed suicide and members of Congress on Wednesday questioned why there's not a comprehensive tracking system of suicide among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
Mike Bowman, of Forreston, Ill., said his son, Spc. Timothy Bowman, 23, is a member of the "unknown fallen" not counted in statistics. His son, a member of the Illinois National Guard, took his own life in 2005 eight months after returning from war. Bowman said he considers his son a "KBA" — killed because of action.
"If the veteran suicide rate is not classified as an epidemic that needs immediate and drastic attention, then the American fighting soldier needs someone in Washington who thinks it is," Bowman said.
Bowman was one of several witnesses who testified before the House Veterans' Affairs Committee on the issue.
Rep. Bob Filner, the committee chairman, questioned why the comprehensive tracking wasn't already being done.
"They don't want to know this, it looks to me," said Filner, D-Calif. "This could be tracked."
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