Want proof suicide awareness went poof? Combat PTSD Wounded Times Kathie Costos September 26, 3018 The VA released another suicide report. Wonder how many of the "awareness folks" making a living off veterans killing themselves will actually read the report?
They may want to try to make sure their supporters doing pushups and other stunts never find out about it, because it shows all this "awareness" has not worked!
The number of Veteran suicides per year decreased from 6,281 deaths in 2015 to 6,079 deaths in 2016. The number of Veteran suicides in 2016 remains greater than the 5,797 Veteran suicides that occurred in 2005. From 2005 to 2016, the Veteran population decreased by about 4 million people.Given that the Veteran population decreased in size, the number of Veteran suicides per year can also decrease even while the rate of Veteran suicide increases.
And yet, this is the number the VA had back in 1999.
So yes, we are down 4 million veterans since 2005, and the number of known suicides remains the same. Want more proof that this "suicide awareness" thing isn't working? Read more.
Suicide deaths among never federally activated former National Guard and Reserve members increased from 2005 to 2016. In 2016, there were 902 suicides among never federally activated former Guard and Reserve members.
From 2005 to 2016, the number of suicides among women Veterans increased. • From 2005 to 2016, the woman Veteran population increased. • After adjusting for age, the rate of suicide among women Veterans was higher than the rate among non-Veteran women.
The suicide rate for Veterans ages 18–34 substantially increased from 2005 to 2016. • When comparing Veteran suicide rates by age group, Veterans ages 18–34 had the highest suicide rate in 2016, at 45 per 100,000. • In 2016, 58.1 percent of Veteran suicides were among Veterans age 55 and older.
From 2015 to 2016, the Veteran suicide rate decreased from 30.5 per 100,000 to 30.1 per
100,000. Suicide rates for Veteran and non-Veteran adults increased from 2005 to 2016. In 2016, the suicide rate was 1.5 times greater for Veterans than for non-Veteran adults, after
adjusting for age and gender.
How could talking about suicides give a veteran who has lost hope any reason to get up another day? Oh, it is so much easier to just drown out the voices trying to let them know they can heal and live better lives. After all, saving veterans is a lot of hard work, but oh, so worth it! Stop telling them they are killing themselves! They already know that. They need to hear they can #TakeBackYourLife and kick the crap out of PTSD! And yes, I meant it the way it sounded.
Fought Over Him Mikele Buck’s decision might surprise you. Country Living BY MEGAN FRIEDMAN SEP 25, 2018
Mikele Buck, a country singer who is a veteran of the Iraq war, gave an incredibly moving performance on The Voice, dedicated to his friend from the military who committed suicide. His blind audition was so strong, in fact, that it had coaches Kelly Clarkson and Blake Shelton fighting for him to join their teams. read more here
Blake Shelton Is AMAZED by Mikele Buck's Brooks and Dunn Cover - The Voice 2018 Blind Auditions
He sought help from the VA while struggling with suicidal thoughts – feelings of helplessness, frustration and anxiety. After spending four days at an inpatient mental health unit, he left the hospital, went to his car and shot himself. Police found his body the following day, his phone full of voicemails and texts from his father, Greg Miller, with one message sent over and over again: “I love you. We love you. Come home.”
Watchdog finds deficiencies in care for vet who committed suicide in Minneapolis VA parking lot STARS AND STRIPES By NIKKI WENTLING Published: September 25, 2018
The next day, police found the veteran dead in the parking lot of the Minneapolis VA hospital, with a gunshot wound to the head. The local medical examiner determined the death a suicide.
WASHINGTON — A government watchdog determined a Department of Veterans Affairs mental health unit in Minneapolis didn’t follow VA policies before discharging an Iraq War veteran who committed suicide in the facility’s parking lot less than 24 hours later.
The Office of Inspector General reported Tuesday that VA staff didn’t collaborate on a discharge plan for the veteran, didn’t ensure the veteran had a follow-up appointment about newly prescribed antidepressants, and didn’t adequately document whether they had access to firearms. Though the VA failed in several areas, inspectors said they couldn’t determine whether the mistakes directly led to the veteran’s suicide.
The Minneapolis VA made similar errors in 2011, when a Vietnam War veteran committed suicide while under the facility’s care. A VA Inspector General report in 2012 found the hospital was “deficient” in how it handled the situation. Four of the recommendations the IG made after that suicide apply now, the IG wrote in its report. read more here
Power couple: Wife of airman who survived most catastrophic wounds in history vying for cover of Maxim magazine Military Times By: J.D. Simkins September 24, 2018
Brian and Ashley often make trips to Walter Reed to visit other wounded veterans to provide hope and inspiration. In 2014, Brian was presented the George C. Lang Award for Courage for his many efforts to take care of and mentor wounded vets.
Ashley Kolfage met her husband-to-be, Brian, when she was working as a hostess at a Chili’s in the small west Texas city of San Angelo.
Ashley and Brian Kolfage practice surfing. The couple married in 2011. (Photo courtesy of Ashley Kolfage)
The two quickly became friends, but before any romance could take hold, Brian deployed to Iraq, where, on Sept. 11, 2004, he became the most severely wounded airman to survive any war in U.S. history after a 107mm enemy rocket landed just three feet away as he walked to get a drink of water.
Both of Brian’s legs were instantly shredded, he lost his dominant right hand and his lung collapsed.
Miraculously conscious after the explosion, the senior airman screamed for help. A close friend tried to keep him calm as medics rushed to help. All the while, Kolfage repeated that he just wanted to make it home to see his family.
Medics would go on to perform hours of life-saving surgery before placing Kolfage on a flight to Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, where he arrived only 36 hours after being wounded, the fastest medevac to the U.S. from a war zone in history. read more here
He plays guitar downtown for money. What he really wants is a shower and a home SAN LUIS OBISPO TRIBUNE BY MONICA VAUGHAN September 24, 2018
If you’ve recently strolled through downtown San Luis Obispo in the afternoon or Pismo Beach in the evening, you’ve probably seen or heard Jon Akeman. He’s the guy with long white hair, a patriotic bandana, guitar strapped over his shoulder and harmonica braced around his neck.
Known to locals as Dr. Jon the Citizen, Akeman, 73, serenades pedestrians with classic songs by Bob Dylan, Neil Young or the Eagles.
“I get a thrill of people going by, smiling at me when I play. Plus, I get a little money on the side,” he said, sitting on a bench in front of Ross Dress for Less on Higuera Street on a recent Thursday afternoon. “That’s my job, to make people happy.” read more here
