Who are the veterans you count?

What Makes a Veteran?

Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
November 6, 2018

On Veterans Day, there will be all kinds of events to honor our military veterans. The term "veteran" can be applied to anyone who has a lot of experience in their field. That would be someone like me, which I never really thought of before. After 36 years, I guess that would be accurate, but it is also in my DNA now.

This day is for the veterans who were willing to die for the sake of others. Once we get that into our heads, then maybe, just maybe, we can grieve more than we have for them.

It is all so easy to push a number that is "easy to remember" and defended by those who have no intentions of getting too close to the subject of losing veterans to suicide. After all, that would make them uncomfortable. They would rather make donations and walk away. Do some pushups and have some laughs. 

Readers already know that the number of "22" came from limited data from just 21 states. You already know that the numbers have gotten worse. We've covered the facts, the ones who were abandoned by the military instead of helped to heal.

We've covered every subject going back to 2007 when we had the first major report on veterans committing suicide. At the time, it seemed only active duty troops were worthy of reporters attention.

In 2009, we warned about how Comprehensive Soldier Fitness training would increase suicides, and we were right. 

We have covered just about everything there is to know on our veterans since the day this site started.

One thing we did not cover much was "Who is a veteran" because there does not seem to be an answer that would do any of those who served justice.

Yesterday we touched on how any service member without an "honorable" discharge, cannot call themselves a veteran. Some have been fighting to make sure that those who have been experiencing mental distress and acted out, are having their discharges reviewed. 

There are even more. If someone served in the National Guard or Reserves, but were not deployed into combat, then they would not be able to be called "veteran." Apparently being sent into some of the worst conditions following a natural disaster, or on humanitarian missions into other countries, is not worth mentioning.

According to Social Security

The term “veteran” means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable.

It appears that the Social Security Administration did not update their definition of what a veteran is.

Guard and Reserve members receive ‘Veteran’ status

National Guard Bureau

By Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy

Dec. 28, 2016

ARLINGTON, Va. – A recently signed law gives official veteran status to National Guard members who served 20 years or more. Previously, Guard members were considered veterans only if they served 180 days or more in a federal status outside of training. 

"As long as you were deployed on active duty for at least 180 days and you didn't get a dishonorable discharge or a bad conduct discharge coming off those orders, then you could be considered a veteran," said Army Sgt. Maj. Matthew Krenz, a legislative liaison at the National Guard Bureau who provided background information to Congressional members working on the bill. Prior to the new law's passage, even if  Guard members served for 20 years or longer they were not deemed veterans unless they served on active duty. That included those serving in an Active Guard and Reserve status. 

Massachusetts
FEDERAL DEFINITION: under Federal Law a VETERAN is any person, who served honorably on active duty in the armed forces of the United States. 
(Discharges marked GENERAL AND UNDER HONORABLE CONDITIONS also qualify.)

STATE DEFINITION:DEFINITION OF A MASSACHUSETTS VETERAN, M.G.L. C.4, SEC. 7,cl 43rd as amended by the Acts of 2004 – Effective August 30, 2004. 

To be a “veteran” under Massachusetts law a person is required to have either: 180 days of regular active duty service and a last discharge or release under honorable conditions Such member does not need to have any wartime service. – OR – 90 days of active duty service, one (1) day of which is during “wartime”, and a last discharge or release under honorable conditions. The one-day need not have actually been served in a war zone. For Guard Members to qualify they must have 180 days and have been activated under Title 10 of the U.S. Code – OR – Members who were activated under Title 10 or Title 32 of the U.S. Code or Massachusetts General Laws chapter 33, sections 38, 40 and 41 must have 90 days, at least one of which was during wartime. The Members’ last discharge or release must be under honorable conditions. 

Full time National Guard duty is only considered such when National Guard members are activated to regular service and does not include weekend drills or active duty for training Minimum Service Exception (for Death or Disability) It is not necessary that an applicant have completed the minimum service for wartime or peacetime campaign if he/she served some time in the campaign and was awarded the Purple Heart, or suffered a service-connected disability or died in the service under honorable conditions. Training Duty Exception – Active service in the armed forces as used in this clause shall not include active duty for training in the Army or Air National Guard or active duty for training as a Reservist in the Armed Forces of the United States.

 Just to give you an idea of how confusing this all is, this is a report from the National Guard.

GUARD SUICIDES UP IN LATEST REPORT JAN 6, 2016 

JOHN HARRIS 

UNCATEGORIZED 

“Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem that doesn’t end the chances of life getting worse, it eliminates the possibility of it ever getting any better.” Military-Suicide Statistically, we will see 90+ of our Brothers and Sisters in Arms make the wrong decision in the upcoming year. Take some time this UTA and be a Leader. Talk to your fellow Soldier or Airman and find out how they are doing after the Holidays. It is more important than anything you can possibly do on a computer or the paperwork on your desk. Thirty-two National Guard members killed themselves during the third quarter of last year, according to the Pentagon’s latest report released Monday. 

The Quarterly Suicide Report shows five Air Guard members and 27 Army Guard troops committed suicide during the three-month period of July, August and September 2015. 

During that same period in 2014, the numbers were four for the Air Guard and 24 for the Army Guard. In the second quarter of 2015, the figures were five for the Air Guard and 23 for the Army Guard. 

With statistics still waiting to be compiled for the final three months of 2015, the Guard suicide figure for the year seems likely to top that of 2014, when 91 Guardsmen killed themselves. 

After nine months in 2015, the figure was at 89, with 18 citizen-airmen and 71 citizen-soldiers taking their own lives. 

Throughout the military, the latest report shows 142 suicides in the third quarter of 2015, with 72 in the active component and 70 in the reserve component, up from 105 for the same period in 2014. 

The biggest increase for the years was in the Army Reserve, which endured 42 suicides in 2014, but had reported 48 after nine months in 2015. 

The military reported 443 suicides in 2014. The figure was at 383 after nine months in 2015.

As bad as all the seems, we do not know how many members of the National Guards and Reserves, who were not "deployed" committed suicide. We do not know how many returned to their jobs as first responders and took their own lives doing that job. 

Do you still want to use a number to cover the veterans who could not count on us when we cannot even count the number of veterans we counted on?

There is still much we do not know. On Veterans Day, consider all that you have learned over the last few days and maybe, just maybe, that number you hear, will be one that begins a conversation that is actually worthy of all those who are not here anymore to thank for their service.

UPDATE
Just got a reminder about this group of veterans.



Suicide risk higher among veterans released from prison
Medical Life Science
Reviewed by Alina Shrourou, BSc
Oct 31 2018

Veterans released from prison are five times as likely to attempt suicide as their peers who have never been incarcerated, report UConn Health researchers in an article slated for publication in the November 2018 print edition of the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

"People over 50 are the fastest growing segment of the prison population, and most of them will eventually be released," says UConn Health epidemiologist Lisa Barry.

Regardless of a person's age, release from prison increases the chance of death in the years immediately afterward. But older prisoners tend to have fewer friends and family around when they get released, and may find it even harder to reintegrate into the workforce than the average ex-prisoners, with the double stigma of being a former prisoner and being old.
read more here

Supreme Court Sides Against USS Cole Survivors

USS Cole victims opposed at Supreme Court by unlikely partners: Sudan and US

The Washington Post
By ROBERT BARNES
Published: November 4, 2018

"It is mind-boggling that the government has decided in this case to side with a state sponsor of terrorism and against men and women who are seeking to recover for grievous injuries suffered in the service of our country," Shanmugam wrote in a brief to the court.

Sailors aboard the USS Ross frame President Bill Clinton and others during a USS Cole memorial service in Richmond in October 2000. ROBERT A. REEDER/WASHINGTON POST PHOTO

The road to recovery has been a long one for David Morales, who was injured during the al-Qaida attack on the USS Cole 18 years ago last month. And he knew it would be difficult to collect the nearly $315 million that he and others wounded in the attack were awarded in their suit against the Republic of Sudan.

But he didn't expect the case to go all the way to the Supreme Court, and he certainly didn't think he would see the Trump administration aligned with Sudan on the other side of the legal battle.

"I thought the United States would be on the side of its veterans," Morales said in a recent interview. "It was very surprising, especially with Mr. Trump in office. It seems like he is in support of veterans. It kind of hurts."

Years of litigation and millions of dollars in awards are on the line this week as the Supreme Court addresses a seemingly mundane question: whether notices of the lawsuits against Sudan were sent to the wrong address eight years ago.
read more here

Slogan of 22 Other Than Honorable Way for Veterans Day

Real Numbers Should Matter More Than Slogan Of 22

Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
November 5, 2018

With Veterans Day coming it is more troubling too many in this country have not had the opportunity to become aware of the other numbers that should matter more than a slogan, when the topic is veterans killing themselves.

For far too many veterans, their days are ended with a bullet, or a rope, drugs, car wrecks, a knife or facing off with police officers.

If you still have the number 22 stuck in your head, after you read this, maybe it will disgust you as much as it has sickened me all these years.

Here are just the facts. We need to begin with the group of veterans who pushed for all the research and funding on what war does to those we send.

Vietnam veterans were the first generation to make the battle to heal PTSD public. They were determined to #BreakTheSilence. 

Most servicemembers receive fully honorable discharges. However, 1.5 million have received less than fully honorable discharges since 1950.

That was from The Comptroller General report to Congress in 1980. That also means that they would not have been counted in any of the suicide reports being released since this decade.

One such veteran was John Shepherd Jr. and this report came out in 2012 on the Hartford Courant.

John Shepherd Jr. enlisted in the Army and earned a Bronze Star for valor fighting with the Ninth Infantry Division in the Mekong Delta in 1969. But after his platoon leader was killed while trying to help him out of a canal, Mr. Shepherd appeared to come undone, eventually refusing to go out on patrol. 

He was court-martialed and given an other-than-honorable discharge, making him ineligible for most veterans' benefits. He believes his behavior was the result of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. His immediate problem: PTSD wasn't recognized as a medical condition until 1980.

Why is that important? Because the Department of Veterans Affairs stated clearly, the majority of veterans committing suicide are over the age of 50.

None of those veterans would have been included within the "known" number of veterans committing suicide.

More were added to the omission of numbers that should have mattered. GAO again, released another report May 16, 2017.

GAO's analysis of Department of Defense (DOD) data show that 62 percent, or 57,141 of the 91,764 servicemembers separated for misconduct from fiscal years 2011 through 2015 had been diagnosed within the 2 years prior to separation with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), or certain other conditions that could be associated with misconduct. 

Specifically, 16 percent had been diagnosed with PTSD or TBI, while the other conditions, such as adjustment and alcohol-related disorders, were more common. 

Of the 57,141 servicemembers, 23 percent, or 13,283, received an “other than honorable” characterization of service, making them potentially ineligible for health benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). 

GAO found that the military services' policies to address the impact of PTSD and TBI on separations for misconduct are not always consistent with DOD policy. For example, contrary to DOD policy, Navy policy does not require a medical examination—or screening—for certain servicemembers being separated in lieu of trial by court-martial to assess whether a PTSD or TBI diagnosis is a mitigating factor in the misconduct charged. 

This type of separation occurs when a servicemember facing a trial by court-martial requests, and is approved, to be discharged administratively. In addition, GAO found that two of the four military services have TBI training polices that are inconsistent with DOD policy. GAO also found that the Army and Marine Corps may not have adhered to their own screening, training, and counseling policies related to PTSD and TBI. 

For example, GAO found that 18 of the 48 nongeneralizable sample separation packets reviewed for Marine Corps servicemembers administratively separated for misconduct lacked documentation showing that the servicemember had been screened for PTSD and TBI. 

During interviews with Army officers, GAO found that some officers may not have received training to identify mild TBI symptoms, despite Army policy that all servicemembers should be trained. Further, GAO found instances in which both Army and Marine Corps may not have adhered to their counseling policies, which require that servicemembers, specifically prior to requesting separation in lieu of trial by court-martial, be counseled about their potential ineligibility for VA benefits and services. 

For 11 of the 48 separation packets included in GAO's analysis of Army servicemembers who requested separation in lieu of trial by court-martial, there was no documented evidence—or the evidence was unclear—as to whether the servicemembers received counseling.

KPPC in 2016 reported the number of "bad paper discharges" since 1990, was 615,000.

None of them would have been counted in the suicide data.

Getting back to the data itself, this chart shows the "known" suicides in the first VA Suicide report released in 2012.

This is from the latest report from the VA on known suicides.

As you can see, the percentages went up and the number of living veterans dropped by over 4 million. Again, as with all the reports, the majority of veterans committing suicide were over the age of 50, as well as the majority of the less than honorable discharges, were also of those older generations.

If you are among the veterans who were kicked out instead of treated, the VA is trying to find you~

VA Struggles To Reach Other-Than-Honorable-Discharge Vets In Need Of Help

Advocates Fault VA for Inadequate OutreachThe VA last year estimated there are more than 500,000 OTH vets. 

Nationally, 115 veterans have used the program, a figure that's disappointing to veterans advocates. They say it represents just a small fraction of the veterans who now qualify for mental health care. 

"It's not possible that that's the number of people who need help," said Kristofer Goldsmith, an Iraq vet who works with the Vietnam Veterans of America. "It's a failure to contact them, to fully inform them and to break the stigma." 

Vietnam Veterans of America lobbied the VA to help veterans with other-than-honorable discharges. 

"It's a program that most people who are eligible for don't know about, and the reason for that is that VA refused to do any outreach," said Vietnam Veterans of America executive director Rick Weidman.Weidman said there was an internal debate over whether the VA could pay to reach out to veterans who normally don't qualify for VA care.

After racking my brain for one more piece of all of this, is a report from Jacksonville Times Union going back to 2014. The report said that there were only 250,000 Vietnam veterans with "less than honorable discharges" and that "80,000" of them may be due to PTSD. 

Community stepped up after disabled veteran couldn't pay school lunch bills

Indiana veteran receives outpouring of support after facing collection agency over kids' lunch money

RTV ABC 6 News
Rafael Sanchez
Nov 1, 2018

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. -- A local veteran who was facing a collection agency over unpaid school lunches says he’s thankful for all of the help he’s received since his story first aired on RTV6 back in September.

George White says people and other veterans from across the country have come to his assistance when he thought he was alone in dealing with a persistent debt collector. An anonymous person has also paid off the entire $562.61 school lunch bill that White owed to Shelbyville Central schools for his children’s lunches.

Because of his financial situation, White says his children have always qualified for free lunches. He said he thought they had turned in the necessary paperwork in time this year, but he somehow ended up with a large bill because his kids were not receiving free lunch.
read more here

How are Manatee County’s 35,000 Veterans days?

University study that aims to identify well being of Manatee County veterans could be a game changer

Bradenton Herald
BY JAMES A. JONES JR.
November 03, 2018

“The Veterans Administration provides very generic data on a county level — age, gender and branch of service — but we know very little about their employment status, physical and mental health, education level, relationships or their living environments,” Hodges said in a press release.

MANATEE
Manatee County’s 35,000 veterans have an opportunity to anonymously participate in a first-of-its-kind study of their well being by the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee.

An online survey recently went live, seeking information on veterans’ physical and mental health, employment history, relationships and lifestyle.

Vets will also be able to participate in study at Manatee County’s primary Veterans Day observance Sunday, Nov. 11, at Palmetto’s Lamb Park.

“The study should be completed by summer of 2019. We want to touch all the areas related to veterans. We will use it as a major tool for organizations to focus on the needs that veterans have,” said Carl Hunsinger, chairman of the Manatee County Veterans Council.

Collaborating on the USFSM study of veterans’ well being are Eric Hodges, a professor of interdisciplinary social science, Thomas Becker, a business professor, and Ramakrishna Govindu, an instructor of information systems and decision sciences.
read more here

Canadian Widow Wins 9 Year Battle For Husband

Widow wins nine-year battle with Veterans Affairs over cancer coverage

The Chronicle Herald
Francis Campbell
November 3, 2018

“When he was diagnosed and we met with his oncologist for the first time, she asked was he exposed to chemicals. And we said, yes. He looked at me and he said, ‘Hon, the Persian Gulf War did this to me.’ He asked me to pursue it on his behalf and I did.”

Natasha Mohr stubbornly sticks to her promises.

Unfortunately, the Canadian Forces do not, she said.

“Sign on the dotted line, you’ll be taken care of,” Mohr, 49, said of commitments the Forces and the federal government make to military personnel. “And that is not so.”

Mohr said the broken promises to her Lower Sackville family began after Christmas Day, 2008, the morning her husband, Petty Officer Rick Mohr, passed away in her arms of brain cancer that was related to his 22-year naval career.

It took nine long years for Veterans Affairs Canada to begrudgingly agree that his death was service related.

Petty Officer Mohr had been diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumour, just more than two months earlier.

“He was a brilliant naval communicator and even more so, he was a loving father and husband,” Natasha Mohr said.

Rick Mohr was only 42. His death crushed his wife and the couple’s son and daughter, both in their teens.
read more here

Utah Mayor on 4th deployment, killed in Afghanistan

Mayor of Utah city killed in 'insider attack' in Afghanistan

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Nov 4th 2018

Taylor was deployed to Afghanistan in January with the Utah National Guard for what was expected to be a 12-month tour of duty. Taylor, an officer in the National Guard, previously served two tours in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan.

NORTH OGDEN, Utah (AP) — The mayor of a Utah city was killed during an attack in Afghanistan while he was serving with the state's National Guard, the Salt Lake Tribune and other media reported.

North Ogden Mayor Brent Taylor died Saturday in an apparent "insider attack" in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, the Tribune reported. Another U.S. service member is being treated for wounds sustained in the attack, American military officials said.

The Utah National Guard has identified the service member killed as a member of the Guard. The Guard member's name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
read more here

PTSD Patrol: Orlando Vets Center

Orlando Vets Center Open House

PTSD Patrol
Kathie Costos
November 4, 2018

You know when there is something going on with your vehicle. It just doesn't seem to be running right. As you drive down streets, you hope it does not breakdown in traffic or on some isolated road.

Oh, sure you have a cellphone to call for help, but while you are waiting, you never know what is going to happen, or how long you'll be stuck there. 

While waiting for a tow truck you start to think about what the mechanics will find wrong with it. Most of the time, it is an easy fix. Sometimes it takes a lot more work than you thought it would.

When the vehicle you live in is not running right, it works the same way. When you are not running right, you may breakdown and feel stuck. If you call for help, and get to a mechanic for what you need, then, sometimes it is an easy fix, but other times, it takes a lot more work.

Yesterday we went out to the Orlando Vets Center for their open house. Actually it should have been called hope'n house, because that is what they are dedicated to doing.
Vets Centers started in 1979.

Who We Are 

We are the people in VA who welcome home war veterans with honor by providing quality readjustment counseling in a caring manner. Vet Centers understand and appreciate Veterans’ war experiences while assisting them and their family members toward a successful post-war adjustment in or near their community.

read more here 

Help find women who stolen Vietnam veteran's service dogs!

SAD UPDATE

Vietnam veteran dies before being reunited with stolen service dog; suspects arrested

update

Osceola sheriff: Cameras captured woman stealing veteran's service dog

Two women distract veteran, steal service dog in Osceola County

WESH 2
November 2, 2018

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — A Vietnam veteran had his service dog stolen Sunday during an altercation with a woman, Osceola deputies said.

Deputies said the 67-year-old Joseph Hanson who has post-traumatic stress disorder was at Old Town in Kissimmee with his two Pomeranian service dogs.

Authorities said a woman got into an altercation with the veteran and another woman came behind them and unleashed one of the dogs, named Kira. 

Hanson told WESH 2 News a woman confronted him yelling and cursing.

"During that time, that's when the other lady, who I didn't even know was there, until I saw (surveillance) video, that's when she came up and grabbed the dog." Hanson said.
read more here

American Military News Does Not Understand Deployment Orders?

Fort Hood won’t participate at local vet suicide memorial despite leading nation’s bases in vet suicide

American Military News
Laura Widener
November 2, 2018

A memorial ceremony is slated to be held Saturday to honor veteran suicide, but rather than support the community, Fort Hood has decided not to participate.

Fort Hood loses an average of one or more soldiers to suicide each month, but has declined to be involved in a memorial to commemorate veteran suicide just ahead of the ninth anniversary of a shooting that killed 14 and injured 33 on base.

After initially agreeing to supply 12 soldiers for a one-hour ceremony on Saturday, Fort Hood later said it would not attend the event, citing “prepare-to-deploy” orders.
read more here

“This is important because it could be me and my family struggling. It’s our responsibility as a military community and civilian community to support them after they come home from war.” Theresa Johnson

Well, that is what she said but as one of those struggling with PTSD in my family, as I have for over 3 decades, I have seen what failed and what worked far too many times. I cannot support something that does more harm than good.

Trying to count the number lost to suicide, and then pushing it as all there is to tell, has deadly consequences. It is a price we do not need to pay so that someone can do a display and then complain because Fort Hood will not participate.

These stunts have to stop. Why? These are the results.  

Military suicides have averaged 500 a year since 2012.

Veteran suicides, the ones they counted since anything other than "honorable" discharges are not counted by anyone, are worse.

Want to change the outcome? 

Then do what will prevent suicides! 

Help them heal!!!!