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WASHINTON — The VA came under attack today at the House Veterans Affairs Committee following a recent CBS News report that 1,000 veterans a month are attempting suicide — a much higher number than previously disclosed by the Veterans Administration.
The Democratic committee chairman suggested “criminal negligence” at the VA for denying the extent of the problem and asked VA Secretary James B. McPeake if he would consider resignations of subordinates may be in order.
Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley, who serves on the committee, passed on her time at the microphone so questioning could begin, but submitted comments for the record on what she called the VA’s “cover-up.”
"I find it absolutely appalling that anyone would try to conceal these numbers – preventing us from addressing the root of the issue of suicide among veterans," Berkley wrote.
Berkley drew on the case of Nevada Army Army Pfc. Travis Virgadamo who killed himself while on active duty in Iraq. Virgadamo had told his family while at home on leave he was suffering mentally and had sought counseling.
“The Army’s response was to treat him with Prozac,’’ Berkley wrote. "This incident only reinforces the fact that we need to place more emphasis on mental health of servicemembers in or returning from combat.”
Check here to read Virgadamo’s story. And here if you want to review testimony from the hearing.
This is why America should never, ever send their young to fight in an immoral, unethical, illegal, unnecessary, and Unjust War like Iraq - sooner, or later, the soldiers come home with broken hearts and twisted minds when they figure out that their patriotism has been prostituted!
I've lost track of how many returning combat vets have said they felt so guilty like common murderers and animals that don't even deserve to live anymore - they are in very real pain and desperately in need of psychiatric care to help them work cognitively through the moral, ethical and legal dilemna of rationally understanding what has happened to them in the extra-ordinary horror of war!
The hallmark symptom of PTSD is Depression - severe, chronic, debilitating Depression, which leads to high risk self destructive misbehavior and substance abuse - which leads to suicide!
The V.A., led by Bush political appointees, has lied AGAIN about critical statistics! Gee, what are the odds given the shameful history of the V.A. executive branch?
Finally, the correct description - CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE has been uttered in public - that is exactly what is happening, but, will there be any investigations and will anyone be prosecuted?
The reality is the V.A. saw this coming over 5 years ago, and has done little to prepare for the tsunami of psychologically injured vets now returning in droves - the painful price being paid by our disabled vets for the V.A. simply going into a state of denial and ignoring the important steps of preparing in advance!
The Vet Center program is already overwhelmed and calls to re-align the Vet Center program so it had better, local over-sight and expand the program into Super Vet Centers were ignored!
It is clear the V.A. can not even come close to meeting the need for psychiatric care, psychological counseling and social service support needed.
So, what has the V.A. done - oh, now they have a 1-800 number for vets in crisis to call - how pathetic!
The problem is no longer just about money - it is about a much needed paradigm shift in how we think about mental health and crisis care.
We need to work actively on smashing the stupid stereotypes and stigma of Mental Health issues AND get a realistic handle on the actual scale of the challenge without throwing up our hands in defeat the moment we read the real statistics!
All of us as American citizens AND our State and Federal government have an obligation to keep our promise to care for our veterans - not ignore them!
It's time that the American citizenry bite the bullet and pay the piper, by helping our veterans with psychiatric and psychological needs and fully funding the V.A. so veterans that need care are authorized, as necessary, to go to any civilian psychiatrist, immediately without delay, to get help and the V.A. pays the tab!
Well said, Jonathan! The way this country treats its veterans is shameful, especially in the context of all the political rhetoric about "supporting our troops." The lack of support for veterans is nothing short of hypocritical.