THE BIG LIE: Why 22 Veteran Suicides a Day is False

by TMSR
Sept. 30, 2014

We read the propaganda about veterans suicides in America nearly every day, and reports always mention “22 suicides a day.”

This statistic is not accurate … it is a well-crafted lie to the American citizenry.

When VA collected data on veterans suicide in America, they neglected to include many states, California and Texas chief among them.

The VA public relations department in coordination with their statisticians, low-balled this often-quoted suicide stat, at a time when it had clear evidence showing that the number likely is closer to 50-a-day … when one includes death by toxic drug overdose (pharmaceuticals and alcohol) and high-speed personal vehicle crashes (motorcycles included) that are more likely than not, suicides.

Yet still, Americans only hear the “22” stat, and now are numb to the issue more or less. The shock of even 22 has long since evaporated in the minds of American citizens.

Since 9/11, in excess of 100,000 American veterans have died from suicide, according to data from both the VA and the Center for Disease Control (CDC). According to CDC, 20 percent of all suicides in America are veterans.

It is sad, no major newspaper, television station, or other news source will utter the words “100,000 veterans have died from suicide since 9/11.”

Perhaps, they are prohibited from doing so?

I hope anyone reading TMSR will help inform your friends, family, neighbors and associates by sending out a link from this blog to as many persons you can, to help educate and inform the citizenry to the reality of the veterans suicide epidemic in America. Certainly, the media cannot be depended on to do so. This is clear.

Thank you for reading this blog, but please take a few moments to join the grassroots effort to sound the alarm about veterans suicide, and send out TMSR’s web link via emails, social media or any other electronic communication tool you use.

Until America knows about the true extent of suicides in her veterans population, the senseless deaths will continue along with national apathy about the issue.

Please please please … join the fight to get the word out.

By doing so, you are certain to save a few lives along the way.

Thank you.

NEW REPORT: More Than 49,000 U.S. Military Veterans Have Died From Suicide 2005-2011, Investigation Reveals

Suicide Rate for Veterans Far Exceeds That of Civilian Population

Nearly one in five suicides nationally is a veteran, 49,000 took own lives between 2005 and 2011

by Jeff Hargarten, Forrest Burnson, Bonnie Campo and Chase Cook
Center For Public Integrity, Aug. 30, 2013

Veterans are killing themselves at more than double the rate of the civilian population with about 49,000 taking their own lives between 2005 and 2011, according to data collected over eight months by News21.

Records from 48 states show the annual suicide rate among veterans is about 30 for every 100,000 of the population, compared to a civilian rate of about 14 per 100,000.

The suicide rate among veterans increased an average 2.6 percent a year from 2005 to 2011, or more than double that of the 1.1 percent civilian rate, according to News21’s analysis of states’ mortality data.

Nearly one in every five suicides nationally is a veteran — 18 to 20 percent annually — compared with Census data that shows veterans make up about 10 percent of the U.S. adult population.

“Anytime a veteran who fought our enemies abroad or helped defend America from within our borders dies by their own hand, it’s completely unacceptable,” Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., chairman of the House Committee on Veteran’s Affairs, told an American Legion conference in Washington earlier this year.

The suicide rate has remained consistently high, he said, adding that more work was needed to address gaps in veterans’ mental health care.

“It’s not enough that the veteran suicide problem isn’t getting worse,” he said, “it isn’t getting any better.”

Read the rest of this story:

http://www.publicintegrity.org/2013/08/30/13292/suicide-rate-veterans-far-exceeds-civilian-population

Click here to read more on Veterans from News21

JBLM SPOKESMAN: “We Take Suicide Very Seriously”

At least 12 JBLM soldiers died from suicide in 2011, an all-time high. An internal Army investigation, prompted by senator Patty Murray, into the ‘un-diagnosing’ of PTSD in as many as 400 JBLM soldiers found that at least half had their PTSD diagnosis reversed to reduce disability compensation costs to DoD. Suicide statistics for 2012 are mostly unknown and unreported. The Army is expected to publish its annual suicide report for 2012 sometime next month. Meanwhile, senior Pentagon leaders continue a campaign to minimize the connection between PTSD, war duty and suicide in the military. According to a Nov. 18 USA Today news report, DoD continues its PR effort to link the ongoing military suicide epidemic to a struggling U.S. economy, failed relationships and suicide increases in the general population. “This is not just a military issue or an Army issue,” said Gen. Lloyd Austin III, Army vice chief of staff. “Across the military, we’re a microcosm of what’s in the nation,” said Navy Vice Adm. Martha Herb, director personnel readiness. Above, JBLM soldiers assigned to the “The Ranger Battalion” conduct ceremonies Nov. 7, 2012, at Fort Lewis to mark the end of its 15th combat deployment in the post-9/11 era. According to recently published statistics on a JBLM photo website, the Rangers spent a total of 59 months deployed to combat zones overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. (DoD)

For Tacoma Military Base, a Grim Milestone in Soldier Suicides

JBLM passed an unwelcome milestone in 2011, recording more soldier suicides than in any previous year. At least 12 soldiers took their own lives in 2011, up from nine in 2010 and nine in 2009, said Lt. Col. Gary Dangerfield, a Fort Lewis PR officer assigned to the Army’s ‘Most Troubled Post.’ Suicide death totals will likely grow as the Army completes investigations ahead of expected release of its annual suicide report next month. In June, a news report cited Fort Lewis claims that no JBLM soldiers had died from suicide in the first six months of 2012.

by Adam Ashton
Tacoma News Tribune, Nov. 27, 2012

Joint Base Lewis-McChord passed an unwelcome milestone in 2011, recording more soldier suicides than in any previous year.

JBLM spokesman LtCol Gary Dangerfield.

Twelve soldiers took their own lives in 2011, up from nine in 2010 and nine in 2009, Army I Corps spokesman Lt. Col. Gary Dangerfield said. The total could grow as the Army completes investigations ahead of its annual suicide report next month.

The toll at Lewis-McChord rose despite new efforts to counsel soldiers when they come home from war, including the creation of a suicide-prevention office.

Lewis-McChord leaders plan to apply what they learned from those programs to help soldiers cope with stress at home and in their work.

“We take suicide very seriously,” Dangerfield said. “We’re going to continue to push the envelope to make sure soldiers get the resiliency training they need.”

Lewis-McChord’s surge in suicides followed its busiest year of combat deployments. More than 18,000 soldiers from the base served in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2009-10.

The base is also larger than ever, with some 34,000 soldiers stationed there, up from 19,000 before the war in Iraq started.

Leaders at the base established plans to help soldiers readjust to stateside life as major homecomings took place in the summer of 2010. In early 2011, Madigan Army Medical Center reported a rising number of soldiers and military family members seeking behavioral health services, a trend officers interpreted as a sign that people were becoming more open about asking for help.

This is not just a military issue or an Army issue.

— Gen. Lloyd Austin III, Army vice chief of staff

Across the military, we’re a microcosm of what’s in the nation.

— Navy Vice Adm. Martha Herb, director personnel readiness

Read this story at its source:

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/12/30/2382161/for-tacoma-military-base-a-grim.html

Watch video news report about Fort Lewis as “most troubled” military base: