Received via Your Opinion from Ms. Amy Kelley on Jan. 5, 2013
Email: yvettezzz@yahoo.com
The murder of LCpl Mario Arias Jr was kept out of the media by his family because the Corps said it could have a negative effect on the trial. Now that the Corps lied about this his family is reaching out to all the media and press to make sure his story is heard.
the military suicide report 
Concerning the 22-a-day statistic. We don’t believe the general American population has any idea it’s that high. We encounter the “OMG, really?” look often. And while we agree that the numbers are much higher given only 21 states report and those reports only track veterans that were in the system, we still believe that we must use the figures we have and not spread numbers we simply do not know to be true. How can that help any more than the lower 22 number? It leads to guessing and then lack of trust by the American people as to our methods. Our organization adds a plus sign to the 22 stat and we are lobbying to get new numbers and better accounting. But until then, we raise awareness of the tragic loss of life that we see daily in our military family. And we help our brothers and sisters in arms when they reach out to us.
Thanks for your thoughtful input. I feel much more confident than you do about going higher. I feel no danger whatsoever of over estimating. 22 is just too inaccurate for TMSR. We rejected this number as bad data. It was 18 a day until the Dr Katz CBS News investigation email revealed VA was hiding data from public view. But we now are very confident the number is likely closer to 50 suicides per day within the population of 24 million living veterans nationwide. All viewpoints are welcome here. Thank you for participatin with your comments.
DoD cowardice, and weak politically motivated senior “leadership” is killing our troops.
Hiding suicide data-doesn’t help, in fact it hurts the efforts of those who are working to provide care to those soldiers and their families who are at risk. Our efforts are greatly hampered when the DoD keeps the information hidden and buried away from the American public. It is little wonder that when you discuss the historically high rates of suicide among military personnel/veterans with the American public that the most common response is, “I never that, why haven’t we heard about it?”
It is tragic enough to lose troops in the performance of their duties. But it is damnable to see the DoD cover-up their negligence to provide our troops with the care they need to prevent soldier suicides. The American public has a right to know that billions of their tax payer dollars have gone to fund the largest psychological “research” study, which they have falsely called Suicide Prevention and Resilience Programs.
Here is yet another tragic loss of a soldier
Memorial service held today for Staff Sgt Derick Wallace.
Last week I heard about this soldier’s decision to take his life by jumping off the San Francisco bridge on 13 June 2013. In trying to verify the report, I searched-and searched-and searched numerous resources, to no avail.
After nailing down a few details from my original source, I rechecked all of my DoD resources. The result-nothing. However, I was able to locate a small blurb, and a facebook page which don’t give the cause of death, but certainly confirms his still unreported death.
http://www.indiana.edu/~bands/derrick-wallace.php
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Biohazard-Brass-Band/139408742796526
And FYI-as of 5 July, 2013 the suicide data for May 2013 has not been released.
Interesting to note that the Army suicide data report for May 2013 is MIA. For quite awhile it would be posted around the middle of the following month. However, over the past year or so, the suicide data has been released later and later in to the next month. This is one of the rare times though that it has taken more than a month to release, and that we are now into the 2d month since May 2013.
Given the fact that we have had more suicides this year than in other year at this time, I guess you could say that the MIA status is hardly a surprise. Disappointing-yes, a surprise no. It is in keeping with the apparent agenda of the WH.
Having received no response from the DOD PAO regarding the MIA Army Suicide data for May 2013-and as it still has not been published I suspect the numbers once again reflect poorly on the Army’s misguided and dangerous suicide and resiliency (research) programs.
It doesn’t appear that the DoD is concerned about keeping the public informed about certain issues like suicide in the ranks. However, based on the surprised reaction we always receive from the civilians we train regarding current issues, esp. suicide stats, which pertain to military personnel, their families, and civilian contractors, I know most certainly that the American public is largely in the dark when it comes to these deadly matters.
To perhaps help the DoD PAO responsible for the release of the Monthly suicide data reports understand just how important you think it is to release the numbers in a timely, you may contact him at: Nathan.Christensen@osd.mil
… and the alleged leaders holding office within the 113th Congress just sit idle and allows this.
The true and accurate numbers of dead service members (and veterans) from suicide certainly must be shocking and devastating.
This is very disheartening. I can’t help but wonder if these brave men have been witness to something and are being systematically silenced. Why just this administration. Is there a change in policy? RFID Chips?
My heart goes out to the families and to the brave men who bravely served their country.
Kathy-Does your heart also go out to the families of the “brave” females that served their country too? Please tell me that you know that suicides in the military are not “gender specific”. That it’s not just males in uniform who take themselves out, it’s females too. It’s not a matter of being “silenced” or having little RFID installed inside Johnny and Jane-it goes much deeper. There is no one answer and no one quick fix to apply.
And FYI-you need to rethink your definition of the word “brave”. Serving in a dangerous occupation does not make a person brave. Bravery is that action one takes that places them at great risk to be injured or die and goes beyond the duties that they have signed on to do. And this goes as well for the word hero, which is also horribly overused. This misuse and abuse of words like these only cheapens them for those who have really exhibited bravery-or performed a heroic deed.
Below article submitted via Your Opinion
by Ronald Grossman, Sept. 15, 2012
Suicide Prevention starts prior to deployment.
Families need to be educated and trained in methods for both giving and receiving support. This is sorely lacking throughout the military.
Combat Buddy Programs are not enough.
Let’s not treat our new combat vets as we did our VietNam Vets.
rgrossman@spjconsultantsinc.com
Below article submitted via Your Opinion
by Moritz Farbstein, July 21, 2012
Because violence, suicide, hallucinations, depression and heart attacks can be side effects of taking or withdrawing from various psychotropic drugs, we are providing you this information as a public service.
This report is an overview of the side effects of common psychiatric drugs and includes information on drug regulatory agency warnings, studies and other reports that may not appear in the packaging information for the drugs. For further information consult the Physicians’ Desk Reference, which can be found at: http://www.pdrhealth.com.
It could be dangerous to immediately cease taking psychiatric drugs because of potential significant withdrawal side effects. No one should stop taking any psychiatric drug without the advice and assistance of a competent medical doctor.
Side effects (also called “adverse reactions”) are the body’s natural response to having a chemical disrupt its normal functioning. One could also say that there are no drug side effects, these adverse reactions are actually the drug’s real effects; some of these effects just happen to be unwanted.
For the first time the side effects of psychiatric drugs that have been reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by doctors, pharmacists, other health care providers and consumers have been decrypted from the FDA’s MedWatch system and been made available to the public in an easy to search psychiatric drug side effects database and search engine: http://www.cchrint.org/psychdrugdangers.
This database is provided as a free public service by the mental health watchdog, Citizens Commission on Human Rights International (CCHR).
Note also that a major part of the treatment for prison inmates (used less for rehabilitation than for managing and disciplining inmates) is a regimen of powerful psychiatric drugs, despite numerous studies showing that aggression and violence are tied to their use.
CCHR does not offer medical advice or referrals. The information in this publication is offered as a public service. Some of the brand names of drugs included relate to countries outside of the United States.
The Side Effects of Common Psychiatric Drugs report is available for free download by clicking here: http://www.cchrstl.org/sideeffects.shtml
Report any adverse psychiatric drug effects to the FDA’s MedWatch program at: http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/.
Let CCHR know how this publication has been useful for you.
cchrstl@cchrstl.org
Phone: 314-727-8307
Email: cchrstl@cchrstl.org
Website : http://www.cchrstl.org
Psychiatry, Psychology and their DSM Classification System is responsible for our “Injured Warriors” not wishing to be shamed, labeled and drugged for life with this disease called DISORDER. It is not their fault and they are blamed for this whole body-mind injury…our Warriors lose hope for recovery without being offered intensive, extensive integrative & holistic health practices. Visit our website that describes many options and opportunities for restoration, recovery and resilience. http://jerryvestinjuredwarrior.com
Thank you for supporting our service members and their families.
Thank you for sharing your resources via your website. I am afraid the need will become much greater in the months and years ahead. As serious as things are now, I believe this is all a barometer for the future. There is much work to be done. I am glad you are there for the troops and veterans. And I am so happy you have found this website and community. Keep coming back. — ed
Gerald Vest has been providing extensive and integrative services and holistic health practices for more than 30 years. I encourage everyone to read Mr. Vest’s articles and to visit his website. As a professional myself, I can truly say that the techniques Mr. Vest shares have not only changed my life but helped me to help others along my career path. Lets work with the real experts on this who have a long running history of success in improving the quality of life for us all!