(no subject)

[jack_babalon]

Something very ugly and terrible happened to a close friend of mine this morning. I'm not gonna get into the specifics but rather point out something that I feel is tragically overlooked in our society. The escalation of suicides amongst veterans returning from Afghanistan & Iraq. The VA estimates (according to one source) that 18 veterans a day commit suicide. To be honest I don't care if that number's off by a half or a third or whatever. One is one too many a day. This should be unacceptable to any American regardless of their political paradigm. This is not a left-right issue. This is about helping those who served their country beyond lip-service, photo ops and a ribbon on a car. I would really, really love to hear either Obama or Romney address this issue. Not with a prayer, or a bowed head or emotional hand-wringing but with a realization that if we as a nation can outspend China, Great Britain and Russia on military spending combined then we sure as shit have the funds to provide adequate care for those coming back from those hellholes we've sent them off to. Yes, I'm a vet, a Navy one... so admittedly I have not suffered or endured what many of my brothers and sisters in the service went through. But I know what's going on out there isn't like the movies or first person shooters and that having a first rate military should mean supporting our troops when they return from active duty as well as well as when they've been deployed. Sorry to rant or soap box at you. I just needed to get that off my chest.

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local-military/veteran-suicide-after-returning-home/nSPW5/

Comments

[triadruid]

Well said, and I agree that it's terrible that THIS of all things gets politicized.