Military Veterans - 22 Suicides a Day – Out of Sight, Out of Mind

The failed Iraq war that Mrs. Clinton voted for, without even taking the time to read the national intelligence estimate, is helping to contribute to 22 military veteran suicides a fucking day. No, I'm not implying that it is all Hillary's fault, only indicating her lack of leadership abilities, by not reading the NIE before she voted to give GWB carte blanch to launch an ILLEGAL war against a country that did not attack us, nor threaten our national sovereignty. However I am implying that all those that voted for this illegal war ARE responsible. They should be tried from crimes against humanity, is what I'm implying!

This hits very close to home for me, as I am a veteran, a 5th generation veteran at that. It was my military service that lead me to the logical conclusion, that war is not the answer to our problems around the world. It was my military service that pushed me into the anti-war crowd. It was the realization that General Smedely Butler was absolutely correct, war is a racket for the bankers. We see that in the stock prices of the major weapons manufacturers. We see evidence of that by the paid military pundits, that are paraded on our TV's screens, claiming we need to be killing more people to put pressure on other countries to make them do as we want.

I hated almost every second of basic training. Being from Texas, you can imagine my drill sergeant having a field day with me. "Texas? only steers and queers come from Texas, and boy you don't look like no fucking steer to me!", as his brown round was bumping right between my eyes, trying to make be blink, which would (and did) generate a large number of push ups to follow. But you know what, that training has stayed with me my entire life. That training has help me save my life a time or two, and help save the lives of others as well.

While I grew up in a family that never denied anyone a plate at our table, and it didn't have to be a holiday either, personal integrity is more important than anything because when it comes down to it, you only have your word, and your actions that define your character. If your word is no good, your character is no good. I could never, EVER vote for some one with this little character.

Sorry I digressed for a moment...

We have an epidemic of veterans committing suicides, but you wouldn't know that if you watch TV. Think about it, more active military personnel are dying from suicides than in actual combat operations from all the wars we are waging across this planet, combined. That should make EVERYONE sick to their stomach, I know it does it to me. Especially considering that every single one of them is illegal by international law, not to mention our own constitution.

Also think about that the “Arab Spring” was sparked by a street vendor that set himself on fire and the entire middle east exploded in popular uprisings. But here at home, the good ole US of A, well, when a veteran sets themselves on fire and dies, protesting the long wait times to just getting an appointment to see a doctor, something is not only seriously wrong, but the lack of media coverage and the complete absence of outrage, is completely disheartening. Our own people don't give a fuck. God Dammit, the fact that none of the MSM is talking about this issue, is VERY revealing, at least to me, that they really just don't give a shit. FUCK THEM!

On March 25th, as ThinkProgress.Org reports:

A New Jersey veteran has died after setting himself on fire in front of a state Department of Veterans Affairs clinic.

Snip

“At the very least, his actions were an expression of need. We have been asking the VA … for years for Saturday appointments and late Wednesday night appointments, and were told it was going to be taken care of,” Bob Frolow, Atlantic County Veterans Affairs director, told the Press of Atlantic City on Wednesday. “As of today, it is still not.”

Where the FUCK is the UPRISING over our Veterans setting themselves on fire in front of VA offices? Where the fuck is the media? Where the fuck is anybody that gives a god dam about our veterans? People just love WAR, but when it comes to taking care of us that give our lives, so you can keep up with Dancing with The Stars in PEACE, well out of sight, out of mind. (FUCK YOU!)

Got that, no Saturday appointments or Wednesday night appointments either. I reckon it must be too expensive, and besides, we have the best soldiers in the world, they can wait till Monday, right? Heck, they have endured some horrific conditions in combat, watched their comrades be turn into goo by a fucking IED, they should be able to wait, a few years before they can get the medical care that was PROMISED to them, upon signing up for their service to our country. I mean come on, as Hillary might say “lets be honest”, it's not like our soldiers are the cream of the crop of our society right? Who cares if a few veterans die from suicide, right? Besides they are probably black men in hoodies, which we all know Mrs. Clinton thinks it's okay for liberal white moderate to be afraid of black men in a hoodie. (#ToneDownWhat)

Our veterans are dying before they can been seen by a doctor as a result of purposeful scheduling delays. that should be a FUCKING CRIME! Gee, that BITCH that is supposedly "fighting for us" didn't even take the time to read the NIE before she voted to allow GWB to send our people into a war that was ILLEGAL! She help usurp Democracy in Honduras, help topple a country that had the highest living standards in Africa, Libya, and now it's a completely failed state. She wants to implement a no fly zone in Syria, which was the exact same thing in Libya, that was used, illegally, to implement regime change in a country that posed ZERO threat to our country and had not ATTACKED ANY ONE!

This is the great humanitarian fighting for US?

When I see my brothers lighting themselves on FIRE and the MSM doesn't even acknowledge it, it infuriates me to no end. In typical fashion, if it's not splattered across the MSM, out of sight, out of mind.

All this shit fucking makes me want to break stuff!

I'm voting for Bernie, #BecauseFuckThisSHIT!

I mean no offense to my fellow c99'ers, when I say fuck you, I mean those gad damned fucker out there, ya know the hillarybot, neoliberal fucking corporate hacks. Not you people. Just wanted to make sure you understand that, I really mean no offense to you. I'm just deeply pissed off and outraged at my helplessness to fix this shit! I can't imagine setting myself on fire. Our veterans need our help, but it really does seems like out of sight, out of mind, and that just kills me!

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detroitmechworks's picture

On the one medication proven to help PTSD in almost 100 percent of the cases...

Seeing as the MIC doesn't give a shit about Vets because we cost them recruits now, of course she'll look to the PIC to recover those losses in campaign contribuitions.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGa-xcOT1WQ]

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

I'm sure if she had to do it all over again she would have just limited our military involvement to Libya and Syria and a few lesser known muslim countries.

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"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Groucho

Steven D's picture

Tone that shit down!

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"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott

Leave Hillary alone!
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.
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Alone in a jail cell.

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With their hearts they turned to each others heart for refuge
In troubled years that came before the deluge
*Jackson Browne, 1974, Before the Deluge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SX-HFcSIoU

mimi's picture

that is needed. Not all Veterans are able to have both. That's reason enough to get suicidal. Homelessness among Veterans is THE cause for not making it. Living like a rat, in a tent, a car or on a bank in a park is not very convincing a reward for military service.

If you can work full-time and have a regular income, it would be necessary that rental prices are controlled and be adjusted to the income of the Veterans. People should not pay more than 40 percent of their income for their rental unit. Those rental prices don't exist.

It's capitalistic abuse in the real estate rental market, which creates all those homeless vets.

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RantingRooster's picture

right. I moved into my apartment 5 years ago this past Jan and was paying 600 a month. In the last two years, my rent has increased $230 a month. Gee, what do I get form my rent increase? They finally fix the balcony which was out of compliance with city building codes, but gee, we the residents have to pay for their bad design and faulty construction? Living in this apartment is like living in a house with two screen doors, both of them wide open. Fracking earth quakes have shifted the foundation and my widows don't close all the way, but hey, they won't replace or fix them. My electric bill is about 50 to 100 buck higher a month as a result. There's no damned insulation in the master bedroom exterior walls, of there is, it's fallen down in between the studs. The walls are almost as cold out the outside temp during the winter months. BUT NO, they won't fix it. I had to bitch like a mother fucker to get them to fix the roof leak into our master bedroom ceiling. Now my bedroom ceiling is stained like a crap. But hey they won't paint it. Screw them. I just need to new place to live, but can't fucking afford it, because I can't get a job!

Hey America, thanks!

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C99, my refuge from an insane world. #ForceTheVote

mimi's picture

My son (GWB Iraq war veteran) has a job, full-time, and is lucky enough to be not among those who got fired or threatened to be furloughed (yet) and so far no hours cut down (though both hangs over him like a damocles sword and it eats up on his (and my) nerves). His hourly wages are not much over the newly dreamed-of $ 15.00 an hour. He was supposed to get $18.00 and hour, but they reduced that changing his job duties. They also can change any time the hours and schedules. I was also amazed to learn that he got hired with promises for a specific training, which never materialized. In the eight months he worked with that company, ten people, including three supervisors above him, either quit or were fired.

There is nowhere a rental apartment to be found he could pay for with his salary by himself. You don't get a garage for $600.00 where he is. You would pay around 25.00 dollars a day for a place to put up your tent in a privately owned lot , that is $750.00 a month. And that is even a lucky situation, because you have no winter where he is. Nevertheless, he is so pissed off at the whole rental market that he refuses all of it. It's maddening.

It's amazing how badly the US treats his citizens/veterans. And how incapable they are to help the poor, no matter where they are within the US. No control over anything. Rent controlled apartments nowhere to be found or with year-long waiting lists.

I hope you find a job, don't give up. Hang in there. PS and Chomsky is right, I like your sig and what Chomsky has to say.

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Gerrit's picture

righteous article this. Very righteous. Civvies won't know, but "fuck" makes up 3 of 5 words in an army sentence. It's only a swear when we mean it to be a swear. In this case it is the only word that applies.

Jeebus, mate, I just got back from my first medical apt of the week: the chiro for my f*cked back from 20 years of army service. Thursday is my weekly therapy, going on since 2006 and I can't deal without it. And my 2nd chiro of the week. Friday I see my doc who f*cked up my sleeping meds two weeks ago. He only comes to our village on Fridays.

So I come home and sit down to my one homebrew a day. And your article is top of the list - and must-read stuff. I'm fortunate; I'm Canadian and our VAC has gotten better real fast the last decade because our governments, of any political stripe, listens to its veterans. Our VA pays for my meds and will pay for medical marijuana when I move up the waiting list for a new psychiatrist. Our biggest problem is that just that there aren't enough psychiatrists (which is our provincial gov's fault, nothing to do with the feds.)

But your system is rotten, rotten, rotten. Only Bernie stands up for veterans. He has always been a staunch supporter of veterans and g*d bless him for that. Oh man, 22 vets a day. When I left the South African Infantry in the 80s after 7 years, it was bad. There was zero help, nada, zip, zilch. It was "Thanks for coming out to play. Cheers and fuck you." I'm good with that, because there was no pretense of help. We knew that the only help was among vets: get hammered at the Legion pub and talk with your mates. We didn't expect any help. That's fair. It's not right, and SA now has a VA and helps its vets from both sides of our war with real help. After 13 years in the Canadian Army, there's a VA and it gives real help.

I can handle that: either no help and no pretense of it, or full help. But in the U.S. they pretend to help. That's far,far, far, worse than the other two options. My heart bleeds every time I read about American veterans. I am so sorry for your plight down there. Everything you say is so true. They profit from war and pretend to care about the veterans. I'd be fucking homicidal if I had to go through that. Jeebus H. Christ, 22 vets a day. I am so sorry for that, mate. I'm gonna shut the fuck up now becasue I'm heaving and my eyes are blurring. Hang in there, mate. Fuck them all.

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

detroitmechworks's picture

I think they know that we SHOULD be up in arms and dangerous, and it puzzles the hell out of em why we don't flip out more often. I think they have PIC quotas that aren't being filled properly, and it leads to them having "Concerns".

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Gerrit's picture

dead in your country so fast. So will a lot of the bastards, but what good does that do my family? Vets are are like mascots here in Canada; I cry every Remembrance Day, for my old mates, and because when I salute the Canadian flag in my Legion uniform because I'm so dog damned proud of being Canadian and having served the Maple Leaf and how my society treats its veterans. And I just bleed for you guys when I read how bad they treat you all. We have suicides, but it's because guys have fallen through the cracks of the system. Our system works. But yours doesn't. I am so sorry about that, mate.

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

detroitmechworks's picture

I find it sad that the best song I've ever found for "Veteran's Day" as we call it here, is from a British Artist.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBPSr4TsQkI]

And Canada Has Better Comedy than we do, because you guys are allowed to actually speak your minds on most subjects...

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F73LaVejsBg]

Sorry, Ranting. If I wasn't tied to the US via Pension, I'd seriously consider making the trip. I have a lot of friends in the Toronto Area... But I have found Portland to be a welcome relief. Just hoping it doesn't change.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Gerrit's picture

I'd do anything I could to help. You could come live with us while you get set up again. I'm glad Portland works; I hear it is a wonderful city, very progressive and a beauty of a place. If it ever goes south on you, you holler, man.

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

detroitmechworks's picture

If it ever gets to THAT point, I think I'll have more problems than just a pension and a house. Smile

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Lenzabi's picture

Brother, though I may not have been in a hot zone, my service did expose me to Nuclear radiation. I suffer CHF from it, and the VA does not want to recognize that as a side effect of Low Level Ionizing Radiation exposure. (They never handed me or others the rad-badges.) 35yrs later and they still have me waiting. The VA seems to be under the "Wait till they crawl off to a corner and die" approach.

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So long, and thanks for all the fish

detroitmechworks's picture

Every time a major story breaks, they trot out the VA as an example of a government agency needing reform... and then the "Privatization" arguments start up again.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Unabashed Liberal's picture

with legislation currently being written to make permanent the 3-year test pilot ('Choice' Act).

After the primary race concludes, I may see if I can locate the video of Senator Johnny Isakson (GA), the current Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, saying as much on C-Span's Newsmakers.

Isakson brags about 'hitting a glass ceiling,' when the VA system was (partially) privatized a couple years ago.

The only part of the VA system that is likely to be left standing--in the long term--will be almost exclusively the treatment of war wounds. (TBI, PTSD, fitting of prosthetics, etc.)

We are furious. Mister B qualifies as a Category 3 veteran.

For some reason, though, most US veterans' groups appear to be complicit in the privatization of the VA health care system. As a matter of fact, some vets rave over the current (former) Proctor & Gamble executive's take over of the VA, instead of recognizing 'what' he's up to.

And, even with the passage of legislation that's begun to dismantle the excellent 70-year-old defined benefit military pension system, I've heard nary a peep of push back.

(Unless I've missed it. Please, let me know is there is a organization that's fighting this trend.)

The 'new' military retirement/pension system will resemble the putrid 'FERS' civilian retirement system, similar to the civilian pension system that replaced my excellent federal retirement pension in the mid-1980's. I was fortunate as a relative youngster, to be grandfathered into the original 1930's (Civil Service) defined benefit retirement system.

So, 'What gives?' Have vets bought into the neoliberal propaganda?

If so, what can be done to get the word out, if it's just a matter of lack of accurate information?

(Music City) Mollie, C99P & Daily Kos
elinkarlsson@WordPress


"The obstacle is the path."--Zen Proverb
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Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

Unabashed Liberal's picture

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Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

Gerrit's picture

ustice and treatment of the radiation poisoning you suffer. You were wounded in service. Period. Full stop. Just as with Air Force personnel who suffer from Agent Orange from Vietnam. Just as with troops who suffer from uranium tipped projectiles in the Gulf War.

Wounds are wounds are wounds are wounds. Hang in there, mate, and best wishes,

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Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.

snoopydawg's picture

I too am saddened that 22 veterans kill themselves every day and nothing is changing to help them.
Congress is very aware that this is happening but they don't care. Especially the GOP who vote against every veterans bill that comes up. Even John fucking McCain who should know what veterans have and are going through.
And the people in this country have no problem sending our troops off to fight these illegal invasions because they have bought the propaganda that the troops are fighting for our freedoms. The Patriot, NDAA , MILITARY and other acts passed by congress have destroyed most of them.
I saw a bumper sticker that said " If you can't stand behind the troops then stand in front of them". I thought how about the troops that have come back with injuries and can't get treatment? Where is your outrage about that?
There is plenty of money for the veterans, they just don't want to spend it.
Here's a website that shows how much money is being spent every second. It takes less then 6-7 to spend $100.
And who is getting this money?
https://www.nationalpriorities.org/cost-of/

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Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

A vet flew to Washington, went out on the Mall with a sign that said "Tax the Rich," saluted, and blew his brains out.

Media: crickets

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

HoundDog's picture

Hillary Clinton full embrace of P.M. Netanyahu and the neocons support the notion that she may be the most notable and dangerous neocon of our day. Avoiding future major wars, with Iran and who knows who else may be one of the most important reasons to support Bernie Sanders.

Her proven track record of disasters in foreign policy is her greatest weakness, IMO.

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mimi's picture

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pfiore8's picture

wow. and the scariest thing is she didn't hold back, knowing it would be seen.

creepy.

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“There are moments which are not calculable, and cannot be assessed in words; they live on in the solution of memory… ”
― Lawrence Durrell, "Justine"

pswaterspirit's picture

From repeated deployment. A good number of those who could adjust to civilian life. I was also married to a Vietnam vet and am a sister of another so I have a good sized circle of knowledge. Most of those that had it hardest spent two or more tours over there. Some of our modern soldiers are doing unheard of 8 and 10 years or more. The powers that be have got to know where that leads. The military has to know what it will do to there minds. Yet they do it anyway.

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Unabashed Liberal's picture

that (today's) active duty military members comprise only about 1% of the population. As long as that persists, I'm doubtful that anything will change.

OTOH, if veterans, their families and friends, and the public in general, were willing to stage major peaceful protests, that might change.

(Music City) Mollie, C99P & Daily Kos
elinkarlsson@WordPress


"The obstacle is the path."--Zen Proverb

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Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

Ajaradom's picture

I'm so sorry RantingRooster --- sorry that our country is treating our Veterans with such cruelty. You are right, it does make me sick! My dad fought in Korea --- he was an Air Force disabled Veteran. He developed Parkinson's disease when he came back to the states. My mom and dad were constantly having to fight for my dad's VA benefits --- I remember my mom spending hours on the phone trying to get my dad the care and rights he deserved. It has got to change!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

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It's just beyond-words disgusting and sick.

One should judge a country on how it treats its veterans, and on that count (and many others), the US is pretty fucking sad.

Thanks for this.

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progdog's picture

I really can't.

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prog - weirdo | dog - woof

Carrion's picture

This right here... this is the truth. All the votes and lies have been a very heavy burden on the military families. That want to believe their leaders, but know otherwise.

Thank you for not letting this "MOST" important story of the Iraq war slide.

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In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be, by remaining what we are...