ARMY SUICIDE FIGURES TROUBLING FOR AMVETS LEADERSHIP

Army suicides increase for fifth straight year; more must be done to curb disturbing trend

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2009—Last week, the Department of the Army announced that 147 suicides have been reported to date in 2009, marking the fifth straight yearly increase in suicides for the service. AMVETS National Commander Duane J. Miskulin was saddened by the news, as he continues to work on new programs and partnerships with AMVETS to assist today’s military men and women coping with combat stress.

In the last year more American veterans have taken their own lives after returning from combat, than have been killed in Afghanistan. Earlier this year, the Army also acknowledged that the suicide rate among soldiers had eclipsed the national average.

“It’s inexcusable that we’re losing more men and women to suicide after the war than we’re losing in a given month on the battlefield. Our nation’s heroes deserve better,” said Miskulin. “The situation is becoming more and more urgent every day, which is why addressing combat stress is a personal priority for me and an organizational priority for AMVETS.”

AMVETS continues to support legislation to improve transition assistance and support private ventures encouraging those affected by combat stress to seek treatment. AMVETS was also one of the few veterans’ organizations to participate in this fall’s VA/Department of Defense joint conference on mental health. However, the negative stigma surrounding military mental health issues and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment remains a critical hurdle for veterans and veterans’ advocates to overcome.

“Admitting personal issues is a direct contradiction to everything you’re trained in the military and the notion persists that PTSD and other combat stress-related issues imply weakness,” said AMVETS National Legislative Director Raymond Kelley. “When a soldier has been told for years to ‘suck it up,’ it’s tough to turn around in the next breath and tell them it’s suddenly okay to talk about their feelings.”

Two recent studies have confirmed that PTSD is the result of a chemical change within the brain as a response to a traumatic event such as combat. Kelley went on to acknowledge that combat stress reactions such as hypervigilance and isolation are perfectly normal, but PTSD can be treated through proper diagnosis and follow-up.  

“Treatment is critical to moving on from your combat experience, which is why AMVETS encourages veterans to discuss these issues with trained professionals at the VA,” Kelley said. “It’s when a veteran starts to respond with self-destructive behavior or self-medication that PTSD leads to homelessness, or worse, suicide.”

In 2008, the Army experienced its most drastic spike in soldier suicides, with more than a 20-percent increase over 2007. Military leaders have also acknowledged that long, frequent deployments contribute to increases in military mental health issues. Though the Army has introduced resiliency training programs in an effort to stave off the negative effects of combat stress, AMVETS leaders believe the Army should focus more of its efforts on diagnosis and treatment.

“More than half of the soldiers in today’s Army have already served on multiple deployments, increasing the risk of exposure to the kinds of traumatic events that cause PTSD,” said AMVETS Deputy Legislative Director Christina Roof. “While resiliency may play a role down the road, proper diagnosis and treatment will have a profound effect on mission readiness for today’s war fighters.”

About AMVETS:    
A leader since 1944 in preserving the freedoms secured by America’s armed forces, AMVETS provides support for veterans and the active military in procuring their earned entitlements, as well as community service and legislative reform that enhances the quality of life for this nation’s citizens and veterans alike. AMVETS is one of the largest congressionally-chartered veterans’ service organizations in the United States, and includes members from each branch of the military, including the National Guard and Reserves. To learn more visit www.amvets.org.