Chuck Mosely's The Invisible Scars Of War
Saving Our Veterans
Soldiers returning from duty who served in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have the highest rate of suicide among veterans in our nation’s history. The rates post 2001, the real beginning of the USA’s involvement in these conflicts, have increased significantly more for the 2 branches of military that get more up close and personal with the conflicts (Army and Marines) versus those who fight from afar (Air-Force and Navy. In 2009 the US Army suicide rate was almost double that of regular civilians. While there are programs in place to help returning veterans, the Veterans Association (VA) is unorganized, outdated, and doesn’t do nearly enough to protect the mental health of those veterans. We need a new, …show more content…
state of the art system to protect those who risked it all for our freedom. Regardless of your viewpoint on America’s involvement in the Middle-East, everyone can agree that taking one's life due to trauma suffered while serving one’s country is a terrible loss. The Veterans Association has recently come under fire for being outdated, inefficient, and being found all around to be lacking. Senator John McCain, a veteran and POW of Vietnam himself, called the VA a “broken bureaucracy [that] continues to be plagued by a culture of neglect and mismanagement that is denying veterans ... across the United States access to the quality health care that they were promised”. EXPAND HERE ON THE VA’S ISSUES An internal investigation has estimated that about 25% of the requests backlogged are from veterans who are most likely already deceased. The backlog for requests goes back almost 20 years, and the VA claims there is no way to remove the requests from confirmed deceased veterans.. This just serves to highlight how mismanaged the VA actually is.
While the veterans of the US military could greatly benefit from a VA that was up to date, organized, and working as efficiently as possible, that is not enough. The issue of suicide isn’t one that can be fixed just by dumping more money or personal on the problem. The VA needs a major revamp of its mental health care provisions. They needs a very specific division that works solely on veterans with severe mental health issues, the ones most prone to suicide. Studies have shown that INSERT DATA HERE soldiers that have attempted suicide once, are more likely to die earlier than average from any cause.
One of the first steps the military needs to take is to simply raise awareness about the topic. Every soldier should know, from the moment they first put on their boots until the day they die, that having mental disorders and suicidal thoughts is nothing to be ashamed of. These problems shouldn’t be hid, not be kept in the dark. The military and VA should both promote an atmosphere of understanding and acceptance of whatever their comrades are going through. a soldier shouldn’t feel as if they have to hide their inner self and put on a strong face and ignore all their inner demons. If a particular serviceman or woman is concerned about judgement from their peers (which there should be none in the first place), they need to know their options for obtaining quick and confidential help. The military sometimes seems to promote an atmosphere of keeping personal things hidden. This can be shown is them having the don't ask, don’t tell policy regarding sexual orientation. While yes, this policy was recently repealed, this has set a precedent for such behavior, and will take time to fix.
Some may see this as emasculating, but that is not the case. I am good friends with several veterans, and know many more. Not a single one of them has ever spoken of suicide among their peers lightly, especially not in any way that could be considered demeaning. It is easy for someone at home sitting in the safety of their living room to throw criticisms at problems they think that they understand, but these criticisms shouldn’t be taken seriously.
Other critics may say “Do these people even want help? If they want to die let them”. Evidence suggests that yes, these people do in fact want help. According to a study by Brian Ahmedani, Ph.D, done with the Michigan State University School of Social work, 64% of people who attempt suicide visit a doctor in the month before their attempt, and 38% in the week before. This shows that the majority of those contemplating suicide do in fact want help, they just need to have it readily available and know where to get it. While a government run VA help system would do a great deal in preventing this needless death, another possible solution that would at least help alleviate the problem would be to create a social/support group. The style of the group would be set-up following the path of successful groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). The AA was founded in 1935 on the basis that only others suffering from the same condition could really provide the help other alcoholics needed. Since its founding, it has grown to be a worldwide organization having an estimated 2.1 million members currently. Perhaps the same logic should be applied to helping suicidal veterans. There are ways to get anonymous help when having suicidal thoughts such as the suicide hotline, but this doesn’t cover everything. In every major US military base around the globe, there needs to be a chapter of this new suicide prevention group. A place where the soldiers can seriously discuss their problems, not with a doctor or a commanding officer, but with someone going through the same struggles that they are. This program would of course spread beyond just being in military bases, but could be held in places such as the American Legion and be a support group available to veterans for the rest of their life.
Talking about traumatic experiences during service to anyone is tough, but extremely so when discussed with someone who hasn’t been there or done that. I have a friend, Paul, who served 2 tours in Iraq as a marine. I first met him when working overnights at a grocery store 4 years ago. At the time I was his boss but overtime we bonded and he shared some of his military related experiences with me. One of the most gut wrenching stories he shared was his first experiences being back home. He said the first night he spent in his house alone after returning from Iraq was a nightmare. His time spent in Fallujah (a city in Iraq known for possible human rights violations including US military firing on an unarmed crowd) had his so “amped up” that he couldn’t stand the silence. He broke down crying because he couldn’t take it and felt as if he wasn’t safe in his own home. He said he called his mother crying and while she of course offered to help him in any way, she couldn’t relate to his experiences. He did not feel comfortable really telling her his issues, so he simply talked around the subject with her. This is just one example of how hard it can be for soldiers to readjust to civilian life and why they desperately need a support group of those who understand their pain.
Keith Hohman is another good friend of mine who served in Afghanistan for 3 tours with the marines in the early 2000s. He did have some helpful advice to give to veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He said one of the things that helped him the most was getting a bulldog. Dogs are the best companions because it’s in their nature to rely on their humans. The dog didn’t judge him or ridicule him when his PTSD got particularly bad, it simply loved him for being him. Keith said that having an animal that relied on him was sometimes his only reason for living, as terrible as that sounds. One of the toughest things he went through personally was feeling constantly judged. While no one ever verbally accosted him for anything he did in the war, sometimes when interacting with other people, Keith would feel as if everyone was silently judging him. That they were thinking in their heads that he was a murderer and hated him for it. I can’t speak for everyone but I very strongly believe that almost no one in this country would feel that way about him, or any other veteran. He was one of the nicest people I ever met, but he had this image of himself in his head that he couldn’t shake. These problems led to stress on his relationship with his significant other and their three children. As of this past May they are unofficially separated and while they are working on their relationship, his military experiences have given him a lot to overcome. If he had just seen a therapist or maybe went to a group of like-minded people, perhaps he would have seen how misguided his thinking was. Perhaps he would still be in a stable, loving relationship with his family. That’s why it is so important that we get these veterans the help they need. He wasn’t the first and certainly won’t be the last of those whom need help.
Keith’s case is not an isolated one, but fortunately for him it didn’t go as awry as it could have.
According to statistics quoted by Chuck Mosely in “The Invisible Scars of War”, an article dealing with PTSD and it effects on over 1.7 million veterans, roughly 50% of all Vietnam veterans suffered from PTSD for their entire life. In the article, the trauma that veterans suffered is compared to that of the African American slaves. The writer states that “[f]or nearly twenty years I denied the effects of my Vietnam experience.” For twenty years this man who was willing to sacrifice it all for his country had to suffer alone. For twenty years he was living in denial. For twenty years he carried this burden alone. It wasn’t until after this third divorce that he finally decided to seek professional help. This should never be the case. From day one he should have been aware of the effects that war was going to have on him. From day one he should have know that there was countless others going to suffer the same mental disorders and depression that he was going to. From day one he should have known exactly where to receive help the moment he needed it. The VA can offer all the help it wants, but if the soldier himself is in denial about what he is going through, the help will never reach him. That’s why raising awareness is so important. That’s why they needs to understand what PTSD is and how it can, and for the most part will, affect them. That’s that first step in getting these heroes what they needs and most importantly, saving
lives.
Other than PTSD, one thing that countless war veterans suffer from is survivor's guilt. Survivor’s Guilt is as a mental disorder involving the guilt and shame that someone feels for having survived a war experience that their comrades did not. Often times soldiers feel it is unfair that they got to live while all their friends around them died.
Soldiers returning from duty who served in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have the highest rate of suicide among veterans in our nation’s history. The rates post 2001, the real beginning of the USA’s involvement in these conflicts, have increased significantly more for the 2 branches of military that get more up close and personal with the conflicts (Army and Marines) versus those who fight from afar (Air-Force and Navy. In 2009 the US Army suicide rate was almost double that of regular civilians. While there are programs in place to help returning veterans, the Veterans Association (VA) is unorganized, outdated, and doesn’t do nearly enough to protect the mental health of those veterans. We need a new, …show more content…
state of the art system to protect those who risked it all for our freedom. Regardless of your viewpoint on America’s involvement in the Middle-East, everyone can agree that taking one's life due to trauma suffered while serving one’s country is a terrible loss. The Veterans Association has recently come under fire for being outdated, inefficient, and being found all around to be lacking. Senator John McCain, a veteran and POW of Vietnam himself, called the VA a “broken bureaucracy [that] continues to be plagued by a culture of neglect and mismanagement that is denying veterans ... across the United States access to the quality health care that they were promised”. EXPAND HERE ON THE VA’S ISSUES An internal investigation has estimated that about 25% of the requests backlogged are from veterans who are most likely already deceased. The backlog for requests goes back almost 20 years, and the VA claims there is no way to remove the requests from confirmed deceased veterans.. This just serves to highlight how mismanaged the VA actually is.
While the veterans of the US military could greatly benefit from a VA that was up to date, organized, and working as efficiently as possible, that is not enough. The issue of suicide isn’t one that can be fixed just by dumping more money or personal on the problem. The VA needs a major revamp of its mental health care provisions. They needs a very specific division that works solely on veterans with severe mental health issues, the ones most prone to suicide. Studies have shown that INSERT DATA HERE soldiers that have attempted suicide once, are more likely to die earlier than average from any cause.
One of the first steps the military needs to take is to simply raise awareness about the topic. Every soldier should know, from the moment they first put on their boots until the day they die, that having mental disorders and suicidal thoughts is nothing to be ashamed of. These problems shouldn’t be hid, not be kept in the dark. The military and VA should both promote an atmosphere of understanding and acceptance of whatever their comrades are going through. a soldier shouldn’t feel as if they have to hide their inner self and put on a strong face and ignore all their inner demons. If a particular serviceman or woman is concerned about judgement from their peers (which there should be none in the first place), they need to know their options for obtaining quick and confidential help. The military sometimes seems to promote an atmosphere of keeping personal things hidden. This can be shown is them having the don't ask, don’t tell policy regarding sexual orientation. While yes, this policy was recently repealed, this has set a precedent for such behavior, and will take time to fix.
Some may see this as emasculating, but that is not the case. I am good friends with several veterans, and know many more. Not a single one of them has ever spoken of suicide among their peers lightly, especially not in any way that could be considered demeaning. It is easy for someone at home sitting in the safety of their living room to throw criticisms at problems they think that they understand, but these criticisms shouldn’t be taken seriously.
Other critics may say “Do these people even want help? If they want to die let them”. Evidence suggests that yes, these people do in fact want help. According to a study by Brian Ahmedani, Ph.D, done with the Michigan State University School of Social work, 64% of people who attempt suicide visit a doctor in the month before their attempt, and 38% in the week before. This shows that the majority of those contemplating suicide do in fact want help, they just need to have it readily available and know where to get it. While a government run VA help system would do a great deal in preventing this needless death, another possible solution that would at least help alleviate the problem would be to create a social/support group. The style of the group would be set-up following the path of successful groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). The AA was founded in 1935 on the basis that only others suffering from the same condition could really provide the help other alcoholics needed. Since its founding, it has grown to be a worldwide organization having an estimated 2.1 million members currently. Perhaps the same logic should be applied to helping suicidal veterans. There are ways to get anonymous help when having suicidal thoughts such as the suicide hotline, but this doesn’t cover everything. In every major US military base around the globe, there needs to be a chapter of this new suicide prevention group. A place where the soldiers can seriously discuss their problems, not with a doctor or a commanding officer, but with someone going through the same struggles that they are. This program would of course spread beyond just being in military bases, but could be held in places such as the American Legion and be a support group available to veterans for the rest of their life.
Talking about traumatic experiences during service to anyone is tough, but extremely so when discussed with someone who hasn’t been there or done that. I have a friend, Paul, who served 2 tours in Iraq as a marine. I first met him when working overnights at a grocery store 4 years ago. At the time I was his boss but overtime we bonded and he shared some of his military related experiences with me. One of the most gut wrenching stories he shared was his first experiences being back home. He said the first night he spent in his house alone after returning from Iraq was a nightmare. His time spent in Fallujah (a city in Iraq known for possible human rights violations including US military firing on an unarmed crowd) had his so “amped up” that he couldn’t stand the silence. He broke down crying because he couldn’t take it and felt as if he wasn’t safe in his own home. He said he called his mother crying and while she of course offered to help him in any way, she couldn’t relate to his experiences. He did not feel comfortable really telling her his issues, so he simply talked around the subject with her. This is just one example of how hard it can be for soldiers to readjust to civilian life and why they desperately need a support group of those who understand their pain.
Keith Hohman is another good friend of mine who served in Afghanistan for 3 tours with the marines in the early 2000s. He did have some helpful advice to give to veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He said one of the things that helped him the most was getting a bulldog. Dogs are the best companions because it’s in their nature to rely on their humans. The dog didn’t judge him or ridicule him when his PTSD got particularly bad, it simply loved him for being him. Keith said that having an animal that relied on him was sometimes his only reason for living, as terrible as that sounds. One of the toughest things he went through personally was feeling constantly judged. While no one ever verbally accosted him for anything he did in the war, sometimes when interacting with other people, Keith would feel as if everyone was silently judging him. That they were thinking in their heads that he was a murderer and hated him for it. I can’t speak for everyone but I very strongly believe that almost no one in this country would feel that way about him, or any other veteran. He was one of the nicest people I ever met, but he had this image of himself in his head that he couldn’t shake. These problems led to stress on his relationship with his significant other and their three children. As of this past May they are unofficially separated and while they are working on their relationship, his military experiences have given him a lot to overcome. If he had just seen a therapist or maybe went to a group of like-minded people, perhaps he would have seen how misguided his thinking was. Perhaps he would still be in a stable, loving relationship with his family. That’s why it is so important that we get these veterans the help they need. He wasn’t the first and certainly won’t be the last of those whom need help.
Keith’s case is not an isolated one, but fortunately for him it didn’t go as awry as it could have.
According to statistics quoted by Chuck Mosely in “The Invisible Scars of War”, an article dealing with PTSD and it effects on over 1.7 million veterans, roughly 50% of all Vietnam veterans suffered from PTSD for their entire life. In the article, the trauma that veterans suffered is compared to that of the African American slaves. The writer states that “[f]or nearly twenty years I denied the effects of my Vietnam experience.” For twenty years this man who was willing to sacrifice it all for his country had to suffer alone. For twenty years he was living in denial. For twenty years he carried this burden alone. It wasn’t until after this third divorce that he finally decided to seek professional help. This should never be the case. From day one he should have been aware of the effects that war was going to have on him. From day one he should have know that there was countless others going to suffer the same mental disorders and depression that he was going to. From day one he should have known exactly where to receive help the moment he needed it. The VA can offer all the help it wants, but if the soldier himself is in denial about what he is going through, the help will never reach him. That’s why raising awareness is so important. That’s why they needs to understand what PTSD is and how it can, and for the most part will, affect them. That’s that first step in getting these heroes what they needs and most importantly, saving
lives.
Other than PTSD, one thing that countless war veterans suffer from is survivor's guilt. Survivor’s Guilt is as a mental disorder involving the guilt and shame that someone feels for having survived a war experience that their comrades did not. Often times soldiers feel it is unfair that they got to live while all their friends around them died.