Watchdog finds problems persist with veterans suicide hotline

[The River]

3. Exactly Right

I love the VA health care system but their councilors just don't understand
the combat vet. We understand each other and we do care about each other.
I help facilitate a PTSD support group of 'Nam vets and we keep each other
going. After living with the injury for 45+ years, we know how it goes.

Vet suicides are very often a purely tactical decision. If the "enemy", be it illness, depression or some other crisis, is about to kill you, if there is no escape route, suicide is a way out. A perverse version of "Death before dishonor". All they need is an option. The crisis line is often that last option. When you get a busy signal or recorded message it just makes things worse. This problem needs to be fixed ASAP.