Haunted by war, unwilling to seek help. (Suicide among vets)

[MnFats]

from the Minneapolis Start-Tribune..

Just what will be the ultimate cost of this war?

www.startribune.com

snippet

Despite relatives' pleas, Marine veteran David Fickel didn't get counseling for his anxiety and depression, a situation all too common among veterans. Fickel took his own life last Memorial Day.


....

...Fickel is one of 13 active-duty or discharged servicemen under age 30 who committed suicide in Minnesota between Jan. 1, 2003, and last October, according to death records. Most had not seen combat, but interviews with relatives of 10 young veterans who killed themselves revealed one similarity with Fickel: None apparently sought mental health counseling.

Suicide, even by a war veteran, usually is too sensitive a subject to get wide public notice, but that changed after Jonathan Schulze, a Marine veteran who had fought in Iraq, took his life in New Prague on Jan. 16. His family has maintained that the St. Cloud VA Medical Center twice turned him away when he talked of suicide..

[murielm99]

1. I posted this one last week:

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/16636341.htm

The first soldier mentioned in the story grew up with my kids. Everyone here was devastated by his suicide. His father wants his story out there. He is so disgusted by the lack of support for these soldiers, and the war in general.

[MnFats]

2. Not the same story at all. One produced by McClatchy; another by S-T

similar subject, different cast.

[murielm99]

4. What in flaming hell???

I didn't say it was the same story. I posted a story about the same subject. I posted it because it was personal for my family.

What is your problem?

[MnFats]

5. hey, sorry. i must have been drunk or something.

[murielm99]

6. Okay.

:hi:

[TahitiNut]

3. Alienation and betrayal.

"Real men don't cry."

"Real men don't have 'emotional' problems."

"Straighten up and act like a man."


Clearly, these white, hetero males didn't know how privileged they were.

[bobbolink]

7. I get really angry at erroneous headlines like this!

What about those who *have* gone for "help" and either got turned away, or were criticized (or even worse--threatened)?? Is that "help"?

A headline of that sort has one purpose... to blame the victim.

:cry:

BASTA!