In a stunning admission, top officials at the Veterans Health Administration confirmed that the agency’s own statistics show that an average of 126 veterans per week —6,552 veterans per year—commit suicide, according to an internal email distributed to several VA officials.
Brig. Gen. Michael J. Kussman, the undersecretary for health at the VA, sent the email, dated Dec. 15, 2007. Kussman had inquired about the accuracy of a news report published that month claiming the suicide rate among veterans was 18 per day.
“McClatchy [Newspapers] alleges that 18 veterans kill themselves everyday and this is confirmed by the VA’s own statistics,” Kussman wrote. “Is that true? Sounds awful but if one is considering 24 million veterans.”
In an email response to Kussman, Ira Katz, the head of mental health at the VA, confirmed the statistics and added “VA’s own data demonstrate 4-5 suicides per day among those who receive care from us.”
This week, in a federal courthouse in San Francisco, that email will be cited as evidence that the VA has failed to properly treat veterans who suffer from PTSD and veterans who are suicidal. Those allegations were made in a class-action lawsuit filed against the VA by two veterans advocacy groups, Veterans for Common Sense and Veterans United for Truth, alleging a systematic breakdown at the VA has led to an epidemic of suicides.
The organizations claim the VA, which has a backlog of 600,000 benefits claims to sort through, is unprepared to deal with cases of posttraumatic stress disorder among veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, and has turned away veterans who have sought help for depression at VA hospitals. Some of those veterans later committed suicide, according to the lawsuit.
The groups want a federal judge to issue a preliminary injunction to force the VA to immediately treat veterans who show signs of PTSD and are at risk of suicide.
PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can develop in a person who witnesses, or is confronted with, a traumatic event. PTSD is said to be the most prevalent mental disorder arising from combat.
According to a copy of the lawsuit filed in July 2007, “more than any previous war, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are likely to produce a high percentage of troops suffering from PTSD,” due to the widespread use of improvised explosive devises, multiple rotations, the ambiguity of fighting combatants dressed as civilians, and the use of National Guard members and Reservists.
Those claims are now supported by a comprehensive study released by the RAND Corporation last week stating that about 300,000 U.S. troops sent to combat in Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from major depression or PTSD, and 320,000 received traumatic brain injuries.
Early Warnings Ignored
Prior to the U.S. Invasion of Iraq in March 2003, the VA issued a report to Pentagon and White House officials saying that it expected that the number of U.S. troops who would suffer from PTSD would reach a maximum of about 8,000.
But Paul Sullivan, the executive director of Veterans for Common Sense, told lawmakers those estimates were extremely low. He continued to sound early warning alarms about the extent of PTSD cases and the likelihood of veteran suicides during numerous appearances before Congress over the years.
“The scope of PTSD in the long term is enormous and must be taken seriously. When all of our 1.6 million service members eventually return home from Iraq and Afghanistan, based on the current rate of 20 percent, VA may face up 320,000 total new veterans diagnosed with PTSD,” Sullivan told a Congressional committee in July 2007. If America fails to act now and overhaul the broken DoD and VA disability systems, there may a social catastrophe among many of our returning Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. That is why VCS reluctantly filed suit against VA in Federal Court...Time is running out.”
Sullivan has urged Congress to enact legislation to overhaul the VA.
“Congress should legislate a presumption of service connection for veterans diagnosed [with] PTSD who deployed to a war zone after 9/11,” Sullivan told lawmakers last year. “A presumption makes it easier for dedicated and hard-working VA employees to process veterans’ claims. This results in faster medical treatment and benefits for our veterans.”
Jason Leopold is editor of the online investigative news magazine The Public Record, http://www.pubrecord.org, and the author of the National Bestseller, "News Junkie," a memoir. Visit www.newsjunkiebook.com for a preview. He is also a two-time winner of the Project Censored award, most recently, in 2007, for an investigative story related to Halliburton's work in Iran. He was recently named the recipient of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation's Thomas Jefferson Award for a series of stories he wrote that exposed how soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan have been pressured to accept fundamentalist Christianity.
Mr. Leopold. Such a subject is so filled with absurdities. I am saddened with the helplessness that is felt as a result of this military carnage. So many duped into the madness. So many making honorable decisions to uphold what they believed was their duty. I do not judge their decisions. I honor their choice and am grateful in their efforts. But please forgive me as I show utter disdain for those who would use these honorable men and women as fodder, and we as a whole still stand by as our leaders lead us to devour our own sense of humanity. Empathy seems to have been redacted from all D.C. dictionaries.
You abilities as a journalist are keen and balanced. I do not know how you stay so focused, but wish I could do the same. I thank you for reporting on yet another reason we must continue to make all efforts to bring the light to such darkness. IMHO, this is absurd.
peace
by
mikel paul (10 articles, 1 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 393 comments)
on Monday, April 21, 2008 at 5:46:37 PM
Read it. The Justice Deparments argument is against court jurisdiction in the matter. The departments point lawyer, Richard Lepley argues the VA is a "world-class health care system," but that "the court does not have standards to determine the speed or the scope or the level of that care."
The article ends with Lepley stating "These kinds of medical decisions are not something that this court can inject itself into," Lepley said. He referred to the plaintiffs as "single-interest groups" and said the legal rights they seek in the VA benefit system, such as the involvement of lawyers, are "not in the patients' interest."
Not in the patients interests? How disconnected it THAT!
Thanx Jason. You make a difference. Be well.
peace
by
mikel paul (10 articles, 1 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 393 comments)
on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 12:58:22 PM
Let's get a grip people. Given the size of the veteran population, veteran suicides are no more than suicides in the general population. And the Rand statement, "that about 300,000 U.S. troops sent to combat in Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from major depression or PTSD, and 320,000 received traumatic brain injuries", is Rand saying that 300,000 US troops have been involved in actual combat? Nonsense! 320,000 "traumatic" brain injuries? From what? Readers need to be very skeptical about such claims.
Only a VERY small percentage of those sent to Afghanastan or Iraq ever see combat.
by
mikeusmc (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 12 comments)
on Monday, April 21, 2008 at 7:05:31 PM
The medical disability rate after WW II in our veterans was 5%. The medical disability rate after Vietnam in our veterans increased to 10% because of Agent Orange. The medical disability rate since 1991, when depleted uranium weapons were introduced, is over 55%. It is so contaminated in Iraq and Afghanistan that the soldiers newly deployed are sick and mentally ill 2 months after deployment. The history of treason against our own soldiers by the US Government is well documented in www.BeyondTreason.org - get the film and read the declassified documents and then start counter recruiting. Do something for your country by saving our children. The target organ of uranium is the BRAIN.
Leuren Moret - International Radiation Expert
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Leuren Moret (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 10 comments)
on Monday, April 21, 2008 at 8:28:18 PM
Well Mike I don't pretend to know the answers but...
as of a year ago, the DoD only counted the suicides of those in active service and the VA had no national figures on veteran suicides. It wasn't until a CBS investigation that national numbers were attained through the state records from 45 of the 50 states. So whatever the real numbers may be, it seems obvious the government was not in the market of making those numbers available.
"We were told the DoD only tracks suicides committed by military personnel who are on active duty. The VA said they had no suicide data on file at the time. The NCHS (which is the federal organization responsible for maintaining most of the nation's health statistics and is a center within the CDC) does not monitor the military status of those who have committed suicide. Finally, the CDC’s Injury Center (also known as the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control) started a program in 2003 called the National Violent Death Reporting System which has collected some veteran suicide data from state death records but does not currently have nationwide counts. The CDC told CBS News that the information they have about veteran suicides “cannot be generalized to draw conclusions about the entire country.”
I would also suggest that nuclear dust from artillery shell fire has a lot to do with those numbers too, just as someone else in here pointed out. Agent Orange is another factor mentioned when so many veterans ended up with brain cancer years after active duty. I would go further to suggest that as many as half of the vets suffering from PTSD will not seek help for their conditions. Add that to an inadaquately funded VA and you have a major crisis.
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Michael Shaw (7 articles, 1 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 328 comments)
on Monday, April 21, 2008 at 11:05:22 PM
PTSD is triggered both by violence and the apprehesion of violence so you don't have to experience combat to be effected. You statement that many veterans don't see combat is true but can have the unfortunate effect of downplaying or trivialising the problem.
Personally if one of my sons was as shabily treated as US soldiers appear to be with your cruel stop loss system, I would declare war on the Government of the United States and its enablers.
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kwalsh (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 206 comments)
on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 2:44:27 AM
I knew it was bad, just not this bad. More have service men have died from suicide than from combat.Shocking to say the least, the VA is responsible for more deaths than Al-Qaida.
Should the VA be designated as a terror group?
by
Gallaher (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 608 comments)
on Monday, April 21, 2008 at 8:40:39 PM
In my other business, I deal with the military-- mostly health care people, and they've been saying, for a few years, that the rate of PTSD is 20-35%.
It's not funnny. These vets come home highly damaged emotionally, which afflicts their families and communities. Well over a million have been touched by this tragedy. The VA is overwhelmed. What's funny?
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Rob Kall (807 articles, 3921 quicklinks, 332 diaries, 1702 comments)
on Friday, May 2, 2008 at 9:55:37 PM
They don't report on the Iraq quagmire. MSM doesn't report on the deaths, except occasionally they throw a name out there and say "salute". The MSM doesn't show flag draped coffins and never did as in the Vietnam war. Then those that can't yank themselves from their comfort zone(denial) have to discredit the VA's own statistics.
When will enough be enough? When will the number of deaths from this Iraq debacle finally be reported -- the true "extent" of death from this occupation? Will we lose 58,000 (VN) good young men/women before someone finally takes the reins and says STOP this "military industrialized complex" machine?
This is so damn sad and the denial and hidden truth is even more disturbing. Slap another magnet on your car and "feel good" if you will.
My heart breaks for these lost confused souls who find death an easy venture. If it hadn't been for this war, most likely they would have rejoiced with life. A dismal failure indeed, and a selfish pursuit of this Administration has brought this tragedy on. 19% support this war and yet, we are still there. No one is listening in DC. No one hears the voices of these family members who find their loved one dead from self-inflicted gunshot wound or whatever means.
Ahh yes, Einstein warned FDR of uranium EVEN for use of energy. He knew. We know. Uranium leaves no survivors.
Good article of course. Leopold does his homework!
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shirley reese (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 311 comments)
on Monday, April 21, 2008 at 9:08:20 PM
for a long time Jason and have always admired your gutsy approach to journalism. My view is that anyone who has been railroaded by the Karl Rove Express deserves respect and gratitude from all. Keep up the great reporting and God bless you!
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Michael Shaw (7 articles, 1 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 328 comments)
on Monday, April 21, 2008 at 11:14:25 PM
The people in our country don't understand what war is. I am a Vietnam veteran in combat for 27 months. a war where I saw 12 of my buddies die. A war for a stupid idiot that sends you there. Vietnam was a worthless war just like this one. I have scars of battle like all veterans. You never forget what took place. Killing people is not what I call a pleasure. You're here now and the next minute you are gone. You live day by day and wonder when your number may be up. You are exposed to all kinds of small arms fire. Also mortor fire, incoming rounds of artillery. many times I ate the ground in my fox hole. Night fire and jungle warfare .
Now we are in iraq because of Georgie boy Bush. this idiot doesn't know anything about war. He and Cheney never were in combat. so what should they know about PTSD.
THESE TWO COWARDS NEVER FOUGHT FOR THEIR COUNTRY. these idiots should be sent to fight their war. see how they like it. Let them suffer from combat and HELL. Infact, send their two hillbilly daughters to Iraq.
RICH FOLKS dont defend their country. They stay home. In the next war, let's say all we poor and middle class folks stay home, and let these dumbasses fight their own war.
by
vincent passiatore (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 167 comments)
on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 12:05:44 AM
Vincent, Vincent, you have quite a story. 27 months in COMBAT! Wow, and you saw 12 "buddies" die? Sorry son, something here doesn't sound right. How did you manage such an odd amount of time...in "combat"? How is it that, in 27 MONTHS of combat you only lost 12 buddies? As I said, doesn't sound right to me. I spent my first tour in "Nam with the 5th Marines in 1967/68. We lost a hell of a lot more than 12 guys.. a LOT MORE. And, perhaps, if you took the time to educate yourself beyond the conventional histories of folks like Sheehan, Halbertsam and the like, you'd learn that the War in Vietnam was far from being "useless". The scars of battle you refer to are carried by veterans , the vast majority of which, who returned to live normal, productive lives. And your suggestion that "rich" folks don't fight for their country is little more than clap-trap. You seem to forget that our military is ALL VOLUNTEER. They signed up to fight..just like you did (assuming you weren't drafted). And if you actually knew anything about the wonderful men and women who serve our country, you would know that they come from EVERY socio-economical goup in the land. and that they are better educated than any previous military in our country's history. and, Vincent, I'm pretty sure that "Pott" is spelled with just one "t".
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mikeusmc (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 12 comments)
on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 3:05:52 PM
Sounds like "my war was tougher than your war so there! and I'm tougher than you are!" I respect your service and committment, is it too hard to respect the service of others.
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kwalsh (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 206 comments)
on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 6:21:02 PM
I'm not surprised. I just found out tonight while attending a John Kerry book signing that another buddy from my Army days was killed in Iraq. Since we served together in the mid 1980s, that means she had over 20 years active duty service, was not allowed to retire and served three 12-24 month rotations in country. She was hit by mortar fire in the Green Zone last week. I don't know how much more of this I can stand. Call me bitter, or whatever, but having been an Arabic linguist in Military Intelligence I know just how stupid and downright criminal this horrible war is. I knew that the Iraqi military was overestimated, but no one would listen to the many people like me who spoke out. I think of cowards like Bush and Cheney and I want to retch. Right now, I could easily end it. However, I won't. I have too much to live for. This much I do know, if I were to become President and The Hague Court sent me arrest warrants for Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld, Ashcroft and others, it would take me all of five seconds to sign the extradition orders. I realize there are Constitutional issues, but the Crimes Against Humanity this administration has committed are so vast as to rise to the level of the Nazis.
by
Kenneth Barr (8 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 77 comments)
on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 12:15:50 AM
Thank you Mr. Leopold for this very sobering article.
I remember reading about Pfc. Jason Scheuerman's tragic death. It is an outrage that we can continue to silver line the pockets of the military industrial complex's corporate elite, yet Pfc. Scheuerman and the thousands of others like him suffering from PTSD and who put their lives on the line for this horrific and illegal war in Iraq cannot receive the treatment they so rightly deserve. Just astonishing! I would also like to commend Veterans for Common Sense's Paul Sullivan for his valiant efforts in helping these Veterans obtain the proper treatment they so desperately need.
Meanwhile, Halliburton's profits continue to soar to new highs while the Iraq war Veterans suffer. What the F' is wrong with this picture? Where is the outrage! All of America should be incensed by these unconscionable actions.
This Time Pfc. Jason Scheuerman Wasn't 'Faking It'
Mr. Barr, From your picture, I assume you are a military veteran. However, your comments, comparing Bush/Cheny to the Nazis, demonstrates a shocking ignorance of WWII and the Nazi death machine. Clearly, you don't know what you are talking about.
And not to belabour the issue but, why in the world would you expected anyone to heed anything you might say? Do you seriously believe being a linguist and serving in "intelligence" qualifies you to dictate policy? You have an overblown estimation of yourself.
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mikeusmc (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 12 comments)
on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 2:23:41 PM
....the Bush path to a totalitarian dictatorship has been by the Nazi playbook and Herr Goebbels guidebook to Nazi propaganda. The Bush rise to power is nothing new. No one ever accused Nazis of being imaginative or innovative. The following is just another variation on a theme that Herr Hitler would have recognized.
A Stolen Election
A False-Flag Attack
A War Begun Upon a Pack of Lies
Rule by Decree
Suspension of Habeas Corpus
The Unitary Executive
Bush Becomes the 'State'
Our nation is now left with a stark choice: either force from office an illegitimate usurper or forever lose the Democratic Republic.
CasaZaZa, Just as Mr. Hart, you sound like a hysterical school girl conspiracy theorist, ranting about the loss of democracy and the founding of a "police state'. Please inform me of a list of those things you used to do (before GW came to office) and those you can no longer do as a result of his presidency.
By providing the requested list of lost freedoms, I will have something more to base my judgement upon. Until then you sound like a left-wing loon.
by
mikeusmc (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 12 comments)
on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 3:16:08 PM
