Very Heartbreaking

[spud271 47779]

As someone who suffers from PTSD, and did once almost end it all by my own hand...articles like this just break my heart. I know too many soldiers who have taken their own lives over the last decade, no soldier should ever have to suffer alone.

 

http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2011/12/10/18-u-s-military-veterans-commit-suicide-every-day/

[Lowdark 5613]

Sorry to hear about your misfortunes, Spud. Hearts out to the families of the soldiers, especially at this time of year. The world can definitely do with more understanding and compassion.

[spud271 47779]

Sorry to hear about your misfortunes, Spud. Hearts out to the families of the soldiers, especially at this time of year. The world can definitely do with more understanding and compassion.

 

Actually I no longer consider it to be a misfortune. The whole thing has made me a much stronger person and a much more caring and approachable officer. It also has helped me notice the signs of stress in soldiers quicker, so I can get them help right away and they won't have to go through what I did.

[cometman 35115]

One of my best buds is a vet. He badly smashed his body on a night jump when his chute failed to deploy. He not only lives in pain every single day, but is also fighting for proper compensation from the federal government. On top of all of that, his wife is in remission from her 4th bout of cancer. He just headed to Cape Breton to bury his cousin......a suicide. My friend has played a tough hand of cards all his life, but hasn't given up, no matter how dark things look. I keep in close contact with him all the time just to keep his mind on positive thoughts as much as possible. When people are down, they need friends and co-workers to support them. Good for you, spud271.......keep up the good fight.

[Alexandra-Sky 12606]

This is really sad. It seems to me that this also has to do with the way out society undermines traumatic events in people's lives and stigmatizes and neglects mental illness which results in people going untreated etc. additionally, as a culture, if we had the tools to support people going through things like this (I.e if we were taught in school what signs to look for and ways we can help instead of do more damage) then a lot less people would take their lives.

 

My thoughts go out to the families and friends who have to live with the guilt and horror of losing someone to suicide. And also to the people who took their lives that were in so much pain that they made the choice to take their lives in order to rest in peace.

 

Xoxo

[roamingguy 300292]

It truly is a betrayal by the government of it's soldiers, who put themselves in harms way, and in doing so, have suffered death, physical harm and psychological harm (ptsd)

The people who risk life and limb for their country deserve better, much better than to be swept under the carpet once their service is done

Their was a show on TVO back in November, "War In The Mind". Here is a clip, don't know when it will be on again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPY_Gpu0oCI

Spud, to you, and to all servicemen and women, thank you for your service

RG

[JuliasUndies 7288]

A damn sad shame. Please stop the fighting and the wars, Please

[spud271 47779]

I will say to you all what I tell my troops...

 

"No matter how dark the hour becomes...there is always hope"!

[LuxeMulvari 65764]

I hold a special place in my heart for the soldiers. Being from Windsor originally, Fort Wayne is right across the water in the States. Alot of the men coming home from Iraq would get dropped off at Fort Wayne, and the go their respective hometown from there. I was a dancer at the time, an I met tons of soldiers from all over the U.S., some having returned to North America as little as 2 hours ago. They were from places as far as Texas and california, and probably would never get the opportunity to see Canada again, so they came to meet us naked Canadian girls and drink our beer lol.

 

Anyways, they were so appreciative to be home and be with us ladies, and after the sacrifice they made, plus how sweet they were, it was always such a pleasure too entertain them, and so flattering that the first thing they did was come see us lol.

 

I will always remember one in particular though. It was the summertime, a very hot night. He came into my club, I was onstage. He was in uniform, and something about him caught my eye. It was like the song magic man by heart " I never seen eyes so blue......"He watched me so intently, not with a look of lust, but sense of intrigue and bit of confusion,like I was something different or strange to him.I've never gotten that look before or since, and didn't know what to think of it at the time. After my show, I went over to talk to him. He was from Alabama, and i LOVED his drawl, so different from the Michigan accent i was so accustomed to.We sat at table in the corner, and he bought me drink. I looked into his eyes and this man was haunted, it was like i was there but i wasn't.........he spoke to me intently and with conviction but he was almost vacant......

 

He had just returned from his 2nd tour in Iraq. His wife had left him, she couldn't take him being gone and worrying if he was killed or not, and when he went the second time, she couldnt take it. He had no one waiting for him at home, so he decided he was going to stay in Canada for a bit. He would come see me almost every night, and we would hang out after words, go to a club or out for dinner or whatever.

 

One night, we were at the hotel, and there were fireworks on the river. We were in the room, and they started going off. He ran and practically dove under the counter in the bathroom. He was holding his ears and he turned all red and was breathing heavy. The fireworks had clearly triggered a panic attack.I climbed under that sink and sat with my arms around him rocking him and humming until it was ok for him again. He was very reserved before, we only talked about me. He just broke down and told me everything, the stories from Iraq that night, stories of things he did i wouldn't wish on my worst enemy to have to commit, and the guilt he felt about those things.......his conscience was heavy and he was a tortured.

 

We were together everyday that summer, it was strange, we weren't lovers but we weren't friends either, it was like......... i dunno it sounds weird but he needed someone to care for him and i was supposed to do it......it was just a strange unique and intense human connection..........

 

He gave me his dog tag and he left. My life went on. A little less than a year later he called me out of the blue. He was going over again, for his third tour. he wanted to see me before he left. I met him when he was getting off the bridge, and we had the best night........he wrote me while he was there and his letters just stopped coming. A few months later, one of his friends wrote me and told me he was on a routine mission to a village and someone blew up their truck, him along with 2 other were killed and three other wounded. He told me he had talked about me often, and i found out while he was back in the states he had a major drug problem and that's why i didn't hear from him for 7 months. The friend had found an envelope addressed to me so that's why he wrote, and he included his phone number to call and encouraged me to do so, but i never did.

 

I had a great respect for that man, and I'll always always remember him...........

 

If he had had the support he needed when he want back to u.S. maybe he'd still be alive today.......................

[frenchbrute 1090]

This is a very sad situation. Turth be told, most of us change the channel when we see such events on tv or on the radio because in our minds it is so far removed from us that we don't believe that any of these events will happen to us, somebody we know or affect us. Most people know or at least know of somebody that is in the military and I don't think too often we take the time to consider not only what they gave up when they chose those careers but also what these men and women's families have also had to sacrifice. I have a friend who trains recruits for the military and has been in Bosnia as well as Afghanistan and has trained foreign militaries and police forces. He has witnessed some of the most horrific events. He has lost 2 family members & after a second tour in Afghanistan came home to find an empty house along with the ring with which he had proposed to his fiancee with. When he was away his closest friend was spending time with her and as he was away she stopped sending him letters and accepting his phone calls. Amazingly, when you speak with this guy, he has a a zest for life, he enjoys being with people and really makes you want to be around him but you can really tell that he has alot on his mind. We take for granted the boring, routine lives we lead sometimes but we forget that the reason we are able to do so is because of these people.

[Guest **ve2C**ess]

Very sad indeed, I have a close friend from High School who committed suicide a couple of years ago, he left a wife and a little girl. He went more than once to Bosnia and Afghanistan, when he came back he wasn't the same joyful man. Sad that our government isn't doing anything about it. I know they are saying that help is there for them, but that's only bull!@#.

[spud271 47779]

Very sad indeed, I have a close friend from High School who committed suicide a couple of years ago, he left a wife and a little girl. He went more than once to Bosnia and Afghanistan, when he came back he wasn't the same joyful man. Sad that our government isn't doing anything about it. I know they are saying that help is there for them, but that's only bull!@#.

 

It's sad that all the western governments choose not to do enough to help the men and women they send in to combat. Some soldiers, sailors and airmen can handle the stress of combat, but most cannot. As human beings we should be showing far more compassion towards these people, they need help badly!!!