Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Suicide is not painless.


Below, please find the two recent letters I sent to my local Veterans Administration Medical Center. The original and the follow up are a cry from older Veterans in an attempt to save our young returnees from Iraq and Afghanistan. These young Soldiers are comitting suicide at the alarming rate of 25%; that's 1 in 4! Some how, some way, we have to implement programs that work. There isn't much time. I sincerely hope there is the desire.

Any comments and/or suggestions are welcomed with open arms.
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To:                   All Mental Health Providers, VAMC-Northport, NY
From:              Hutch Dubosque, Graduate – PRRP/PTSD Program
Subject:          Suicide / Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans
 
   Something is going on here and no one seems to have the answer. No one seems to be asking the right questions. The topic is suicide. The victims are our young Servicemen and Servicewomen.
   In the past three months we have been witness to three suicides that have occurred in very unusual circumstances. In each case, the deceased has been involved in, or at the doorstep of, our Veterans Administration Medical Center’s Program designed, in part, to stem the tide of this Nationwide situation.
   I am a graduate of our Nationally recognized PTSD Program at the V.A. Medical Center in Northport, N.Y. With obvious reason, this Program has seen an influx of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans suffering from PTSD. And, apparently, a myriad of other psychological disorders that are leading these young Veterans into thinking suicide is a viable option for them.
   I think I can speak for most older Veterans in that we are very concerned and deeply saddened by this turn of events. If anyone out there has any answers; could give us some direction; could offer some meaningful support; we would all be very appreciative. As fellow Veterans, we refuse to stand idly by and do nothing in support of our Brothers and Sisters in Arms. Please…..anyone?
 
Sincerely,______________________
Hutch Dubosque, Viet Nam Combat Medic
Contact Info.: (home)631-470-0958 / (cell)631-223-6107
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To:                   All Mental Health Providers, VAMC-Northport, NY

From:              Hutch Dubosque, Graduate – PRRP/PTSD Program

Subject:          Suicide / Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans

 

Follow up to “SUICIDE” letter

I’ve read a few summary statements on the state of how our National Mental Health Care Sector looks specifically at the alarming rate of suicide in our Veteran population.. There appear to be some major issues being swept under the rug regarding our young Combat Veterans. At every turn of the page, I read how a multitude of Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Mental Health Nurses, and Social Workers have done study after nauseating study into why Veterans, in general, commit suicide.
 
Let’s get one thing perfectly clear. Calling suicide by any other name is a total sham. Please don’t use endearing words such as; “higher risk of death”, “injury and non-injury related death”, and “much more research is necessary”. You Zen masters of our minds are constantly stating the obvious with no clear path toward a solution. More research is not the answer. Putting the research you have already exhausted yourselves on might be one very viable option. Up until now, it seems that the research department is not communicating very well with the production department. This has got to end.

This entire situation needs to be addressed BEFORE and AFTER any active Service Member is released form duty and sent home. This obviously means that the Department of Defense needs to be reeled in and told to create a
"separation” counseling program to the degree that it is now evident.

I will let you all in on a little secret. Veterans commit suicide because of what they have just recently experienced – WAR. It is one of the basic truths of all time that, if you have not experienced WAR, you, understandably, can have no idea what happens to the Human brain. One analogy comes to mind. If you take a large jar of oatmeal, mix it with gasoline to a sloppy solution, and set it on fire, you might have a fraction of an idea what WAR does to the Humans who have to fight it.

Certainly there are different ways to treat different levels of Substance Abuse, PTSD, TBI, etc. So let’s hear from our Professionals without any sugar coating, or coddling, and let’s hear from them very, very soon.

Addendum:

Of course there is one fool proof, fail safe way to take care our suicide epidemic. That would be picking up the option not to go to WAR in the first place.

 

 

Sincerely,______________________

Hutch Dubosque, Viet Nam Combat Medic

Contact Info.: (home)631-470-0958 / (cell)631-223-6107


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Addendum:
I am posting this privately, in consideration of confidentiality

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