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
e-mail dubosquejr@optonline.net
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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
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
e-mail dubosquejr@optonline.net
I am posting this privately, in consideration of confidentiality
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