Milwaukee VA Medical Center

The number of young veterans committing suicide jumped dramatically from 2009 to 2011, a worrying trend Veterans Affairs officials hope can be reversed with more treatment and intervention. New suicide data released by the department on Jan. 9 showed the rate of Veterans suicide remained largely unchanged over the three-year period, the latest for which statistics are available. About 22 veterans a day take their own life, according to department estimates.

Although Veteran suicides have dropped 22 percent this year, the rate of suicide among military and Veterans remains high.

According to a recent analysis of each state health department, the rate of suicide among Veterans is more than double the rate of the civilian population; nearly one in five suicides nationally is a Veteran. Another report by the Department of Defense indicates 86 percent of suicides were committed by soldiers who never went to war. The Milwaukee VA Medical Center provides help through a variety of different programs such as Coping Understanding Support and Prevention, Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality, New Perspectives, and A New Day. The Department of Veterans Affairs has even changed the name of the suicide hotline to the crisis hotline, to try and lift the stigma of asking for help.

“The DOD has done a lot in the last couple of years trying to fix the problem,” said Gina Kangas, a clinical social worker in Mental Health at the Milwaukee VA Medical Center. “They have been implementing countless programs and classes on preventing suicide.

“The reality is we can’t predict when, or if, someone is going to commit suicide.”

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs suicide prevention program, there are:

• 18 deaths from suicide per day for Veterans
• 5 suicide related deaths per day among Veterans receiving care in Veterans Health Administration
• 950 suicide attempts per month among Veterans receiving care at VHA
• 33 percent of recent studies have a history of previous attempts

There have been countless studies and analysis of reports to gauge the seriousness of suicides by soldiers.

“The problem with all the data and statistics is they’re not complete,” said Gina Kangas, a clinical social worker in Mental Health at the Milwaukee VA Medical Center. “They’re getting better at tracking the problem, but it’s far from 100 percent accurate.”

There are warning signs individuals will display which can be an indicator of a person struggling with issues. Some of the signs Kangas said to look out for are isolation, irritability, alcohol and drug abuse, and talking about mortality.

“Just a change in overall normal behavior,” she said.

Those issues could be stemming from a deployment or an incident earlier in life prior to the military.

“It’s easy to blame the military,” said Kangas. “But it goes much deeper. It starts with the family upbringing and schooling, but ultimately the military needs a better screening process.”

You’re taught in the military to be proud and confident and to not allow fear, or cowardice, to enter your mindset. It’s hammered into you throughout training, starting in boot camp all the way up until you leave the military. This makes the issue of asking for help a difficult one for everyone in the military.

Josh Ebert, an Army Veteran, knows all too well about a friend who was too proud to come forward to ask for help.

“He was a six-foot-five 250-pound guy, he was just a towering figure,” said Ebert. “He was the last person you thought would have problems. It’s the military lifestyle, you’re told to bottle everything up and push it down. There are times you can’t hold it in, and look to drastic solutions.

“(But) upon returning (from deployment) my best friend took his own life.”

The signs were there from Ebert’s friend.

“I knew, he talked to friends about his problems, but that’s it,” said a visibly shaken Ebert.

Ebert’s story becomes even tougher when he divulged his friend texted him “call me” just three hours prior to taking his own life.

“My brother did the same thing,” said Ben Slane, an Army Veteran. “I got the text, and was busy and couldn’t get back to him right away.

“I found out he killed himself the next day.”

Both Ebert and Slane acknowledged they knew their friend and brother were having problems, struggling with the mental anguish of war. In hindsight they both would have acted differently knowing the outcome; they would have made them get help.

“There is no magic answer, or words you can say to someone to get them to seek help,” said Kangas.

For Veterans like Ebert and Slane there is help for them too with the support group Veterans Supporting Veterans After Suicide.

Dealing with a loved one taking their own life can be very difficult, and in some cases lead to survivor’s guilt.

“It’s very common for friends and family to start having thoughts of ‘what could I have done different’ or ‘I should’ve done more’,” said Kangas. “That’s why we have a support group for Veterans who are in that exact situation.

“It lets them know they’re not alone.”

Kangas talked about how the crisis hotline calls have increased in the past year. She attributes this to the name change from “Veterans Suicide Hotline” to “Veterans Crisis Hotline.” The veteran calls this number and can talk to the person about any issue they are dealing with, and if they request a local social worker will contact them within 24 hours.

The ultimate goal is to eliminate suicides among Veterans. The first step is recognizing there is a problem, and the second step, arguably the hardest step, is to ask for help. It takes the strength and courage of a warrior to ask for help.

For more information on any of the suicide prevention programs call (414)384-2000, xt. 43827. If you or somebody you know is having an immediate crisis call the Veterans Crisis Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), and then “push 1.” Or visit veteranscrisisline.net for more information.