They are not getting proper help for PTSD and their families are still clueless what it is or what they can do to help. The reason they commit suicide should be a hell of a lot more important. After 40 years of research on PTSD, hundreds of millions spent on programs that don't work they ended up with higher suicide rates yet instead of discussing who should have been held accountable, they battle on the how instead of the why.
Retired military officers’ letter seeks to amend gun law to help battle suicides
By Steve Vogel
Published: December 2
A group of senior retired generals and admirals are calling for Congress to amend a recent law that they say “dangerously interferes” with the ability of commanders to battle the epidemic of suicides among members of the military.
Legislation added to the 2011 defense authorization bill at the urging of gun-rights advocates prohibits commanders from collecting any information about weapons privately owned by troops.
Critics say the law prevents commanders from being able to talk to service members about their privately owned weapons — such as encouraging the use of a gunlock or temporary storage away from their homes — even in cases when the commanding officer thinks the service member is at risk for suicide.
“The law is directly prohibiting conversations that are needed to save lives,” states a letter sent last week to members of Congress by a dozen retired officers, including former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Dennis J. Reimer and former surgeons general for the Army, Air Force and Navy.
“It unnecessarily hampers a commander from taking all possible practical steps for preventing suicide,” one of the signers, Army Lt. Gen. James M. Dubik, said Saturday.
Dubik commanded the Multi-National Security Transition Command in Iraq in 2007 and 2008.
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