VFW NC District 2

Posted at 02:43 PM on Wednesday, July 23, 2008 by District 2

FOR IMME D IATE RELEASE                                    CONTACT: Alex Glass

Tuesday, July 22, 2008                                     (202) 224-2834 

- AUDIO AVAILABLE NOW - 

Military and VA Must Address Rising Number of Suicides by Troops and Veterans 

‘It’s about saving lives,’ Murray says. ‘We must do better’ 

AUDIO CLIP: http://murray.senate.gov/video/072208vetssuicides.mp3 

( WASHINGTON , D.C. ) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered a speech on the Senate floor to raise awareness about the disturbing increase in the number of suicides by troops and veterans and the need to improve mental health care offered by military and VA facilities. 

To illustrate the need to take action, Senator Murray specifically highlighted the suicides this year of six veterans in Spokane – including one earlier this month – as well as the highly publicized death of Joseph Dwyer, an Army medic made famous in a photo taken during the first week of the U.S. invasion of Iraq . 

“More than five years later, we should have the resources in place to treat the psychological wounds of war as well as we do the physical ones.  But we don’t,” Senator Murray said in her speech.  “It is the duty of the VA and of a grateful nation to be prepared to care for their unique wounds.  And in order to do that, we need strong leadership and attention to detail in Washington , D.C. , Spokane , Washington , and everywhere in between.”  

“At the end of the day, this isn’t about bureaucracy or protecting turf, it’s about saving lives,” Murray added.  “We must make it a national priority to address this tragedy.” 

Senator Murray also praised a pilot program being rolled out this week, which will advertise the VA’s 24-hour suicide prevention hotline, 1-800-273-TALK, and help assure veterans that it’s okay to ask for help. 

But she said it is only a step.  She said the military and the VA must do more to address the needs of veterans struggling with the psychological impacts of war by increasing outreach, breaking down the barriers to seeking mental health care, and backing up those efforts with sufficient resources.

Sen Murray goes on to say that there is an average of 1000 suicides per month