# Veteran Suicide:  22toZero



## Marauder06 (Feb 25, 2015)

The latest face of veteran suicide:  CPT Jamie Brunette.



> What is the difference between me and one of the 22 veterans that take their lives every day? I survived “The Moment,” that one moment out of many when the self-loathing and pain reach into the depths of your soul and drag you down to the abyss.
> 
> The moment of utter despair, when you can feel no positive solution to anything and you can hear the voices in your head shouting at you to end the hurt and suffering, is the moment that I think we lose our people.  They cannot make it past that moment of absolute hopelessness.
> 
> Or if they made it past before, they don’t have the strength to do it again. Life is a series of moments; perhaps that moment is the hardest to accept.


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## SKIPPER (Feb 25, 2015)

Rest in peace, Captian.

Mod edit at request of posting member.


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## RackMaster (Feb 25, 2015)

RIP Ma'am.  

One is to many.


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## BloodStripe (Feb 25, 2015)

SKIPPER said:


> That's too bad, she was very pretty


What does pretty have to do with it? According to some sources, that is exactly why she committed suicide.


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## Red Flag 1 (Feb 25, 2015)

Unless you have been there, or have worked with someone facing death as a relief to pain, is is so very hard to understand a suicide. The truth is, that there are so many that can no longer deal with the pain of living another day, or hour or even a moment, as the article points out all too well.

Rest In God's Own Peace, Captian.


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## RetPara (Feb 25, 2015)

Life can be the heaviest ruck one can carry, while life can be light as a feather.


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## Blizzard (Feb 25, 2015)

I hate reading these articles.  This is happening way to frequently to people with nothing but great opportunity ahead of them. 

Godspeed.


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## Totentanz (Feb 25, 2015)

RIP.  I hope she found peace.


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## Marine0311 (Feb 25, 2015)

RIP Captain.  Thank you for your service.


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## Muppet (Feb 25, 2015)

R.I.P. ma'am. I was close. I was saved...

F.M.


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## tweeder (Feb 25, 2015)

RIP Captain. 

This one hits close to home, condolences to friends and loved ones.


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## LibraryLady (Feb 25, 2015)

I'm so sorry, Ma'am, you have left us. May you find peace.



SKIPPER said:


> That's too bad, she was very pretty



Wow.  Your attitude toward women is despicable.  Her looks have nothing to do with her pain.  Until you've walked in the shoes of service member, much less a woman, keep your pie hole shut.  

LL - a woman veteran


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## tweeder (Feb 25, 2015)

SOTGWarrior said:


> What does pretty have to do with it? According to some sources, that is exactly why she committed suicide.



From my limited perspective,  the fact that she was pretty and a female has added to the awareness that her passing has created.

On social media, people who might not normally pay attention when a service member commits suicide,  seem to be responding more so to this most recent tragedy.  A successful,  attractive female doesn't fit "the stereotype" & has people asking why.

All loss of life is equally tragic IMHO, but hopefully this loss can create some good in continued awareness.


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## Muppet (Feb 25, 2015)

LibraryLady said:


> I'm so sorry, Ma'am, you have left us. May you find peace.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Second that. 

F.M.


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## 0699 (Feb 25, 2015)

RetPara said:


> Life can be the heaviest ruck one can carry, while life can be light as a feather.


 
??  Do you mean "death can be as light as a feather"?


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## Gunz (Feb 25, 2015)

0699 said:


> ??  Do you mean "death can be as light as a feather"?


 
I think he meant that. I believe its origin is Japanese and refers to ritual suicide. "Life is heavy as a mountain, death as light as a feather."

RIP and Hand Salute, Captain.


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## Grunt (Feb 25, 2015)

Sad story....

Rest In Peace, Captain!


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## Gunz (Feb 25, 2015)

Firemedic said:


> R.I.P. ma'am. I was close. I was saved...
> 
> F.M.


 
God Bless us, brother. I was close twice, once in '84 and again in '90. The last one I'd even written the fucking note...


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## Muppet (Feb 25, 2015)

Ocoka One said:


> God Bless us, brother. I was close twice, once in '84 and again in '90. The last one I'd even written the fucking note...



I was close after I lost Kim. The people, a couple here and 1, my partner saved me. Have not looked back and got help...I am glad you stayed with us bro.

F.M.


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## TLDR20 (Feb 25, 2015)

LibraryLady said:


> I'm so sorry, Ma'am, you have left us. May you find peace.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



While her looks had nothing to do with her pain, her looks most certainly have helped raise awareness to the issue. People who would have no idea that this happens daily are being made aware because of the Captain's face.


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## AWP (Feb 25, 2015)

People don't pay attention to an event or circumstance until it applies to them or until they feel some emotional pull. "Suicide" doesn't apply to smart, attractive, or popular, it applies to the social downcasts, the freaks, the maimed, the jobless, people with existing medical conditions, the poor, the hopeless...it certainly does NOT apply to mainstream America...because they can't fathom the causes. A guy in his 60's has a heart attack. Mourning, but not shock is our response. A guy in his 30's or 40's or someone who is "in shape" has the same journey and outcome and NOW people are shocked.

Some dark, brooding actor or musician commits suicide? "Well, that guy..."
Robin Williams, a hilarious, down-to-earth, highly successful comic? We're shocked.

Captain Brunette's journey and end shock us because that doesn't happen to intelligent, photogenic women in their 20's and 30's, it doesn't because they have "so much" in their life...why should they do it? "She had something to live for!"

A disease or issue shouldn't have a "poster child" but they usually do, the public needs to apply a "face" to the problem. Captain Brunette's death is tragic, but maybe this cause has found "a face" with which the public can identify. The cheerleader/ prom queen/ sorority sister looking woman kills herself? That's a vastly different narrative than some maimed, grizzled homeless vet because we "expect" those guys to do it in droves. That's the narrative society sees.

This is a tragedy, but if the cause now has a "face" then maybe the issue will gain some traction and just maybe a new slice of America will take notice. I want to believe that not only has she found peace, but also that her sacrifice pushes the dialogue forward.

I want to believe that, particularly the former.

Anyone who looks at her photo and thinks "She's hot" and then stops there...that's as deep as they dig...those people make me want to believe in hell.

Blue Skies, Captain.


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## Wench (Feb 25, 2015)

I recently posted this on my FB page.  I'm posting it here because I know there are those passing through these forums who are hurting and may feel like they can't reach out to anyone close to them for a variety of reasons.  Suicide is not about wanting to die--it's about wanting to stop the pain.  Let others help you stop it, you aren't alone.  I'm not going to post my number on an open forum, but if you're hurting, message me and I will give it to you.  I have PTSD myself, and am a Peer Support Group member for a federal LE agency.  I wish I could express here how much this matters to me.  Blue skies, Captain.


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## Brill (Feb 25, 2015)

> “I suspect she was assaulted, and she didn’t feel comfortable reporting it for some reason and internalized the incident so she could finish her deployment, which she did with flying colors,” says Leverich. “It’s not anything she told me, just from talking with all her friends this past week, and piecing those things together. I am female active duty, 18 years in the Coast Guard. I am well aware of those issues, and that’s my gut feeling.”



I hope they dig deep and find out if this is true.  If found accurate, I hope they charge the accused with murder.


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## Muppet (Feb 25, 2015)

Wench said:


> I recently posted this on my FB page.  I'm posting it here because I know there are those passing through these forums who are hurting and may feel like they can't reach out to anyone close to them for a variety of reasons.  Suicide is not about wanting to die--it's about wanting to stop the pain.  Let others help you stop it, you aren't alone.  I'm not going to post my number on an open forum, but if you're hurting, message me and I will give it to you.  I have PTSD myself, and am a Peer Support Group member for a federal LE agency.  I wish I could express here how much this matters to me.  Blue skies, Captain.
> 
> View attachment 12662



Thanks sister...

F.M.


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## Marauder06 (Feb 26, 2015)

There's a lot of speculation that a sexual assault contributed to her suicide.  That seems likely.  I also saw in her bio that she was in charge of government contracting for her unit in AFG, I hope that didn't have anything to do with her death.


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## JHD (Feb 26, 2015)

I hope she found peace.  If she was violated, I hope the perp(s) is/are caught and punished.


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## RetPara (Feb 26, 2015)

Contracting and chosen outstanding contracting officer for the unit... and sexual assault my dirty, suspicious mind can think of so many ways that could play out.............


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## DA SWO (Feb 26, 2015)

RetPara said:


> Contracting and chosen outstanding contracting officer for the unit... and sexual assault my dirty, suspicious mind can think of so many ways that could play out.............


She was AMC's Contracting Officer of the year; which means she was one of the 12 best Contracting Officer's the AF had.

Look at the story again, the first picture she is smiling and her eyes are bright and shinny, then look at her photo taken in Afghanistan, totally different picture.

I hope she is finding the peace she deserves.

Blue skies and tailwinds Capt.


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## Blizzard (Jun 16, 2015)

Another thread got me thinking about this one and the following CBS story that just aired:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-veteran-suicide-prevention-network-built-by-veterans/

Also, received several reposts to their Instagram for those that want to pass on the message:
https://instagram.com/22toomany/


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