Is the Veteran Community Making Veteran Suicide Worse?

http://articles.latimes.com/2013/dec/20/science/la-sci-sn-veteran-suicide-statistics-20131219

A article on the same topic. I think the inferences are way off. Veterans do reflect our society but like our society there are all kinds/types. Those who were on the sharp end of the spear is a smaller number than the rest. They all serve, but not all the same way. One can say that about all Americans are Americans but they all don't live in the same state or do the same job.

As far as vets being hard on each other, Americans are hard on each other too. Only time I experienced the negative aspect was during the Viet-Nam war, some (key word) vets feel for the anti-war mantra and would berate those currently serving. I am not sure if they where peace time vets or what their jobs were. After that, the poser thing can be a issue. Vets can flame another in reactions to our world of posers. We have something like 10 times the Viet-Nam posers currently then we have real vets of that war.

I think the community today is more supportive of vets than in the past. The 1991 mantra was support the soldiers helped. For me it was the first time after the Viet-Nam war that vets had a positive status in the US. That was from the majority of society. Currently, the VA seems to be doing more and so is our society, look at Veteran Trial Court.

I think the veteran community does have a impact. I would not claim it makes things worse. Some Veterans may, but on the whole, I think the community is more responsive to helping other vets.

I would place the blame on our media, social net work and politicians, who voted for the war before they voted against the war. Support does not mean creating a political environment of doubt and deceit about the war. Our elected officials play with our military conflicts to get votes, even when that goes against supporting our military members.

I wonder is this a social slide back to the 60's and 70's when the veterans were blamed for our elected officials screw ups?
 
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The article does make one think about what, and how threads are started, and the subsequent replys thereafter. The social media networks have been cited in the past, particularly in the teen age years where young minds struggle with so many things; and where peer pressure can drive so much. There are many, many doors that lead someone down the dangerous slope that becomes pain that can no longer be lived with. Quite often, the issue is anger over something the person may or may not be able to recognize. The anger/rage is turned inward, and can consume a person totally, with suicide being seen as the only way to stop the pain. I think the article is timely and thought provoking. Veteran's internet sites are many, and they are quite varied in their approach to new comers, and the issues they bring to the boards. In a way, they are a rather loose form of group therapy, with the accent over loose. If you listen to some of the AA members with some years of sobriety behind them, they have a lot to say about particular groups. Key, from what some say, is finding the AA group that works for you, finding a sponsor, and staying with that group. I hope we are of some value to veterans who stop by, and stay with us.
 
@HOLLiS brings something up that I'd forgotten about from years gone by.

At a local RSA (VFW/AL) in New Zealand years ago, a Vietnam vet was speaking about combat/war, when he finished, a WWII vet stood up and derided him for being in a joke kind of war "not a real war like we had against a professional army in WWII".
At that point another WWII vet stood up and addressed the derider. He said words to the effect of 'That Vietnam Vet was a Grunt, just like I was in WWII, he fought and killed, and was trying to be killed by a skilled enemy. YOU were a fucking driver, WTF would you know about combat against a "real" enemy? Shut your fucking mouth you pouge bastard!".

I always thought that was an awesome response. I never saw an ounce of animosity between WWII and Vietnam vets, but I was late in the game and certainly heard about some of it. It was SIGNIFICANTLY worse in the USA than it was in NZ from what I've been told.

I always thought is was disgraceful for vets to look down upon other vets like was done here between the WWII and Korean and Vietnam vets.
 
Oddly enough T there is now a massive disconnect between the RSA and current veterans from the last 3 rodeos. A lot of the RSA committees are no longer actual veterans and the tales of rude behavior, being made to feel unwelcome and total lack of support for issues are doing the rounds on the various unit Facebook pages.
 
On our side of the Tasman the clubs have been taken over to become entertainment precincts, the sub branches remain and like all small organisations are heavily dependent on the prevailing personalities.
That's two strikes for the RSL for most blokes and it's increasingly becoming disconnected from veterans under 50 who are increasingly linking up with their contemporaries online to offer/seek/receive support.
 
Mac_NZ said:
Oddly enough T there is now a massive disconnect between the RSA and current veterans from the last 3 rodeos. A lot of the RSA committees are no longer actual veterans and the tales of rude behavior, being made to feel unwelcome and total lack of support for issues are doing the rounds on the various unit Facebook pages.
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digrar said:
On our side of the Tasman the clubs have been taken over to become entertainment precincts, the sub branches remain and like all small organisations are heavily dependent on the prevailing personalities.
That's two strikes for the RSL for most blokes and it's increasingly becoming disconnected from veterans under 50 who are increasingly linking up with their contemporaries online to offer/seek/receive support.
Click to expand...

RackMaster said:
The same thing has happened here with the Royal Canadian Legion, just a cheap place for anyone to drink.
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That's bloody sad. Understandable with the reasoning of the WWII guys are rapidly dying off, Korea, Malaya, Borneo, Vietnam, Timor ETC... had very few participants, not enough to sustain the WWII numbers and the various organizations were desperately trying to stay afloat and admitted members who were not vets.
But now it's to the point where vets are not welcome/comfortable? WTF?! I used to love going to the RSA back home and listening to the war stories from the old guys, really enjoyed it. Sad that it's coming to an end/ended. :thumbsdown:
 
There's a push to get the post-Korea guys/girls to join but there needs some major changes before they see any large numbers join. My local one is open one or two evenings a week (for bingo and euchre) and once every couple months they have the local band play.
 
Some of my brothers are still dealing with issues from 40 years ago. I've been on anti-depressants for 20 years. I love military history but still cannot read books about combat in Vietnam. It hits too close to home, makes my guts knot up.

I think the dependency among younger veterans on social media is a bad thing. It eliminates facial expressions, voice inflections and gestures from communication, it relies upon abbreviations and buzz words, it reduces human contact to a symbolic code devoid of emotion or feeling...exactly the kind of interaction that a veteran in an emotional crisis doesn't need.
 
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A lot of RSAs are merging with bowls clubs these days. Both are on the decline unfortunately. A noble sport, bowls.
 

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