Suicide epidemic among veterans

[murielm99]

I know that stories about suicide among veterans have been posted here before. But this one is personal for me:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/13/cbsnews_investigates/main3496471.shtml

They are the casualties of wars you don't often hear about - the soldiers who die of self-inflicted wounds. Little is known about the true scope of suicides among those who have served in the military.

But a five-month CBS News investigation discovered data that shows a startling rate of suicide, what some call a hidden epidemic. Chief investigative reporter Armen Keteyian reports exclusively.

"I just felt like this silent scream inside of me," said Jessica Harrell, the sister of a soldier who took his own life.

"I opened up the door and there he was," recalled Mike Bowman, the father of an army reservist.

snip

Timothy Bowman, the Illinois National Guard reservist featured in this story, grew up with my son. They were close friends since preschool. Bowman took his life on Thanksgiving Day. Notice that one of the other veterans could no longer stand his life on Christmas Eve.

Please watch the video on the CBS website. Someone must help these soldiers and their families.

In getting back to the Bowman family, I have to mention how much they love and support our veterans. Tim Bowman had two uncles who were motorcycle riders with the Patriot Guard, the group that attends veterans' funerals, and keeps the Phelps family at bay.

Last summer, Greg Bowman, Tim's uncle and a patriot guard captain, was killed in a motorcycle accident on the way home from a veteran's funeral. He was a prominent lawyer here, and president of the Illinois Bar association.

About a month ago, Jeff Bowman, another of Tim's uncles, and a patriot guard rider, suffered a horrific accident on the way home from a military funeral. A car stopped dead in front of his motorcycle, and he went over the top of the car. He is in the hospital in Indianapolis, in a medically induced coma. He may survive, but know one knows at this point. If he does live, it will be a long road to recovery.

The Bowman family has suffered three casualties from this awful war. Please keep them and the other veterans in this story in your thoughts and prayers.

[murielm99]

1. I hate to kick my own thread,

but I would like a few more people to see the story.