'Shh!!' 12,000 veterans a year attempt suicide and 18 p/day kill themselves...

[cynatnite]

A number of Democratic senators said they were appalled at e-mails showing Katz and other VA officials apparently trying to conceal the number of suicides by veterans. An e-mail message from Katz disclosed this week as part of a lawsuit that went to trial in San Francisco starts with "Shh!" and claims 12,000 veterans a year attempt suicide while under department treatment.

"Is this something we should (carefully) address ourselves in some sort of release before someone stumbles on it?" the e-mail asks.

A VA spokesman declined to comment Tuesday.

Another e-mail said an average of 18 war veterans kill themselves each day — and five of them are under VA care when they commit suicide.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080422/ap_on_he_me/veterans_care

:grr: :cry:

[fed-up]

1. K & R nt

[w8liftinglady]

2. that's why they closed the psych ward at the Dallas VA-4 suicides since Jan

[Freddie Stubbs]

3. How does that number compare to the general population?

[Festivito]

4. That's 1000 ATTEMPTS per MONTH. Not deaths. Link CBS pdf.

They are trying to hide it.

The e-mails discussing the number to hide it:
http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/VA_email_021308.pdf

[reformedrethug]

5. what I dont hear and never have heard

is the same issue ie: Suicide attempts/sucessful suicides from WWI or WWII vets, they did not do 12-15 months then rotate home, they were in it for the duration unless they got wounded or killed.

Has anybody done studies on them?