Soldier On Australia’s Post

September is National Suicide Prevention Month and while it is important to talk about suicide all year long, it is also important to highlight the challenges servicemembers, Veterans and military spouses can face related to suicide. If you’re wondering what you can do to help, Amanda Huffman shares some ideas: https://hubs.ly/Q02NgCqK0 #SuicidePrevention #NationalSuicidePreventionMonth

Last night I shared some stories of the people I knew while serving in the military. I wasn’t thinking about how Memorial Day was the next day, it just happened to come up as I was chatting with a friend of my partner’s brother who just happens to work in mental health and provides services at the VA. It brought up the stories of 3 people I served with, all of which I met at different times and experiences during my time on active duty. All 3 are gone now. None of them were lost in combat, but all of them lived through and lost something. I don’t talk about it much, but I think about them and those experiences all the time. Memorial Day is intended to reflect on those who made sacrifices for our country in unimaginable ways. We generally see it surface through the images of flags and flowers and headstones at Arlington, stories that are documented and televised to share the history of specific events and the ones we lost in them, and ceremonies where combat veterans missing limbs are celebrated and presented with medals for bravery. These are important moments to see and hear as we pause and remember why we get to be here and live the way we do every day. Those 3 people and their stories are a reminder that the deepest wounds are often the ones you can’t see, and the way that pain manifests is often inconsistent and unpredictable. The weight some carry from those wounds can become too much. The intrusiveness of the bad fragments the good and most people don’t see it until it’s too late, or maybe never knew or even thought to look for it at all. Military in-service and Veteran suicides have drastically increased over the last 20 years. Healthcare for many continues to become harder to obtain and maintain. With everything happening in our lives and the world around us, especially now, it can have a heavy impact. In memory of them, please remember and share an important message… You matter and you are loved. Nothing is more important than you and your mental wellbeing. Resources: Veterans and Military Crisis Line Dial 988 and press 1 Text 838255 Chat www.militarycrisisline.net Military One Source Call 800-342-9647 Chat https://lnkd.in/geXWENZM Download the My Military OneSource app #mentalhealth #memorialday #military #veterans #armedservices #crisissupport

Another successful gathering with the Veteran Service Alliance in Tampa Bay! Through a network of faith based veteran organizations, the alliance leads the nation’s charge in eradicating veteran suicide across the U.S. The VA via U.S. Death Index stats reports an average 17-22 veteran suicides per day and Operation Deep Dive research suggests 2.4 times greater than what’s being reported by the government. Source: https://lnkd.in/gTydDCka Today the Department of Veteran Affairs is not capturing certain data sets that account for veterans death such as: “self-mutilation” and “self-inflicted” death attributed to substance abuse. Many more categories go unrecognized by the VA. The absence of these particular identifiers results in a misrepresentation of today’s veteran suicide epidemic in the U.S. The VSA’s nation-wide impact has yielded promising results since its inception: ▫️Served nearly 1M Veterans and Military Families ▫️Over 250k educational resources given ▫️Over 5k events/ programs and so many more data points still being gathered. Inform your veteran community about our growing network of faith-based programs and services by selecting any service you need right here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gwpGUaEm #Veteransuicide #faithbased #nonprofit

During this #PTSD Awareness Month, I wanted to share an alarming article about Veteran suicide: "U.S. soldiers were almost nine times more likely to die by suicide than by enemy fire, according to a Pentagon study for the five-year period ending in 2019." Read the article from USA Today here: https://bit.ly/4c3aVBK You can make a difference by checking in on the Veteran in your life and asking them if they've considered harming themselves. IMPORTANT NUMBERS: 988 is the nationwide phone number to connect directly to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The Veterans Crisis Line is (800) 273-8255.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (0913 EST) Sept. 12, 2024   VA awards $52.5M to community organizations working to prevent Veteran suicide   WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced several steps in VA’s ongoing fight to prevent Veteran suicide — including awarding $52.5 million in grants to community organizations implementing tailored suicide prevention programs and services for Veterans and their families. This fiscal year’s grantees of the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program include 85 organizations across 41 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico to fund services in FY 2025. Eight additional previous grantees will also continue services into FY 2025. VA prioritizes awards for organizations that focus on providing services in rural communities, Tribal lands, U.S. territories, medically underserved areas, areas with a high number or percentage of minority Veterans or women Veterans, and areas with a high number or percentage of calls to the Veterans Crisis Line. These grants are a part of VA’s National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide and the Biden-Harris Administration’s strategy to reduce military and Veteran suicide. Since 2021, VA has worked aggressively to expand support for Veterans in crisis, including offering no-cost emergency suicide prevention care, launching Dial 988 then Press 1 to streamline Veterans’ access to the Veterans Crisis Line, expanding firearm suicide prevention efforts, and more. “It takes all of us, working together, to prevent Veteran suicide,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “By working together with these organizations in the community, we’ll be able to save more lives and get one step closer to our goal of ensuring that no Veteran is ever alone in their time of need.” For more details regarding the SSG Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant, and how this grant fits within our broader VA Suicide Prevention plans and actions, see the full press release @ https://lnkd.in/gd2NbqSp #va #veteransreachout #SPM24 #veteran #veteransuicideprevention #suicideprevention

The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide has revealed a national tragedy that demands urgent action. This aligns with the mission of The Healing and Horse Aid Ltd. Between 1997 and 2021, 1,677 serving, reserve and ex-serving ADF personnel took their own lives. The Royal Commissions inquiries suggest the true number of preventable deaths is likely upwards of 3,000. Our film revealed that since 2000, thirty times more Australian military personnel and veterans have died by suicide than have been killed in combat. In our theatrical screenings across Australia, majority of the audiences were shocked when they saw this figure in the film. As a result, it is more likely to be 75 times higher. This shocking reality underscores the urgent need for the Royal Commission’s 122 recommendations to be implemented. In the final report, ex-serving males who served full-time are 42% more likely to die by suicide than Australian males, and for ex-serving females 110%. The risk factors and stressors are far more than deployments and war zones; it is more “co-occurring complex life stressors” highlighting many factors, including abuse, violence, family separation, trauma, transition, and system failures.    I stated in my witness statement to the Royal Commission, “The film shows the significance of programs like this for veterans and how each veteran shifted from wanting to take their life to transforming their life, which is empowering.” It is a sobering situation, and we must ensure leaders at all levels act promptly to address this national tragedy. #RoyalCommission #VeteranSuicide #TransformingLives  #CommunityEngagement #EmpoweringCommunities #awardwinningdocumentary #australianfilm #federalgovernmentaction #militarytrauma

- 22 veterans commit suicide daily, a figure based on limited data from 21 states and the Department of Veterans Affairs, potentially underestimating the true number. - Cases like Levi Derby, who wasn't counted due to not being in the VA system, and Illinois not reporting data, highlight gaps in tracking veteran suicides. - Underreporting issues stem from a lack of uniform death reporting systems and challenges in verifying veteran status, with some deaths not recognized as suicides due to the circumstances. - An investigation in Texas revealed many uncounted veteran suicides, suggesting a significant underreporting issue nationally. - Despite veterans constituting about 10% of the U.S. population, they account for nearly one in five suicides, with the rate for veterans at about 30 per 100,000 compared to 14 per 100,000 for civilians. - The VA's efforts to improve suicide data accuracy are hindered by inconsistencies and limited state collaboration, with significant portions of suicides potentially overlooked. - Combat stress and military sexual assaults are notable factors contributing to the higher suicide risk among veterans, with older veterans, particularly Vietnam War returnees, facing increased risks. #VeteranSupport #MentalHealthAwareness #SuicidePrevention #VA #MilitaryFamilies

On this Suicide Prevention Day, we recognise the unique experiences of veteran families. They endure both incredible and tragic moments, often feeling isolated. Evidence submitted to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide highlights these families as crucial protective factors against suicidality, acting as emotional barometers and often noticing changes in veterans' health first. Despite their vital role, there is limited relief offered for veterans' families. We need to honour our commitment to veterans who put their lives on the line for us and to their families who sacrifice their freedoms, opportunities, and relationships to make Australia the country it is today. It is our collective responsibility – those in the defence space, the media, and the general public – to keep the government accountable and demand real solutions. This is what we call for this Suicide Prevention Day. #familiesofveterans #defencefamilies #SuicidePreventionDay #unsungheros

#Thankyou for highlighting this one, these are truly horrifying statistics. Despite living in so-called #civilised times, the majority of developed nations still require a segment of their population to serve in the #military. These brave individuals are trained to fight and are expected to do so whenever and wherever it is deemed necessary, to protect their country's interests and way of life. The brutal reality of war means many will die, and even more will return burdened with profound #physical and #mental trauma. #War is never pretty, yet it seems many of us are becoming increasingly #desensitised to the suffering it causes, perhaps due to the constant stream of human misery broadcast into our homes twenty four hours a day. Unfortunately, unlike television viewers who can switch off the news, many war veterans cannot escape the haunting memories that replay in their minds. For those who survive combat, the battle with #PTSD upon returning home can be just as #devastating as the war itself—a battle that as shown by these statistics too many are still tragically losing. If we, as a society, are prepared to train people to fight and die in distant lands, we must not abandon them when they return. Just as we invest in preparing them for war, we should invest even more in helping them #heal. Offering genuine #compassion, #kindness, #empathy, and #support to all veterans is crucial. Rather than simply "Thanking them for their service" and moving on, we need to #listen to their #needs and #feelings. A vital next step towards change is encouraging politicians to properly fund #mental health services for #veterans (some are now proposing this could even be funded through additional taxation on large defence firms and weapons manufacturers). Only by addressing these issues can we hope to help #veterans lead fuller, happier lives. PTSD Foundation Of America PTSD UK Mind Samaritans, Inc. Veterans Helping Veterans Mental Health Foundation Veterans Aid Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Service Veterans Benefits The American College Center for Military and Veterans Affairs

Something to think about