"They should not have to fight a democracy to get in the system."

Should that be, "They should not have to fight a bureaucracy to get in the system?"

Gee, fighting a war may be hazardous to your health... imagine that! I know that sounds heartless and it is, but it is also true, and abandoning these men with mental health issues is exactly the same as abandoning men who have lost limbs. Shame on Bush for so many things.

Its probably not helpful to hit with sticks those soldiers who are already having very real problems upon return from very traumatic experiences. Many entered the military for a good stable job, because they had faith in thier country, in democracy, etc.. in whatever they had sprouted at them since they were juniors... of course they want to do thier part... only to find its all wrong...

War sux period...

It is about time someone does something about this epidemic. Whether or not you agree with the war or the government, never, EVER criticize our men and women, as a whole, who are serving. My fiance is a sergeant in the USMC. He does not WANT to kill anyone, but he is willing to die for people who have the right to disagree with their government. He is willing to die so that you have freedom from tyranny that others may bring. War is wrong, sick and downright hell. Peace is always better, but do not criticize those who are willing to die protecting you when peace doesn't stop others from trying to take over the world. My future father in law is STILL struggling with PTSD from Vietnam. God forbid we ever don't support the troops like that again. Protest the war, support the troops. If you don't like it, I suggest Switzerland. The least we can do for the men and women with their lives on the line is make sure they GET the help they need, not just mention the possibility to them, muffled under 200 pages of paperwork, red tape and confusion. Thank you to our military.

Sanctimonious and self-righteous people really do make for bad critics. I am referring to "Karma is real and it hurts."
I agree with"Its probably not helpful," as regards many people joining the military to get full-time employment while serving their country; and defending the freedom of American's to live their lives in some sense of choice. For many, this is real-world, heart felt passion, as they were educated to believe it.

It is unfortunate that much of what we were sold on the need for invasion was skillfully marketed by the "elite" who have fashioned us as fodder for the Matrix. Still, we cannot hope to help our brothers and sisters by condemning their choice to "defend & protect," but should instead do our best to be examples of the humanity we espouse, thus enlightening others as to the realm of spiritual (not necessarily religious) choices which can create a better world for all.

As this article points out- there is some horrific hurting going on in the minds of those who chose to serve their nation, so let's use compassion for them, and for those invaded, and see if we can't help heal the whole world.

@ - 04:56 and 12:20-- Your fiance went to someone else's country where he was not invited to go as part of a violent invasion, yes? He WILL kill if he is told to do so. If he does not value you enough to choose a peacemaking job, so that he is a gun carrier in a war zone, what does that tell you? As far as 12:20 sanctimonius and 456, did you know that your exact same excuses were used by Nazi soldiers, their families and sympathizers in WWII, and at the Nuremberg Trials, as are also used by you today and by members of my own country- Israel? "They believe in what they are doing; they fight for our freedoms; they needed a good job; they are following orders; Hitler brainwashsed them." It has all been said before, by other people like you who try to make it seem right to do what is wrong!!!.

How can anyone turn their back on someone taking their own life, whether it is civilian or soldier? These people need help, plain and simple. They are coming back unprepared to go on living in the civilian world, after going over to defend the government by dying in a military world. My fiance killed himself 3 years ago, after returning from Afghanistan. He left behind 2 wonderful kids and a baby he never got to see. We have to live with that loss every day, knowing the struggle he went through to get help dealing with the horrors he saw over there. He was at Ground Zero the day after 9/11 and Afghanistan weeks later. He went to help people, not kill people. He went to save children, and pay for ours. He went to share democracy, and education, and medicine. Killing is just something that unfortunately comes with war. He came back a hero, and in my eyes, died a hero. It's tragic that there are those who would condemn him, even in death, for doing what he felt was right. He saved many people. I know he saved me.

To continue as to why our veterans are taking their own lives: Now their decent and caring upbringing is returning to their minds and hearts and they will never be able to reconcile being part of good turning to evil. So they will destroy their own lives and lives of their loved ones for perhaps the next 50 to 75 years. Meanwhile, the powerful who gained from the slaughter will carry on as if they have no responsibility and will occasionally feign to mourn the lost veterans at their cocktail parties and gatherings. And that, my fellow Americans, is the name of that tune.

Your husband/boyfriend/fiance drop bombs on countless innocent women, children and the elderly, and fire bullets and DU shells on homes,hospitals and marketplaces. Leaving total carnage,destruction,agony, misery, ophans and destroyed lifes wherever he treaded. Then he came home and acted like a "human being and a caring gentleman" . What a "HERO". Excluding MK-Ultra candidates, others would find it difficult to maintain this dualism in his personality.
Welcome home indeed....A human baby was born with a SOUL, and that SOUL knows that he had done something EVIL and terrible. It won't be long before the GUILT will catch up with him. Thus will haunt him for the rest of his life. Those nearest to him, will surely suffers too.

It's not hate. These soldiers volunteered to go there and believe they are protecting our freedom.
In fact the opposite is true.

USA is now the most hated nation and their population is so weak, they don't even protest, like during Vietnam.
We are fighting in a space around Israel and what do we get from that? Dead and wounded of a number that is far bigger than the few thousand reported.

There are tens of millions of veterans of these wars. Most of them were drafted into it by foreign dictators with names like Bush and Obama. Only a small fraction get adequate treatment for war related injuries and illnesses. This is partially due to the US military 1) killing, wounding, and poisoning; and 2) destroying the public health care system. And, these people do not have good options for leaving the theatre of war; few can afford it.

One reason that suicides exceed combat deaths for US soldiers is that, compared to combat deaths as a whole, US soldiers are doing very little dying. They do a lot more killing, instead, although their primary kill mechanism is indirect: destruction of the people's means of staying alive. Guilt can be a huge part of PTSD. US veterans need a chance to repent and do penance, but instead they are expected to live the lie that they were the good guys.

Yes, Larry Glick, our young men and women have been turned into heedless, heartless killing machines; but nothing justifies letting them just die when they are released from the killing imperative. . . the whole problem is that people in very high office fail to understand that the Ends NEVER Justify the Means; it seems you are included in that category. If they once were human beings, they can return to their senses but not without help and support. If the heedless, heartless Koch brothers had spent 1/10th, no! 1/100th of what they did on campaign Tea-Bagger advertising, on veteran-rehab, how much better a place would America be?