Veterans Share Painful Stories of Life After Combat

"I am tired of getting phone calls telling me that my friends have killed themselves." These veterans want an honest conversation about life after combat.

Veterans Share Their Stories of Survival


About 7,000 troops have been killed in American wars abroad since 2001 based on Brown University’s “Costs of War Project” While, more than 7,500 uniformed and retired military personnel of Veterans Affairs took their lives in 2018 alone according to the Department. That's over 20 suicides per day. That's one every 65 minutes. There are approximately 20 million veterans in the United States, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, but fewer than half receive VA benefits or services.


The video was offered as a positive affirmation of military life – however, the #survivor stories told in the Twitter thread were mixed. Some replied in support, stating that military service is “something to be proud of.” Others shared deeply disturbing stories about their own personal struggles returning from war. Others talked about family members suffering from PTSD and substance abuse. They also shared true events of soldiers who died by suicide. The U.S. Army Twitter page replied and thanked the military members and their families for sharing the stories.


It was meant to be part of a social media tribute to U.S. servicemen and women. Yet the U.S. Army's tweet received thousands of harrowing answers by veterans and their families. Now, these veterans have decided to break the silence and add to the subject psychology. Five years after the 2014 Department of Veterans Affairs scandal over massive wait times, veterans are still denouncing a broken system meant to help them. Today, veteran suicides far outpace combat fatalities.


Brut.


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Brut.