Supporting our troops and helping them with the war within.

8 days ago, last Monday, we celebrated our annual Memorial Day, a day when we pay tribute to the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, through service in any branch of the armed forced. As we salute the many men and women who have died in wars from the present and the past, we must not forget the heavy price that many of our veterans are paying when it comes to their mental health and sanity. Recent reports in the national media have underscored the escalating rate of suicide amongst military personnel. The crisis has gotten so bad in some circles, that Fort Campbell had to shut down for three days recently to address to suicide epidemic that took the base by storm. See this link for details:

(http://www.kypost.com/content/news/commonwealth/story/Suicides-On-The-Rise-At-Fort-Campbell/G-isCZBdpEm4amMHPeRvkA.cspx

In a time when the phrase "support the troops" has become a cliche to denote a political stance or ideological affiliation, it would behoove us to move past pious platitudes and talking-points to really showing our troops the empathy that they need to assimilate back into society, especially after they've served multiple tours of duty, a feat that is bound to have a huge emotional toll on any person. Regardless of what your political affiliation is, we can all agree that the many men and women who are serving the nation in the armed forces are doing a terrific job. But many of them have a hard time readjusting to society after battle, having to face serious bouts of post-traumatic-stress-disorder (PTSD), and yet being asked to function as normal when most of them have experienced the kind of trauma from war that is not easy to just "get over." I remember watching one such soldier on a TV documentary about the lives of returning soldiers, and he talked about how he felt like he was a killing machine who could not find the "off" button; even the slightest of aggravations was likely to make him snap; and here he was being asked to be a "normal" and "calm" individual in a 9 to 5 job. He was not only having a tough time keeping a job, but his relationship was on the rocks...Studies have shown that most of the suicides that occur are due to the ensuing relationships problems that these soldiers face once they get home.

Supporting the troops has to become more than a bumper sticker slogan and a conservative vs liberal political debate. Thankfully, there was a hearing about this very issue earlier in the year on Capital Hill, as our elected officials have taken notice of this rise in suicides in the armed forces. But please remember, if you have a loved one or friend who is in the armed forces, show them your unconditional love and support, and be patient and empathetic with them, especially when they have time to come home. They may never be able to openly voice some of the horrors that they have experienced in war, because war is never pretty, but they will always appreciate the love and support from family and friends. This may be the main difference between life and death and may help them get over the stigma that prevents many from seeking the professional help that they need to function again in society.

For more details about this story, you can check out this CNN article that was published a few months ago:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/03/18/military.suicides/

Stephen O. Akinduro