According to Stop Soldier Suicide, veterans are 57% more likely to die by suicide than people who have not served in the military. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for post-9/11 veterans, accounting for nearly a quarter of all deaths. Veterans and their families — who already have sacrificed for this country — deserve... Read more »

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September is Suicide Prevention Month, a time to especially focus on the suicide epidemic in the veteran community. An average 17 veterans take their lives every day in the United States, but the number actually could be much higher. A new study just found the most staggeringly high suicide numbers are amongst post-9/11 veterans. Four... Read more »

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Medical paperwork offers health care providers information about a patient’s current circumstances, and their history. Those records are vital and could dictate the course of care.   But at the Department of Veterans Affairs, doctors often ignore this information. Veterans may be dying as a result.    VA practitioners missed opioid history  As Military Times reported,... Read more »

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In Houston, an unexpected nightmare began for veteran David Norman Williams inside the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center.  Constance Williams, David’s wife, shared his story with Houston’s KPRC 2 in May.   On March 4, the 74-year-old veteran was admitted for a kidney transplant. As of the time of the report, he had remained there... Read more »

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Addiction is a disease. Like with a heart attack or stroke, care cannot be delayed when a patient needs it most.  But that’s what is happening at the Department of Veterans Affairs.   According to Military Times, veterans are waiting weeks or even months to receive substance abuse treatment. The VA also is ignoring a federal... Read more »

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Army veteran Jessica Villarreal once dreamed of helping her fellow servicemen and women at the Department of Veterans Affairs. But instead, what she found was a bureaucratic nightmare.  “My whole goal is to work with veterans. It’s my population of choice and my passion. I think no one can help a veteran better than their... Read more »

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The Latin phrase “nemo resideo” means “leave no one behind.” For service members, it is a foundational tenet. Every person has dignity and worth.  But Department of Veterans Affairs left Tom Hayden behind, recently marking him dead in their system even though he is alive.     Hero lost in the system Tom Hayden is a... Read more »

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The VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA) is supposed to ensure people who engage in protected disclosure — whistleblowers — are free from fear of retaliation for bringing problems to light. But in many instances, the Department of Veterans Affairs tries to silence VA staff who speak up about wrongdoing at the department. The... Read more »

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According to American Addiction Centers, more than 6,100 military veterans, about 17 per day, took their own lives in 2020. Between 2001 and 2020, mental health or substance use disorder among those using Department of Veterans Affairs health care rose from 27.9% to 41.9%.  The addiction and mental health crises for veterans are real and... Read more »

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Veterans face unique challenges when it comes to their physical and mental health care. The dangers they are exposed to, both in training and combat, put them at risk of neurological injuries, including traumatic brain injuries. It’s all the more important that they have access to quality care at home to properly treat brain injuries... Read more »

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