WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |Invisible Wounds: Veterans and Suicide
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Sparta, WI (WXOW)-- Our month long series on the tragedy of suicide wraps up with a focus on our veterans and mental illness. Tim Noble's struggles with suicide started when he returned home from war to civilian life in Sparta. The horrors of war were haunting him.
Like so many of America's fighting brave, the journey home after war is often darker the battlefield itself.
But when Tim Noble came home, he held onto more than just pride of his service. His mind is consumed by the trauma of war.
"It is very hard to concentrate now that I'm back in the United States. I know things are o.k.. there are no roadside bombs or explosions."
18 american war veterans kill themselves everyday. Tim suffers from post traumatic stress disorder and nearly became one of those statistics.
"We're raised so that we are strong. We're not supposed to breakdown. We're supposed to be perfect and be able to protect everybody."
In January of this year, suicides outnumbered combat deaths. The situation has become so grim over the past two years that V.A hospitals have started mandatory suicide prevention programs.
Garry Hebel coordinates services on Tomah's campus.
"What happens with vets is that we're trained in weapons and we are familiar with weapons. Thouse of us who go to combat experience a lot of things that not everyone experiences."
Dr. Michael Brandt is a psychologist at the V.A Outreach center in La Crosse.
He sees people of all ages walk through his doors. Everyone from 18 year olds who just got off the plane from Iraq to World War II vets in their 90's.
Regardless of age, the number of vets on the verge of ending their own lives is staggering.
"We're trying as an organization in La Crosse to do more outreach to families through things like university setting. We're trying things to indirectly reach out to them so they can comfortably get the help they need."
Local programs welcome friends and family members of vets and offer a variety of services for deployed servicemen and women These include chatrooms where vets can interact anonymously online with trained mental health professionals.
Garry Hebel says, "There are people who care about them, and there is no problem that does not have a solution."
The national V.A suicide prevention campaign is complete with public service announcements letting veterans know there is not any shame in asking for help.
Tim Noble can speak from experience.
"I deal with it day by day. I am getting help dealing with these issues."
Invisible wounds nearly claimed Tim's life. He now knows it takes the courage and strength of a warrior to ask for help.
Please call 1-800-273-TALK and press 1 to be routed to the veterans prevention hotline.
If you're not comfortable vocalizing your emotions....you can also chat live with a counselor on the internet 24 hours a day at http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
