ONE VETERAN’S STORY
Dear Dennis, In the wake of the fiasco at Walter Reed, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson established The Advisory Committee on OIF/OEF Veterans and Families. The Commission was tasked with making recommendations for improving the care and benefits service members receive when they come home. On Tuesday, I was fortunate enough to address the Commission on behalf of IAVA1, and I took the opportunity to talk about Sergeant First Class Drew Brown.
Drew Brown served in Fallujah, Taji, Baghdad and Baquba as an advisor to the newly formed Iraqi Army. When he got home in October 2005, he struggled with anxiety, depression, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Over time, he became suicidal. He says, One night while my wife slept only feet from me, I came to the conclusion that she would not be able to stop me if I chose to end my life. With the speed and accuracy of my years handling weapons, I could easily load a magazine, chamber a round, remove the safety and squeeze the trigger before she even got out of bed. I could taste the Hoppe’s #9, feel the front sight post as it pressed against the roof of my mouth.
Luckily, Drew did not act on his impulses that night. Instead, he kept trying to get the help he needed. But again and again, the Department of Defense and the VA failed to heed his call for help. Drew tried to schedule an appointment with the VA, only to be told he would have to wait three weeks, and schedule his appointment between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, at a hospital that was an hours’ drive away. Drew couldn’t afford to take three or four hours off work each week to attend a counseling appointment.
The Pentagon was supposed to be keeping track of veterans like Drew though the Post Deployment Health Readiness Assessment form or PDHRA. But Drew filled out the PDHRA form and asked for help from a mental health professional five times. When he finally did get a follow-up call, more than sixteen months had passed since his return from Iraq. Thankfully, Drew is now regularly seeing a VA psychiatrist. But he says he still hasn’t been given the number of a 24-hour suicide hotline. Fortunately, Drew went above and beyond to get the care he needed. But most veterans won’t be so pro-active. And the ones who aren’t seeking help are often the ones most in need of care. Each year, approximately 115,300 veterans attempt suicide. That’s about 1 in 5 suicide attempts nationwide.
Last week, IAVA officially endorsed legislation2 introduced by Congressman Jim Moran of Virginia, calling for the creation of a national veteran’s suicide prevention hotline. The bill is making its way through the House, and we will be pushing to get it passed. We’re also working on a bill (H.R. 67) which will improve the outreach activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, so that people like Drew don’t get lost in the shuffle. Over the next few weeks, IAVA Legislative Director Patrick Campbell and I will be working hard on these issues in IAVA’s Washington, D.C. office. Keep an eye on http://www.iava.org/ to find out how you can help.
With engaged people like you behind us, we are making our voices heard in Washington, and important changes are underway. Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely, Todd Bowers
Iraq Veteran
Director of Government Affairs
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
Resources: 1. Click here to read my full testimony.
2. Click here to see the press release announcing the legislation, featuring IAVA.