Written by Lynn Goya

More than 100 legislators are hearing from two dozen veterans this week as part of the annual Storm the Hill, organized by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), a non-partisan group that advocates for veterans issues.  The group takes its marching orders from the IAVA’s 2011 Policy Agenda, a document that uses an annual survey of more than 90,000 members to understand veterans most pressing needs. 

While jobs are a priority, so is the skyrocketing suicide rate among service members. Between 2005 and 2009, more than 1,100 service members committed suicide. On average, an active duty service member commits suicide every 36 hours.  The Army, National Guardsmen and Reservists’ suicide rates have all doubled in recent years.  Suicide rates in the Marine Corps and Army have also jumped.  More than 280 service members in Iraq and Afghanistan have killed themselves since 2001. 

IAVA believes that many veterans fail to seek help for mental issues because there is still a stigma attached to showing emotional weakness, even when it is brought on by combat stress.  IAVA wants the DoD to begin a national campaign to combat the stigma and encourage military and veterans to seek help before they reach the suicidal stage. IAVA is reviewing H.R. 26, Mandatory DoD Mental Health Screening legislation.

Services are offered through the VA, Vet Centers and the National  Suicide Prevention Lifeline, but those services must be accompanied by a presidential call to action, says the organization, along with a “dramatic increase” in the availability of military mental health professionals, standardization of suicide investigations and the ability to hold leaders accountable to ensure that they promote a positive command climate.

Another stumbling block for those who may want to seek help is the “antiquated VA disability system,” says IAVA, that  focuses on quantity over quality.  Veterans experience frequent errors and a lengthy waits for benefits. And the backlog continues to grow larger each month as  the country’s longest war goes on.  There are now over a half million veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.  IAVA recommends that the VA upgrade claims processing through a digitized system that can streamline services and appeals.