Is that a left-wischi-waschi investigation to hurry up the withdrwal from Iraq or is it true ? http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=4e2_1195048795
Most likely pure bullshat. The same kind of phony "statistics" were bandied about after the Vietnam war. The media claimed that VN vets suicide rates were 5 to 8 times higher than what mortality studies subsequently showed. The suicide rate was higher than the national average amongst combat vets for the first 5 years after discharge but only 1.7 times more likely than non vets and after 5 years it was actually lower than for non vets. The homelessness rate of veterans was in a study by the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Their agenda is plain and they have a strong interest in depicting the problem as much worse than it is in order to gain attention... as well as funding. Their methodology is unknown but since they have no means of actually checking the status you can be sure they either estimated (based on who knows what) or they asked the bums..I mean homeless persons ..whether they were veterans or not. Every homeless bum I have ever met has claimed to be a war veteran. Most are liars IMO just trying to increase their chances of a handout.
that would mean there are twice as many vet suicides as there have been total kias which seems somewhat suspect ..
grieg , my cop brother often has had to deal with whineing homeless viet nam combat vets , when he pointed out that their date of birth makes them seven or ten years old in 1968 it tends to shut them up ...he suggests they need to find a war that corresponds better with their age or perhaps change their date of birth , just a wise old street cop trying to help out the downtrodden ...
About 15 years ago I ran across a guy in his mid-twenties claiming to be a Viet Nam Vet.Not a very bright fellow.
There was a scene in "Falling Down" which dealt with this. An excellent movie, recommended viewing for everyone.
it is well documented that combat vets do often have a very difficult time re adjusting to civillian life ..imagine liveing day to day with a band of brothers who face hardship ,privation and the very real prospect of sudden death or horrible maiming . a place where your correct and timely action can mean the difference in wether your beloved comrades live or die then returnig to your former life where people worrie about car payments or school exams or their boss being upset , where your now supposed to get a job selling insurance or assembleing widgets on a production line .may dads former business partner did three combat tours in viet nam because he couldnt stand being arround clueless civilien pukes ..of course when he was in nam he couldnt wait to go back home and when he got back home , he found that ...well , he never could really go back " home " again ,if you get my meaning...