If military leaders want to stamp out the social stigma of psychological illnesses, it has to start with the commander-in-chief, writes vet Mike Purcell.
As Memorial Day approaches, Purcell, the father of a Navy vet who died by suicide in 2008, questions why President Obama is not writing personal condolence letters to the families of suicides. Purcell is also behind the Putting a Face on Suicide project.
As suicides rise among service men and women, and the nation comes to grips with the reality of their psychological wounds, why should they be accorded any less honor than those who have died of physical injuries, Purcell asks.
“This Memorial Day please remember those we have lost on ‘the other battlefield,’” Purcell writes.
“Their service mattered greatly, as did they. Their families deserve to be recognized with dignity and respect, in their time of profound loss.”
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