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of the Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) conflicts are still struggling with it.
Society did not pay much attention to suicide generally until 1998, when Congress declared suicide a national problem and declared suicide prevention as a national priority, acknowledging that “no single prevention program will be appropriate for all populations or communities.” Veteran suicide did not gain recognition as a separate issue until approximately the mid-2000s, when opposition to the wars in Iraq in Afghanistan caused many to re-focus on the plight of Veterans returning from a combat zone, including an emphasis on the impact of disabilities such as PTSD, TBI, and severe physical wounds such as shrapnel injuries and amputations. This led to a number of federal health policy initiatives that, although well-intentioned, must be viewed as a starting point, rather than as all-encompassing solutions. Complex social problems such as Veterans’ suicide can’t be solved simply by legislating, which typically involves throwing more money and more people at the problem. Nonetheless, over the past decade, Congress has done primarily just that.
In 2007, Congress passed the Joshua Omvig Veteran Suicide Prevention Act, which was named after an Iraq War veteran who committed suicide in 2005. The legislation captured the sense of Congress that “suicide among Veterans suffering from [PTSD] is a serious problem” and that VA “should take into consideration the special needs of Veterans suffering from PTSD and the special needs of elderly Veterans who are at high risk for depression and experience high rates of suicide.” The House report accompanying the legislation also noted that “[t]he stress of combat, along with the stigma that exists for soldiers and Veterans seeking mental health care, can intensify and
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