DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
22 comments:
Just why not. They served & sacrificed, didn't they. God bless them!
It would definitely be a nice gesture but I cannot see it happening. It would for sure be very time consuming.
Why is this even a question? There should be no debate here. Condolence is warranted from 'we the people' for our men and women who serve, regardless of cause of death.
Absolutely.
nope. they chose their exit.
of course...not a question.
yes, of course. sometimes the things the service members see and experience can really cause emotional problems.
of course, ptsd can be a cause of suicide so absolutely!
Yes, no question about it. They're still service men & women. Would an employer not offer condolences to an employee's family if the employee committed suicide? There's your answer.
11:53, so you wouldn't send condolences to the family of someone who committed suicide? What a cold jerk you are.
NO , you take your life , your chicken crap.
If the question is, this is a letter equal to someone who bravely performs a selfless act of heroism, beyond the call of duty, saving other Americans' lives and loses his/her life in the process? The answer is absolutely NO!!!!! Heroes get the letter of condolences from the president for their "service that marks them as heroes", not for cowards who take their lives. Now, should a Chaplain send a letter because someone has died and the military should be compassionate? Absolutely, YES!
A lot of vets commit suicide. They are not crap as someone suggested.
18 veterans commit suicide each day
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Apr 22, 2010 14:56:43 EDT
Troubling new data show there are an average of 950 suicide attempts each month by veterans who are receiving some type of treatment from the Veterans Affairs Department.
Seven percent of the attempts are successful, and 11 percent of those who don’t succeed on the first attempt try again within nine months
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/04/military_veterans_suicide_042210w/
I say absolutely. The only case in which a letter shouldn't be sent is if the person receiving the letter is the one who killed the service member! Even when the person took their own life, that is still horribly sad for the family. I can't speak from experience, but I would assume that suicide would make the death much harder to deal with than death in action would!
18 vets kill themselves a DAY. They survive the war to protect us and fall victim to the war when they return. V.A. isn't helping them enough.
4:43, A COWARD? Seriously?! A friend of ours was in the military overseas and during a mission shot and killed a child when he thought it was an adult coming out at him. The child died and he had a hard time coping with that fact. Along with everything else they see that we do NOT, he couldn't handle it and in a weak moment took his own life. This was a kind and loving man who lived right here among us. Think twice before you tag people as cowards. His family suffered a loss just like all the others. They can't bring him back.
6:59 A lot of us have seen things in service that still come back to visit us deep in the night. And, we cope with it, and live our lives. Yes, a Coward. Not a hero. Taking one's life is an act of cruelty to their family and a personal act of cowardess rather than courage to deal with life. I said there should be some act of compassion but not a letter that is sent by the office of the president that is sent to heroes to also be sent to someone who commits suicide. The person who hurt your friend's family, was your friend. He willingly took his own life and his selfish act should not be treated the same as someone who willingly does a selfLESS act, sacrificing his life so others can live. Two people die TOTALLY different ways and the act of the president should be differentiated too. Both fammilies will be devastated by the death of either. And, neither can bring them back. The question was, "Should Presidential condolence letters be sent to families of service members who commit suicide?" Not whether one family is hurt more, or whether you miss your friend. The truth is, people are of infinite worth while they are here. But, there is a major difference between a hero and someone who commits suicide. I have a friend that I put in a body bag who cut both wrists, and died in a bathtub. I loved my friend and missed him. But, he was a COWARD. What he did to his family and little girl was terrible. By the way, he was a vietnam veteran. We put many in body bags too. My choice was one way. His was another. One like, not exactly the same as your friend's but probably very close. By the way, I do know the difference and I know a coward by their actions. Suicide is a clear act of a coward. Thank you!
No. Even those who served with great honor.
an Army vet
The Bush White House did not differentiate between different forms of death of a veteran. The family was thanked for the veteran's service to the country.
I see most do not know what suicide is about. It's not about cowardice. Brain chemistry deficiencies and/or disorders.
Prolonged life of extreme stress, abuse, poverty, living condidtions, health, etc.
No hope of change or improvemnet can cause suicide.
Untreated depression is a major cause of suicide.
Labeling someone a coward is just irresponsible and hurtful.
wow, 8:01....you were a little hard on the poster there...I guess you have never heard of mental illness. Hope you are never so unfortunate to experience it.
Quite a few holier than thou posters on this topic. Depression is a mental illness and can have severe consequences. Many vets would never have experienced depression had they not had the awful experiences of war. They have served and their families have paid the ultimate price. Get off your pedestals and get real.
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