Military Families Speak Out and Gold Star Families Speak Out recognize all too well the suffering, pain,
grief and loss from the deaths of our loved ones ... especially in such a travesty such as this "war".

We consider all those whose loved ones died as a result of the war, including those left behind when our
loved ones ended their own life as a solution to their war experiences, to be Gold Star families.  We are
united in our loss and grief, and in our opposition to this war that has taken so much from our families and
Nation.

This page is dedicated to all of those left behind when our loved one’s life ended as a consequence of
those hidden wounds, despite the political beliefs we may have.

Gold Star Families Speak Out is the safe harbor and refuge for all those to come and share their feelings
of loss, confusion, bewilderment, chaos, guilt and pain without judgment about those who have walked  
(are walking) a similar path.

Through this site and the experiences of others; information and resources are shared to make this
difficult journey one that is not travelled alone.  May our journey of bereavement be eased by those who
share the same pain.

If your loved one ended their own life while serving in the military or after they returned from war and you
want to join Gold Star Families Speak Out, please complete the information here
Search GSFSO
LIVING WITH A MILITARY/ WAR RELATED SUICIDE

KEVIN & JOYCE LUCEY, BELCHERTOWN, MA  

LIZ & TOM SWEET- BISMARCK, ND

TERRI JONES, DES MOINES, IA
  • Terri's son, Spc Jason Cooper took his life on 7.14.05 after serving in Iraq and suffering from PTSD
STATISTICS (National Veteran's Foundation)

  • In October of 2005, the VA reported that more than 430,000 U.S. Soldiers have
    discharged from the military following service in Afghanistan and Iraq . More than
    119,000 have sought help for medical or mental health issues from the VA to date.

  • A 2003 New England Journal of Medicine Study found that 15-17 percent of US
    Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans were suffering from PTSD. MOST COMPELLING was
    the study's finding that more than 60% of those showing symptoms were unlikely
    to seek help due to fears of stigmatization or loss of career advancement
    opportunities.

  • In 2005, the VA reported that 18% of Afghanistan Veterans, and 20% of Iraq
    Veterans in their care were suffering from some type of service connected
    psychological disorder.

  • The VA has seen a tenfold increase in PTSD cases in the last year. According to
    the VA, more than 37,000 Vets of Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from Mental
    Health disorders, and more than 16,000 have already been diagnosed with PTSD.

  • According to an Army Post-Deployment Reassessment Study completed in July of
    2005, alcohol misuse among soldiers rose from 13% among soldiers to 21% one
    year after returning from Afghanistan and Iraq . The same study saw soldiers with
    anger and aggression issues increase from 11% to 22% after deployment, and
    those planning to divorce their spouse rose from 9% to 15% after combat
    deployment.

  • In November of 2005, The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that for the
    first three quarters of 2005, nearly 15 percent of veterans aged 20-24 were
    jobless -- three times the national average.

  • A 2004 US Army Mental Health Advisory Team Study showed that more than half of
    all soldiers in Iraq described their unit morale as low, with the National Guard and
    Reserve forces struggling the most.

  • According to the California National Guard, more than 7,000 California National
    Guard Troops have served in Iraq and Afghanistan , yet these forces have
    significantly fewer resources available to aid in their post combat readjustment
    than active duty components.

  • According to the Army, since March 2003, at least 45 US Soldiers and 9 Marines
    have committed suicide in Iraq . At least 20 soldiers and 23 Marines have
    committed suicide since returning home, though exact numbers are not available.

  • The Miles Foundation reports that calls to their Domestic Violence Hotline for
    Military Spouses has increased from 50 to 500 per month since the start of the
    Iraq War.

  • According to U.S. Army data, the number of active-duty soldiers getting divorced
    has been rising sharply with deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq . The trend is
    severest among officers. Last year, 3,325 Army officers' marriages ended in
    divorce -- up

  • 78% from 2003, the year of the Iraq invasion, and more than 3 1/2 times the
    number in 2000, before the Afghan operation. For enlisted personnel, the 7,152
    divorces last year were 28% more than in 2003 and up 53% from 2000 (USA Today,
    June 8, 2005).
Jeffrey Lucey
PTSD TIMELINE

Welcome to the PTSD Timeline, a first-of-its kind database of reported OEF/OIF combat post traumatic
stress-related incidents. Created, collected, fact-checked, updated, and maintained by members of the
ePluribus Media community  
The military and government does not consider many of our loved ones to be casualties of this war; some
are not counted in the official casualty list.   Despite whatever political beliefs / stance people may have,
we know the human cost of war; we live it every day.  We are not alone.
©2005-2009, Gold Star Families Speak Out, gsfso.org, Gold Stars Speak  All rights reserved ©
Formed in 2005, Gold Star Families Speak Out is a chapter of Military Families Speak Out and is a peace based organization for
relatives of members of the military who have been killed or lost their life during the period including the build-up to the war in
Iraq (fall, 2002) to the present.
We believe the best way to support our troops is to bring them home now and take care of them when they get here.
Contact us at gsfso@gsfso.org
TJ Sweet
No Immediate Threat
Typical Characteristics of those with PTSD:

  • Re-experiencing Symptoms - intrusive recollections, traumatic nightmares, ptsd flashbacks, trauma
    related stimulus evoked psychological distress, trauma related stimulus evoked physiological
    reactions;

  • Avoidant / Numbing Symptoms - efforts to avoid trauma related thoughts, conversations, feelings;
    efforts to avoid trauma related activities, places and people; psychogenic amnesia for trauma related
    memories; diminished interest; feeling detached or being estranged; restricted range of affect- unable
    to have loving feelings; sense of foreshortened future- does not expect to have a career, marriage,
    children or a normal life span;

  • Hyperarousal  Symptoms - insomnia, sleep difficulties, irritability, difficulty concentrating, hypervigilance,
    exaggerated startle response;

*Other Possible Symptoms as described by other sources: daily vomiting, distancing, seclusion yet fear of
being alone, distorted thinking, self loathing, dysfunction in relationships, chest pains, changes in eating
patterns, loss of energy, suicide ideation / wish to be dead, sense of powerlessness / helplessness /
desperation / worthlessness / indecisiveness

These previously stated symptoms causes significant impairment in social, occupation or other important
areas of functioning;


Complex PTSD occurs with the presence of non-PTSD symptoms:

  • Behavioral Difficulties such as impulsivity, aggression, sexual acting out, eating disorders, alcohol /
    drug abuse, self destructive actions;

  • Emotional Difficulties such as affective lability, rage, depression, panic, etc.;

  • Cognitive Difficulties such as fragmented thoughts, dissociation, amnesia, etc;

Three General Classes of PTSD:

  • Lifetime PTSD- remains chronic, severe and permanent - may show some improvement in functional
    capacity or symptom severity;

  • PTSD in remission with occasional relapses-  clients in remission who experience sudden relapses
    and begin to exhibit the full pattern of PTSD symptoms;

  • Delayed Onset- a delayed variant of PTSD in which individuals exposed to a traumatic event do not
    exhibit the PTSD syndrome until months or years afterwards.

( from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder by Matthew J. Friedman )

Suicide Information:

Over 30,000 people in the US die by suicide every year; according to WHO
someone on this earth commits suicide every 40 seconds;

A  person dies by suicide about every 18 minutes in the US; an attempt is estimated to be made once every
minute;

Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death for adults between ages 18 and 65 years in the US

There are four male suicides for every female suicide, but twice as many females as males attempt suicide

( information from The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention www.afsp.org )
VETERAN SUICIDE
EPIDEMIC- CBS
EVENING NEWS
11.13.2007

(CBS) They are the
casualties of wars you
don’t often hear about -
soldiers who die of self-
inflicted wounds. Little is
known about the true
scope of suicides among
those who have served in
the military.

But a five-month CBS
News investigation
discovered data that
shows a startling rate of
suicide, what some call a
hidden epidemic, Chief
Investigative Reporter
Armen Keteyian reports
exclusively.

“I just felt like this silent
scream inside of me,”
said Jessica Harrell, the
sister of a soldier who
took his own life. "I
opened up the door and
there he was," recalled
Mike Bowman, the father
of an Army reservist. "I
saw the hose double
looped around his neck,”
said Kevin Lucey, another
military father.  "He was
gone,” said Mia Sagahon,
whose soldier boyfriend
committed suicide. [more]

Watch the video, and here