Silence - Silent Killer

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By Lindsey Scheetz

Story Published: May 23, 2010 at 3:49 PM MST

Story Updated: May 24, 2010 at 6:18 PM MST

BILLINGS - For more than 7 years men and women in the armed forces have been fighting overseas. But many soldiers face a different kind of war when they return home.

It is a silent killer for U.S. troops; it’s a problem Montana senator Max Baucus said is heart wrenching. "There are more suicides then there are soldiers lost in combat, and that's unforgivable."

Suicide is rarely spoken of, yet more than 800 U.S. servicemen and women have taken their own lives since 2003. Only 760 have died in combat in Afghanistan. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, nearly 20% of suicides each year are committed by veterans; approximately 18 veterans commit suicide every day.

They are statistics that became reality for Matt Kuntz when his step brother Chris Dana took his own life. "Chris was a quiet guy, not the type you'd think would join the military. He was a bookworm," said Kuntz.

After returning home from the war in Iraq Dana suffered from post traumatic stress disorder, a mental illness that affects more than half of the soldiers that attempt suicide.

National Guard Colonel Jeff Ireland said the transition from combat to civilian life can be very overwhelming for many soldiers. "When you come back it’s not as easy as flipping a switch and just changing from where you were to where you need to be."

But despite the challenges Kuntz says suicide is a tragedy that can be avoided if people would simply talk about it. "I think the biggest thing is that we just can't be complacent." Veterans Affairs Suicide Coordinator Kellie LaFave agrees, she said the stigma that is often associated with mental illness prevents victims from speaking out. "If you had chest pain you'd go to the hospital and have it checked out. But if you're having psychological pain you say, 'oh I’m going to deal with this myself, I’m going to suck this up and I’ll get through this because I can do this."

It is because of this that hundreds of soldiers have fallen victim, losing their life to the silence that LaFave said can be broken.

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Ron said on Tuesday, May 25 at 10:06 AM

Max...there are not more suicides than soldiers lost in combat bro....there were less than 1,000 suicides SINCE 2003. OVER A MILLION HAVE DIED IN COMBAT IN THE LAST 3 YEARS. Earth to Max, Come in, Over. a soldier with PTSD is still a soldier and is treated like a criminal when he seeks a medical marijuana card....wonder why he would kill himself after watching his friends get their heads blown off in a desert for an unclear reason...and returns "home" to be treated like a doper...When bad guys were shooting and you were hiding under the table, that pot smoking soldier guy was stading tall and shooting back for christ sake, show some respect.

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