Air Force Vet Says Veterans Suicide Hotline Placed Him On Hold Repeatedly

Started by Solar, April 14, 2015, 08:31:25 AM

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Solar

Wanna bet the only thing he'll get from the govt is confiscation of guns, and loss of his 2nd Amendment Rights?

Tampa, Fla. (CBS TAMPA) — An Air Force veteran says he was repeatedly put on hold by the Veterans Suicide Hotline, as he was forced to listen to machine recordings and get re-directed as he sat there "desperately needing someone to talk to" on Saturday night.
Ted Koran says the only reason he's still alive today is because of the 60 rescue animals he cares for, WFTS-TV reports. The Air Force veteran first reached out to the James Haley VA Center in Tampa, where a recording told him the 800 number for the suicide hotline. He says was initially put on hold for 10 minutes, before hanging up and redialing the number two more times.
"I went to the only place that I knew and that I had available to me, the VA," Koran told WFTS. "I had to sit there patiently, in emotional distress, in tears, wanting to give up, desperately needing someone to talk to."
"I was missing my wife," he said.
Koran's wife Karen, who he adopted the 60 rescue animals with, died of cancer six months ago and his depression on Saturday evening sank him to the point he was considering taking his own life. Koran said it took several attempts to get a real person on the suicide hotline after repeatedly being put on hold – and even then the counselor was of little comfort to him.
"They had me on the [verge] of saying to hell with it," he said. "The very ones that are supposed to be there for me let me down."
More than 1,000 veterans contact that hotline every day. According to Veterans Affairs data released earlier this year, 22 veterans take their own life every day, or about every 65 minutes.

Koran told WFTS he's lucky his rescue animals came to his own rescue.
"My wife and I saved them, and they saved me," Tom Koran said. "My warriors, my heroes."

http://tampa.cbslocal.com/2015/04/14/air-force-vet-says-veterans-suicide-hotline-placed-him-on-hold-repeatedly/
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kit saginaw

It's an emotional, important story, but I'm not sure how to process it.

I don't know how strong the guy's need to talk mechanism is.   

daidalos

Quote from: kit saginaw on April 14, 2015, 06:40:08 PM
It's an emotional, important story, but I'm not sure how to process it.

I don't know how strong the guy's need to talk mechanism is.   
That is irrelevant. These are men and women who should have someone there for them period.

Not a recording, not muzak, a live person.

It's way past time this nation stopped treating veterans as second class citizens.

In fact I say amend the Constitution so that there is residency, and then there's citizenry.

With Citizenry being earned through service to the nation in some fashion. Whether that be teaching, police, fire, emt, the military.

Those that can't be bothered with a few years of service to this nation, fine, they get residency, with less governmental benefits available to them.

One of every five Americans you meet has a mental illness of some sort. Many, many, of our veteran's suffer from mental illness like PTSD now also. Help if ya can. :) http://www.projectsemicolon.org/share-your-story.html
And no you won't find my "story" there. They don't allow science fiction. :)

TboneAgain

Quote from: daidalos on April 30, 2015, 04:35:47 PM
That is irrelevant. These are men and women who should have someone there for them period.

Not a recording, not muzak, a live person.

It's way past time this nation stopped treating veterans as second class citizens.

In fact I say amend the Constitution so that there is residency, and then there's citizenry.

With Citizenry being earned through service to the nation in some fashion. Whether that be teaching, police, fire, emt, the military.

Those that can't be bothered with a few years of service to this nation, fine, they get residency, with less governmental benefits available to them.

I can't help asking.... why are there "governmental benefits" at all? Where in the Constitution does it say that it's okay for the government to take my wealth, or yours -- at the point of a gun, as government ultimately does all things -- and give it to someone else?

I'm not even sure where you get the idea that veterans are being treated as "second class citizens." How? Why do you say that?

I guess I'm not convinced that a couple of years' service to one's country (generously paid in cash, room, board, clothing, unlimited medical care, and post-service bennies) should be a key for life to the federal treasury. The CBS story describes this guy as an "Air Force veteran," but doesn't claim he served in any conflict or in any combat role. My uncle was an "Air Force veteran," but he never flew a plane (or even rode in one) or participated in any sort of conflict. I doubt if he ever got his thick-lensed glasses dirty. On the other hand, my dad was a Navy veteran, serving on a Fletcher-class destroyer from 1943-46, with his ass hanging out in the wind in the south Pacific for years. He and his shipmates faced a determined enemy coming to kill them every day with submarines, battleships, bombers, and even kamikazes.

There are many shades of "veteran."
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. -- Tenth Amendment to the US Constitution

Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; IT IS FORCE. -- George Washington

kroz

hhmm..... at the risk of angering a lot of people....

It appears to me that there are a growing number of groups that are claiming they deserve more than they are getting from this government.  It is their RIGHT to get more.  The veterans are just one of those groups.

I have great respect for our military and the veterans among us.  I am married to one and my dad was one.  They did their duty and moved on with their lives.  PTSD is not a NEW syndrome for warriors.   Many WWII veterans suffered this syndrome that went undiagnosed and ignored by all.  My Dad had it but went on with his life..... but would never talk about the war.  It took decades for him to quit having the nightmares.

Today I see veterans claiming 100% disability because of PTSD and are hunting and fishing every day.  What a life.

Our nation has changed and it is not a good thing.

Solar

Quote from: kroz on April 30, 2015, 05:55:16 PM
hhmm..... at the risk of angering a lot of people....

It appears to me that there are a growing number of groups that are claiming they deserve more than they are getting from this government.  It is their RIGHT to get more.  The veterans are just one of those groups.

I have great respect for our military and the veterans among us.  I am married to one and my dad was one.  They did their duty and moved on with their lives.  PTSD is not a NEW syndrome for warriors.   Many WWII veterans suffered this syndrome that went undiagnosed and ignored by all.  My Dad had it but went on with his life..... but would never talk about the war.  It took decades for him to quit having the nightmares.

Today I see veterans claiming 100% disability because of PTSD and are hunting and fishing every day.  What a life.

Our nation has changed and it is not a good thing.
As a disabled Vet, I have absolutely no complaints. I never expected anything, but a small stipend to offset my injuries, but the added benefits like free meds, free medical care etc, just seems a bit much.

Honestly, if they wanted to do away with it, I'd vote to repeal it, it's just a bit excessive in 90% of the cases, because any vet can have these services, though limited to the non injured.
As T pointed out, it's not in the Constitution and it's becoming just an extension of the welfare state.
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daidalos

Quote from: TboneAgain on April 30, 2015, 05:28:00 PM
I can't help asking.... why are there "governmental benefits" at all? Where in the Constitution does it say that it's okay for the government to take my wealth, or yours -- at the point of a gun, as government ultimately does all things -- and give it to someone else?

I'm not even sure where you get the idea that veterans are being treated as "second class citizens." How? Why do you say that?

I guess I'm not convinced that a couple of years' service to one's country (generously paid in cash, room, board, clothing, unlimited medical care, and post-service bennies) should be a key for life to the federal treasury. The CBS story describes this guy as an "Air Force veteran," but doesn't claim he served in any conflict or in any combat role. My uncle was an "Air Force veteran," but he never flew a plane (or even rode in one) or participated in any sort of conflict. I doubt if he ever got his thick-lensed glasses dirty. On the other hand, my dad was a Navy veteran, serving on a Fletcher-class destroyer from 1943-46, with his ass hanging out in the wind in the south Pacific for years. He and his shipmates faced a determined enemy coming to kill them every day with submarines, battleships, bombers, and even kamikazes.

There are many shades of "veteran."

QuoteWhen you sign on the dotted line, which says if you do A, they'll Do B. That's where, we call it an "Enlistment contract". AND is something this nation has done since the revolutionary war.
I would also add this: We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Um, didn't read the first paragraph of the Constitution?  :lol:
One of every five Americans you meet has a mental illness of some sort. Many, many, of our veteran's suffer from mental illness like PTSD now also. Help if ya can. :) http://www.projectsemicolon.org/share-your-story.html
And no you won't find my "story" there. They don't allow science fiction. :)

TboneAgain

Quote from: daidalos on May 04, 2015, 02:51:23 PM
Um, didn't read the first paragraph of the Constitution?  :lol:

I've perused it once or twice, but thanks for refreshing my memory.  :bored:

Now, explain to me please how it empowers the national government to take my wealth at the point of a gun and give it to someone else.
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. -- Tenth Amendment to the US Constitution

Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; IT IS FORCE. -- George Washington

Solar

Quote from: Solar on April 30, 2015, 07:59:47 PM
As a disabled Vet, I have absolutely no complaints. I never expected anything, but a small stipend to offset my injuries, but the added benefits like free meds, free medical care etc, just seems a bit much.

Honestly, if they wanted to do away with it, I'd vote to repeal it, it's just a bit excessive in 90% of the cases, because any vet can have these services, though limited to the non injured.
As T pointed out, it's not in the Constitution and it's becoming just an extension of the welfare state.
As usual, I reread what I wrote and I don't think it was all that clear (as usual). :glare: :blushing:

In other words, we get too damn much in aid from the taxpayer! The pols use as as weapons against one another and the side effects makes dependents out of us.

WE served the country out of duty and honor, asking nothing in return. Instead, it's like hitting the damn lottery when you get out.
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