Iraq War Vet Derek Weida: ‘We’re Too Obsessed With This Number 22.’

I fully agree with what he is saying. As I work as a Veteran Advocate here in the city of Pittsburgh and across this country, I am often confronted with this type of issue. Is it sad that so many of our brothers and sisters-in-arms are dying by their own hand? Yes it is. But I think we as a collective community have gone beyond raising awareness to making this a "negative icon" as SPC Nicholas Cureton so perfectly said it.

We want to be viewed as strong and proud yet we sometimes fail ourselves by being too sorry for ourselves and for what our country asked us to do. I do not go out looking for free hands or to people to go out of their way to acknowledge me and my service. I am not special. I am just one person surrounded by thousands of other great people that decided to stand up, raise their right hand and swore to do what so many refuse to do.

Yes, remember our fallen brothers and sisters. Yes, honor their memory but honor them by being a total bad ass. Live your life in way to bring honor to them rather than to use them as a soap box. Do not be sorry, be proud. Do not seek reward, but seek a purpose.

Sir, thank you for sharing. I was just thinking about this the other day. A couple of veterans and I were sitting around trying to figure out what we could do to help our veteran population. We actually joked about raising awareness. Awareness doesn't need raised, action needs to happen. With action will come "awareness". We need to focus on the veterans who are in fact successful and use them as an example to help those who are having a hard time. Remind them how great they are and encourage them to work together to move past this moment. We will be helping the homeless population through the VA to start with and I will be sure to head my own advice. Stay positive. Remind them they are awesome. Create change.

Derek Weida is one of my favorites. I couldn't have said it better myself.

It is a unrealistic number and a way to draw attention to something that is not true. It was a research project of 21 states during the holiday months. It was a small snapshot, not the big picture.

I can understand how it happens, the scientific method along with factual reporting have went the way of the dodo bird. We as the end recipients are now morons and do not question any information that is given to us. We are too stupid to think that this information is questionable and when we do find out it is untrue, we do nothing to demand that it is made right.

Our brothers and sisters have become a talking point on a lie.

http://articles.latimes.com/2013/dec/20/science/la-sci-sn-veteran-suicide-statistics-20131219