Mr. President,
While wait times at the VA are getting the majority of attention from the media and politicians there is another even more pressing issue that is killing veterans as we speak.
An estimated 22 veterans take their lives every day. This astonishing number is only exacerbated by the ongoing VA problem. But preventing veteran suicide is about more than just getting proper access to mental health care from the VA, it is about a holistic approach to the veteran as an individual that addresses all of the difficulties veterans face when reintegrating into society.
It would be too easy to let the issue of veteran suicides get wrapped up in pending VA reform, but what is really needed is a focused and individualized approach to the problem.