The cost of war: A Marine veteran's suicide points to the heavy toll at home.

[Judi Lynn]

The cost of war
A Marine veteran's suicide points to the heavy toll at home.
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
April 10, 2011, 9:39PM

Clay Hunt was "a war hero and giant-hearted humanitarian," read his obituary, detailing his tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, and his volunteer work in earthquake-stricken Haiti and Chile. As a Marine, "he often wondered why he survived when so many close friends and others paid the ultimate price for our nation's freedom."

The sad truth is that he didn't survive. He returned from those wars with post-traumatic stress disorder and could never shake the survivor's guilt at his comrades' deaths. Finally, on March 31 of this year, he committed suicide in his Houston apartment, far from combat zones, but just as surely another battlefield casualty.

As reported by the Chronicle's Lindsay Wise, Hunt, who had been active in suicide prevention efforts, had a hard time adjusting to civilian life after his discharge in 2009. He dropped out of college, divorced and had suicidal thoughts.

Things were looking up in recent months. He moved back to Houston, found a job and received medication for his depression and PTSD. But that didn't save him.

More:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/7516062.html

[Mnemosyne]

1. ... n/t

[zalinda]

2. I want the fucking wars to end

Not just change the name of what the 'mission' is called.

zalinda