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(CNN) -- The Obama administration has reversed a White House policy of not sending condolence letters to the next-of-kin of service members who commit suicide, a senior administration official confirmed in a statement to CNN.
The move comes nearly six weeks after a group of senators -- 10 Democrats and one Republican -- asked President Barack Obama to change what they called an "insensitive" policy that dates back several administrations and has been the subject of protest by some military families.
In the statement Tuesday, the White House official said a review had been completed, and the president will send condolence letters to families of service members who commit suicide while deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and other combat operations.
"The president feels strongly that we need to destigmatize the mental health costs of war to prevent these tragic deaths, and changing this policy is part of that process," the official's statement said.
"Unfortunately, perpetuating a policy that denies condolence letters to families of service members who die by suicide only serves to reinforce this stigma by overshadowing the contributions of an individual's life with the unfortunate nature of his or her death. It is simply unacceptable for the United States to be sending the message to these families that somehow their loved ones' sacrifices are less important."
I think it's really disturbing that they ever put a ban on these letters. Servicemen and women are more likely than any other group to attempt suicide...perhaps there's some cause and effect going on there. How the hell does, "I'm sorry we're probably partially to blame for your family member trying to kill themselves...but since they did, **** you and your grief" make any sense?
Can't blame the service. Most of those people were ****ed up, before they ever enlisted.
Being related to and close with many military service men and women I find this disgusting.
Having spent over a decade in the service, I find it to be true, that people who go mental, after joining the service, were ****ed up before they enlisted.
Having spent over a decade in the service, I find it to be true, that people who go mental, after joining the service, were ****ed up before they enlisted.
Or...
As usual you come into threads like these and say deliberately inflammatory things to rile people up because you get off on it, This isn't he first thread to do with suicide that you've bombed with pathetic bull**** like this.
You have enough tissues on hand?
Why don't you ask for sources then?
Or...
As usual you come into threads like these and say deliberately inflammatory things to rile people up because you get off on it, This isn't he first thread to do with suicide that you've bombed with pathetic bull**** like this.
You have enough tissues on hand?
Any traumatic event (such as a war) affects different people differently. Some people are fine, some suffer PTSD, and a few are driven to suicide. Saying that they were "****ed up before they enlisted" is just a sneaky way of saying "they were pieces of **** before they enlisted, so **** them." Even if they were mentally ill, being in a war zone probably didn't help their mental state. And in any case, they were human beings deserving of respect.
Or, I use my actual real world experience to correct an erroneous statement.
Do you really believe that the U.S. military is to blame for servicemen committing suicide? I'm thinking that you probably don't believe that.
Or, I use my actual real world experience to correct an erroneous statement.
Do you really believe that the U.S. military is to blame for servicemen committing suicide? I'm thinking that you probably don't believe that.
No. War is.
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So, what unit were you in? Got anything to back up your statements?
The war just brought the issues to the surface.
The trouble with this kind of thing is it is likely tainted by your perception or mispreception.
So, while I won't go so far as to blame the military, you seem to blame the person, which is not only heartless and cruel, especially to those who have lost love ones this way, but likely an oversimplification that doesn't consider all factors. Makes you feel better, so you can say it would never be you, and we all hope it won't be, but it is not likely anything worthy of comment on.
Or, I use my actual real world experience to correct an erroneous statement.
Do you really believe that the U.S. military is to blame for servicemen committing suicide? I'm thinking that you probably don't believe that.
Umm which statement? That trauma affects different people differently? How about a little thing called the entire field of psychology?
How the **** is offering CONDOLENCES to the families of suicide victims tantamount to blaming servicemen for suicide? You're just trolling in order to be a dick.
Ah! You illustrate my point. Thank you!
FWIW, I don't blame the person. My youngest daughter is a special needs child and I certainly don't ****ing blame her!
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