On this Memorial Day, as our nation flirts with a wholly unnecessary and foolish war with Iran, it is worth pausing to reflect on what, exactly, we are memorializing with this holiday. In our nation's brief history, more than 658,000 of our children have died in combat, including more than 6,800 in the Global War on … Continue reading Facing the true meaning of Memorial Day
PTSD
Suicide risk demands an open, compassionate response
Suicide. Survivor’s guilt. Trauma. PTSD. Our nation has been — and should be — engaged in conversation on these difficult topics this week after the apparent suicides of three people intimately tied to mass school shootings in Parkland, Fla. and Newtown, Conn. Their deaths echo the pain, grief and insensible trauma that continue to shock … Continue reading Suicide risk demands an open, compassionate response
For first responders, depression and suicide pose the greatest risk
When members of the public experience an emergency, they count on first responders — police, firefighters and EMS — to show up. First responders pride themselves on being the ones who head toward those situations, from car wrecks to fires and violent crime. But, frequent exposure to the trauma surrounding incidents like fatality accidents, suicides … Continue reading For first responders, depression and suicide pose the greatest risk
Check your benefits
Enid, Okla. -- There are more than 21 million veterans — including more than 312,000 in Oklahoma — living in the United States, according to 2014 U.S. Census Bureau figures. About 20 percent of those veterans suffer from some form of disability due to injuries or environmental exposure incurred while in the military, and about … Continue reading Check your benefits
James R. Neal 