[inaudible conversations] committee will come to order. Good morning, everybody. Thank you for being with the committee for todays oversight hearing entitled combating the crisis evaluating efforts to prevent veteran suicide. As the hearing title suggests, we are here this morning to discuss the ongoing veteran suicide crisis that, according to the latest Data Available from the department of Veterans Affairs, finds 22 veterans a day dying at their own hands. Im disappointed that the v. A. Was not able to release updated veteran suicide statistics at this time for this hearing. I understand that the center for Disease Control finally provided National Data to v. A. In the middle of march. Considering the critical interest in updated veteran suicide data, i cant emphasize enough the need for v. A. To pursue their analysis with a sense of urgency. Its my fervent hope that the new data will show a reduction in the rate of veteran suicides as a result of the investments we have made in v.
[inaudible conversations] committee will come to order. Good morning, everybody. Thank you for being with the committee for todays oversight hearing entitled combating the crisis evaluating efforts to prevent veteran suicide. As the hearing title suggests, we are here this morning to discuss the ongoing veteran suicide crisis that, according to the latest Data Available from the department of Veterans Affairs, finds 22 veterans a day dying at their own hands. Im disappointed that the v. A. Was not able to release updated veteran suicide statistics at this time for this hearing. I understand that the center for Disease Control finally provided National Data to v. A. In the middle of march. Considering the critical interest in updated veteran suicide data, i cant emphasize enough the need for v. A. To pursue their analysis with a sense of urgency. Its my fervent hope that the new data will show a reduction in the rate of veteran suicides as a result of the investments we have made in v.
To lawmakers about Mental Health care and Suicide Prevention programs for veterans and their families. The witnesses testify on why some are not receiving the necessary treatment and how a new law passed last year is trying to address the issue. This hearing is two and a half hours. [inaudible conversations] committee come to order. Good morning, everybody. Thank you for being with the committee for todays oversight hearing entitled combating the crisis evaluating efforts to prevent veteran suicide. As the hearing title suggests, we are here this morning to discuss the ongoing veteran suicide crisis that, according to the latest Data Available from the department of Veterans Affairs, finds 22 veterans a day dying at their own hands. Im disappointed that the v. A. Was not able to release updated veteran suicide statistics at this time for this hearing. I understand that the center for Disease Control finally provided National Data to v. A. In the middle of march. Considering the critica
Hair dirty and matted, homeless and struggling. He was a big dude. He came up to me and i was instantly on my guard. And he said where are you going and he said i am going to california and he said how much food do you have. I thought he wanted to rob me. He wanted me to open up my bag and i didnt know what was going to happen but i was jumpy about it. I said i have a little cheese. He was carrying a lunch box and said i lib in a broken down car and he said i walk out to the coal mine to see if anyone is sick and they can hire me. Most days they dont need to hire he and today they dont need me so i will not need my lunch. He had a baloney sandwich, apple and bag of potato chips and he said i want you to have my food because you will need all you can to get to california. You can imagine how bad i felt. It was my first lesson not in generosity but taking responsibility for another person you dont know. He looked at me on the highway and saw a brother. He saw someone on foot, homeless in
Host you hitchhiked. Guest yeah. And guys were throwing beer bottles at me from pickup trucks, and id hitchhiked from twin cities and here i am in gillette and id never seen the west before. I was awestruck by it but gillette was a tough town, and i saw someone walking towards me from town that looked like bad news. And im a young kid out in the great land and kind of jumpy. This guy is walking towards me and i remember he was in a carhartt canvas union suit that was filthy dirty and his hair was matted and he clearly was homeless and struggling. He was big dude. He came up to me, and i was instantly on my guard. And he said, hey, man, where are you going . I said, im going california. And he said, how much food you got . Now, i would give food to anyone who was hungry, but i didnt think thats what was going on. Thought he wanted to rob me. Wanted me to get me to open up my bag. I didnt know what was going to happen but i was definitely jumpy. So, i said, i just got a little cheese. An