TEXAS — This September is a heavy month for veterans in the United States. There’s the current crisis in Afghanistan and the 9/11 anniversary which trigger a lot of trauma for those who served in the military. It’s also suicide prevention month and veterans have one of the greatest risks for suicide. 

What You Need To Know

  • About 14% of all suicides in the United States are veterans
  • Penniman-Morin served a tour in Afghanistan and Iraq

  • The latest numbers from the VA show about 18 veterans die a day in the United States.

  • In the Veteran Affairs 2021 annual report, the suicide rate in veterans with recent use of the Veteran’s Health Administration decreased 2.4%. But in veterans who didn’t use VHA, it increased by 2.5% 
 

About 14% of all suicides in the United States are veterans and that number doesn’t seem to be going down either. 

Jim Penniman-Morin was once an army man. Now he’s a family man. 

The Cedar Park father of six served two tours in Afghanistan in 2003 and Iraq in 2004. 

“I was a rifle platoon leader,” he said. 

He says he’s worked through a lot of his trauma and loss, but his other comrades haven’t been so lucky, and several of his friends have taken their own life. 

“I think everybody who served in the war of terror will probably tell you they know multiple people who’ve committed suicide,” he said.  

The latest numbers from the VA show about 18 veterans die a day in the United States.

 In Texas, the suicide rate us 17.2, for veterans it’s 32.4. 

“They joined the military because they wanted to help people, they wanted to protect people, they wanted to be a strong pillar in their community,” Penniman-Morin said. “Sometimes it’s really hard to set that aside and realize you yourself might need some help.”

In the past month, the retired army lieutenant says the crisis in Afghanistan has triggered his trauma. 

It’s something a lot of veterans have been dealing with since the Taliban took control of the country. 

“We are having a lot of calls of people coming back to therapy because all of these memories are come up for them right now,” Street said. 

Spectrum News spoke to Street during a training session in Austin.

“When you move your eyes from left to right it activates the relaxation side of your nervous system and it also helps you process stuck images,” Street said.  

This psychotherapy is called accelerated resolution therapy or ART. 

It treats trauma through physical and emotional association, instead of talking, which is especially helpful to veterans with PTSD. 

"We have trained at over 20 active duty military bases that are using ART as a clinical technic,” she said.  

Penniman-Morin says he’s leaning on his buddy system for support right now, but he’s all too aware; if trauma isn’t treated, it could lead to suicide.

In the Veteran Affairs 2021 annual report, the suicide rate in veterans with recent use of the Veteran’s Health Administration decreased 2.4%

But in veterans who didn’t use VHA, it increased by 2.5%.

So for veterans like Penniman-Morin, treatment like ART can be the difference between life and death.