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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2009
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VA 'Lying About Vet Suicides'

It's 12,000 attempts a year, not 790, says secret email

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(Newser) – A Democratic senator is calling for the resignation of the Veterans Administration mental health chief, accusing him of deliberately hiding the truth about suicide attempts among US veterans, the Dallas Morning News reports. A secret agency email put the number of suicide attempts at 12,000 a year—not the 790 the VA officially reported, according to court documents released in a lawsuit by two veterans groups.

"Shh! Our suicide prevention coordinators are identifying about 1,000 suicide attempts per month among the veterans we see in our medical facilities," states the email from mental health chief Dr. Ira Katz. Washington Sen. Patty Murray, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, slammed the VA for withholding information that was needed to help it do its job.

U.S. Sen Patty Murray, D-Wash., a senior member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, has called for the resignation of the Veterans' Administration's mental health chief.
U.S. Sen Patty Murray, D-Wash., a senior member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, has called for the resignation of the Veterans' Administration's mental health chief.   (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks at a town hall-style meeting with veterans at Washington Jefferson College in Washington, Pa., on Tuesday, April 15, 2008.
Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks at a town hall-style meeting with veterans at Washington Jefferson College in Washington, Pa., on Tuesday, April 15, 2008.   (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
US soldiers at a war memorial at Camp Eggers Kabul, Afghanistan. A Texas senator has revealed an email that vets are attempting suicde at far higher rates than officially reported.
US soldiers at a war memorial at Camp Eggers Kabul, Afghanistan. A Texas senator has revealed an email that vets are attempting suicde at far higher rates than officially reported.   (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
U.S. soldiers salute at a war memorial during a Veterans Day ceremony at Camp Eggers Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2007. U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan marked the Veterans Day by offering veterans memorial meditation and prayer for the fallen colleagues in Afghanistan.
U.S. soldiers salute at a war memorial during a Veterans Day ceremony at Camp Eggers Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2007. U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan marked the Veterans Day by offering veterans...   (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
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