Did you know we lost another brother - Cancer claims crusader against veteran suicides?

COL Mikel J. Burroughs — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 13:09:23 -0400

Did you know we lost another brother - Cancer claims crusader against veteran suicides?

RP members another great veteran lost who devoted the final months of his life to raise awareness of veteran suicides! We salute you!

http://www.army.mil/article/156663/Cancer_claims_crusader_against_veteran_suicides/

A retired Army major who had devoted the final months of his life to raise awareness of veteran suicides died of colon cancer after a long, courageous fight.

Retired Maj. Justin Fitch, 33, the former Headquarters Research and Development Detachment, or HRDD, commander at Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, died Oct. 3, in his hometown of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin.

Fitch used his own story to shed light on veteran suicides. While serving in Iraq in 2007, Fitch had contemplated taking his own life. He got to the point where he was sitting in his shipping-container sleeping quarters with the barrel of his M-4 rifle in his mouth.

"It's OK to seek help," Fitch said later. "You can get help. Look at me."

Cancer claims crusader against veteran suicides

A retired Army major who had devoted the final months of his life to raise awareness of veteran suicides died of colon cancer after a long, courageous fight.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Oct 7 at 2015 1:11 PM

SN Greg Wright — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 13:11:05 -0400

Fair winds and following seas, Soldier.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Oct 7 at 2015 1:11 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 13:11:19 -0400

No I did not know that Retired Maj. Justin Fitch succumbed to cancer COL Mikel J. Burroughs. That is sad news.

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Oct 7 at 2015 1:16 PM

SCPO David Lockwood — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 13:16:42 -0400

RIP Maj.

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Oct 7 at 2015 5:50 PM

LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 17:50:27 -0400

May his memory be for a blessing. I hope that his survivors will find comfort in his work, and will get DIC from the VA...

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 7 at 2015 10:55 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 22:55:18 -0400

I have read his story. Such an inspiration of a man and will be missed. RIP brother and thank you for all your sacrifice.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Oct 8 at 2015 2:56 AM

PO1 John Miller — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 02:56:18 -0400

Thanks for sharing brother!

Response by SGT Rick Ash made Dec 11 at 2015 8:21 PM

SGT Rick Ash — Fri, 11 Dec 2015 20:21:08 -0500

This is discouraging. To lose a brother to cancer, one that was helping to lower veteran suicides is a huge loss. It's very personal to me. I have pancreatic cancer. 7 surgeries so far, 6 horrible months of 24/7 nasty chemo and constant pain. Even my pain pump ($60,000 ) doesn't stop all the pain. I am winning for the time being but who knows? I spend my mornings on http://www.Battle-Bro. com where I get the names and telephone numbers of 5 vets with PTSD to call. Some of the calls have been extremely painful. But I'll never stop.

Response by SSG Leo Bell made Dec 12 at 2015 8:47 AM

SSG Leo Bell — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 08:47:18 -0500

Another great loss. We are losing to many of us to cancer or suicide. This need to stop. Major Fitch you and your family are in my prayers brother. Rest in Peace.

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made Dec 11 at 2017 3:37 AM

SSgt Boyd Herrst — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 03:37:36 -0500

It’s hard when you have those close to you that die via cancers or taking their own life because the pain of what they’re going through with ptsd has become too big a challenge to mount that hill one more time.. we all have battles to fight
And challenges to meet and there’s always one more whose battles and challenges that are more intense than our own. We can pray now that those battles for our bro’s in arms are over and they can finally rest in The Lord’s arm’s. My dad lost his battle to cancer of the esophagus and of course it spread and took over until he just couldn’t fight it any more. in 2008, day before election.. So I can link and understand or try to somewhat what my comrade’s families are going through.
May God be with you and yours as you deal with their loss, Colonel. We all got to be part of our Comrade support team and have each other’s ‘6’ when needed.

Response by 1SG Mike Floyd made Oct 10 at 2020 3:52 AM

1SG Mike Floyd — Sat, 10 Oct 2020 03:52:30 -0400

RIP MY BROTHER

Response by SGT Ed Matyjasik made Oct 10 at 2020 11:23 AM

SGT Ed Matyjasik — Sat, 10 Oct 2020 11:23:33 -0400

Rest in peace brother you were much to young.

Response by Cpl Vic Burk made Oct 10 at 2020 8:24 PM

Cpl Vic Burk — Sat, 10 Oct 2020 20:24:18 -0400

I have a close fried right now that is battling cancer. He believes when his time has come, it has come and has refused chemo. They gave him about a year if he is lucky. He also thought about suicide. Somehow I managed to convinced him that would not be the way to go and would probably be even more painful to his family than a natural death.