4 vets tie up VA suicide hotline with abusive calls

These four probably need some forms of counseling.

That's absolutely disgusting and saddening. I can't believe these fellow veterans would do that.

SGT (Join to see) I went behind closed doors with the now department head of the Robert Dole VA Behavioral Health Dept and had her call after expressing frustration at how long it takes to get through to that hotline, the behavioral health clinic or any clinic for that matter. She picked up the phone, put it on speaker and dialed. Her jaw literally dropped in disbelief as it rolled into a recording putting us on hold. We waited. No live voice ever answered. I worked in this career field as a nurse and would monitor the civilian line, getting critical info as quickly as possible and keeping callers on the line until I knew they were safe or on their way into the hospital. Beds are so scarce these days that many who would have automatically been admitted are sent home because there is someone even more critical. And the difference between alive and dead is seconds. Most suicides are planned roughly over time but the decision to follow through happens in an instant.