To help stem the tide of veteran suicides, VA must stop turning away patients

Funny to see this post it made me think, so while I was waiting at the VA the other day I ran into a young vet who was turned away. Guy was visibly upset, asked if he was cool and got an ear full.

He was trying to get care but didn't bring a DD214 with him and hadn't put in to enroll in VA health care. He did have an honorable discharge certificate with him though. In his mind you just show up and ta-daa you get help. So that incident and then this post have got me thinking whether or not the Soldiers are getting briefed about applying for VA benefits and getting enrolled for care as part of their out-processing.

I'll swing by the VA shop here on post at lunch and ask about the briefings and bring it up at the Sergeants Major Association meeting. That's about all I can think of doing that would be helpful. But if folks aren't in the system and don't have the documents they need with them, I don't see how the VA can just provide care.

Thanks for sharing.