Assembly Military & Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chair Cleopatra Tucker (D-Essex) released the following statement on Monday after her committee held a joint hearing with the Senate on the current status of suicide and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans and members of the United States Armed Services and the National Guard.
“The facts, when presented to us, are beyond sobering. According to the VA, at least 23,000 veterans have killed themselves since 2008 and at least 20 percent of all suicides in this country are veterans.
“The testimony we heard today was eye opening and heart breaking. The men and women who put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms should be able to come home to a system that will rigorously support their unique post-combat needs.
“We heard many detailed accounts today of what our veterans need and what our system lacks. I look forward to working with my counterparts in the Senate to address these issues so that we can help our veterans build strong, healthy lives for themselves and their families when they return home,” said Tucker.