STOP THE LOSS
In December of 2001 executive order #12728 delegated the emergency measures provides within the Presidential Authority assigned under Title 10, USCS §12305 to the Secretaries of the individual Armed Services.
This was the beginning of what has come to be known as Stop-Loss; the practice of suspending contractual separation dates of service members for the purpose of redeployment to Iraq and Afghanistan, in effect fighting two wars simultaneously engaging less than one percent of the population.
Stop-Loss was suspended in January of 2010, but nine years of war, according to a recent Rand study, has led to more than 400,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans now suffering from TBI (traumatic brain injury) and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
Visible wounds have been honored with Purple Hearts. Invisible wounds such as internal TBI and PTSD are not officially recognized as injuries by the Department of Defense.
Military suicides have increased every year since 2004. The Army suicide rate of has now reached 20.2 per 100,000 among active personnel alone. No statistics are available for veterans. The military suicide rate has now surpassed the national rate among the rest of the population for the first time in history.
Stigma associated with invisible wounds and a strained health care system have left these wounded warriors behind.
The correlation in this chain of circumstances is undeniable. Our shameful national loss to military service related suicide is unacceptable.
Stop the Loss Foundation is dedicated to establishing visible recognition, honor, acceptance, comfort and healing for past and present service members suffering the effects invisible wounds.
