About The Bay: Napa Valley Home Tackles Military Suicides
YOUNTVILLE (KCBS) — Military veterans are taking their own lives at an alarming rate. A facility in the Napa Valley is looking to counter the trend.
You wouldn't know it by its serene surroundings, but The Pathway Home in Yountville is where the Department of Veteran's Affairs sends vets they are unable to help.
Director Fred Guzman said about 22 military suicides occur each day, about one an hour.
More Soldiers Committing Suicide In Peacetime Than Ever Before
Soldiers expressed feelings of darkness, extreme depression and the feeling that life is better without them in it. That combined with the guns and medication inside some of their homes could be a recipe for disaster.
The vets that go to Pathway have had run-ins with the police, alcohol and drugs and the home is often their last resort.
Veterans are now speaking out and sharing their stories in hopes that they de-stigmatize any notions of soldiers getting help for depression. The non-profit organization receives no funding or assistance from the federal government, but still needs support.
(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
