This is a sad story, folks.
Joseph Dwyer, who in 2003 (when photo was taken), had this photo snapped of him while carrying an Iraqi child to safety, died last month after abusing a computer cleaner aerosol.
This wasn't the first time Dwyer had run into issues in his life back in the states. He had battled depression, sleeplessness and other issues that military doctors simply passed off as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Joseph had demons that he just could not shake which all surrounded the time he spent in the initial invasion of Iraq. His unit was among the "tip of the tip of the spear" in the first days of the United States invasion into hostile areas of Iraq.
The war which made him a hero at the young age of 26 haunted him until the day he died.
Now begs the question; Is this a bigger problem than we've been led to believe? How many military men and women have taken part in events after their service which were self-destructive to their health and ultimately have led or will lead to their end?
I love this country, but whenever I see a story like this, I hang my head and send apologies and prayers to the person in question. Did this country, the country which these men and women put their lives on the line for, do everything it could for them when they returned home?
Obviously, there will always be the exceptions. There will always be those who "slip through the cracks." However, that cannot be used as an excuse for every one of these brave servicemen. According to Dr. Ira R Katz of WarComesHome.org, approximately 1,000 veterans attempt suicide each month. If this isn't a pandemic, I don't know what is.
So, the question I pose is; can anything be done? There has to be more we, as a country, can do to help these vets.
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