Four vets tie up suicide hotline with crank calls
USAToday reports that four veterans have made 5,619 abusive and vulgar phone calls to the Veterans’ Affairs’ suicide hotline just in May for reasons that aren’t explained in the article.
“It’s unacceptable that they would block that kind of access for other veterans and other active-duty service members that really need crisis help and so we’re working through this clinically now to address that, cause it’s just wrong,” Gibson said. “My bottom line was deal with it and deal with it quickly because we’re not going to continue to have that happen.”
Five thousand phone calls from four people seem like a lot to me. I know of people who would do something like that – my inbox is full of emails from people like that – the VA ought to get to the root of the problem. I get the sense that, whatever their reason is, it’s probably not helping to force the VA to spend scarce resources on catering to these four guys’ opinions.
Thanks to Dave for the link.
Category: Veterans' Affairs Department
As my platoon sergeant used to say, “buddy” is only half a word.
We used to sing this ditty, sung to the tune of “Party Pooper”:
Every buddy needs a fucker
That’s why we invited you
Buddy-Fucker, Buddy-Fucker
That’s an awful lot of calls even if you are splitting the workload 4 ways.
If this is true, well it just shows that there are assholes everywhere in need of a good hard throat punch. It’s too bad we no longer settle things with a good ass whooping, and now we just rely on fucking lawyers and cops….no wonder we’re such a bunch of pussies as a nation these days.
If that’s distributed evenly among those 4 morons, you get 1479 phone calls made by each one. If they call every day for a year, they’ve made a minimum of 4 phone calls apiece, which has done nothing but harass and distract the VA hotline people.
It appears that these 4 useless used paper towel rolls have nothing to do and want attention. I think that local law enforcement could certainly give them what they want. They just might not like it.
BULLSHIT !!!! The VA is lying !!!!! I am getting a billboard.
One caller made 2,158 calls in May? What? 72 calls a day? Assuming he was sleeping or otherwise unable to call 8hrs each day that means he called every 13 minutes?
It takes longer than 13 minutes for those people to answer the phone. This us utter bullshit. The VA is embellishing numbers as usual.
Ok, next…the did 30 rescues a day? The stopped 30 people a day from killing themselves? 30 veterans?
Shut the fuck up. Really?
So 22 veterans manage to off themselves and they stop 30. Every day. Each and every day.
BULLSHIT
I want to see the so called veterans DD214’s.
I hate this veterans are poor victims bullshit. Call the Dave Hardin veteran line, its automated and tells you how to do it without being a pussy about it.
The VA can all fuck themselves.
You really need to let things out Dave. Stop holding it all in. Tell us how you really feel, we’re here for you.
Thanks bro, I try to tone it back for civilian consumption.
The suicide hotline does not take 13 minutes to answer.
The 30 “rescues” are the number of veterans that called and he worked with and did not end up killing themselves that day or within the timeframe of follow up checks.
I am not sure why you are so hostile to the hotline. It works. It is doing a public service. And for relatively lithe money.
And being an asshat cheerleading veteran suicides because you think they are “pussies” says a lot about you Dave.
Clueless fuck.
Lostcause….Somebody has to set the record straight. Dave means no harm, he’s getting up there in years. You do know they only let him out on weekends don’t you? He catches hell from Nurse Ratched on a daily basis and does not always understand what comes out of his mouth. Personally, all jokes aside, neither he nor any of us take veteran suicide lightly. I’m every bit as fucked up as Dave when it comes to finding humor in the every day grind of life, no matter how difficult some people make it. Speaking for myself, reference on Dave’s post was to specifically the dumb ass mfkrs who tie up V A phone lines every day, preventing those with SERIOUS calls from getting through. As for the reference to pussies, that is often my thought when reading about someone who took the short road. I mean, when ANY one of us thinks we have it bad, all we have to do is look around and it’s damned EASY to find someone else who has it a hell of a lot worse than we do. The “pussy” term would reflect (IMHO) those who lack the ability to deal with life’s problems and make no effort other than to check out early. The “pussy” term applies to those so damned inconsiderate to the guilt and hopeless loss by a friend or relative. Think how children are left suffering, a lot less wives. Stepping out on a log, I seriously doubt there is not one among us who has not at one time or another in a time of great stress who has at least not slightly given thought to ending it all. Dave was no more cheerleading veteran suicides than you are cheerleading umpteen million calls every day by weak-minded attention seeking whores who prevent serious callers from getting through. Knowing how fucked up the V A is, the call line hopefully helps prevent many from ending their lives…..but I seriously doubt if one calls who is intent on ending it all finds the voice to convince them otherwise. Some folks are… Read more »
I know several veterans that killed themselves. None of them were pussies.
Are you shitting me? Like I dont know people that die. Get a grip numbnutz. I have watched people die, some by their own hand.
I worked at the treatment center at Camp Lejeune. Patients do stupid shit all the time, thats why they are sent to us.
This VA hotline does not stop 30 people a day from killing themselves. Thats utter nonsense. This conversation always comes down to “If they stop one then its justified”.
Well, bullshit. People that have actually decided to end their life are not going to call a hotline and cry about it. They are generally happy and relieved just prior to doing it.
Too many years as a counselor in treatment centers to buy into or pass on this do gooder nonsense.
I will march into hell for a veteran that needs me. Always have, I will not kiss their ass in the process.
I have been going to too many funerals in the past couple of years. We all die bro, if I have any say in the matter I will not die in a puddle of my own piss.
Dave, you make a good point. I’ve been the SIO in several units and one common thread from all the training I had to go through was that if someone was reaching out for help, at least some part of them wasn’t set on killing themselves quite yet.
I know for a fact the suicide hotline works.
I also know for a fact that people who are serious about suicide also can reach other prior to doing it,
In fact the military now explicitly teaches soldiers to do EXACTLY THAT. The military constantly presses the message to at least reach out for help before doing it.
Your attitude towards suicidal veterans or veterans dealing with mental health issues is ABSOLUTELY FUCKING BULLSHIT.
Additionally, TBIs can lead to CTE which causes persistent suicidal thoughts and impulses due to degenerative changes in the brain.
Todays Army…I am glad they teach that shit. Poor veterans with mental health issues.
Hey, lets kiss their ass and give’em a check every month.
I probably have degenerative changes in the brain…stop being mean to me or I will go down to the nearest veteran victim circle jerk and hug my donated puppy till all the bad feeling s go away.
They may be lying about the numbers but 72 a day is not unreasonable in the 21 century.
https://play.google.com/store/search?q=prankdial&hl=en
Call APL.
Dave, thanks for saying this. I too, am tired of the poor victim bullshit
“If this is true….” I flat out disbelieve it. I may have missed the explanation of HOW the VA knows that the purported crank calls are from actual Veterans. Do the math on the 2k+ from one caller in May alone. What’s possible and what’s likely are not the same thing. To me. it’s just as likely that a call center’s employees concocted the report to cover their butts for something. I just don’t believe it.
yeah, we posted seconds apart Dave.
Programs like this one spend most of their energy justifying their own existence.
Call my phone a be a pain in the ass more than once and I block the number. That is a feature these idiots havent heard of yet.
I post Jonn’s number to midget porn sites all the time. He gives good phone.
I have to do something about the “Y” key. Mine works like the VA. I press it but it only does something if it feels like it.
I do agree somebody needs a whuppin’
If the crank calls are real, the guys doing the calls. If the story is bogus, the guys trying to CYA.
There is this: It has long been possible to set your ‘puter to autocall, get an answer, and hang up. I know a guy who did that 25 years ago – to “protest” a lawyer who’d messed him over. It is quite easy to add a message to that process and then hang up.
Set that puppy to run, and go have a beer. It’s doable.
Surely there must be a solution. If any of these called and began a conversation with any of the following, why would a person waste time listening to this garbage?
1. “I’m getting so old my pecker won’t stand up anymore. Makes me tired of living. Can’t go on without Mr. Johnson being able to stand up.
2. “My Depends cost more than my medications these days. I can’t take it!”
3. “They’ve gone and replaced one of my favorite T V shows with one about some homo attorney in the Ft. Myers area”.
4. “Reese cups just don’t taste the same any more. I can’t take it!”
5. “This Hardin fellow posts Jonn’s phone number to midget porno sites and never mentions my number. No calls for me…I can’t take it”.
6. “My neighbor’s dog chewed up one of my favorite glass slippers. It hurts me so bad”.
7. “My own German Shepherd ran off with a chihuahua down the road. Until then I had no idea “Bruiser” was gay.
8. “Our septic tank is overflowing with fresh turds these days. A bunch of chicken hawks are just sitting on the clothes line waiting for the Baby Ruth candy to ripen.”
9. “My bowel movements are not regular anymore. This drives me crazy, especially when we are visiting friends who do not have an exhaust fan in their bathroom. I don’t want them to know my poop stinks! Please tell me what to do.”
10. Even old “friends” (or SO I thought) make fun of my Bermuda shorts and socks since they hang loosely just below my knees. It brings me to tears! Please help me. I just can’t take it any more!”
Get on with life is this is your whine for the day. Don’t call unless it is something SERIOUS.
I only give your number out to the quality sites bro.
May I have your attention please? Regarding caller # 3 above, my pilot has just informed me our destination to visit Homo Notorney is Tampa. Same climate, just a different bike this time. And DON”T go knocking on his door. That is reserved for SEALS only.
Yeh, right! So that’s why the Chia Pets for Vets called with some sultry voice telling me they’d name a star after me if I donated!
Dunno about the veracity, but it’s a special kind of asshole that crank calls a suicide hotline.
All those calls allegedly from just a few who are alleged to be Vets? I call bullshit, the VA higher-ups have been caught lying to cover their asses a few too many times.
It’s from USA Today. I hold them in the same “unbiased, high regard” as the WaPo or NYT (/sarc).
In other words, I would look at the story behind the story to dig out the facts, and the bias. I don’t believe it one bit.
There is sooo much wrong with this story that it defies a civil yet appropriate response. Can only second what others have already said and what the rest of us are thinking.
Gee, and I was being generously doubtful when I said 4 per person per day (see above). I guess I’m in a good mood today or something.
I think I’ll go post someone’s phone number on the men’s room door over at the greasy spoon diner truck stop out on the highway. 🙂 🙂 🙂
That would be a lost cause, Ex (smirk)
Doesn’t matter who or what they are. Fuck them. Fuck them hard.
I know the left started their autodialers when the Veterans Hotline Trump set up was made public
Hostile to the hotline? I was being nice. I don’t get hostile at phones, well not someone else’s phone anyway.
I get Hostile because WE ARE AT WAR. All these little groups that are now fighting ISIS have their hands full at the moment. What do think these animals are going to do if ISIS is completely defeated? Play nice with us? They are at war with us.
Moving on…North Korea is developing weapons of ultimate mass destruction. They are being allowed to do exactly that.
Putin and his punks have invaded Ukraine. He woke up one day and said what the hell lets take the easter part of another country. Russian military are being extremely aggressive to our own military. Daily reports of near incidents reported.
China has decided to take some islands over. Little girls are having their throats cut in Israel. The western world is under attack by a major killing event almost every month.
Our warriors are calling a god damned hot line. Collecting PTSD payments and pissing and moaning about their service.
Not all of us are, just the needy bastards. All this touchy feely bullshit is a festering puss filled boil on the ass of all the rest of us who served.
I say we cut the phone off all together and spend the money on ammo.
Okay, in the words of Homie D. Clown, ‘let I get this right’.
We are talking about a lifeline that a lot of hurting Veterans need to have for their recovery from PTSD. This lifeline has probably saved many lives. Yet these vertical turds feel the need to prank call it, tying up resources which many hurting Veterans need to have?
That is amongst the lowest of the low, right there.
Thinking of calling a suey-cide hot line? Read this first. You might get one of these numbskulls.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=276×11141
The 22/day meme is seriously flawed – as admitted by the authors of the study from which the meme is derived. Veterans below the age of 50 have lower suicide rates than their peers. The study shows that 16-17 suicides per day are in the over 50 age groups. This raises a gigantic red flag to anyone who can analyze a study. The authors gleaned their numbers from State mortality records. It is the norm that the State derives personal information on the suicide from family. The study’s authors readily admit that there is no way for them to check if the personal information, specifically veteran status, of the deceased is true or not. The authors admit that there is a good chance that the family either does not know the deceased’s veteran status or they could be lying about it. For this reason, the study and the 22/day meme should not be used for any VA policy decisions. A new and more rigorous study should be pursued. Yeah, right. This won’t happen. The 22/day meme plays into the VA’s hands to get more money (to spend on BS) and the anti-military crowd uses it to smear all veterans as “damaged”.
Per the phone calls:
5619/4 = 1405 per person in a month
1405/30 = 47 calls per day per person
This is doable. Heck, I make an average of 23 calls per day just while sitting on the crapper. Of course most of those are to myself. I love my voice and no one else will talk to me.
Averages are a tad deceiving when one caller is said to have made
2,158 calls in one month.
Damn it, tough-up guys ‘n gals. 129 days until—–
Hold the phone, so to speak. I just visited the website of the “Veterans Crisis Line.” As you probably know, these types of calls are not only confidential but never require a person to identify himself or provide other person information. And this is true of the Veterans Crisis Line. You can probably see where I’m going so I’ll go there now: There is no way–as in NONE–that a caller can be known to be a Veteran. The caller may claim that he is a Veteran. The caller may not claim to be a Veteran honor. What’s more, a caller is not necessarily speaking with a Veteran. So, you ask, how can anyone write, say, or indicate that four Veterans called the hotline X number of times? No one can. In fact, there’s a provision or two about child (i.e., minors) callers and chat-line users. Check it out yourselves if you like:
https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/
O. K., this talk about suicide has gone on long enough to become depressing. Time for someone to make an inappropriate behavior comment…to which I’ll bite.
A man walked into a library and asked for a book on suicide. The librarian said, “Fuck off, you won’t bring it back.”
I find this hard to believe, myself. When I am having problems with my PTSD and need someone to talk to…Sometimes someone was there. And some times the verbal abuse made matters worse.
As for some of you that make fun of vets in trouble, I pray that someday you’re thinking seriously of killing yourself. And I pray the Vet Line does you the same way they have done others and myself- laugh at you; accuse you of not being a veteran; accuse you of stolen valor; and accuse you of being a “frequent flyer”. Suicide is not funny. And if you think it is, then you need some serious help.
Suicide may not be funny but jokes about it are. Jarhead’s made me laugh. And then there was M.A.S.H., the movie. The fun starts at 1:35.
Nobody is making fun of vets (of ALL people, on THIS site)in trouble. Your prayer that you hope “Someday I’m thinking seriously of killing myself”
shows you have a few wires crossed. Not the kind of statement we make toward one another on this site. We are ALL brothers and sisters, wishing only good for those commenting. My apology with heartfelt concern if you took my joke as a personal dig. But I do have to ask, if even occasionally the calls you make to the VA Help line end up being abusive to you, then why don’t you call someone else? Finally, as a last response, if you think ANYBODY on this site looks at suicide as being funny, you and I are simply in disagreement.
Best explanation to offer is the fact that most all of us at least try to find something funny in the every day comings and goings of posers.
So here’s my last ditch effort to brighten your day “C”. Keep in mind, it’s a JOKE “C”.
A man had just been laid off from work. He was standing on the railing of a high bridge getting read to jump off, when he happened to look down and see a little man with no arms dancing all around on the river bank below. He thought to himself, “Life isn’t so bad after all,” and got off the railing. He then walked down to the river bank to thank the little man for saving his life. “Thank you,” he said. “I was going to jump off that bridge and kill myself, but when I saw you dancing even though you have no arms, I changed my mind.” “Dancing? I’m not dancing!” the armless man replied bitterly… “My asshole itches, and I can’t scratch it!”
When you get down in the future, check back in on this web site. It will perk you up, make your day, and cause you to forget about life’s struggles.
My late father liked to play the ponies from time to time. The day of his burial, I saw that a horse whose name he liked (Mush Mouse) was running in a race that afternoon. I passed the info on to one of my brothers and off we went to an off-track betting parlor and got a win ticket on the hoss. We slipped it into our father’s jacket and it was buried with him. Later, my brother and I wondered which one of us was going to dig up Dad the next day if Mush Mouse were to win. And we laughed heartily. It’s called gallows humor or dark humor, c.
Used to be, people with problems went to a bar and yakked with the bartender. That went out the window, didn’t it, when a wet bar in a yuppie/millenial restaurant became the ‘thing’. Now bars are just places to get drunk and do stupid things. Instead, you call a shrink and pay him an outrageous sum of money to listen to you, not make suggestions that would help you.
Times have changed too much.
I agree, Psychiatrists should stfu, listen and keep my glass full.