HE CHECKED INTO WALTER REED, WAS FORGOTTEN & HANGED HIMSELF

[22Casey]

Very sad

[jjconfucius81]

That's a damn shame and it's not an uncommon story unfortunately. But I'd definately encourage all veterans to be proactive when it comes to their care cause sadly nobody is gonna take better care of you than you. It shouldn't be that way for all they sacrifice but it is and in order for change more vets need to be willing to speak up when their needs aren't being met. I'm sure he had to be feeling left behind and stressed and who knows what else. God bless MSG Coons!

[Ron32212]

this is so sad i am stationed @ wramc now

[tenretni5317]

I can only imagine what Sgt. Coons had felt through those last lonely days..very isolated....scary

[loveistheone]

absolutly devastating ,,god will be protecting him now,, i hope the family manage to find ,,joy and pride or some solence from this tragic loss, my husband is at walter reed right now , these soliders deserve and need,, BETTER! god bless the troops,, PROUD ARMY WIFE

[Scotty7617]

It's shameful that Bush is a member of the same party as Lincoln, who coined the motto of the Department of Veteran's Affairs; "To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan."

[shanklinmike]

It's a shame that people think one of these parties is better than the other....they are all the same! One of them makes money off of overtaxing us and the other makes money off war! Both are morally wrong and both lead to more war!

[59614700]

Sad and yes we need to do all we can to help these fine men but with the population of military we have then there will be some who fall through the cracks.

[Nchoice]

It goes to show that War could affect anyone. This soldier has such great intelligent parents and very caring, so obvious that had a nice upbringing. Add to that that he was handsome and a master seargeant. I do wish to say that precisely why we need to keep track of ALL our troops and not become too confident that if higher ranking all will be OK due to experience. We are human after all. God bless his soul and keep him close for he was not in right mind.

[slmeyer22]

my brother is in the navy now. my uncle was a marine in vietnam. my grandfather was in the army in ww2. it is appalling that we aren't fighting to take better care of those fighting for us - regardless if we agree with war or not, our servicemen and women deserve respect

[USAE9Ret]

We are all experts in our own minds and have our opinions and the perfect solutions. At least we think we do. What I find most disturbing is that most of these self-proclaimed experts have never been in the military and much less in combat. Here we have satwadude that doesn't know that sempre fi is the Marine Corp motto; josesoj balmes the republicans for Vietnam when it was the democrats that got us into that mess. May MSG Coons rest in peace. Hooah!

[mountain19]

this government does not care. in fact they are ridding our people from protecting this country. reading themselves for the final move against us the people of freedom, for one world order. who shot kennedy? prescot bush and his CIA. check me.

[elizhasgma]

My heartfelt sympathy to his family.He was doing what he wanted to do where he wanted to do it. lawsuits and anger can not resolve this. Todays military is volunteer and the aftercare is the responsibility of everyone the error was the assesment and assigning to hotel conditions he should have been on watch but were there the personnel to accomadate.policians did not treat or diagnose this or any other vet please put the blame where it belongs.

[SatwaDude]

So much for semper fi.

[xdream1]

As an ex Air Force Sergeant, I can tell you why our elected officials can treat our servicemen this way: They were never in the service. We the people are the government, and we cannot let this happen again. We must, according to the Declaration of Independence, bring these despots to justice! It is our right, AND our duty!

[debster55]

I just posted a comment on the Walter Reed stuff, if anyone wants info on wellness and recovery websites let me know. I am assistant director of a peer-run organization for mental health support and advocacy. debster55

[silicon1]

ya what the hell man, how can the government treat the people who would give their lives for their country, this way?

[puptentaclezappa]

Just another example of our fine American Government at work. Sickening.

[savvyplanners]

For shame

[wesforster]

This guy was a Master Sergeant too, a lifer. Sickening.

[buzzdainer]

This is one of the most disturbing things I have ever seen. The U.S. Army should be ashamed of itself.