Last week, a brave politician made national news by dropping out of a high profile Mayoral race. That man is Jason Kander, and he’s someone worthy of our attention and praise.
Kander is the former Missouri Secretary of State. In 2016, he ran for the U.S. Senate as a Democrat, and in a tough year for Democrats, he came within three points of defeating incumbent Senator Roy Blunt. Kander ran an amazing campaign and aired one of the best ads of 2016, in which he talked about his army background and support for universal background checks while assembling a gun…blindfolded.
Kander’s military story is equally impressive: He volunteered for the Missouri and volunteered for a tour in Afghanistan in 2005, serving as an intellegence officer.
Kander’s political star was on the rise, and until last week, Kander was a candidate for Mayor in Kansas City. That changed with this heartbreaking note, in which Kander discussed his battle with depression, PTSD and suicidal ideation:
About four months ago, I contacted the VA to get help. It had been about 11 years since I left Afghanistan as an Army Intelligence Officer, and my tour over there still impacted me every day. So many men and women who served our country did so much more than me and were in so much more danger than I was on my four-month tour. I can’t have PTSD, I told myself, because I didn’t earn it.
But, on some level, I knew something was deeply wrong, and that it hadn’t felt that way before my deployment. After 11 years of this, I finally took a step toward dealing with it, but I didn’t step far enough.
I went online and filled out the VA forms, but I left boxes unchecked — too scared to acknowledge my true symptoms. I knew I needed help and yet I still stopped short. I was afraid of the stigma. I was thinking about what it could mean for my political future if someone found out.
Kander dropped out of the race and has since been silent on social media. I assume – and sincerely hope – he is getting the care he needs and deserves.
Broadly speaking, the stats on veterans, mental health and suicide are horrifying:
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According to a 2014 report by the Department of Defense, there were 1,080 suicide attempts (245 suicides) among active-duty service members for all armed services in calendar year 2013.
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A recent study of 52,780 active-duty members of the U.S. Air Force found that 3 percent of male participants and 5.2 percent of female participants reported suicidal ideation in the previous year. Of the participants that reported suicidal ideation, 8.7 percent also reported a recent suicide attempt.
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Veterans who screened positive for PTSD were 4 times more likely to report suicidal ideation than veterans who did not, and the likelihood of suicidalideation was 5.7 times greater in veterans who screened positive for PTSD and two or more comorbid disorders.
Those who take care of us – our first responders and military veterans – deserve better. And I sincerely hope that Kander’s story helps to push this issue.
It takes people like Kander – national political rock stars – discuss their pain, to destigmatize an issue, and to help more people get help. I can only imagine how many veterans are looking at Kander and thinking, “Me, too,” and then hopefully getting the help they need. Kander’s words will have a larger impact than I think most of us could ever hope to have.
Most importantly, best wishes to Kander. I cannot imagine what demons he faces – what pain he took on – in the name of protecting America. He, and countless other veterans and first responders – deserve our love, and our resources, to heal. I am so grateful to all of them for their bravery.
Mike Schlossberg - Author 