What do the numbers 266 & 8000 have in common in the Military?-Suicides!

266 and 8000, what do these two numbers have in common? 266 for Active Duty Servicemembers and 8000 for Veterans who have committed suicide in a year's time. These numbers don't even factor those of us who have thought about and/or attempted suicide-WHY? Yes, us, because, it's me too. Why is this final measure so often the sought after go to option for so many, too many Servicemembers and Veterans who have survived bullets, IEDs, high-risk training, and arduous operating environments? Are we not Grateful, Thankful for the gift of life, of having survived what so many of our comrades did not? Is it possible that the mask required to survive such intense life-altering moments becomes sometimes the way of life and although externally some of us look unscathed by it all, internally our wounds are so deep, so painful that we just want to stop the bleeding, to just end the suffering that many can't, don't see.  Is it possible that for some of us who already feel internally deceased, Suicide is the means of external completion?....My Hope is that we'll chose to Live through it. Until next time, Thank you for your Service and Stay Blessed!