Joint Chiefs chairman says returning vets need community support

Joint Chiefs Chairman urges community vet support

TUCSON, Ariz. — The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says the military continues to struggle with high suicide rates, and returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans need more help from local communities in getting over the stress of deployments.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen says hundreds of thousands of returning vets have at least some level of post-traumatic stress. He said during a speech Friday in Tucson, Ariz., that the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments are working to help them but that local communities are even more important to their recovery.

Mullen says communities need to reach out to service members as they return into civilian life after years of deployments overseas.

Mullen spoke at a luncheon sponsored by Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities Inc.