Today, Mark Udall praised President Obama’s decision to reverse the longstanding policy of not sending condolence letters to the families of service members who commit suicide while deployed to a combat zone. Udall, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, had joined a bipartisan group of 10 other senators in May to urge the administration to retract the policy. Udall released the following statement:“When a member of our military falls, we must show their families that we value their sacrifice. This is an important step in recognizing the toll, both physical and mental, that our wars have taken on our troops and their families. It will help lessen the stigma of psychological injuries so that the men and women who serve our country bravely can feel more comfortable seeking out care. I wholeheartedly support the President’s decision to overturn this policy, and I will continue to work with him and our military leaders to ensure our troops and veterans get the best treatment possible for their visible – and invisible – wounds of war.”
A copy of the May 25 letter is available HERE.
