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“The fact is, veterans who have PTSD are far, far more likely to harm themselves than they are to harm others,” he said.

Every day, 22 veterans commit suicide, according to a 2012 study by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Matt Miller, the chief policy officer for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said Palin used PTSD as a “crutch” for her son’s domestic violence. Instead of politicizing the suffering of veterans, Palin could have instead sought help for him.

“Parents have the greatest opportunity to help veterans with mental issues,” Miller said. “It’s estimated that 80 percent of veterans who sought mental health did so because a loved one asked them to.” 

As for Obama’s alleged apathy on veterans’ issues, Miller said that simply isn’t true. Just last year, Obama signed a bipartisan bill to improve veterans’ access to mental health resources. And the Veterans Affairs budget is at an all-time high.

“It’s ironic that people like Sarah Palin are in the party of ‘personal responsibility’ but as soon as someone in her family is arrested for domestic violence, it’s Obama’s fault,” Friedman said.

Veterans in crisis and their families are urged to call the Veterans Crisis line at 1-800-273-8255.