For the hundreds of thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans returning to the U.S., the return isn't completely joyous. Debt has been ruining military families and may be a cause of the veteran suicide crisis, according to NBC News. Experts say financial complications stemming from the lackluster job market, an backlog for federal disability benefits, and poor spending habits can take a toll on veteran mental health. VeteransPlus, a nonprofit that has received over 170,000 calls from ex-service members with crippling financial woes. The problem is expected to get worse in the future as more than one million service members expected to make the transition to civilian life. VeteransPlus claims fewer than 20 percent of their clients have compiled a six-month savings cushion while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan, even with untaxed, hazardous-duty wages that increased paychecks.
