More than a year after his son died, a dad wants VA policy change – San Antonio Report

More than a year after his son died, a dad wants VA policy change  San Antonio Report

Mark Miller's tragic death at Audie Murphy last year has set his dad on a mission to change how the VA goes about mental health care. Editor’s note: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988. It’s been a year and a half since his son died by suicide at the San Antonio Veterans Affairs hospital. For Larry Miller, change isn’t happening fast enough. Like other soldiers, his son Mark Miller came back from war different. An artist at heart, his steady hand made him a great shot. “He was a very kind and gentle young man. He was not born to be a sniper; he was born to be a painter,” Miller said.

Returning home in 2004 from deployments in the Middle East kicked off a new battle for Mark, a mental one. He struggled with PTSD, depression and suicidal thoughts, and he was prescribed Prozac, an antidepressant. After several suicide attempts he appeared to turn a corner, and he and his father wrote a book, “Suicide Stalks the Sniper,” about his time in the military and his struggle to get help. But in April of 2025 Mark was consumed again by his internal struggle, visiting the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans’ Hospital for assistance. He was prescribed Seroquel,