Army Suicides At Record High, Passing Civilians

[Hissyspit]

Source: Associated Press

Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009 , 8:06 p.m.
Army suicides at record high, passing civilians

By: Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Stressed by war and long overseas tours, U.S. soldiers killed themselves last year at the highest rate on record, the toll rising for a fourth straight year and even surpassing the suicide rate among comparable civilians. Army leaders said they were doing everything they could think of to curb the deaths and appealed for more mental health professionals to join and help out.

At least 128 soldiers committed suicide in 2008, the Army said Thursday. And the final count is likely to be even higher because 15 more suspicious deaths are still being investigated. "Why do the numbers keep going up? We cannot tell you," said Army Secretary Pete Geren. "We can tell you that across the Army we're committed to doing everything we can to address the problem."

It's all about pressure and the military approach, said Kim Ruocco, 45, whose Marine husband was an officer and Cobra helicopter pilot who hanged himself in a California hotel room in 2005. That was one month before he was to return to Iraq a second time.

She said her husband, John, had completed 75 missions in Iraq and was struggling with anxiety and depression but felt he'd be letting others down if he sought help and couldn't return. "He could be any Marine because he was highly decorated, stable, the guy everyone went to for help," Ruocco said in a telephone interview. "But the thing is ... the culture of the military is to be strong no matter what and not show any weakness."

Read more: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/jan/29/army-suicides-record-high-passing-civilians/?breakingnews

[Lint Head]

1. This happened Monday.

Fort Campbell soldier killed by gunshot wound

The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Jan 29, 2009 6:04:31 EST

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Authorities say that a Fort Campbell, Ky., soldier died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head as he was driving down the interstate.

The Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle reported that Tennessee Highway Patrol responded to a single-vehicle crash on Monday around 6 p.m. CST on Interstate 24 near Coopertown.

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Kristin Helm said the 21-year-old soldier was found with a gunshot wound to his head. Investigators said the vehicle left the interstate and flipped over several times.

The name of the victim is being held pending notification of family.

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/01/ap_soldier_killed_012709/

:dem:

We live in a bizarre country.

[alexandria]

2. At least 128 soldiers committed suicide .

Are they saying less than 128 people in america committed suicide in 2008?
And what are comparable civilians?
Very suspect...

[Lint Head]

4. Don't you think that one soldier's suicide one too many?

:dem:

[alexandria]

Any suicide is too many.

[Lint Head]

8. So, the reason doesn't matter?

:dem:

[Hissyspit]

5. I believe they are talking percentage of population.

"Officials expect the deaths to amount to a rate of 20.2 per 100,000 soldiers, which is higher than the civilian rate — when adjusted to reflect the Army's younger and male-heavy demographics — for the first time in the same period of record-keeping."

Did you not read the article?

[Giant Robot]

7. In the U.S. population

The rate of suicide is 10.8 per 100,000, so if that 20.2 rate is accurate, that is ridiculously high.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

3. The damage Republicans have caused to Americans and America is limitless nt

[ConcernedCanuk]

6. Sad - it's at the wrong end of the stick - it shoulda been Geedub/Cheney/Rummy etc, doing that

.
.
.

The World would be a better place if all the PNAC/BFEE Family/Gang would fall on the sword.

Just my dummcanuck opinion . . .

[LynnTheDem]

9. Gee, I wonder why they'd be killing themselves.

Aren't they "fungible" robots who "knew what they signed up for"???


Will US soldiers ever forgive Americans?

Not any time soon.

[Shardik]

10. Army sees sharp rise in suicide rate

Source: Los Angeles Times

Reporting from Los Angeles and Washington -- The suicide rate among Army soldiers reached its highest level in three decades in 2008, military officials said Thursday in a report that pointed to the inadequacy of anti-suicide efforts undertaken in recent years.

At least 128 Army soldiers took their own lives last year -- an estimated suicide rate of 20.2 per 100,000, a sharp increase from the 2007 rate of 16.8.

It marked the first time the Army rate has exceeded the national suicide rate for the corresponding population group -- 19.5 per 100,000 -- since the Pentagon began systematically tracking suicides nearly 30 years ago.

The 2008 figure does not include 15 additional deaths under investigation that officials suspect were suicides. Also Thursday, Marine Corps officials revised their suicide numbers upward, reporting a rate of 19.0 per 100,000 in 2008, the highest for the Marines since 1995.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-na-army-suicides30-2009jan30,0,6065061.story

[lovuian]

11. my heart goes out for these people

the programming that the Military is giving is killing them

[bdab1973]

13. It's not the "programming"...

I'm in the military and I have zero desire to kill myself, least of all from my training (I guess you can refer to it as programming)...

However, the Army in particular has a suicide problem because of the length of tours, and the number of tours soldiers serve. All other branches have shorter tour lengths...the Marines serve 7 months, the Navy 6 months, and the Air Force does 4-6 months (I'm an anomaly because I'm an advisor...those are automatically 1 year tours).

Only the Army has a standard tour of 12-15 months, depending on the type of unit. Repeatedly being gone from home for 15 months and doing it two, three and even four times takes a huge toll, and if an individual is having a rough home life, not being there can make a huge (and negative) difference.

[flpab]

12. suicides

My cousin is an Army chaplain and since he has been home from Iraq all he does is work with soldiers on suicide prevention and family counseling. He travels from base to base but even he is having problems. He recently attended a special seminar on this so know the Army is very aware but these guys keep having to go back and forth and being a military wife it gets very stressful. The wife takes over the running of the house, bills, kids etc. These guys are coming back messed up. Face it, some wifes amd husbands are horrible. I know a guy whose wife would email, acted like everything was great. He got home and she was gone, money, furniture, etc. I really hope Michelle Obama keeps working with the families of soldiers.

[bdab1973]

14. Army needs to look at its tour lengths...

They are the only branch that has a normal, routine tour length of 15 months (sometimes 12).

The Marines go for 6-7 months...the Navy does 6 months...the Air Force does 4-6 months depending on career field. I'm in the AF and I'm on a one year tour only because I'm an advisor. Otherwise I'd be here for 120 days and then back home again.

Coming over here for 4-6 months is manageable and not too difficult. Coming over here for a year or more requires a significant life alteration. Doing two, three or even four 12-15 month tours is really what's driving this rise in suicides. As Army troops develop problems at home, and aren't home long enough (or frequent enough) to deal with their problems, things start to snowball. Notice that it's really only the Army that's having such a huge rise in suicides...the other branches, while they have their share of suicides, don't approach the Army numbers.