Suicide in US soldiers on rise

[Captain03]

Suicide in US soldiers on rise - GEO.tv
WASHINGTON: Suicides among soldiers in the U.S. Army rose to an alarming number in 2008, NBC News learned today.

While the Army continues to investigate at least 17 deaths as possible suicide, they have already confirmed that at least 125 soldiers took their lives last year.

That is up from 115 in 2007; 102 in 2006; and 87 in 2005.

A senior defense official tells NBC that the Army will release the final numbers at a roundtable tomorrow, and that they will include all possible suicides in their figure. That means they will report upwards of 145 total suicides last year.

This is the highest number since the Army started keeping records -- and also the highest jump from one year to the next. It is also the fourth consecutive year when suicides rose in the ranks.

Suicides were up in all the services in 2008, but the Army's figures were the most dramatic.

And this news comes just weeks after the U.S. Army announced a $50 million program to investigate why soldier suicides continue to rise.

A senior defense official tells NBC News that the U.S. Marine Corps is also very concerned about the increase in suicides in the Corps in 2008.

While the actual jump in hard numbers is not dramatic -- 41 possible suicides in 2008, up from 33 in 2007 -- for the first time ever, the Marine Corps suicide numbers are almost as high as the general civilian population of American males aged 18-25.

In 2008, 19 of every 100,000 Marines committed suicide. That is up from 16.5 per 100,000 in 2007. The Marine Corps compares their numbers to the most recent CDC figures for American men, aged 18-25, which finds that an average of 19.8 of every 100,000 men commit suicide in a given year. Most Marines who commit suicide are enlisted white males, age 18-25.

Of the 41 marines who took their own lives, seven committed suicide while deployed to either Iraq or Afghanistan. Twenty-eight had been deployed the war zone at least once, and 13 had never been deployed.

Suicide is now the third leading cause of deaths in the Marine Corps, with hostile actions as the main killer, and accidents as the second most prevalent cause of death.

 

[S-2]

Stress of separation on deployment. Family issues, money issues have proven the source. We're doing a lot with these soldiers by way of awareness education and resources but there's little doubting that there's evident strain. So too the Marines, though less.

Air Force and Navy haven't seen these issues for obvious reasons. It's always been an issue with deployments-even in peacetime. I lost my Chief of Firing Battery (SFC E-7) who killed himself in 1981 shortly after assignment to us upon returning from S. Korea.

His wife had left him while overseas and it broke his heart. This is tough stuff. Just so you know, we've also had close to a brigade's worth of men desert rather than deploy so all is not rosy when you go to war with a professional army.

Flip side is both Marines and Army exceeded all recruiting goals this year and standards have started moving up again. That may also show down the road WRT suicides. Better recruits are generally a bit more stable. We'll see.

 

[gpit]

My personal view is that, many people are softly forced into the Army. For instance, some youngsters from poor family would sign up for education purposes, not truly want to fight for the country voluntarily, nor are they prepared to endure unexpected hardship in the training. To apply college scholarship, which often is related to family financial situation, male applicants are required to sign up for “selective service” – i.e. to give their assent to potential draft, or they won’t get it.

Soldier suicide seems more public in a well-to-do society. It could be that in a rich country, children are more pampered, and more is spent to study the phenomenon.

 

[S-2]

"Soldier suicide seems more public in a well-to-do society. It could be that in a rich country, children are more pampered, and more is spent to study the phenomenon."

It's not about pampering that entails the study. Pampered children of a soft society don't go into the Korengal and kick azz. We've no lack of guys willing and able to do that.

It's about saving valued resources. As such, it's in the public's interest to know when there's a problem. That's oversight borne of transparent institutional management. Congress demands it and the military concurs. We don't hide our laundry here and there's no lack of concern now nor in the recent past.

The stresses are proving deeper than finding yourself at war when all you wanted is a college education on somebody else's dime. As I mentioned family separation and finances are PROVING to be the overwhelming causes for this phenomena and it makes sense if you've seen it from the inside as I have instead of from without.