WASHINGTON — Ninety-nine U.S. soldiers killed themselves last year, the highest rate of suicide in the Army in 26 years of record keeping, a new report says. Nearly a third of soldiers who committed suicide did so while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan, according to a report released Thursday. Iraq accounted for the overwhelming number — with 27 of the suicides coming from that conflict and three from Afghanistan. Also, there were 948 attempted suicides, officials said, adding that they didn’t have a comparison for previous years.
Failed personal relationships, legal and financial problems and the stress of their jobs were factors motivating the soldiers to commit suicide, according to the report. It also found a significant relationship between suicide attempts and the number of days deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan or nearby countries where troops were participating in the war effort.
| This is really sad news. |
| From KD Martin at Cage Match. |
In the Army they used to tell us that there was no problem that a good haircut wouldn’t take care of.
BTW, where is the counseling for these folks? The leadership should recognize that this is a problem and encourage all members of the armed services to intervene when a fellow soldier has gone off the deep end. With this large number of suicides you would have to be aware of warning signs.
>>BTW, where is the counseling for these folks?
Oh that went the way of body armor. An extravagance for the Little King’s regime, as he sends his cannon fodder out to be slaughtered.
Maybe Jenna and her beau ought to get married in the Green Zone. Prancing around without flak jackets or helmets, like McCain.
It is pathetic! Our soldiers are just trying to do their jobs, the best way they can. They don’t want to be over there fighting in the 100+ degree heat, wearing full body armor, for a war started under false pretenses.
These folks need our support, and need to get home!
Sign up, ship out, stay longer than you signed up for, shoot self.
This stinks.
#5 – BubbaRay
Well said.
BryanP:
So what do you make of the raw numbers you left out of the CNN article you cite?
“And it was 5.46 per 100,000 for all women, compared to an Army rate of 11.3 women soldiers per 100,000.”
If males in the military having lower numbers than the civilian average makes you feel “Jerked around” how does a number twice as high as the civilian average make you feel?
And you leave out some interesting stats in the lines preceding the line you quoted…
” In other years, the report showed:
— 2006: 101 suicides, 30 deployed (17.3 per 100,000)
— 2005: 88 suicides, 25 deployed (12.8 per 100,000)
— 2004: 67 suicides, 13 deployed (10.8 per 100,000)
— 2003: 79 suicides, 26 deployed (12.4 per 100,000)
It is difficult to compare the military suicide rate to that of the private sector because of demographic differences and overall human stress factors, officials say.”
So, as the reporter said, military suicides are increasing, and the rate for female soldiers is much higher than the existing civilian numbers.
I don’t see much jerking around, and I don’t see that the headline is at all inaccurate. “Suicide Rate Among U.S. Soldiers Hits 26-Year High, Report Says” is the WSJ lead, and “Suicides up among U.S. soldiers” is the CNN lead. Both seem to pretty much agree with the reports I read. Where’s the propaganda??
We have had 30 people kill themselves in the last six months in our town of 100,000. This is a nonstory blown up to make our gov look. Some people seem to want, need and desire that.
“Also, there were 948 attempted suicides, officials said, adding that they didn’t have a comparison for previous years.”
Damn the luck… we don’t have a comparison for previous years.
If “successful” suicides per 100k isn’t very worrying when compared to the “normal” population, I wonder what a comparison of “failed” suicides per 100k would show? 🙁
7–Kballweg–facts without context is always propaganda==or meaningless. Would we not all assume that war/combat would increase suicide rate? (or should it decrease?).
What was the suicide rate during Vietname or Korea?
What does it MEAN if the rate is higher one year over the other but for men in the army less than form civilians but higher for women?
Is the most relevant factor being in the military or is it age?
So just what do these facts mean? I just don’t know and neither does anyone else reading the story. News is meant to inform, and this recitation of facts in a vacuum doesn’t count except as a starting point.
#7 Kballweg
Thats what I call being jerked around(misled). A more appropriate headline might have read “Suicide rate among enlisted women doubles!”. Then I couldn’t question the motive of the journalist so readily. Headlines laden with hyperbole don’t paint an accurate picture when they contrast with the information.
I do think this is an opportunity for the American military to steal a march on their enemies abroad. We must isolate the conditions that make our enlisted women suicidal and stimulate the same in the armies of our foes.
Think how easy war of empire would be if our opponents would just kill themselves. ^^
If I were Rush Limbaugh I would say “Only sissies commit suicide.” Then I would snack on orange flavoured tictac/oxycontin.
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