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In reply to the discussion: One of my former students just committed suicide. [View all]DamnYankeeInHouston
(1,365 posts)50. I started to research this since you called me pompous.
Traditionally, the military suicide rate was less than the general population, but that has changed in recent years. More active duty personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan died as suicides than as casualties. The most interesting number was that half of young vets who committed suicide did not serve in any combat in either Iraq or Afghanistan. Whether or not the military, or more likely war, causes suicide, something is seriously broken. It may be the multiple deployments or that soldiers are surviving mush worse injuries than in the past or that an all volunteer military has had to lower entrance requirements. I'm glad it is beginning to be addressed now. That's better than what the Vietnam vets ever got.
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So sorry for everyone's loss, yours, his family, us here at du and me here at home
madokie
Feb 2014
#7
I am so sorry for your loss. Peace to you, and to your student's family and friends.
magical thyme
Feb 2014
#10
All that and it includes none of what the solder is going through his or herself.
DamnYankeeInHouston
Feb 2014
#15
You don't know what caused him to kill himself; assuming doesn't help his family or honor him.
MADem
Feb 2014
#28
Doesn't really matter in the big scheme of things--he's gone, and people left behind are asking
MADem
Feb 2014
#57
I understand that the Navy can be a cake walk compared to the Army.
DamnYankeeInHouston
Feb 2014
#40
This is true, and "hot racking" is pretty much a thing of the past with SMART SHIPS technology.
MADem
Feb 2014
#47
Sad. Serving in the US military is little more than working for Big Oil and the MIC anymore.
blkmusclmachine
Feb 2014
#36