Suspected Army suicides set record

[RamboLiberal]

Source: USA Today

A record number of soldiers — 109 — have killed themselves this year, according to Army statistics showing confirmed or suspected suicides.

The deaths occur as soldiers serve longer combat deployments and the Army spends $100 million on support programs.

"Soldiers, families and equipment are stretched and stressed," Gen. George Casey, Army chief of staff, told Congress last month.

The Army provided suicide statistics to Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. Her staff shared them with USA TODAY.


Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2007-12-12-Army-suicides_N.htm

[saigon68]

1. Welcome to the desert of the real

[sam sarrha]

2. i have a different number.. >Link>>

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22762457-5005961,00.html

a tragic story about how the pentagon doesnt support our troops
http://www.vermontguardian.com/dailies/022006/020806.shtml

[TomInTib]

3. I believe the OP was regarding Active Duty troops.

Either way, the numbers are outrageous.

But I know of many vets (myself included) who have a pretty callous take on the value of human life, including their own.

So if my GF pissed me off and I ate a gun, I would be one of those stats. Even if it was not directly related to my time in service.

But either way....

[sam sarrha]

4. there are well over 50,000 vets with head injuries, many because they werent issued helmet liners,

the major symptom of concussion head injury's is depression, add a huge dose of being treated like shit in the hospital system that denys head injury treatment or diagnosis.. no blood no injury policy, they lose their wives, jobs and family from it and things start looking real hopeless

i suffered depression most of my life, i know how dark it can get in there. especially if you try to get help.

[TomInTib]

5. Yeah, I know, sam.

I have had upwards of a half-dozen serious concussions, 3 or 4 were combat-related.

We didn't have a term like TBI back then, you just had your "bell rung" and got back to the matter at hand when you were no longer a risk to the Team.

I also was involved in a water-related (drowned) incident that flat-lined me.

But I never knew depression until last month when my radial nerve (lower right arm) went on vacation.

Man, if I am alone at home I am my own worse Enemy.