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Army Suicide Rate Highest in Decades

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Posted on Jan 30, 2009
Soldiers
news.sky.com

The suicide rate for U.S. soldiers is higher than the average civilian rate for the first time since the Pentagon began tracking suicides nearly 30 years ago.

Adding to the solemn string of record-breaking statistics, new figures show that the suicide rate among U.S. Army members has hit its highest level in three decades. Last year, over 128 soldiers took their own lives, a telling sign of our military and political climate.

L.A. Times:

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.

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By shgawa, July 26, 2010 at 1:33 am Link to this comment

We have a moral obligation to them

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By dihey, February 1, 2009 at 3:24 pm Link to this comment

Mr. President how many US soldiers are there today in Iraq? I plan to ask you this question at the beginning of every month because Iraq must not disappear from our view. Truthdig for one seems to have lost interest in Iraq thereby indirectly admitting that President Bush’s war there was a success.

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By Anna Catherine, February 1, 2009 at 8:45 am Link to this comment
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Our military does not have a clear definition of what is expected of them. The game and the rules often change. One single thing stands out as a tragic mistake, that is multiple deployments. Once a soldier comes home, going back is too much to ask. There’s just so much “adjusting” a person can do. Throwing pills at the problem makes it worse. Sometimes depression can be quite normal. Given their reasons they shouldn’t be treated. Sometimes it’s good medicine to eliminate the cause of the problem. Our military deserves better. We have a moral obligation to them.

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Russian Paul's avatar

By Russian Paul, January 31, 2009 at 7:16 pm Link to this comment

This wouldn’t have anything to do with the over-prescribing of certain anti-depressant medications would it?

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skulz fontaine's avatar

By skulz fontaine, January 30, 2009 at 2:32 pm Link to this comment

Illegal wars of naked aggression will do that to a soul. A .45 caliber aspirin will surely cure that nagging headache but it does seem austere. Now there a “legacy” that both Bush and Rummy can relish all the way to their war crimes tribunals. Say speaking of war crimes tribunals, what’s taking so freaking long?

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