DoD leaders seek clues to Army suicide spike

[unhappycamper]

DoD leaders seek clues to Army suicide spike
By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Feb 11, 2009 14:42:37 EST

Defense officials acknowledged Tuesday that it is the “cumulative effect” of repeated deployments that have stressed the U.S. military.

What the Pentagon now wants to determine is whether those stressors are responsible for the reported increase in Army suicides last month.

The Army, which has borne the brunt of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, announced seven confirmed suicides in January, and as many as 24 soldiers may have killed themselves. The Army also reported a 25 percent increase in suicides in 2008 over the previous year. Last year was the fourth consecutive year that the number of Army suicides rose.

“The uptick, most recently, in suicide — very troubling,” said Marine Corps Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs, during a Pentagon news conference. “We’re trying to understand that, for the Army. This is the first time that the Army has come up to the level of its counterpart, the civilian sector, so to speak.

“And so we’re trying to understand, is this cumulative?” Cartwright said. “Is there something that is a trigger event here? We’re working with several agencies, on the national health side, to try to understand this.”


Rest of article at: http://armytimes.com/news/2009/02/military_armysuicides_021109w/%2e



uhc comment: Yes, there is a trigger. It's called never-ending combat occupation zones.

[AirmensMom]

1. "Is there something that is a trigger event here?"

Duh! How about ... "I know if I come home safely this time, they'll send me back again ... and again ... and again ..." What a horrible waste of these young lives! :banghead:

[sarge43]

2. "Is there something that is a trigger event here?"

Never ending rounds of combat in a conflict based on a lie and the certain knowledge post combat little or no help will be available?

You naturally stupid or was that a rhetorical, General?