Suicide Attempts for Vets Jump 500% in Five Years, and Government Ignores It

[babylonsister]

Suicide Attempts for Vets Jump 500% in Five Years, and Government Ignores It

By Penny Coleman, AlterNet. Posted September 11, 2008.

Vets are killing themselves in growing numbers, but the government sees suicides as a way to lower the official average processing time of claims.


This year, in recognition of National Suicide Prevention Week (Sept. 7-13), the Army chose the theme "Shoulder-to-Shoulder: No Soldier Stands Alone," "to emphasize the strength of the Army Family when it works together to tackle tough problems."

It has not been a good week for the Army Family in spite of the special attention.

On Sept. 8, an altercation between a 22-year-old Fort Hood soldier and his commanding officer, a 24-year-old lieutenant, ended when the soldier first shot and killed his officer and then turned his gun on himself. Both were assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division, which had returned from a 15-month tour in Iraq in December. The division is currently in training to redeploy back to Iraq this winter for another 12 months -- which in all probability will turn out to be the as good an explanation as any for the tragedy.

Then on Sept. 9, a VA report acknowledged that suicide rates for young male Iraq- and Afghanistan-era veterans hit a record high in 2006, the last year for which official records are available. Last week, the Portland Tribune reported that in 2005, the last year for which complete Oregon data has been compiled, 19 Oregon soldiers died in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. That same year, 153 Oregon veterans of all ages, serving in various wars, committed suicide.

After five years of war in Iraq, Marine suicides doubled between 2006 and 2007, and Army suicides are at the highest level since records were first kept in 1980. Reported suicide attempts jumped 500 percent between 2002 and 2007.

The Defense Department says the numbers may be partly attributable to better compliance with reporting requirements. :eyes:

more...

http://www.alternet.org/story/98315/suicide_attempts_for_vets_jump_500%25_in_five_years%2C_and_government_ignores_it/?page=entire

[groovedaddy]

1. Support the troops! - what a crock of shit! And McCain is part of the problem.

Why aren't we running ads about had badly vets are being treated?

[babylonsister]

2. I think that would be a great ad myself. I think VetVoice has already

done several ads, but it wouldn't hurt to see lots more.

[Ganja Ninja]

3. I was reading on line somewhere yesterday that there are more

attempted suicides in the military alone then there are in the rest of American society.

[MadrasT]

4. Thank you

Rec'd and kicked to keep on front page...

[intheflow]

5. This is one of the most disturbing stories coming out of the war.

The suicides, mainings and disfigurements of our soldiers, and the almost total media blackout of it. :(