7 July suicides push Corps to record pace

[unhappycamper]

7 July suicides push Corps to record pace
By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Jul 28, 2009 19:59:48 EDT

At least seven Marines are believed to have killed themselves so far in July, officials said, putting the Corps on a record pace despite broad-based efforts introduced to reduce suicides.

The deaths come as the service rolls out a new suicide-prevention program this week focused on getting sergeants and corporals to take a more active role in watching for signs that a Marine may be in danger of killing himself. Nine Marines killed themselves in June, and 33 have done so this year, said Maj. Carl Redding, a spokesman at Marine Corps headquarters.

The statistics were discussed Monday at the Sergeants Major Symposium, an annual meeting of the Corps’ top enlisted leaders in Washington. The 33 dead Marines put the Corps on pace for about 56 suicides in 2009, shattering a record set last year, when the Corps lost 42 Marines to confirmed or suspect suicides.

“We’re looking at all options to get a handle on this,” said Sgt. Maj. Carlton Kent, the Corps’ top enlisted adviser. “We’re trying to pinpoint what we can do, and we’re going to stay engaged until we find a fix for it.”

Marine suicides have increased annually since 2006, when 25 Marines killed themselves. Thirty-three Marines are believed to have committed suicide in 2007, Marine officials said.


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/07/marine_suicides_072809w/