Posted on 04/22/2006 6:49:01 PM PDT by voletti
WASHINGTON: The US Army said 83 soldiers committed suicide last year, more than a quarter of them while deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Ten soldiers took their own life in the first three months of this year, the army said.
With 83 deaths in 2005, the suicide rate for active duty soldiers was 1.29 per 10,000 persons, up from 1.10 per 10,000 the year before and the 25-year average of 1.24 per 10,000, the army said.
The rate for civilians from the same demographic group was 1.98 per 10,000 persons, the army said.
Of last year’s suicides, 25 were by soldiers deployed for operations in Iraq or Afghanistan.
“We are keenly aware of the stresses facing our soldiers both on deployment and at home station,” the army said in a statement.
It said the army has instituted numerous programmes to identify soldiers at risk of suicide and to provide mental health care during deployments.
“Our goal is to provide the men and women who wear the army uniform the best available support to help them overcome the stresses that military service entails,” it said. In 2004, 67 soldiers on active duty committed suicide, 14 of them while deployed on operations in Iraq or Afghanistan. In 2003, the number was 76 soldiers, 25 while deployed on those operations. afp
The suicide rate for the US Army POST COMBAT is the same rate as the general population in the US.
Out of combat, the US Army rate is better than the civiliian population.
Even out of combat, the miltary has significant stressors...deployment, economic, long hours, etc.
As like the general population, more US Army suicides are related to failed relationships.
So the drooling libs getting a woodie hoping this is good news for them and al-Qaeda can go screw themselves.
[osmium-grade-heavy sarcasm off]
Bastards.
The rate for civilians from the same demographic group was 1.98 per 10,000 persons, the army said.
EOT.
The rate for civilians from the same demographic group was 1.98 per 10,000 persons, the army said.
The headline stirs the pot and the article tells the real story. Suicides are fewer in the combat zone than they are for people living at home. Headlines are deceptive and the media knows most people only read the headlines.
CNN has been bleating this "news" for a couple of days. They neglect to mention that the suicide rate for military people is the same as the rate for the general population. Lying MSM scum strike again.
Next issue...
"CNN has been bleating this "news" for a couple of days. They neglect to mention that the suicide rate for military people is the same as the rate for the general population. Lying MSM scum strike again."
Actually its even lower than the civilian rate. During Desert Storm less soldiers died from all causes than would have statisitically died just from accidents for that age and size population back home. I guess being in a war zone tends to keep people sober and careful.
Like I said in reply #2 I've not seen it on any military or DOD Web site or on the Pentagon Channel. Just checked the online version and this story is not there so make of it what you will.
So maybe 70% were not deployed when doing themselves in? Are they suggesting soldiers deployed are killing themselves at an unusually high rate?
>>Like I said in reply #2 I've not seen it on any military or DOD Web site or on the Pentagon Channel. Just checked the online version and this story is not there so make of it what you will.<<
I can't find the new numbers but the yare in the same range as the old numbers
Important note: the numbers below are per 100,000. the ones above are per 10,000.
>>In 2003, 24 soldiers deployed to Kuwait and Iraq committed suicide — a rate of 17.3 per 100,000. The overall Army suicide rate during the same time period was 12.8 per 100,000 soldiers. This compares to the Army's rate of 12.2 for 2003 and 11.9 from 1995 to 2002.
The suicide rate for deployed troops dropped dramatically in 2004. Swanner said no suicides were reported in January or February, and just one soldier took his own life in March. The cause of another fatality has not yet been determined.
Despite the spike, officials said these figures remain lower than the national average of 21.5 per 100,000 for males ages 20 to 34. This is the age bracket for most U.S. soldiers in Iraq.<<
http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/terrorism/a/arsuicide.htm
>>So maybe 70% were not deployed when doing themselves in? Are they suggesting soldiers deployed are killing themselves at an unusually high rate?<<
That's what they are implying. But war zone suicide figures are always higher than the overall military average. Stress, seperation and inibility to be there for loved one's at home contribute in spite of all the army does.
"Of last year’s suicides, 25 were by soldiers deployed for operations in Iraq or Afghanistan."
Just thinning the herd of slackers and those just there for the benefits versus those of us that were there to do the right thing. (Desert Storm Vet)
Sounds cold, but I'd like a breakdown of the political affiliations of these 19 extra suicides please. Some people are not cut out for combat. There's no shame in it, it's just the way it is. It's the same with civilians that may or may NOT run into a burning building to save a box of kittens. Or their own children. People just are who they are and various situations show them in one light or another.
I know plenty of Vets that saw and participated in horrible, gut-wrenching fire fights during Viet Nam. One of my good friends is as "normal" as you and me and he did THREE Infantry tours of Nam. Went on to marry and have three wonderful kids and even adopted another one on top of that. Puh-Leeze. I'd trust my life with him above many others. And then there are our other friends that are still in the Psych Ward at the local VA Hospital, getting the help they need. (And we are going to see a lot of people using that facility in the future, once the troops start cycling home.)
And if I'm reading this right:
"...1.29 per 10,000 persons, up from 1.10 per 10,000 the year before..."
Isn't that an increase of 19 people from last year? Or is that 1/19th of a person? I'd imagine that many die a year in friendly fire accidents or everyday training incidents on bases around the globe. *Shrugs Shoulders, Walks Away*
More slander and digs at the current Administration. If a Dem were in the White House, they'd warp the figures to show that ONLY 19 more service members killed themselves last year than this year...or more likely than not, not even mention it! Yeesh!
Nineteen friggin' extra people kill themselves out of a world of six billion, too many of which live in violent, deplorable conditions every d@mn day. It's an epidemic for our military, I tell ya! *Rolleyes*
There was a rash of MSM stories about suicides in Iraq a year or two ago. Like this story, it turns out the the suicide rate is, basically, the same as or less than the rate in America.
The Pakistanis almost certainly picked this idea up from their left wing pals in America, always eager to help out the enemy.
If everyone served in the army, the national suicide rate would drop by 65%!!!
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