US Soldier Suicides Outnumber Combat Deaths In 2012

[Peter1469]

Link (http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/12/28/us-soldier-suicides-outnumber-combat-deaths-in-2012/)

This article confirms part of what I have been saying about this issue. The majority of the suicides are not the trigger pullers.

About 53 percent of those who died by suicide in the military in 2011, the most recent year for which data is available, had no history of deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan, according to the Defense Department. And nearly 85 percent of military members who took their lives had no direct combat history, meaning they may have been deployed but not seen action.

Now the DoD needs to release the drugs prescribed to these people....

[Mister D]

A small minority saw action in WW2. It has zero to do with battle.

[shaarona]

Link (http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/12/28/us-soldier-suicides-outnumber-combat-deaths-in-2012/)

This article confirms part of what I have been saying about this issue. The majority of the suicides are not the trigger pullers.

About 53 percent of those who died by suicide in the military in 2011, the most recent year for which data is available, had no history of deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan, according to the Defense Department. And nearly 85 percent of military members who took their lives had no direct combat history, meaning they may have been deployed but not seen action.

Now the DoD needs to release the drugs prescribed to these people....

Wow. I just assumed they had seen combat........

[Peter1469]

A small minority saw action in WW2. It has zero to do with battle.

At least in the short term.

PTSD may cause more suicides years or decades later.

[Mister D]

At least in the short term.

PTSD may cause more suicides years or decades later.

It may but those who actually see combat remain a small minority. If PTSD affects so many it;s certainly not because they've been shot at.

[Deadwood]

Link (http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/12/28/us-soldier-suicides-outnumber-combat-deaths-in-2012/)

This article confirms part of what I have been saying about this issue. The majority of the suicides are not the trigger pullers.

About 53 percent of those who died by suicide in the military in 2011, the most recent year for which data is available, had no history of deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan, according to the Defense Department. And nearly 85 percent of military members who took their lives had no direct combat history, meaning they may have been deployed but not seen action.

Now the DoD needs to release the drugs prescribed to these people....

I would also like to see toxicology results. Liver analysis as well.

That high a rate of suicides suggests substance abuse.

And both scream "morale problem", and that is a command issue,

[Peter1469]

It may but those who actually see combat remain a small minority. If PTSD affects so many it;s certainly not because they've been shot at.

True. Traumatic stress can be caused by much more than being shot at. In Desert Storm we were certainly shot at and even our Airborne infantry battalion faced down a tank company and infantry division. But we could shoot back. During Desert Storm I had mortar rounds land very close, I disarmed bobby traps inside bunkers, cleared rooms, etc. No real stress (but I was young). During Iraqi freedom I was a JAG hardly leaving camp, but in the year had over 2100 mortar rounds hit the base with casualties, and several of those rounds within 500 meters of me. A few times I took helicopters to Baghdad at night and saw flash lights signaling from houses below (signals for rocket teams?). And in convoys, you never know when a road side bomb will go off. That sort of uncertainty, without someone to shoot at is worse than the combat I saw in Desert Storm.

But this is all really not my point; I think that the Army is handing out happy drugs like candy, and this is linked to the high suicide rate.

[Mister D]

True. Traumatic stress can be caused by much more than being shot at. In Desert Storm we were certainly shot at and even our Airborne infantry battalion faced down a tank company and infantry division. But we could shoot back. During Desert Storm I had mortar rounds land very close, I disarmed bobby traps inside bunkers, cleared rooms, etc. No real stress (but I was young). During Iraqi freedom I was a JAG hardly leaving camp, but in the year had over 2100 mortar rounds hit the base with casualties, and several of those rounds within 500 meters of me. A few times I took helicopters to Baghdad at night and saw flash lights signaling from houses below (signals for rocket teams?). And in convoys, you never know when a road side bomb will go off. That sort of uncertainty, without someone to shoot at is worse than the combat I saw in Desert Storm.

But this is all really not my point; I think that the Army is handing out happy drugs like candy, and this is linked to the high suicide rate.

Understood.

My point is that the vast majority of men and women who serve never hear a shot fired in anger. I suspect that being away from family and related issue are at the bottom of this but you may have a point with the drugs. I wouldn't know. It makes sense/

[GrassrootsConservative]

This is truly a sad issue. Does this happen in the military of other countries?

[Peter1469]

It used to not happen in the US military. Prior to a few years ago, military suicides were much lower than the US average.

[shaarona]

It used to not happen in the US military. Prior to a few years ago, military suicides were much lower than the US average.

I didn't know you were in Desert Storm.

What has changed? Did we not recognize PTSD previously.. I would think the Vietnam Vets had their share of ugly and frightening experiences.

[Captain Obvious]

Related article:

http://www.npr.org/2012/12/28/168070269/suicide-hotline-fights-to-keep-vets-and-troops-alive

[Peter1469]

I didn't know you were in Desert Storm.

What has changed? Did we not recognize PTSD previously.. I would think the Vietnam Vets had their share of ugly and frightening experiences.

As I have said, I think it is the military's handing out psych drugs like candy that is the cause.

[KC]

I have always heard that the highest rate of suicides in the military was among recruiters, allegedly due to high recruitment quotas.

[Peter1469]

I have always heard that the highest rate of suicides in the military was among recruiters, allegedly due to high recruitment quotas.

That was true before the current wars.

[KC]

That was true before the current wars.

Even with the wars, it's still a huge problem. In the army at least, suicides among recruiters in 2009 were triple the overall army rate.

According to this. It's Time so I take it with a grain of sand.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1889152,00.html

[roadmaster]

I have always heard that the highest rate of suicides in the military was among recruiters, allegedly due to high recruitment quotas.

It's got to be hard on them when the other side doesn't play by the code of ethics our soldiers have. Who would think trying to help a woman or child could result in setting off a bomb to kill them while trying not to kill women and children? Some countries have no honor.

[waltky]

Better late than never... :cool: Obama Signs Bill to Improve VA Crisis Hotline Nov 29, 2016 | WASHINGTON — President Obama has signed into law a bill that seeks to ensure all calls delivered through a VA's crisis line get answered.
President Barack Obama has signed into law a bill that seeks to ensure all telephone calls and other communications delivered through a Department of Veterans Affairs' crisis line get answered in a timely manner by a qualified person. The legislation signed Monday comes after federal investigators substantiated allegations that some calls went into a voicemail system and that some veterans didn't get immediate assistance. The bill creates a quality assurance process. It requires the VA to develop a plan to ensure any communication to the crisis line or a backup center is quickly handled by someone in accordance with guidance established by the American Association of Suicidology. Rep. David Young, R-Iowa, the bill's sponsor, says those who sacrificed in defense of "our freedoms" deserve the best mental health care possible. http://www.military.com/daily-news/2016/11/29/obama-signs-bill-improve-va-crisis-hotline.html

[waltky]

Navy Launches Expanded Suicide Prevention Program Service-Wide...
http://www.politicalforum.com/images/smilies/salute.gif
Navy Expands Suicide Prevention Program Service-Wide
Feb 15, 2017 | The Navy has rolled out a program aimed at providing added support for sailors considered at risk for suicide.


The Navy has rolled out a program aimed at providing added support for sailors considered at risk for suicide. Sailor Assistance and Intercept for Life, or SAIL, was announced service-wide earlier this month and is now available at all Fleet and Family Support Center locations. The voluntary program works by linking sailors who have demonstrated suicidal behavior with Fleet and Family Support Center counselors trained in assessing suicide risk. Those counselors remain in contact with the participant for three months, said Capt. Michael Fisher, director of the Navy Suicide Prevention Branch. They can help identify stressors, like financial issues, and link the sailor with resources, he said.


http://images04.military.com/media/news/service/navy-suicide-1500-ts600.jpg

Participation in SAIL is not intended to replace therapy. "A caring contact is all it is," Fisher said. SAIL is patterned after the Marine Corps' Marine Intercept Program, which began in 2014. A pilot of the Navy's version began in August in the Pacific Northwest. At least 91 sailors accepted SAIL's services out of 175 referrals between Aug. 28 and Feb. 3, according to Navy data. The problem of suicide among troops has plagued military leaders in recent years as numbers spiked. Navy Personnel Command data shows 51 active duty sailors and 10 reservists killed themselves in 2016, according to preliminary numbers. In 2015, the numbers were 43 active duty sailors and 14 reservists.

About 40 percent of sailors who commit suicide had a previous attempt or impulse, Fisher said. Removing stigmas that prevent sailors from seeking mental health treatment or from helping those who appear to be in danger has been an ongoing challenge. The Navy has promoted intervention programs to help sailors recognize and respond to suicidal or risky behavior among their peers. "We want people to be willing to step forward if they're having challenges," Fisher said. The Military Crisis Line offers confidential support for active duty and reserve service members and their families 24 hours a day at 800-273-8255 or online at www.militarycrisisline.net. Text messages can also be sent to 838255.

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/02/15/navy-expands-suicide-prevention-program-service-wide.html

[waltky]

Best way to prevent war suicides is to prevent war...
http://www.politicalwrinkles.com/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif
Suicide Prevention: The War at Home
25 Sep 2017 | Kim Ruocco, MSW, is Vice President, Suicide Prevention and Postvention at the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and the surviving spouse of Marine Corps Maj. John Ruocco, who died by suicide in 2005.


Daniel Lee O'Brien graduated from boot camp in August of 2005. He was a Marine, like his father and grandfather before him. Daniel did two tours in Iraq in short order. He returned home and married his sweetheart, Lisa. They had a little girl, Alexis Leah, who was Daniel's "number one." But his life began to fall apart as PTS waged war on his mind. He was 22 years old when he died by suicide. Dana O'Brien (OB), who served in Vietnam, began to fight his own demons following the death of his grandson, Daniel. Daniel's death, combined with his own unresolved pain from Vietnam, threatened to destroy him, but the power of love from his family and TAPS, combined with treatment, saved his life. This morning, and every morning, OB reaches out to veterans and families of the fallen by calling or sending a text message. He reminds them there are people in their lives who love them as he loved his grandson.

The rate of suicide has increased in recent years for the U.S. population as a whole. According to the Department of Veterans' Affairs most recent report on suicide, this rate has increased more dramatically for veterans than for non-veterans, with the risk of suicide approximately 21 percent greater for veterans. In addition, the rate is approximately 2.4 times higher for female veterans than for non-veterans. Statistics also indicate that families affected by suicide are at a higher risk of death by suicide themselves. More lives have been lost to suicide in the past 15 years than the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. Like war, suicide doesn't discriminate. It touches all -- all ranks, all socio-economic groups, and all races. There is help for those suffering from suicidal thoughts, there are treatment options that work -- options that will decrease the pain, not just numb it.


http://images04.military.com/media/news/conflicts/military-suicide.jpg

There are programs that stand at the ready to help with evidence-based, best-practice care. But it is up to us, the community, to find new and innovative ways to connect these programs to service members, veterans and military family members in need. Once, veterans who died by suicide were kept from burial in VA cemeteries, and their survivors, denied certain benefits. In short, it was viewed as a dishonorable death. Slowly, we have begun to understand more about suicide and the complex factors that contribute to it. We are beginning to understand that like cancer or a broken leg, if PTS, mood disorders, moral injuries, and TBI go untreated, they can be fatal. Of course, there are pragmatic issues to contend with in helping ensure our veterans have the care and support they need. This means adequate staff and resources at the VA. It will take more than money, however, to eradicate suicide in the military. At TAPS, we have partnered with national, public and private organizations to combat suicide.

Together with such organizations as the National Action Alliance, the American Association of Suicidology, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, SAHMSA, SPRC, DSPO, the VA and others, we are determined to make a difference. We advocate for increased funding for organized peer support for veterans and their families to decrease stress and provide opportunities to share resources. Too often these families are suffering alone without the knowledge of others who are in a similar situation. Peers can be a bridge to professional care and a beacon of hope for those who are suffering. We must also have a serious discussion to determine how best family members can be involved in treatment options without breaching HIPAA, and to provide families with more professional support such as a 24/7 hotline.

MORE (http://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/09/25/suicide-prevention-the-war-at-home.html)