Suicide Toll Fuels Worry That Army Is Strained

[laststeamtrain]

Source: WSJ

NOVEMBER 3, 2009

Suicide Toll Fuels Worry That Army Is Strained


By YOCHI J. DREAZEN

Sixteen American soldiers killed themselves in October in the U.S. and on duty overseas, an unusually high monthly toll that is fueling concerns about the mental health of the nation's military personnel after more than eight years of continuous warfare.

The Army's top generals worry that surging tens of thousands more troops into Afghanistan could increase the strain felt by many military personnel after years of repeated deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

The October suicide figures mean that at least 134 active-duty soldiers have taken their own lives so far this year, putting the Army on pace to break last year's record of 140 active-duty suicides. The number of Army suicides has risen 37% since 2006, and last year, the suicide rate surpassed that of the U.S. population for the first time.

<snip>

Some senior military officials worry that the troop-increase plans under discussion at the White House would require the Army and Marine Corps to keep forces in Afghanistan longer, or give forces less time in the U.S. between deployments, increasing the strain on military personnel.

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125720469173424023.html

[Grinchie]

1. Army? What Army?

You mean the one that is getting lots of new recruits because of the Crappy economy?

Maybe this has something to do with it --- http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1811858,00.html

[No Elephants]

2. Ya think?

[ShortnFiery]

3. Exponentially understated.

:crazy:

[Solly Mack]

4. Snort

Like this hasn't been a concern for a few years now.

All anyone has to do is a search to see many, many articles on the stress caused by repeated deployments, shorter and shorter down time, and the long separations from family. Course, those articles will primarily deal with troops in Iraq....it's gotten to the point that news articles are recycled and all that gets changed is Iraq into Afghanistan. SSSNDT (same shit, same news, different theatre)

[dhpgetsit]

5. You took the words right of my mouth.

Ya think??

OE: Oops that was for ShortnFiery.

[babydollhead]

6. why are we not fighting for their freedom?

don't forget stop loss