10 Suicides a Month at Fort Hood Texas (?)

[kpete]

atimes & democracy now:


Tragically, Fort Hood has also born much of the brunt from its heavy involvement in the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. Fort Hood soldiers have accounted for more suicides than any other army post since the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. This year alone, the base is averaging over 10 suicides each month - at least 75 have been recorded through July of this year alone.

more:
http://atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KK10Df07.html
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/11/9/802769/-10-Suicides-a-Month-at-Fort-Hood-Texas

........................
Dahr Jamail, independent journalist, his latest book, The Will to Resist: Soldiers Who Refuse to Fight in Iraq and Afghanistan. His article on the Fort Hood shootings for IPS is called "War Comes Home":

It’s the most heavily deployed base. And even before the incident last Friday, this is a base that, as of—by the end of July, which is the last month we have statistics from Fort Hood on suicides there, by the end of July this base was averaging over ten suicides a month, just at Fort Hood alone.

http://www.democracynow.org/...
http://www.democracynow.org/2009/11/9/when_the_war_comes_homes_iraq

..................


NYT & WSJ (have different numbers)

Since 2003, there have been 76 suicides by personnel assigned to Fort Hood, with 10 this year, according to military officials.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/us/10post.html
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125747341095832795.html

kpete ???

[babylonsister]

1. Aargh. That's untenable. To me. Why isn't it to the powers that be? nt

[amerstates]

2. would that be because of the volume of soldiers coming into and out of Ft. Hood?

I think I heard Fort Hood is the arrival and departure base for Afghanistan and Iraq for the army. If that is the case, virtually every army soldier that comes and goes to those two battles could be counted as having gone through Fort Hood. Bottom line is military suicides are lower than the suicide rate for young men not in the miilitary and of the same age.

[LynnTheDem]

6. Not true.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. Where did you get that lie, fantasy.com?

Serious, the suicide rate in the armed forces, particularly the USMC and the US Army is at an all time high... and this worries army brass by the way.

Military suicide rate


Tribune wire reports
9:15 a.m. CDT, May 29, 2008
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The number of Army suicides increased again last year, amid the most violent year yet in both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

An Army official said Thursday that 115 troops committed suicide in 2007, a nearly 13 percent increase over the previous year's 102. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because a full report on the deaths wasn't being released until later Thursday.

About a quarter of the deaths occurred in Iraq.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-military-suicide-rate-080529-ht,0,6105432.story

Of course if you are really interested look for this on the google...

[niyad]

20. between this post and your other one on the stupak amendment, it seems pretty clear

that you are on the wrong site.

please provide a link for your ridiculous statement about military suicides, especially for those of us dealing with this issue.

[tekisui]

25. Bottom line? Where's your link to that claim?

[proteus_lives]

3. 10 a month?

I'm calling bullshit until I see several different sources backing that up.

75 in july? How many troops died in Afghanistan in this month? This doesn't add up.

[LynnTheDem]

7. nm

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. You can use the google but here is one story of many

Army: Suicide rate among soldiers continues on record pace
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
In May, 17 soldiers were either confirmed or suspected to have taken their own lives
Number of potential or confirmed suicides since January stands at 82
Last year the Army recorded 133 suicides, the most ever
"We've got to do better," Army vice chief of staff says in a statement
updated 6:30 p.m. EDT, Thu June 11, 2009
Next Article in U.S. »


By Mike Mount
CNN Senior Pentagon Producer

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The suicide rate among U.S. Army soldiers jumped in May -- continuing a four-month upward trend and on a record pace for a second straight year, according to Army statistics released Thursday.


During a service-wide stand-down, troops were trained on identifying signs of distress.
1 of 3

Last month the deaths of 17 soldiers were either confirmed or suspected to be suicides, up from 13 in April and 13 in March, the new numbers revealed.

The Army said the total number of potential or confirmed suicides since January stands at 82. Last year the Army recorded 133 suicides, the most ever.

Earlier this year, Army officials saw the suicide numbers moving up, and by February said the service was on track for a record year for suicides.

Only one of the 17 in May has been confirmed as a suicide, while the others remain under investigation and are listed as "potential suicides," according to the latest statistics.

For April, the Army reported eight potential and five confirmed suicides.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/06/11/us.army.suicides/index.html

Yes, there are days I wonder about folks who really think this is not happening.

[proteus_lives]

13. I blame multiple tours.

They needed to spaced out more limited to one or two per soldier. But I imagine that means the army would need more men.

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. And women and the brass has pointed this out

but as long as we have a small volunteer force....

But what happened at Hood is just the latest of a series of events. Most are single casualty events, until Hood the worst was Carson...

And I expect more.

As I told somebody who was going, you are attacking the military. want to help join up.... no not you,,, but you know what I mean.

Brass is learning a tough lesson you cannot keep deploying the same people over and over and over again... PERIOD. Not without paying a huge price down the road. For the record not even in Vietnam did we see this abuse of soldiers.

[proteus_lives]

17. I go back and fourth on wither I would support a draft.

But I think it might be a good idea. It would lighten the load on the individual soldier and probably bring the occupation to a swifter end.

What would you think of a draft?

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. I'm all for it, mostly for the following reasons

1.-A peace time military that is fully volunteer works very well, but unless you have a swift end to hostilities, it degrades very fast.

2.- A full volunteer force gets separated from the civilian population it serves and that has its own dangers...

3.- If a war is so important in a democracy then all should bear the brunt, not just 1% of the population, see point number two.

4.- We already have a draft, the poor... and that is highly acceptable to liberals because they volunteered.

Oh and finally a draft has be one where the only possible exception is, if you are six months from graduating from College, aka one semester, you have a choice. Go in now as an enlisted. or finish your degree, commit to go in into OCS and serve as an officer. Lord knows we will need officers.

And I know all the arguments against it, but even our local hero, Smedley Butler, had the right idea. If and when war breaks up, those who are responsible for it should be immediately inducted. If they are younger than 35 into the infantry they go, over 35 into support services, no exceptions. He wrote that about congress critters, and I fully agree. That would make declaring war all that much more necessary... and critical.

But the brass has little choice right now, they don't make the policy, they carry it out... and due to the way this is right now, no choice but repeated deployments/ I have a hope, if people don't hide head in sand, as they are already doing, that the disaster at Hood will wake people up to the reality that this is unsustainable. You want a war... get a draft, or get the hell out.

[proteus_lives]

23. Makes sense.

1. We couldn't have fought WWII with an all-volunteer force and that only last four years for us.

2. True, classism. It eliminates understanding on both sides. A draft would make people less eager to go war and less likely to ostracize soldiers.

3. Equally important.

4. Poverty has always been a draft for armies since armies began, back to Mesopotamia. 3 hots and cot.

I would add.

5. Draft is for both men and women.

6. Very strict policy on not serving. Even disabled people can perform some duties. No fincianal considerations. You're healthy and over 18? Get on the bus.

7. Over 35 in support? I can get behind that. Statesmen fighting goes back to Athens and that tradition should be revived.

8. Officers from colleges? Another good idea.

9. I think two years of federal services would be good for 18 year olds. Not just military-wise, I think if I had started out in college and work after two years of teamwork, life experience, meeting different people, I think that would have been a definite advantage.

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. Number nine gets us into national service

which is a good thing... and if you happen to be CO and cannot serve in the armed forces for moral reasons, not even as a medic, the traditional MOS for COs... then there should be some form of national service.

It increases civic responsibility.

And yes there are some people that for mostly medical or moral reasons will not and cannot serve... in an armed force... well hospitals always need volunteers, so does the work of the nation that is needed, such as infrastructure building, and taking care of kids.

I'd be even be willing to go as far as Heinlein... no service, no citizenship.

Of course that would be way too far, but at times I think he got that one right.

Oh and statesmen serving would be good. To paraphrase Sassoon (a WW I Poet), if the men ordering us to the fight had to fight themselves, they'd think twice about it.

On edit, when I say draft I include my nieces. We were talking with my brother, who is typical in some ways, show the bloody shirt and all that. He was all for going to war with Iran, until my husband asked, which one of your two girls are you willing to sacrifice for your ideology? I also pointed out that he was all for the war in Iraq because of those WMDs and there are nowhere to be found. So he should have learned that by now. Of course he has no time to keep up with politics and all that... again typical... and yes he is a hawk when it comes to Israel, why I avoid the matter with him at all times now.

He later asked me if I agreed? I told him, first if we go to war with Iran, I want a general national draft, and yes that includes both of her kids, they ARE of military age for god sakes. He had that look of horror... his kids, army EEWWWWW!!!!!!!

But you don't.... he started.

I stopped him, and pointed out that as a medic with the Red Cross in TJ I got shot at regularly. Hell a round went by my ear during one of those wonderful soirées. If he wants to fight a war, well damn it he's too old, but his kids are not. (and chances are... he'd be drafted on a skills draft and I am all for it... me, I tried to enlist after 9.11 and have served already in somebody else's military and KNOW how important service is) And if I was asked to serve and the war IS THAT DAMN IMPORTANT, read WW II important, aka the closest we have come to a just war... sure, give me a uniform.

[EFerrari]

11. That number is probably wrong for Ft. Hood but we do have a probem.

Suicides of Soldiers Reach High of Nearly 3 Decades (01/09)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/us/30suicide.html

Spike in army vet suicides calls for changes

snip:
"There has been a spike in military suicides for the vets that have returned home as well as soldiers still away at war," said Violanti. "Numbers have spiked from four reported in January 2008 to 24 in January 2009, which is a 6-fold increase that has continued to go up every year."

http://www.ubspectrum.com/article/39481

[proteus_lives]

15. 10 a month across the whole military I can see.

I think multiple tours is the problem.

[niyad]

21. no, 75 THROUGH july

[sonias]

27. I think it is an error too

NYTimes 11/9/09
At Army Base, Some Violence Is Too Familiar
(snip)
Since 2003, there have been 76 suicides by personnel assigned to Fort Hood, with 10 this year, according to military officials.

I'm being nice and not calling it bullshit - but a mistake. It's 76 since 2003 and 10 this year.

Sonia

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. SHHHH have pointed that this "attack" at Hood is part

of the damn pattern, but nobody is willing to listen...

I mean did you miss the memo on the two minutes of hate?

SHEESHH!

:hi: and there is more, we have quite a bit of violence all over the force, and the brass knows why... but like good soldiers they cannot solve it until the Civilians do what needs to be done to stop this.

[parasim]

5. Well, Fort Hood is the largest military base, isn't it?

Makes sense it would have the largest number of suicides, wouldn't it?

[amerstates]

9. Kern was a PRIVATE in this article - his 15 minutes is up

Private Michael Kern did something terrible that is burned into his memory. So he is not surprised that even doctors who try to heal the mental scars left by war can snap. "I killed a child in Iraq, that affects me really hard," the young Fort Hood veteran haltingly confessed to AFP. "I just shot him. I was not in the right mindset at the time, I thought he was going to be a terrorist later. I won't be able to forgive myself for what I've done."


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatnews/6530407/Stress-driving-US-army-doctors-to-despair-says-veteran.html

Kern just admitted to possibly committing a war crime. Kern is also a member of anti war groups. Now why would they tolerate a person that may have committed a war crime?

[niyad]

22. so privates can't have a point of view?

I normally would say welcome to DU, but I suspect your stay here will be short.

[Therellas]

12. They take your boot laces so you cant hang yourself......

if your on suicide watch.
That is ,suspected to want to kill yourself
I was in for a while.
It was a big deal even in basic training..... people wanted out.
I guess it should be official ...war is bad for humans.

[imdjh]

14. NTC Great Lakes used to be known for its suicides.

[sabrina 1]

18. This was not the first shooting at Fort Hood either.

I think it is the fourth so far this year. I know it is a huge base, but still, I really believe all these soldiers, including the shooters, would be alive and would be living very different lives, if it were not for George Bush's criminal wars.

This one happened in July, and I think there was one in August and March also:

http://www.kxxv.com/Global/story.asp?S=10751210

Shooting on Fort Hood leaves one soldier dead

Posted: Jul 19, 2009 1:18 PM Updated: July 19, 2009 04:06 PM CDT

by Sara Talbert

FORT HOOD - Fort Hood officials tell News Channel 25 a soldier has turned him or herself in after shooting and killing a fellow soldier.

It happened just after midnight Friday night at the McNair Military housing facility on post. Fort Hood officials tell News Channel 25 a soldier fired a gun into a crowd in a front yard, striking the fellow soldier. That soldier was taken to Darnall Army Medical Center on post and later died.

And another one in August:

http://www.topix.com/city/fort-hood-tx/2009/10/two-fort-hood-soldiers-indicted-in-august-shooting-death

Two Fort Hood Soldiers Indicted In August Shooting Death

BELTON (October 15, 2009)—The Bell County Grand Jury has indicted two Fort Hood soldiers in connection with a shooting in August that left a Killeen man dead.

Jared Lee Bottorff, 21, was named in an indictment charging with murder and Philip James Thomas, 23, was indicted for tampering with evidence.
Click here to find out more!

Dan Richard Smith Jr., 36, of Killeen was shot to death early in August at 4212 Fawn Dr. in Killeen after what police described as a physical altercation during a party ended in a shooting.

Smith was found in a car outside the house where the party was held, dead of a gunshot wound to the head.

The two soldiers in the story above, were just back from the war. And last year, another soldier, just home from the war, shot and killed his wife at Fort Hood and then killed himself.

They are so stressed ~ war is an abomination and serves no purpose, other than to enrich evil people.

[forum slut]

28. there were plenty of shootings on fort hood during bill clinton's war too

I remember all too well as I was right there. There was a soldier executed in the baracks beside me and another soldier was shot right below my room. that ain't even the half of it. God damn those were some crazy fucking days.

[tekisui]

26. knr!~