Army suicides highest in 26 years

[rodeodance]

Source: ap



Army suicides highest in 26 years

By PAULINE JELINEK, Associated Press Writer 19 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Army soldiers committed suicide last year at the highest rate in 26 years, and more than a quarter did so while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a new military report.


The report, obtained by The Associated Press ahead of its scheduled release Thursday, found there were 99 confirmed suicides among active duty soldiers during 2006, up from 88 the previous year and the highest number since the 102 suicides in 1991 at the time of the Persian Gulf War.

The suicide rate for the Army has fluctuated over the past 26 years, from last year's high of 17.3 per 100,000 to a low of 9.1 per 100,000 in 2001.

Last year, "Iraq was the most common deployment location for both (suicides) and attempts," the report said.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070816/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/army_suicides;_ylt=AqYTKOad1nnicMomPQwteOWs0NUE

[valerief]

1. 2007 - 1991 = 16 years. nt

[defendandprotect]

2. 1991 was year of highest number of suicides: 102

But they keep referring to 26 years so presume they mean it --
you'd have to go to the actual report.

[Raejeanowl]

3. You Don't Even Have to Be Deployed

You can just live under the continual psychological threat of being deployed.

The divorce statistics are probably pretty grim, too. Ask my son. He's convinced his two tours in Afghanistan (and specifically, what they did to him mentally) cost him his marriage.

[rocktivity]

4. Sam Seder took a very strange call earlier this week

when he covered for Rachel Maddow. A mancomplained that "the media" were "hurting recruiting." His idea of an example: "We tell them 'We're gonna take care of you for life,' and then you show that stuff at Walter Reed." Sam just kept saying he "wasn't sure" what he was talking about. There's no telling if this guy was actually a recruiter, but he DID sound a bit hung over!

:headbang:
rocknation

[bamacrat]

5. If we stay bogged down in the hell that is Iraq a record may be set in 2007.

Especially if they start a draft, which I don't think they will do.

[Rambis]

6. Those numbers are fiction

I talked to a vet in early 2004 who was a guard outside a prison, which later we all learned was Abu Ghraib and he estimated based on what he had seen it was 500 suicides at that time.
"Not that they will be reported as suicides if they are reported at all"