[Vision2020] Soldier Suicide Rate May Set Record

[Tom Hansen]

File the following articles under "Things You Won't Hear in McCain's 
Welcome Speech Tonight".
 
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>From the Army Times -

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Army: Soldier suicide rate may set record
By Pauline Jelinek - The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Soldier suicides this year could surpass the record rate of 
last year, Army officials said Thursday, urging military leaders at all 
levels to redouble prevention efforts for a force strained by two wars.

So far this year, there are 62 confirmed suicides among active duty 
soldiers and Guard and Reserve troops called to active duty, officials 
said. An additional 31 deaths appear to be suicides but are still being 
investigated.

If all are confirmed, that means that the number for 2008 could eclipse 
the 115 of last year — and the rate per 100,000 could surpass that of the 
civilian population, Col. Eddie Stephens, deputy director of human 
resources policy, said at a Pentagon press conference.

“Army leaders are fully aware that repeated deployments have led to 
increased distress and anxiety for both soldiers and their families,” Army 
Secretary Pete Geren said.

“The Army is committed to ensuring that all soldiers and their families 
receive the behavioral health care they need,” he said in a statement 
distributed at the press conference.

To try to stem the continuing high number of suicides, the Army continues 
to increase the number of staff psychiatrists and other mental health 
staff as well as chaplains, is issuing a new interactive video for troops 
and will be adding a new program to basic training starting in January, 
said Brig. Gen. Rhonda L. Cornum, an assistant Army surgeon general.

“There are no simple problems and there are no simple solutions,” Cornum 
said. “There is no program that has been shown to be truly effective at 
preventing suicides ... Success will be the sum of a number of smaller 
steps.”

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>From "DoD Cannot Ensure troops Get Checkups" at www.ArmyTimes.com

"Law requires that service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan go 
through a post-deployment health re-assessment three to six months after 
deployment to make sure symptoms for post-traumatic stress disorder and 
traumatic brain injury, as well as other health concerns that weren’t 
caught immediately upon return, can be treated.

But the Governmental Accountability Office released a report on Thursday 
stating that the Defense Department does not have a way to guarantee all 
war veterans actually complete that process."
 
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Pro patria, 
 
Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
 
"Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the 
tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime." 
 
-- Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr. 


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