Every 36 hours one suicide in the US Army

[Herbal Influence 10]

The other side of shiny "Top Gun" - advertising shit ... :

The Study in english.

Explanation in german.

[NeMeSiS 11]

I barely skimmed it so i may have missed it: But how does this compare to other countries?

[HyperU2 11]

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/jan2010/suic-j06.shtml

The Army, National Guard and Army Reserve lost at least 211 personnel to suicide. More than half of those who took their lives had served in either Iraq or Afghanistan.

Which means half didn't. So we either need to stop deploying them, or start. Depressed folks are always going to die, some just choose to try the military first.

[da12thMonkey 1943]

Seems a lot when you say one every 36 hours; but I seem to remember reading that research has shown that while the US Army's suicide rates have shot up since 2003; it only just increased to a rate that exceeds the national suicide rate in the US (something like 19-20 suicides per 100,000 people, per year) in 2010.

http://articles.cnn.com/2008-09-09/health/army.suicides_1_suicide-rate-army-soldiers-female-veterans?_s=PM:HEALTH

The sudden increase should obviously be of concern - but I think it would be unfair to assume that figures like this mean that war veterans are somehow, more mentally unstable than non-military personnel. Particularly when you consider that war veterans don't account for all of the US Army's suicides - as HyperU2 points out.

Still, soldiers returning from a war and becoming basket-cases seems to be a common theme of books, films and TV shows - a representation that permeates many people's preconceptions about veterans. I always find that a bit sad.

[EDcase 87]

I always found it amazing that people can return to a normal life after experiencing war.

[Beagle 684]

I always found it amazing that people can return to a normal life after experiencing war.

They don't I cant remember a single comrade I knew that is stil the same. This also gos for the one Women I know that served as physician in Mazar-i-Sharif, i did not know her THAT cynical before. ANother one who lost comrades in the suicide taxi bombing in 2003 just keeps on seeking for new deployment opportunities al tzhe time...he became a war junkie obviously.

I know only 3 veterans for a bit longer, but they al changed somehow. Its especiallöy hard in countries like germany where noone givews a shot about what we cal "stupid military heroism"

In fact it is widespread thinking that only loosers join tzhe army anyway...we have s special word for that type of person "Zivilversager". That's for personal trying to get a civil life but often trying to join the army shortly after again. Beeing deployed multiple times to A-stan or Kosovo was always a high risk to make you a "Zivilversager" soner or later

Edited November 8, 2011 by Beagle

[PELHAM 10]

A guy in my father's unit attempted suicide. He put his rifle under his chin and pulled the trigger but changed his mind as he did so and ended up with a cleft chin. Unfortunately that was not all, the bullet gave him cleft lips, cleft nose and a cleft forehead.

If you think that sounds like he had a butt crack carved into his face - that's exactly what he looked like. I'm not sure what was troubling him before, but despite his horrible disfigurement he seemed happier with life and did not attempt it again. Isn't life odd?

I blame wives and girlfriends for much of it. If they didn't write dear John letters dumping people in the middle of war zones many would still be alive.

[maturin 12]

Still, soldiers returning from a war and becoming basket-cases seems to be a common theme of books, films and TV shows - a representation that permeates many people's preconceptions about veterans. I always find that a bit sad.

I agree it's sad, but shouldn't you also find it finally accurate?

Better to recognize a problem, even if it's embarrassing.

[HyperU2 11]

The point is it's not that accurate, portraying a small percentage as the norm.

[OrLoK 20]

Hello all

With the vast amount of personell in the US(?) Army (not just frontline troops) are these stats not just around average?

I believe it was the same at the mega factories that produces some of the iphone/ipad parts.

Due to the number of workers the amount of suicides was well within average, but the press picked up on the Apple connections and made it sound like all Apple employees were in danger.

Similar, I believe to the "Poltergeist" film curse mythos.

I dont wish to detract, though, that any suicide is a dreadful thing for all those involved and if I havnt treated the subject with the care it deserves I apologise in advance.

rgds

LoK

PS

also,

Quote:

Originally Posted by da12thMonkey

Still, soldiers returning from a war and becoming basket-cases seems to be a common theme of books, films and TV shows - a representation that permeates many people's preconceptions about veterans. I always find that a bit sad.

I agree it's sad, but shouldn't you also find it finally accurate?

Better to recognize a problem, even if it's embarrassing.

I have a few chums who have got back from afghan, and state that the after care is appalling. One chap wanted to muster out, but felt he would get little or no support returning to civvie street.

I cant vouch for the validity of this, but on the whole, he's a solid chap.

Edited November 10, 2011 by orlok

[maturin 12]

The point is it's not that accurate, portraying a small percentage as the norm.

If there is one veteran in a movie and he is a crazed homeless guy, then 100% of the veterans in the movie are crazed homeless guys. But the movie isn't depicting all veterans as crazed homeless guys. It's art/entertainment, not documentary.

Less than 10% of smokers get lung cancer. Is it wrong to tell people about the dangers of smoking because many smokers survive their habit?

Combat veterans have higher rates of joblessness and homelessness* and now suicide as well.

That's the story, the statistic and the issue that should concern society. And we shouldn't worry about offending mentally stable veterans along the way. Last time I heard, you weren't a fan of political correctness.

*While so far as I'm aware, former servicemen military as a whole do quite well in this regard.

[HyperU2 11]

The news media isn't art. At least it shouldn't be.

Not combat veterans, all veterans. Again you have to consider some of those who serve, and who they were before they served. At least in the US.

[jblackrupert 14]

There was a suicide at a OWS camp today.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/national/apparent-suicide-at-occupy-protest-in-vermont/article_969ab7b6-c537-5388-8d2e-b40bc6f51f15.html

[maturin 12]

The news media isn't art. At least it shouldn't be.

If you're talking about news, then most of the coverage I see about veterans is either overtly positive, or about PTSD and thus calling for more support and resources for veterans. A win-win so far as I can tell.

[MF_Washburn 1]

The pressure is quite mindblowing, I've heard. Also in personal narratives I've read the stress they encounter from fellow soldiers and superiors inside their unit is also a great factor. Just praying for these guys.

[Robster 11]

War is a b*tch, y'know... and if we all would have to go there many of us would become nuts... nothing new... when you play warfare in RL you have to be prepared to kill people and expect to be killed... and that seems to be heavy at the end of the day... whether it affects to you or your surrounding mates, innocent people, children and such...

The thing is we play pc war games for fun... instinct maybe, but the most of us would never be pleased to go to real war and, in fact, we won't go...

Anyway, in 10000 years nobody will care... which make to wander where is actually leading all that pain and suffering? which is the lesson? 2012 happy nuke year? nah!

Were those suicide guys prepared enough to deal with RL warfare? Someone might say that they didn't receive proper military instruction... so, the problem would be resolved by addressing some kind of psychological warfare training

Why do those guys keep committing suicide after warfare experiences? Will many of them never be prepared for such ventures? perhaps that's the reason why remote techy HQ are so popular in these days... but y'know some infantry has to be there... and war is always claiming for more victims...

[MF_Washburn 1]

I guess they did get proper military instruction, but they weren't prepared for the side of humanity they've seen.

Everyone has borders of reality and normalcy, a kind of psychological comfort zone. And the frontlines of war more than anything violates these lines. I won't say these soldiers are weak, I'd just say war (and the fact that we need military force) is cruel.