Army suicides for 2012 surpass last year's numbers (AP)

[pinboy3niner]

By LOLITA C. BALDOR | Associated Press – 27 mins ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ten months into 2012, the number of suspected suicides by active-duty soldiers has surpassed last year's total, even as the Pentagon struggles to stem the persistent problem.

The Army says there were 20 possible suicides in October, bringing the total for the year to 166 — one more than the total for 2011. The 20 suspected soldier suicides in October is also a spike, compared to 15 in September.

...


http://news.yahoo.com/army-suicides-2012-surpass-last-years-numbers-232608655.html

Does anyone else remember that September was Army Suicide Prevention Month? http://www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/suicide/spmonth/default.asp

[patrice]

1. .

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

2. Not to go...

...into the support group realm but we appear to be, nationwide, into a stress-depression funk that's not having a good effect on anyone. I would guess that active duty folks are probably effected more than some others.

[DollarBillHines]

3. One shudders to think of the number of inactive

You and I were part of the same adventure, pinboy (is that a radio handle or something?).

I knew of not one single suicide while in country.

Once I got home, tho...

[pinboy3niner]

4. VN troops had far more suicides after return than in-country

For the VN War, only 382 deaths in-country (about .0066%) were classified as suicide:
http://www.militaryfactory.com/vietnam/casualties.asp#9

Yeah, my username was my last radio callsign in Vietnam. That was after the Army switched from the 'six' system to random number callsigns. Before that I was Itchy Click One-Six and my RTO was One-Six Oscar. Years afterward I learned that my first Itchy Click One-Six Oscar killed himself shortly after he got back from Vietnam. And I've also lost other VN vet friends that way over the years.

For today's troops the statistics probably would be even higher if not for the far greater level of mental health services available.

Welcome home, brother...