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Military Suicides: One U.S. Veteran Dies Every 65 Minutes
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/01/military-suicides-us-veterans_n_2602602.html
Military Suicides: One U.S. Veteran Dies Every 65 Minutes
Reuters | Posted: 02/01/2013 6:56 pm EST
WASHINGTON, Feb 1 (Reuters) - The most extensive study yet by the U.S. government on suicide among military veterans shows more veterans are killing themselves than previously thought, with 22 deaths a day - or one every 65 minutes, on average.
The study released on Friday by the Department of Veterans Affairs covered suicides from 1999 to 2010 and compared with a previous, less precise VA estimate that there were roughly 18 veteran deaths a day in the United States.
More than 69 percent of veteran suicides were among individuals aged 50 years or older, the VA reported.
"This data provides a fuller, more accurate, and sadly, an even more alarming picture of veteran suicide rates," said Democratic Senator Patty Murray of Washington state, who has championed legislation to strengthen mental health care for veterans.