Combat Stress Driving Up Army Crime, Drug Abuse, Suicides [View All]

[HughMoran]

Source: Politics Daily

The U.S. Army, under the accumulating stress of nine years at war, is suffering an alarming spurt of drug abuse, crime and suicide that is going unchecked, according to an internal study that depicts an Army in crisis.

A small but growing number of soldiers who perform credibly in combat turn to high-risk behavior, including drug abuse, drunken driving, motorcycle street-racing, petty crime and domestic violence, once they return home.

As a result, more soldiers are dying by drug overdose, accident, murder and suicide than in combat. Suicide is now the third-leading cause of death for soldiers.

"Simply stated, we are often more dangerous to ourselves than the enemy,'' concludes the extraordinary internal Army investigation commissioned by Gen. Peter Chiarelli, the Army's vice chief of staff.

Read more: http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/10/17/combat-stress-driving-up-army-crime-drug-abuse-suicides/?icid=main|aim|dl1|sec1_lnk1|178397

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This is awful - more outreach is needed for these stressed soldiers. Granted, stopping the war in Afghanistan would be a better solution.