Army Looking for Ways to Curb Suicides

[unhappycamper]

Army Looking for Ways to Curb Suicides
February 07, 2009
Associated Press

FORT JACKSON, S.C. - To battle a growing suicide rate, the Army may have to start teaching soldiers how to handle stress from the first day they take their entry oath, the service's top trainer said Friday.

"The new idea I suppose I would offer is getting at it right from the beginning of the career," said Gen. Martin Dempsey, the new four-star commander of the Army's Training and Doctrine Command, which operates 33 schools and training centers at 16 Army installations.

Dempsey, who led soldiers during two combat tours in Iraq, was questioned about the issue after addressing 1,150 soldiers who graduated from basic training at Fort Jackson, the Army's largest training installation.

According to figures obtained by The Associated Press, there were seven confirmed suicides last month, compared with five a year earlier. An additional 17 cases from January are under investigation.

Army Secretary Pete Geren acknowledged last week that officials have been stumped by the spiraling number of cases.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/army-looking-for-ways-to-curb-suicides.html?col=1186032310810



uhc comment: Geren is stumped why the suicide rate is what it is? Let me give give you a hint: repeated deployments in 'forever wars'.