Number of Army suicides already surpasses 2009 total

[sabra]

Source: gov exec

Despite a rapidly expanding effort to improve the mental well-being of its soldiers, new Army data suggest that the service's suicide epidemic shows little sign of improvement, with more troops taking their own lives so far this year than ever before.

The data released by the Pentagon on Friday indicate that there were 25 potential suicides for both active-duty and reserve service members. Two by active-duty troops were confirmed. In a separate document from the Army, five suicides of reservists have been confirmed. The rest are all under investigation.

As of Friday's numbers, at least 172 soldiers committed suicide this year - surpassing last year's total of 162 for all of 2009.

Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for soldiers, trailing only combat deaths and accidental deaths from drug overdoses and drunken driving, the Army's Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Chiarelli said in the foreword to a report on military suicide issued in July. Chiarelli, a four-star general, has made a personal commitment to suicide prevention.

Read more: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1110/112210nj3.htm

[RKP5637]

1. Why would anyone be surprised by this ... n/t

[Mimosa]

2. Many are in military because they needed jobs.

Sad.

[RKP5637]

3. Yep, locked into a job they really don't like, repeated tours year after year, sometimes

treated like shit back in the US, no jobs, etc., maimed, all sorts of things.

[bobbolink]

5. And please remember that the WOMEN are facing more "mental illness", with the liklihood of suicide,

because they were RAPED by their peers.

:cry: :nuke: :cry:

[maryf]

11. Yep one in three service women suffer sexual abuse, 1 in 10 men, nt.

[bobbolink]

4. My generation was told this when we were campaigning for abolishing the draft.

They were right and we were wrong on this.

As I look back, it was selfish to work to abolish the draft. It needs to return... for ALL!

[AndyTiedye]

7. A Draft Just Compounds the Injustice

You had it right the first time. A draft just makes the problem worse.

1. The only thing limiting the ambition of people like Bush and Cheney is the availability of cannon fodder.
If we had a draft, we would be at war with at least Iran and most likely the whole middle east.

2. If the government abuses its military too much, they won't get any more recruits. If there is a draft, this limiting factor is removed.

3. There is no incentive to increase military pay if there is a draft. The military was paid essentially slave wages when the draft was in effect. A draft, like any other form of slavery, has a corrosive effect on wages. Most contemporary proposals for conscription include some sort of nonmilitary service option. While this gives them something to do with conscientious objectors, the civilian workers who are employed in those areas now would be thrown out of work.

4. A draft would not really be for everyone, it never was and it never will be. Check Bush and Cheney's war service. There is no way to make it fair. If you eliminate medical deferments (such as what Cheney had) you impose a terrible injustice on those who really are disabled, and disabled troops won't do much for combat readiness either.

5. The military is not for everyone. The draft assumed that every 18-year-old could be turned into a soldier in less than two months. Those who couldn't came home in a box.

[bobbolink]

8. Disagree, and your number two has already been proven false.

[AndyTiedye]

9. 2 More Reasons Why The Draft Was Wrong and Still Is

6. When the draft was in effect, bullying was tolerated much more in school, and even encouraged, because it was perceived that the weaker kids needed to be "toughened up" somehow for the Army.

Your earlier post in the thread about servicewomen being raped would cause me to add:

7. If military discipline has broken down to such a great extent that it cannot even protect our female troops from being raped by fellow soldiers, bringing in a huge number of new, unwilling, recruits is a recipe for disaster.

[bobbolink]

10. ALL things were different then.. You may remember, blacks were segregated also.

And, now you would close down the military academies? Or would you just ban women?

[AndyTiedye]

12. Which Corporations Are Worth Dying For?

8. Since the corporations effectively control our government, do you really want to give them to power to make us fight their wars for them?

And, now you would close down the military academies? Or would you just ban women?

Where did you get those strawmen from?

You were the one who brought up the issue of rape within the military, and the only "solution" you have offered is to bring back the draft.
How is that going to solve a problem in our elite military academies?

In the military at large, it is likely to make the problem worse, as the officer corps tries to deal with a huge infux of angry conscripts.

[thereismore]

6. "They volunteered" is justification for everything.

:cry: